Board Agenda & Minutes 04/23/08

Minutes of April 23, 2008 Board Meeting

In Attendance:

Board Members Present: Absent: Robert Gonzales Jori Manske John Wiley Valentina Rosenberg Margo Pair Marshall Rosenberg

Observers: Mercedes Frace (Florida, USA) Susan Livingston (Virginia, USA) Paul Jeff Brown (Missouri, USA) Jim Manske (New Mexico, USA) Pierre-Marie Lamielle (France) Jan Carel Van Dorp (Netherlands)

Facilitator: John Buck

Recorder: Susan Yelton

Opening Round:

Group Check-in Acceptance of January 15, 2008 minutes Agenda accepted with the following changes: remove SEP, add employee health insurance benefits.

Discussion

• Financial Report (Margo):

Total Income has increased by 3.13%. Reduction in operating expenses in the following categories: rent, telephone, fund raising, and equipment rental attributed to a decrease by 38.12% of total expenses compared to the same time last year.

• Action Item:

The Board has approved $400,000 for the Board Treasurer and President to work with the Administrative Director (Margo) in making long term investments. Investment criteria should include social investments and examination of the possibility of real estate for CNVC.

• Discussion:

Proposal to have included in the May 14, 2008 meeting agenda “Prospective Board Members” meet and greet.

Certification Program and Assessor Report (Marshall)

Marshall received names of NVC Certified Trainers who assessors are recommending to attend our upcoming Certification Program Training—one in Germany in July 2008 and one in New Mexico, USA in October 2008. The recommendation list is being used to review and choose whom to send invitations.

Robert asked who is getting Yahoo e-mails and responding to regarding the certification process. Valentina shared Dee reads and responds to e-mails received through our website or sent directly to her, Marshall, Margo, or Valentina for questions or concerns on the certification program. She also said that only the Yahoo groups are used to post announcements.

Marshall is appreciative to all applying for certification and that have been waiting patiently, the hard work of the certification team in trying to work though the issues and needs that were unmet and caused the certification process to be paused, and he looks forward to improvements in the communication process in certification issues in the future that would make the process easier in the future.

• Decision: The group consented on the summary of discussion of minutes.

• Group discussion identified the communications issue of whom, how, and when CNVC communicates, deferred to communication ad hoc committee.

Communication Committee Report (Robert)

The report has just been e-mailed to Board Members for their review. Robert was unsure on how long the Board had to read the minutes, and was unsure on how thoroughly the Board wished to discuss it in the meeting. The committee is requesting all board members to read thoroughly and to discuss the function of the committee.

In previous board meetings it was discussed how communication needs were not being met on all levels or in all areas. The ad hoc committee was created with Robert Gonzales as chair, and including committee members John Wiley, Jori Manske, and Margo Pair. The committee identified major needs—one was for effective communication within the CNVC government and network that was in harmony with NVC and its aim. A statement of purpose was created to reflect CNVC mission and aim to expand on its communication policy. Part of this is to propose strategies and what information is communicated and to whom. Also to develop an infrastructure that includes all people, regardless of how they are connected to CNVC.

Three primary areas of recommendation: 1. A Communication Coordinator position within the CNVC organization that is also the Leadership Team representative of the Communication Team. 2. Pre-decision input from community and post decision feedback. Who and what is included for input and/or feedback is still to be defined. 3. Define and create the system infrastructure to facilitate and implement policy.

• Action Item:

Robert requests input and comments from board members by May 2nd for committee to review before the next board meeting, and for it to be included as an agenda item.

Employee Health Insurance (Valentina and Margo)

Discussion: Blue Cross Blue Shield health, dental, and vision insurance costs increased 5.9% from last policy year premiums. Average increase for New Mexico business is 11%, with a national average increase of 13%.

• Recommendation:

CNVC continue to offer the same insurance coverage as in 2007 to its employees. Blue Cross Blue Shield 2007 annual cost was $41,200.96. CNVC received a 5.9% increase in premium, which is far less than the New Mexico business average of 11%. The 2008 premium is $43,631.81.

Prior Year New Quote Comparison Difference $41,200.96 $43,631.81 5.9% $2,430.85

All consented.

Office Manager Hiring Committee Report (Margo)

The job description was revised and advertised through the Albuquerque Journal newspaper, Craigslist, and the CNVC Trainers, Certification Candidates, and Friends of NVC Yahoo groups. 32 applications were received by the committee, and of those 6 were interviewed. From those 6, two were chosen to invite for a second interview. One candidate accepted an invitation for a second interview but cancelled because she accepted another position. The 2nd candidate was interviewed which clarified for the committee a lack in skills and experience to provide the bookkeeping and daily operational systems development needed.

The committee is currently advertising going through the selection process again.

Training and Mediation Team (Marshall)

John Kinyon has joined the Training and Mediation Team. The team is working with John to co-develop this area of CNVC. Please review the additional information of this team on our website. In the future an additional trainer will be invited to join the team, once the team has a clearer understanding and review the outcomes. As the Educational Services Director, Marshall sees the decision as to who is on the team as his decision, that he will be the one choosing the person, but he is open to feedback.

Check Out:

Next meeting scheduled for May 14, 2008. Respectfully submitted by: Susan Yelton, Recorder

Original agenda

Wednesday, April 23, starting at 19:00 GMT/UTC (1:00pm Albuquerque), teleconference
1.712-432-1600; code 825078#
NOTE: THIS AGENDA IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT: [1]. ANY LAST MINUTE UPDATES WILL BE REFLECTED AT THIS SITE. Proposed agenda - please add any additional items:

(19.00 UTC) Check-in (19.15) Administrative Matters

• Observer policy
• Announcements
• Acceptance of minutes of February 21-24 in-person meeting
• Acceptance of agenda for today

Content

• (19.20) Financial report (Margo)
• (19.30) Proposal: special meeting with potential board members and &/or talk with them in the May 13 session.
• (19.55) Update on certification process (Marshall)
• (20.10) Celebration of new website; new features (Margo/William)
• (20.18) Communications Committee progress report (Robert)
• (20.25) Other key action items from February meeting
  

- SEP information (Margo) (to be voted on)

- Hiring: office manager, second staff trainer

- New assessor training

- Selection committee for Media Coordinator

(20.45) Check out (21.00) End meeting