Meeting Minutes - LANC Board of Directors
June 18, 2004
Site/Location: 290 Macon Avenue,
Asheville, NC
Call to Order and Welcome
Jim Maxwell, Chair of the Board of Directors, called the meeting to order at
10:55 a.m. and welcomed all in attendance.
Members Present:
|
Leo L. Allison |
Willie Dawson |
Rhonda Shepherd |
|
Glenn Barfield |
Richard E. Fay |
Bonnie Tatum |
|
Susan Cole |
Mary Flowers |
Frank G. Queen |
|
Leto Copeley |
Allen Johnson |
Robert E. Riddle |
|
Burton Craige |
Scott B. Lewis |
John H. Vernon, III |
|
David Daggett |
Jim Maxwell |
Charles “CR” Ward |
|
Sarah Davis |
Pearl Nealey |
Willis Williams |
Members Absent With Prior Notification:
| Reid C. Adams |
| L. Lynnette Fuller-Andrews |
| Hada V. Haulsee |
| Pender McElroy |
| Raymond E. Owens, Jr. |
| G. Gray Wilson |
Administrative Office Staff Present:
George R. Hausen, Jr., President
Bernetta Johnsson, Finance Manager
Dock Kornegay, Director, Public Relations & Development
Chris Marks, Assistant Director of Finance & Administration
Celia Pistolis, Assistant Director of Advocacy and
Compliance
Tonya Pruitt-Lyons, Administrative Assistan
Paula H. Spence, Office Manager
LANC Staff Members Present:
Liza Barron, LANC Winston-Salem, Staff Attorney
Peter Carter, LANC New Bern, CED Coordinator
Shirley Carter, LANC Wilmington, Paralegal
Eura Cherry, LANC Ahoskie, Staff Attorney
Angie Dorsey, Senior Managing Attorney &
Regional Manager of LANC Asheville/Boone
Dorothy Harris, LANC Ahoskie, Administrator
Mary Hedgepeth, LANC Clients Council Coordinator
Kylie Holladay, LANC Asheville MLK Intern
Evan Lewis, LANC Greenville, Senior Managing Attorney
Jim Wall, LANC Wilmington, Senior Managing Attorney
Other Attendees Present:
Shirley Dawson, wife of LANC Board member Willie Dawson
Chris Estes, Executive Director of the NC Housing Coalition
Olga Gomez, Client Board Representative
Sharon Greig, Member of the LANC Clients Council
Cherie Purcell, NC Housing Coalition
Ken Schorr, Legal Services Southern Piedmont
Approval of Minutes
Chairman Maxwell directed the Board’s attention to the February 18, 2004
minutes and asked for approval. Following review and
discussion of the minutes, a motion was made, duly seconded, and UNANIMOUSLY
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the February 18, 2004 meeting, as
presented.
Affordable Housing in North Carolina Presentation
Chairman Maxwell recognized Chris Estes, Executive Director of the NC Housing
Coalition, to give a report regarding affordable housing in North Carolina. The
NC Housing Coalition was created sixteen years ago to work for decent, safe and
affordable housing for low-income North Carolinians. As a private, nonprofit
membership organization, there are individual and corporate members.
The Housing Coalition partners with the legal services community to
address housing needs and is pleased to be located in the LANC building on
Dawson Street with LANC and the Justice Center.
Regional Report
Chairman Maxwell recognized Angie Dorsey, Senior Managing Attorney in the
Asheville office, to give a local program report for the Boone office.
Ms. Dorsey reported on the activities in the Boone service area. In
addition to day to day case work performed by staff, the Boone Office has
visible support from the local bar and an active local advisory council. Several
months ago, the Boone Office and the local bar hosted a pro bono CLE event that
was well received. Also, there are ongoing efforts to recruit additional staff
attorneys for that office.
Chair’s Report
Chairman Maxwell reported that he had attended the January 2004 meeting of the
NCBA Board of Governors to inform that Board about actions taken by the Board of
Directors of Legal Services of North Carolina, Inc. (LSNC). The (LSNC) Board had
met and recommended that it remain in existence, reducing its Board of Directors
from twenty five members to seven members.
The newly structured Board of Directors will redefine the mission of
LSNC. The NCBA Board of Governors approved the recommendation and
will accept names for the members of the new Board at its next meeting.
Committee Reports
Personnel Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Leto Copeley to give the Personnel Committee
report. Ms. Copeley reported that the Personnel Committee met
and recommended three changes to the Personnel Policies. The
recommended changes are: (1)
eliminating use of the term ” probationary employees” and
replacing it with “new employee;” (2) compensatory time
should be used during the same week/pay period that the
compensatory time is earned; and (3) non-exempt LANC employees work a minimum of
37.5 hour work week. Ms. Copeley asked that the Board
adopt the changes in the Personnel Polices.
Following discussion, it was moved, duly seconded, and UNANIMOUSLY
RESOLVED to accept the changes to the Personnel Policies as presented.
Ms. Copeley reported that retirement policy issues have been referred to a
subcommittee for further discussion and recommendations.
Finance Committee Report:
Chris Marks asked that the Board accept the 2003 audit report as presented, by
the auditor, to the Board in Executive Session prior to the general business
portion of the meeting. Following discussion, it was moved,
duly seconded, and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED for the Board to accept the 2003 audit
report as presented.
Operations Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Scott Lewis to give the report from the Operations
Committee. Mr. Lewis gave an overview of the annual reports
from the Wilmington, Wilson, and Winston-Salem offices.
Mr. Lewis further reported that the 2004 Eligibility Guidelines were mailed to
the Board for review and approval. Responses were signed by
each Board member approving the guidelines, unanimously.
Resource Development Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Richard E. Fay to give the report of the Resource
Development Committee. Mr. Fay reported that his committee
met with consultant, Dennis Dorgan, Director of Fundraising from Management
Information Exchange (MIE), who continues to work on examining how funds for
legal services are raised and ways to increase fund raising efforts. Mr.
Dorgan will visit various parts of our state to look at challenges in raising
funds and will provide a report of his findings and recommendations.
[The meeting adjourned for lunch at
12:00 noon
so that Board members could attend the NCBA’s President’s Luncheon.
Chairman Maxwell reconvened the meeting at 2:20 p.m.]
Client Affairs Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Pearl Nealey, Chair of the Client Affairs
Committee, to give Client Affairs Committee report.
Ms. Nealey reported that there were three issues discussed by the
Client Affairs Committee: (1) client/lawyer rapport, (2) a
bylaw change to allow automatic succession of the Vice Chair to the Chair
position, and (3) client board member eligibility.
There was no business that required action by the Board at this time.
Chairman Maxwell commented on client board member eligibility, stating that
the LANC board has no control over the eligibility guidelines for the selection
of client board members. LSC regulations require that each
LANC client board member meet standard eligibility guidelines in order to serve
as a client board member.
Strategic Planning Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Glenn Barfield, Chair of the Strategic Planning
Committee, to give the Strategic Planning Committee Report.
Mr. Barfield reported that the Committee met and discussed the recent
LSC site visit, legislative efforts, the continuing existence of LSNC, LANC
budget issues, and the structure and delivery of services provided by LANC
attorneys. Mr. Barfield further reported that
another discussion item was the newly developed CED Practice Group established
to enhance activity in community economic development efforts.
Grievance Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Willie Dawson, Chair of the Grievance Committee,
to give the report of the Grievance Committee.
Mr. Dawson reported that there are no grievances pending.
Client’s Council Update:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Allen Johnson to give the Client’s Council report.
Mr. Johnson reported that there was no new business.
President’s Report
Chairman Maxwell recognized George Hausen to give the President’s report.
Mr. Hausen reported that a compliance team from LSC recently visited
LANC and made positive comments about the involvement of the LANC board, the
professionalism of our staff, and the accomplishment of the Legal Aid offices
and staff within the last twelve months.
Mr. Hausen further reported on the evaluation report and recommendations on
Legal Files Case Management Software prepared by John Tull for LANC.
Mr. Hausen reported that the legislative effort is on-going and the
possibility of increasing the amount of dedicated funding is being addressed.
Mr. Hausen reported that the Housing, CED, and Consumer Practice Groups in
coordination with affiliated organizations have begun work to impact the
development and the effectiveness of enhancing services delivered to our
clients.
Amendment to the Bylaws
Mr. Hausen reported that a bylaw change was recommended to the Board.
The change is the Vice Chair is the Chair-Elect.
The Chair-Elect presumptively shall become Chair of the Board of
Directors at the termination of incumbent Chair’s term.
Following discussion, it was moved, duly seconded, and UNANIMOUSLY
RESOLVED to approve the bylaw change as presented.
Report of the Nominating Committee:
Chairman Maxwell recognized David Daggett to give the report of the Nominating
Committee. Mr. Daggett reported that his committee
recommended the reappointment and nomination of the attorneys and client members
who currently serve on the board, and whose terms expired in 2004.
Two names of new client members were recommended to replace the two client
members whose terms on the board expired. The committee
recommends Olga Gomez and Saketta Spivey to fill those two positions.
He further reported that a replacement for the client member position held by
Leo Allison and the Ex Officio member from the NCBA President-Elect will be
recommended at the September 2004 board meeting. Following
discussion, it was moved, duly seconded, and UNAMIMOUSLY RESOLVED to accept the
recommendations by the Nominating Committee of Olga Gomez and Saketta Spivey to
serve a three-year term.
Election of New Board Members
Mr. Daggett reported that his committee recommended the following slate of
officers for the upcoming year: Leo Allison as Chair, Reid C.
“Cal” Adams as Vice Chair, Leto Copeley as Treasurer/Finance Chair, and Rick Fay
as Secretary. In addition, the committee recommended that the slate of officers
along with Jim Maxwell as Past Chair, and Glenn Barfield constitute the LANC
Executive Committee.
Following discussion, it was moved, duly seconded and UNANIMOUSLY
RESOLVED to accept the slate of officers and those named to serve on the
Executive Committee for the upcoming year.
Chairman’s Final Report
Chairman Maxwell stated that he recently had the opportunity to reflect on the
history of the LANC organization during his recent interview with a member of
the compliance team from LSC. As he reflected over the past
history of the organization, he remarked that the passing of the gavel to the
first client chairman, Mr. Leo Allison was a significant mark in LANC history.
Transfer of Gavel to New Board Chair
The new chairman, Leo Allison, stated that this is a challenging time. He
looks forward to leading LANC in the upcoming year and asked that the Board
refocus on our mission of serving clients.
Adjournment
The Chair, Leo Allison, adjourned the meeting at 4:15 p.m.
__________________________________
Richard E. Fay, Secretary
Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.
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