Meeting Minutes - LANC Board of Directors
February 13, 2004
Site/Location: The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Call to Order and Welcome
Jim Maxwell, Chair of the Board of Directors, called the meeting to order at
9:00 a.m. and welcomed all in attendance.
Members Present:
| Reid C. Adams |
Richard E. Fay |
Bonnie Tatum |
| Leo L. Allison |
Mary Flowers |
Frank G. Queen |
| Glenn Barfield |
Hada V. Haulsee |
Robert E. Riddle |
| Susan Cole |
Jim Maxwell |
John H. Vernon, III |
| Sarah Davis |
Pearl Nealey |
Charles “CR” Ward |
| Leto Copeley |
L. Lynnette Fuller-Andrews |
Willis Williams |
| Burton Craige |
Rhonda Shepherd |
G. Gray Wilson |
Members Absent With Prior Notification:
| David Daggett |
Pender McElroy |
| Willie Dawson |
Raymond E. Owens, Jr. |
| Allen Johnson |
Laura Shofner |
| Scott B. Lewis |
|
Administrative Office Staff:
George R. Hausen, Jr., President
Dock Kornegay, Director, Public Relations & Development
Celia Pistolis, Assistant Director of Advocacy and Compliance
Tonya Pruitt-Lyons, Administrative Assistant
Melinda Carver Smith, Human Resource Manager
Paula H. Spence, Office Manager
LANC Staff Members:
David Amsbury, Staff Attorney, Advocates for Children Services, Project HEAL
Ted Fillette, Assistant Director and Senior Managing Attorney, Charlotte
Office
Mary Hedgepeth, LANC Clients Council Coordinator
Hazel Mack-Hilliard, Senior Managing Attorney, Winston-Salem Office
Richard Klein, Southeast Regional Manager and Senior Managing Attorney,
Wilmington Office
Millie Rogers, Administrative Assistant, Pembroke Office
Other Attendees:
Michelle Cofield,North Carolina Bar Association
Sharon Greig, Member of the LANC Clients Council
Evelyn Pursley, Executive Director of IOLTA
Delsie Williams, NC Client Council member
Approval of Minutes
Chairman Maxwell directed the Board’s attention to the December 12, 2003
minutes and asked for approval. Following review of the
minutes, one change in the minutes was noted under the Chairman’s Report.
The first sentence of that report should be revised to read:
Chairman Maxwell reported that the Legal Services of North Carolina (LSNC)
Board of Directors had met during the morning of December 12, 2003 and
unanimously voted to recommend that the NCBA reduce the LSNC Board from 25
members to seven members. Upon a motion made and
seconded, the Board UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED
to approve the minutes of the December 12, 2003 with that revision.
Chairman’s Report
Chairman Maxwell reported on Legal Services of North Carolina, Inc to the NCBA
Board of Governors at its January 2004 meeting. Legal Services of North Carolina
(LSNC) Board of Directors had met and recommended that it remain in existence
reducing its Board of Directors from twenty five members to seven members.
LSNC will redefine its goal with a newly structured Board of Directors.
The NCBA Board of Governors approved the recommendation and will accept
names for the members of the new Board at its next meeting.
Chairman Maxwell recognized Leo Allison to report to the Board regarding a
revision to the current LANC Bylaws. Mr. Allison reported that the Executive
Committee met and recommended that the bylaws be amended to
clearly state that the vice chair will succeed to the position of chair. Prior
to adopting a bylaw amendment, thirty day written notice of
the revision to the full board is required. The Board will vote on the bylaw
change at the next meeting.
President’s Report
Mr. Hausen reported that the Hillsborough office has been moved to a new
location in Pittsboro. A grand opening is being planned for
March 2004.
The service area for the Pittsboro office now covers Orange, Chatham,
Lee, Moore, Alamance, and Richmond Counties. The Durham office, along with
Advocates for Children Services is in the process of relocating
into the Self-Help Building in Durham. Ongoing negotiations with Self-Help are
continuing in order
to relocate the Greenville office into renovated space across from
the Pitt County Courthouse as well. The Winston office is in
the process of relocating into larger space as it has outgrown the space in the
Legal Aid Society building.
The Raleigh office will be moving to 224 South Dawson Street into space
currently occupied by the Administrative office.
The Administrative Office will move into another suite of offices in
that same location. Those office moves are scheduled to be
completed in March 2004.
Mr. Hausen directed the board’s attention to case statistics in the Board
materials that shows approximately 20,000 clients were served in the year 2003
and other data about the services provided.
Mr. Hausen reported that a legislative committee is discussing possible
appropriation of funding for LANC to hire 40 domestic violence
attorneys.
At present, LANC receives Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds that pay for
17 attorneys to represent victims of domestic violence in approximately 18 North
Carolina counties.
Mr. Hausen reported that the next board meeting will be held on June 18, 2004
at the Grove Park Inn in conjunction with the NC Bar Association’s Annual
Meeting in Asheville. Other Board meeting dates were given to
the board which are, Friday, September 17, 2004 and Friday, December 10, 2004.
Local Program/Regional Report
Chairman Maxwell recognized Hazel Mack-Hilliard, the newly named Senior
Managing Attorney in the Winston-Salem Office to report on the activities of
that service area. The Winston-Salem service area has
approximately 63,000 eligible clients and a limited staff.
She further reported that the office is presently looking to secure office space
and will relocate in the near future. The Winston-Salem
office staff and members of the Local Advisory Board were present at this
meeting.
Ms. Mack-Hilliard and Ted Fillette briefly reported to the Board that the Z.
Smith Reynolds Foundation had provided funding to address mortgage foreclosure
and predatory lending. Ms. Mack- Hilliard is the project manager for the work in
eastern North Carolina. Similar funding has been provided to other legal
services offices to provide this work in western North Carolina.
LANC Clients Council Update
Chairman Maxwell recognized Pearl Nealey, Vice Chair of the LANC Clients
Council, to give the update in the absence of the Chair, Allen Johnson.
Ms. Nealey reported that the LANC Clients Council met and discussed
upcoming nominations and reappointments to the board.
She further reported that Laura Shofner had given notice of her
resignation from the Board of Directors effective immediately.
Committee Reports:
Nominating Committee Report:
Mr. Hausen gave the Nominating Committee Report in the absence of David
Daggett. He reported that the Nominating Committee is
currently underway to replace seats on the board for members who are completing
the second year of their designated two-year term.
He further reported that the Bylaws permit the following Directors to
be eligible for re-election: Leo Allison, Client, Triangle Region;
Leto Copeley, Attorney, NC Association of Women Attorneys; Willie Dawson,
Attorney, NC Bar Association; Mary Flowers, Client Statewide (Ex-Officio); Hada
Haulsee, Attorney, NCBA Hispanic & Latino Lawyers Commission; Jim Maxwell,
Attorney, 14th Judicial District (NCCLAP service area); Pender
McElroy, Attorney, North Carolina Bar Association; Ray Owens, Attorney, IOLTA
(1-year); Bonnie Tatum, Client, Statewide; Laura Shofner, Client, Statewide.
Mr. Hausen reported that Laura Shofner resigned from the Board for
health reasons. Mr. Hausen reported that the Nominating
Committee has begun the search process and will report to the board and the June
meeting.
Finance Committee Report:
Cal Adams, Chair of the Finance Committee, recognized Chris Marks to give the
Finance Committee report. Mr. Marks reported that there was
no business requiring action by the Board at this time.
Personnel Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Leto Copeley to give the Personnel Committee
report. Ms. Copeley reported that the Personnel Committee
will review the demographics in the local field offices to determine whether
there is a need for an Affirmative Action Policy.
Ms. Copeley directed the Board’s attention to the Equal Employment
Opportunity Policy.
She reported that the Personnel Committee reviewed this policy and
recommended its approval. Following discussion it was moved, duly seconded and
UNAMINOUSLY RESOLVED to accept the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy as
presented.
The approved policy is attached to these minutes.
Ms. Copeley directed the Board’s attention to a proposed policy regarding
Outside Employment. She reported that the Personnel Committee
reviewed this policy and recommended its approval. Following
discussion it was moved, duly seconded, and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to adopt the
Outside Employment Policy as presented.
The
approved policy is attached to these minutes.
Operations Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Celia Pistolis to give the report from the
Operations Committee in the absence of Scott Lewis Chair of the Operations
Committee. She presented
reports from the respective Local Advisory Councils
in Ahoskie, Pembroke, Greensboro, and Sylva.
Ms. Pistolis stated that there is no current business requiring action
by the Board at this time.
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 had not met since the December
2003 Board meeting. He stated that several meeting dates and sites
had been scheduled, but due to inclement weather and other reasons resulting
from efforts to have an on-site meeting, the committee has been unable to meet.
He further reported that the Committee will meet before the June Board
meeting and a report will be presented to the Board at that time.
Resource Development Committee:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Rick Fay to give the Resource Development
Committee report. Mr. Fay reported that consultant, Dennis
Dorgan, Director of Fundraising from Management Information Exchange (MIE), has
begun work on the fundraising plan as presented to the board at the December
2003 meeting.
Grievance Committee Report:
Chairman Maxwell recognized Mr. Hausen to give the Grievance Committee Report
in the absence of Willie Dawson, Chair of the Grievance Committee.
Mr. Hausen reported that there are no grievances pending.
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 Peter Carter, Community Economic
Development Coordinator from the New Bern office, is the newly appointed staff
liaison to the LANC Clients Council.
LANC Mission
Chairman Maxwell gave brief remarks to the Board regarding the LANC mission.
He pointed out that the Board and staff should increase efforts to
raise awareness of Legal Aid of North Carolina’s mission and the services
available to eligible clients. This increased awareness should focus on funding
resources, working with the various local bar associations, volunteer lawyers
programs, private attorneys and law firms, and legislative involvement. The
Board and staff should develop an action plan because increased awareness is
critical if we are to better serve clients.
Adjournment
The Chair, Jim Maxwell, adjourned the meeting at 12:35 p.m.
__________________________________
Leto Copeley, Secretary
The
approved policy is attached to these minutes.
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