Fall 2005 Board Meeting Summary

The Fall NARSVPD Board Meeting was held in Alexandria, Virginia at the Residence Inn.

President Melodye Kleinman presided at the meeting and appointed Melody Gillard-Juarez (Pacific Cluster Alternate Delegate) and Melissa Zwang (Atlantic Cluster Alternate Delegate) as Parliamentarians.

The Minutes of the Spring 2005 Board meeting were presented by Secretary Deborah Owdom, and approved by the Board.

Financial Report

Betty Ruth, Treasurer presented the Financial Report. Report approved. Treasurer Ruth also reported that the independent audit for the NARSVPD financial records from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005 were clean and without question. The FY 2004-05 audit was presented to the Board for review and approved by the Board.

Membership Report

Tammy Lockley provided a membership report. Ms. Lockley reported that as of August 31, 2005, there are a total of 378 paid Members. 365 of these are professional Members, nine association Members, and four organizational Members.

President’s Report

President Kleinman reported NARSVPD’s accomplishments from the last 6 months:

• We’ve taken administrative responsibilities for the PVSA awards.

• Revised and updated our website.

• Sent 3 electronic newsletters to the Membership.

• Worked with CNCS on the strategic plan. (The Corporation didn’t include the Senior Corps programs, but we managed to get the Board of Directors to reconsider this position.)

• Held discussions on the reauthorization of the Older American Act. (It looks like they want special funding for civic engagement.  How will this impact RSVP?)

• Wrote a grant to provide peer mentoring for RSVP Directors.

• Worked with NCOA and Civic Ventures on competing resolutions to be considered at the White House Conference on Aging.

• Worked with Congress on increased funding for RSVP.

Vice President’s Report

Vice President, Mary Steele Reports that committee assignments are under consideration. Vice President Steele, asked Board Members for their preferences. Cluster reports were discussed. It was suggested that we address the purpose of these reports and consider what we want to accomplish with them.

Website Update

Vice President Steele and Megan McCarthy report that they have made many changes and upgrades to the NARSVPD website. They urge all Board Members to encourage NARSVPD Members to visit the website regularly in order to keep informed and aware of news.

C. Sanders Emblems Report

NARSVPD receives $.10 for every RSVP pin sold (to NARSVPD Members and non-Members alike).  NARSVPD Members are encouraged to purchase recognition pins through C. Sanders Emblems. Treasurer Ruth also reports that C. Sanders Emblems will produce new pins for specific programs such as Meals on Wheels, Literacy, etc. Members are encouraged to look for detailed information on the NARSVPD website.

Saykllys Report: Theresa Nelson

Ms. Nelson reported that all sales of candy bars would be handled through NARSVPD. The Order Form will be placed on the Website. All Cluster Representatives are encouraged to inform their Members of this fund raising opportunity and to go to the website for detailed information.

T/TA Grant Proposal Report: Melodye Kleinman

The grant application was submitted to the Corporation to provide Training and Technical Assistance to new Project Directors through a mentoring program. There has been no response to the application at this time.

PVSA Report

NARSVPD members need to be encouraged through the Delegates and Alternate Delegates to order their awards by the end of this calendar year in order for the awards to be paid for by the grant.  It is unknown at this time if the award will be extended an additional year.

Legislative Report: Alan Lopatin, NARSVPD, Washington Representative

While the House and Senate had been relatively generous to programs of the Senior Corps (see table below), House and Senate leaders are talking about the possibility of a full year continuing resolution which could freeze all programs at their fiscal year 2005 funding levels - with few, if any, exceptions. Too many distractions and too little time, say leaders. And, the prospect of election year spending increases at a time when energy costs have soared for taxpayers and the government as well, seem dim.

For programs that depend dearly on annual cost-of-living adjustments just to keep pace with the current level of services in communities vastly underserved, it remains to be seen for Congress to respond to the spiraling fuel costs for programs that may even require transportation for seniors or wheels for the delivery of meals. “Supplemental” appropriations for other than emergency disaster relief or war-related funding appear a long shot.

The Members who will control the destiny for fiscal year 2006 funding for the Senior Corps are, first and foremost, the leaders of the respective House and Senate Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (with the respective Chairmen and Majority Members having the greatest clout in the process).  All NARSVPD Members are urged to contact their Senators and Congressman and urge support for RSVP funding in Fiscal Year 2006. 

Committee Reports

Strategic Planning: The committee is looking at conducting a survey of membership to assess their views of the Board’s operations and get a clear picture of their needs and interests for our future.

Bylaws Report: At the Spring board and annual membership meeting, the Board felt that there were still too many revisions that were made without memberships acknowledgement so additional time was spent to include the changes requested by Board members. Norma McLain went through the revised editions developed from the feedback received at the Spring meeting.  The changes were extensive, therefore, Ms. McLain agreed to make a final edit and present it to all Board members for an electronic vote to approve and send to membership for review and feedback.

Communications: The goal is to distribute 1 printed newsletter and several electronic updates each year. 

Elections & Awards:  This year’s election is for the positions of Treasurer, Secretary, Delegates and Alternate Delegates from the Southern and Southwest Clusters.

Legislative Committee: President Kleinman has asked the Committee to create an advocacy guide.  We have, over the years, been given much information.  This Committee hopes to provide members, through our website, specific pieces that will be creatively formatted and well-written including but not limited to the following: making an impact at town hall meetings, creating State or regional fact sheets, inviting your elected officials to a site visit, making Hill visits/local office visits.

Resource Committee:  Ms. Lockley reported that the Resource Committee consolidated and incorporated the PVSA grant into the present budget, prepares a balanced FY2005-06 NARSVPD budget for approval, and established a chart of accounts that includes line item account numbers for all income and expenses. 

Recorded by NARSVPD Secretary

Deborah Owdom