KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

Board of Directors and Stakeholders Meetings

Special Board of Directors Meeting

Meeting was convened at 8:08 by the President, Lloyd Smith. 

Attendees:  Lloyd Smith, Chris Horgan, Sharon Rooney, Christine Hancock, Gordon Hancock, Ed Royce, Gordon Ehmann, Kimberley Cushman

 

Election of BoD Members

A. Conflict of interest forms

            1. All sign forms and Lloyd Smith keeps copies

B.  Board Members

1. Two new board members, Kimberley Cushman and Chris Horgan, (msc: Lloyd, Sharon )

2. Election of Secretary (Kimberley Cushman) and Treasurer (Sharon Rooney) (msc: Lloyd, Ed)

3. Today special meeting of the board, come together to create a future plan.

 

Banking

A. Electronic banking arrival of two $5,000 deposits.

B. Pros/Cons Electronic Banking

1. Bylaws state checks must have two signatures, treas. and pres. Only

2. Electronic banking has decision of one person.  Anyone with password can access. 

3. Two ways to use online banking: access to look online only

or online banking; transactions done online only

4. Alta One allows looking online for free, Flag system for withdrawals,

Sharon R. suggests Alta One or stay with West America for $7/mo to look at account online w/o online bill pay. $14.99 to have online access @ WA bank

5. For paying bills: Still have to write checks, Sharon reports 2009 checks written amounts to two page summary, easy to check payments and deposits on monthly statements.

a. Decision to leave banking as is.  Get direct deposit and check at end of month on monthly statement.

C. Bill Pay

1. President Lloyd signs checks and Treasurer Sharon able to pay bills.

2. Add additional signer for check writing besides only treas. and pres.  Leave bylaws as is.

3. Checks just purchased.  Bill to pay with Patrick, still signature with Robin. Sharon plans to go for new signature cards today at WA bank.

 

 

Meeting Schedules

A. Past Schedule

1. Board of directors meet for first hour, Stakeholders follows

2. A lot of repeating ourselves and complaints on length of meeting.

B. Lloyd proposes using computer/email for BoD meeting items. 

1. Patrick sends bill to Ed, chairman of grants committee, Ed should know if bill is valid.  Ed reviews, recommends payment and sends email to all board members.  Reply to all with vote.  Record of agreement.  Record electronically or print, decision to keep electronic copies only. 

2. Ed forwards bill with recommendation, Seven replies to pay bill, only five approvals required.

                        a. Replies not to include attachment

b. If you do not agree, then start discussion via email

3. For budget expenses doesn’t need vote.  Already voted on and approved.

Not in budget, need discussion and open for vote.

4. Respond with your opinion, we need all information for decision and discussion.

5. Vote on every bill to be paid. 

1. If vote on every bill to pay, BoD knows bills are being paid even though they are in the budget.

C. Storage of Minutes

1. Kimberley files on flash drive all voting emails. 

2. Use reports on emails to summarize minutes.

D. BoD Meeting

1. Bylaws 3.11 states meeting is third Thursday of every month.

2. Meetings can be electronic meeting without violating bylaws.

3. Resolution would be for electronic meeting and minutes.  Electronic meeting is still a meeting.

4. Ed suggests listing actions each month and send out as minutes.  Third Thursday of every month.

a. Cut and paste emails for a summary by third Thursday of each month. 

b. Kimberley backs ups minutes on flash drive. 

1. Minutes done in Word and attached to monthly email.

5. Ed motions to establish policy of action electronically with email and reply to all and Sec. to keep records in digital or paper form, Sec. summarize Board actions monthly, Actions please section in bylaws 3.11.  Electronic meetings are official meetings and Sec summarizes monthly and keep backup. (msc: Lloyd, Kimberley )

a. Five day waiting period before decision of quorum, which is five.

E. Stakeholders

1. In past spotty attendance.  Repetition throughout meeting

2. Lloyd proposes change in format of meetings.  More what council is doing and not what bills to pay. 

a. Reports from committee

b. Reports from Agencies: presentation, public issue

c. About 30 minute presentation

3. How frequently is good enough, meeting on scheduled basis. 

a. Lloyd proposes quarterly schedule, Feb, May, Aug, Nov.

b. Kern Fire Safe Council (pres. of each three councils in Kern Co.) does quarterly meetings (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec).  Our meetings done one month prior to KFSC meeting, good timing . Collaborative meets in Oct.  Come back to KRVFSC BoD with agreements of collaborative in Nov, and approval of proposals in Feb.

d. Stakeholders meeting doesn’t need treas. reports. 

e. Ed is concerned on bringing new people in when meetings are only quarterly. 

1. Direct newcomers to a committee of their interest. 

f. Two hours to meet possible on quarterly basis.  Less than two hours without business.  Fill time with presentation.   

g. Senior representation from agencies. 

1. FS and BLM senior representatives. 

2. Coordinate with attendees to see if there is a better meeting day.  FS is main schedule conflict. 

4. Stakeholders meetings quarterly.  Quarterly meetings proposed, (msc: Sharon, Chris).

5. Start time of Stakeholders February 18, 9:30 a.m.  Introduce change of strategy and plan.

            6. The last physical BoD meeting will be February 18, and 8:30 a.m.   Will review and adopt the 2010 budget.

Five minute break

Contact and Attendance List: Kimberley makes changes

Business of KRVFSC conducted by BoD.

 

Committees

Email written reports monthly and include in minutes.

Do we want them and who is responsible, total of seven only three with direction.  Good to have all board members on

-The committees are a good delineation of jobs in council

A. Grants

            1. Ed Royce Chairman

                        a. Patrick, Lloyd and Sharon members

B. Fund Raising

1.      Lloyd Smith Chairman

b. Sharon member

C.Chipper Days

            1. Gordon Ehmann Chairman

                        a. Tom Parkin, Chris Horgan and Dean McClellan members.

b. Presentation to proceed chipper day involvement to educate on procedure

D.Speakers Bureau combined with Education

            1. Chris Horgan Chairman

                        a. Christine and Gordon members

            2. Uniform presenter

            3. Travel miles for presenters can be used for matching funds.

E.Publicity

            1. Kimberley Cushman Chairman

                        a. Lloyd and Ed members

                        b. CA fire safe council must review before sent to newspaper

                        c. Only one person has contact with newspaper

F.Website

            1. Ed Royce Chairman

                        a. Chris member

b. Combine education with website later and work towards a combo.

Agency people can be on a committee.

Committee chairman sends monthly report to Kimberley and Kimberley stores in electronic file.  Just a summary. Send in Monday before third Thursday of month so Kimberley can include in monthly minutes.  No response will be stated in minutes.

 

Distribution

A. Agenda

            1. Currently wide distribution of quarterly meeting agenda

2. Continue distribution list and hope for better meeting attendance (use contact list)

3. Distribute agenda to BoD a few days before general dist. To receive feedback.  Send out Monday before meeting to contact list.

B. Minutes, Board and Stakeholders

            1. Past distribution to all contact list, not done in Jan. 2010

2. With Agenda dist., note minutes exist for last meeting on web site for all to view if desire. 

3. Both BoD and Stakeholders minutes exist on web site. 

a. Three month delay on board meetings due to update at same time. 

b. Change minutes to pdf and post on website on pdf.

            4. Minutes approved by BoD via email and sent to Kimberley within five days.

5. Review Stakeholders minutes by Lloyd and Kimberley prior to posting on website

C. Financials

            1. Part of BoD minutes.  Post every three months on website.

2. Treas. makes changes and sends to Kimberley to include in BoD summary monthly minutes.

 

2010 Operation Objectives

 

What does KRVFSC want to do and the implications…

1. Grant Funded Projects
1. Fuel Reduction
2. Education
2. Chipper Days
1. Community organized
2. KRVFSC owns chipper and has ins. but FS maintains chipper, we are free to use any chippers on chipper days.
3. Ad hoc: numbers of families or big enough area
4. Roaming: Certain days advertise to put piles on street for chipping
5. Make chipper days more noticeable and publicized.
3. Education
1. Living with Fire

a.       State Farm gave $6000 for printing and dist.

b.      Last year only $2500 from State Farm

c.       Council picks up remaining cost. $600 of dist.

d.      Not available during wildfire awareness week

e.       Exactly the same last three years

f.        Brochures for those interested versus general dist.

g.       KVS paid dist of 9,000. All 10,000 copies went into newspaper

h.       State Farm will pay for education

Still distribute through newspaper and find a way to distribute another way.  Budget for other publications as well as newspaper insert. 

Printing is minimal in comparison to content

2. Roadside Signs

a.       All finished but repair with web address printed on bottom

3. Brochures

a.       Edit and get message to right people

4. Events; Living Green, Health Fair, Special Wildfire Awareness Week event, Kern County Fair, etc.

a.       Not involved with Living Green, lacking volunteers

b.      Visitors Guide ad for $750, is it worth the money?

c.       Speak with Debbie on Wildfire Awareness Week, Lloyd takes action to contact Debbie and speak over her plans or ideas.

 

2010 Budget Objectives

A. Expected Grant Income

            1. Ed will send Sharon copy of grants received.

B. Unrestricted/Restricted Contributions

            1. $6,320

            2. State Farm $2500

C. Expenses

            1. Website constant

            2. Chamber fees the same

            3. Tax depends on grant distribution, over $500,000 automatic audit

            4. Water proof bags went to Fire Dept for fire boxes

                        a. Camp Owens contribution for $250

5. Contributions expected cost, $500 proposed (list as unexpected expense)

            6. Sharon consolidates into categories and will send out for review

            7. Educational material, line item list $1500

            8. Developmental Expenses

                        a. money paid to Patrick in prior year

            9. Need web address on sign (9 signs in all)

D. Fixed Assets

            1. Chipper

            2. Computer, camera and misc.

Review ins. before renewal in July, no ins. needed on computer and camera

BoD approve email for budget by email from Sharon by 2/15/10

Post Office Box key to Kimberley to check box once a week. Gordon back-up key

Robin inventory next door; display board, etc.  Lloyd will take home and dist later.  Christine will take home other display board.

 

Lloyd prepared letter to Rick Larsen requesting replacement for Scott.

 

Meeting closes: 11:32 a.m.