Clients Council
Minutes of Meeting

DECEMBER 11, 2003 - MEETING MINUTES
Legal Aid of North Carolina Clients Council Meeting
Site/Location: Mount Zion First Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, NC

ATTENDEES

Allen Johnson Pearl Nealey Mary Flowers
Sharon Greig Sarah Davis Leo Allison
Ella Mae Rogers Susan Cole Phillip Leigh
Queen Windley C.R. Ward Willis Williams
Jim Grant Teresa Badger Glen Taylor
Lynch Brown Shirley Jones Agnes Kornegay
Vera Harris Cyritha A. West Stella Moore
Rev. Simon Burney Dorothy Thomas Janice Draughn
Ellizabeht Applewhite

OTHER ATTENDEES:
george Hausen, Executive Director, LANC
Celia Pistolis, Staff, LANC, Central Office
Evan Lewis, Staff, LANC, Greenville Office
Chris Marks, Staff, LANC, Central Office
Dock Kornegay, Staff, LANC, Central Office
Mary Hedgepeth, Staff, LANC Clients Council
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Allen Johnson, (Presidnet) called the meeting to order. He thanked everyone for coming and extended an invitation to all to attend the opening and reception for the Legal Aid Clients Council.

Mr. Johnson then asked for any adjustments to the agenda. There being no adjustments to the agenda, the meeting continued.

WELCOME
Deacon Ray Hart welcomed Legal Aid Clients Council to Mount Zion Baptist Church and extended an open-ended invitation to Clients Council to use the Fellowship Hall. He told of special needs of the citizens of Rocky Mount and the surrounding areas.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mr. Johnson asked for the reading and approval of the minutes from the September 11, 2003 meeting. A motion was made and seconded to accept the minutes. Motion was carried.

REPORTS

  • Chairman's Report
    Mr. Johnson presented the chairman's report. He stated that the 501c3 application was in the mail and we are waiting to hear from IRS.

  • Coordinator's Report
    Ms. Mary Hedgepeth addressed the Client's Council. She reported that she attended two Conferences: The Rural Economic Development Center conference in Raleigh and The Guardian Ad Litem Advocacy Conference in Durham. She also stated she was awarded scholarships to both conferences. She also informed the Council that ten people had called the office requesting information and services since our last meeting. Ms. Hedgepeth reports that the Clients Council has accomplished a lot this year.

  • Finance Report
    Ms. Mary Flowers and Mr. Chris Marks gave the financial report. There were questions concerning LANC client board members' travel expenses that were paid out of the Client's Council budget. Mr. Marks suggested that the Client Affairs Committee address this issue with the LANC Board. Mr. Marks said that the Clients Council would receive one-percent of LANC budget, which is $80,000. The 2004 budget was approved as submitted.

    Immediately after the Finance Report, Mr. Johnson called for a lunch break at 12:00 p.m. and the meeting reconvened at 1:15.

  • NC Legal Services Planning Council
    Mr. Evan Lewis gave an overview of this work experience for the last twenty years. Mr. Lewis talked about the importance of working collaborative with Legal Aid Clients Council and NC Justice and Community Development Center to fulfill our vision.

  • Old Business
    Mr. Johnson expressed his disappointment in the response from Senior Managing Attorneys. He stated, "We only received five responses out of sixteen programs."

  • Update on Statewide Conference
    Celia Pistolis stated that the conference will be held in April in Durham and the dates will be posted on the web. Legal Aid Clients Council unanimously agreed to have the NC Justice and Community Center do the training for the clients.

LUNCH/CEREMONY
Mayor Turnage welcomed the Clients Council and talked about the importance of the Client Council and was happy that we decided to have our office located here in Rocky Mount. Mayor Turnage presented a proclamation declaring December 11, 2003 as Clients Council Day. He also presented certificates of honorary citizenship to the following:

  • Mr. Allen Johnson, Chairman, Legal Aid Clients Council Board.

  • Mr. George Hausen, Executive Director, Legal Aid of North Carolina.

  • Mr. James B. Maxwell, Chairman, Legal Aid of North Carolina.

DATES FOR 2004 MEETINGS

  • February 12, 2004, Winston-Salem

  • June 17, 2004, Asheville

  • September 16, 2004, New Bern

  • December 9, 2004, Hillsborough

Adjournment
There being no further discussion or business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:45p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Sharon Greig


Disclaimer

The materials contained on this website are for information and educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.  Also please note that Legal Aid of North Carolina does not provide legal assistance by E-mail. 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.

 

Back  |  Top