Meeting Minutes - Transition Board
Transition Board of Directors - Legal Aid of North Carolina
October 26, 2001 Meeting (BOD Mtg #7)
Wake Forest School of Law, Winston-Salem, NC
Welcome/Introductions
Pender McElroy, chair, called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone
present.
Persons in Attendance
The following board members were present: Glenn Barfield, David Daggett,
Rick Fay, Jack Holtzman, Allen Johnson, Caroline Myers, Pender McElroy, Dorothy
McHugh, Linda Rollock and Willis Williams.
The following people also attended the meeting: Michelle Cofield, George
Hausen, Richard Klein, Andrea Kurtz, Gina Reyman, Ken Schorr, and Celia
Pistolis.
Adoption of the meeting agenda
Moved by Rick Fay and seconded by Willis Williams. Unanimously adopted.
Adoption of the minutes of September 28, 2001 meeting
Moved by David Daggett and seconded by Glenn Barfield. Unanimously adopted.
Transition Committee Report (by Pender McElroy)
The committee (Rick Fay, Ted Fillette, George Hausen, Allen Johnson, Pender
McElroy, Gina Reyman and Ken Schorr) met by conference call on Wednesday,
October 24, 2001.
This committee discussed the use of "close-out" grants (money granted for a
limited period of time to each program to operate – the money would expire and
LANC would then be up and running) from LSC in order to close out the business
of the current LSC grantees and to become prepared for LANC to become viable.
LSC leans more towards the use of close-out grants than sub-grants as discussed
at a previous Transition Board meeting. The committee agrees that it would be
better to use close-out grants. The transition should be completed by June 30,
2002.
The committee also queried whether the new board should select the executive
director for LANC or whether this Transition Board should select the executive
director. Pender noted that the board will meet in executive session to discuss
the search for the executive director.
Frank Queen will chair a committee to look into real estate issues which
include whether LSC will assert some claim, either a filed legal claim or an
unfiled equitable claim to some property currently owned by LSC grantees. The
committee discussed not conveying real estate to LANC although some LSNC
buildings might be conveyed to LANC. Ken Schorr and George Hausen will work with
Queen on this matter.
Assets and liabilities of the organizations need to be identified. These lists
should include assets that would be conveyed to LANC and equipment leases. Also,
other things that need to be considered include assumption of debts issues and
insurance issues (property/casualty, malpractice and health). The four executive
directors will discuss these issues and other issues on a list that Ken Schorr
has.
The committee agreed that Allen Johnson shall chair a committee to look at how
clients are selected to the LANC Board. Leo Allison and Willis Williams are on
this committee. Anyone else who is interested may join.
Executive Session Report (by Pender McElroy)
The Board voted to conduct a national search for the new executive director
with the goal (emphasis supplied) that the new executive director would
be on board by May 1, 2002. The Search Committee’s charge is to:
1. Coordinate the search process;
2. Compile job description;
3. Set the qualifications for the position;
4. Conduct the notification process to potential candidates through
advertising and notices to potential candidates;
5. Review applications;
6. Conduct initial interviews;
7. Bring to the Transition Board, one or more candidates to be interviewed by
the Board (the Board will select the executive director).
The Search Committee will provide regular reports to the board.
The Search Committee will be chaired by Glenn Barfield. The following people
will serve as members of the committee: Glenn Barfield, Susan Gottsegan, Jack
Holtzman, Allen Johnson, Hazel Mack-Hilliard, Pender McElroy, and Willis
Williams
Barfield Committee Report (by Glenn Barfield)
The committee did not have a resolution regarding Legal Aid in Winston-Salem
to offer the Board but expects to have one by the next Board meeting. Susan
Gottegan and Andrea Kurtz are working towards a narrative. Glenn reported that
there seemed to be a real consensus on the Committee regarding this program.
Management Structure Committee (by Allen Johnson)
This Committee met by conference call on Thursday, October 25, 2001. The
Committee presented its recommendations regarding management structure,
grievance procedures and the equal employment opportunity policy.
After some discussion about salary parity and the need to establish a
committee to look into this matter, Allen Johnson moved that the recommendations
be accepted. Rick Fay seconded. After clarification that the executive director
can delegate his/her authority down through the system through the regional
director or the managing attorney, the Board voted to approve the
recommendations.
The recommendations were unanimously approved.
Governance Committee (by Glenn Barfield)
The committee discussed the process to select board members. LSC regulations
require that a client board member needs to be client eligible in order to be
appointed to a term on the board. LSC regulations also indicate the LSC grantee
cannot influence whom the bar associations nominate or select for the board.
By the end of November, the Committee suggested that a selection process needs
to be in place. Anyone interested in serving on the board is encouraged to let
someone from the appointing organization know.
The Committee will develop board job descriptions.
Planning Council Report
(by Gina Reyman)
The Futures Committee is continuing its work. This committee is
looking at the mission, composition, funding and work of the
Planning Council. The Special Providers Committee continues its work
on the statewide needs assessment.
There being no further business to come before the meeting, the
meeting was adjourned.
Minutes prepared by: Michelle Cofield.
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website are for information and educational
purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Please contact your
Legal Aid of North Carolina office or a private attorney if you need to speak to
an attorney regarding your particular situation. See our complete
disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.