Present:  Felicia Appling, Kenya, Linda Lloyd, Ray MacNair, Mark Wilson, Cateia Jones, David Jarret, Ron Wynn, Leslie Patterson, Tom Walker, Nicholas S. Jo Beth Allen, Joseph Smith, Keith Johnson, Ovita Thornton, Caryl Sundland

After a short check-in, Ray brought up information about the Living Wage Campaign – “Chop off the Top” instead of laying off workers at the bottom.  Wednesday, April 28 there will be a film made by this campaign shown in Miller Room 248.  The faculty leaders, Bethany Moreton & Pamela Voekel will be leaving to go to Harvard, but have committed to returning once a month for meetings.  Bethany has donated the proceeds from her book to EJC and Casa de Amistad.

ESL Program -  people in the program are learning to talk about work, shopping & health care, in English.  This group meets Tuesday & Thursday at 6 and Saturday morning at 10:00am in the shelter in front of Home Depot.  Maria has agreed to coordinate this program, but is having trouble with her computer right now.

Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Lay Park - Humberto has organized activities around immigration rights.  Everyone is urged to attend.

OSHA – Ron reported on a conference he attended.  He said willful violators of health and safety laws would not only be fined, but would face felony charges.  We also need to attend to communication issues since accidents are caused by lack of ability to speak other languages.  Several incidents of workplace accidents were cited and the need for locks on dangerous machines was discussed.  Nick added to this report by saying that since it would take 5-6 years to inspect workplaces even once, workers had been asked to report workplaces violations on their own.  Then inspections could be done and violations cited with the hope that these would be fixed before the necessity of fines.  Nicolas was also at the conference, referencing the poultry plant and their problems with safety and health.

Collaboration on congregation networking, IWJ -  Bethany Moreton talked with Kim Bobo about coming here to help organize against wage theft.  Linda mentioned that she would like to focus on race discrimination as well, in organizing workers.  We need a fair system so the best person can get the job.  It was suggested that maybe the two law school interns could help with this.  Keith reminded us that we mostly have small businesses in the community and they are not necessarily under the jurisdiction of OSHA.

Board Development – Presentation by Joseph and Ron on the workshop they attended on How to Make a Non-profit Board Efficient and Operate Well.

1 – Need a purpose or mission statement people feel passionate about and is not more than 7 seconds long.  Ray suggested:  EJC promotes rights of workers and avenues for worker’s to succeed.

2 – Insure adequate resources – every member sets an example by their giving.

3 – Fund raising is a big part of the board.  Members should give, get or go.

4 – People should have a task and be accountable as to whether they are doing the task.  The board oversees the executive (director) and the director oversees the staff and replaces those who are not accountable.  We need to establish guidelines – people need to set goals and present them to the board to pass on.  We need to be clear where being a board member ends and being a staff member begins.

5 – Set strategic goals – clear charges for each person.

6 – What image do we portray?  Be aware of our public image.

Each board member must be willing to contribute a personal sacrifice, a significant amount of time or money.

Keith is treasurer and Maria is under him, doing the books.  Linda is director, Caryl is secretary.

Nick got his boss to contribute $500, Caryl contributes $100 per month from her grant.

“Pulling Together”-     Linda overview of what needs to be done to get EJC afloat

1-Linda begins with suggestion  that agencies need to collaborate and come to agreement and organize business relationships such as that of IT Athens; Brought to attention Georgia Client Council:  Project for job development to help employment; Suggested having a form to lay out what each group is responsible for doing; Called attention to the fact that EJC should be included with advertising and introduction as well as business of Worker Center Movement, i.e. collaboration; Has recruited people from the Georgia Works program: those who are receiving unemployment that volunteer get extra $300; Called to attention that Sybil Henderson who has 13 years office management and is chairman at DOL will be committed to office management; Informed that Johnny has the office management book; Established that we have human capitol.

2-Ray expressed the need to consult with Joseph concerning fund raiser and collaborating with DOL

3-Joseph states the need to get 1000 people to donate $25

4-Ovita expresses need for Memorandum of Understanding committee; Suggested every board member should get on a committee;

5.Ray calls the names for MOU committee: Linda, Ovita, Felicia and Keith; Suggests that questionnaire on “who does what” should be sent out to everyone, not just board members and the deadline for them is next board meeting or before then;

6. Ray  Informs group  that Gwen O’Looney and Glenn Stigel will be at next board meeting;  Invites Mark to discuss Road to Recovery;

7. Reviewed Action teams sheets and the responsibilities of those in charge of teams;

     a. Informed that Clothilda Barnett and Keith Johnson will be added to Fund Raising team;

     b. Maria del Cayuela will be responsible for ESL for Immigrant workers team;

     c. Ray himself will be representing EJC for Honoring Employers team; Added Linda to Office Management team

     d. David suggest that every board member be on a team

     e. Ovita informed that there is no board member on the Office Management or volunteer Coordinator teams

     f. Ovita is added to Community and Labor partners team

     g. Ray is added to Volunteer Coordinator team with Keith Johnson as a possibility.

     h. Keith has been added to Civic  Engagement team

     i. Linda suggest Mark be added to Unity team

     j. Mark was  hesitant on making commitment; Requested information to take position into consideration

     k. Linda suggested that Tom join office Management team: Tom agreed;

Keith suggested that we have all board members fill in the Board Member Questionnaire presented by Cynthia Brown three years ago.  Ray promised to find it and send it to the board.

Ron nominates Maria del Cayuela to be a board member; Informs that Maria is aware of his nomination  and is willing to commit. After discussion, it was agreed that with Maria being EJC’s bookkeeper to meet her means  she is paid staff which presents conflict of interest. David seconds Ovita’s decision stating that  paid staff should not be on the board. Motion denied due to conflict of interest

Next meeting- Ray informs it will be held May 20, 2010  at 6:30p.m

voter’s registration- Keith speaks on -need to create survey and begin contact work to encourage interests

Worker’s rights- Ray suggests that we should get Black congregations involved with worker’s rights; Made note of negative input

Confidentiality-Keith suggested that whenever in presence of other groups or inside of any buildings, comments need to be kept to a minimum to avoid information traveling.

Computer Lab- Tom is volunteering to staff computer lab Monday through Friday from 10-4. He suggested

  bringing more people into the computer room. Ray expressed concerns of security when inviting new people. Linda expressed the need for rules to always be executed.  This will involve Tom monitoring the people who use the lab including people using the side ramp and back stairs to access computer lab. Linda will develop computer lab rules and computer usage log for Tom to implement.

EJC and Georgia Client Council “Out of Poverty” Case management Empowerment Project-Linda will send out info email overview of project to each board member and core group. On new project to each member

Adjournment

Respectfully Submitted:  Caryl Sundland, Secretary and

                                             Cateia Jones, EJC Empowerment Project Volunteer