COLT Executive Committee

January 5, 2016 2-4PM at COLT’s office

Meeting Minutes – Approved February 2nd, 2016

Attendees:Kevin Gorman, Dan Bell, Dan Roix

Phone / computer:Kathleen Ackley, Katie Voelke

Staff: Kelley Beamer, Mike Running

Guest: Brad Paymar

1)Review agenda and approve minutes - Kevin

  • Dan Roix moved to approve draft Executive Committee minutes from December 1, 2015, as amended slightly by the EC; Dan Bellseconded.
  • All approved minutes as amended.

2)Communications Initiative update- Kelley

  • Kelley updated EC on where we are at with the Communications Initiative:
  • Reviewed two phases
  • Years 1-3: Build the Foundation through three objectives
  • Statewide assessment
  • Develop statewide and local messages
  • Implement coordinated communication strategy
  • Years 4-10: Build broad base of support
  • Engaging 1 million Oregonians in 10 years
  • COLT and LTA willpresent to the Yarg foundation in the spring, focusing on first three years for funding.
  • Initiative will create a new category for ACE funding devoted to communications capacity for members
  • Phase 2 (years 4-10) will be the launch of what we define and discover in Phase 1
  • We still need to build this out better in the draft initiative
  • We want to be clear about how the initiative fits together and complements the other conversations and initiatives within COLT community.
  • Goal is to get proposal to Yarg in May; present (and “wow” them) in March
  • Workgroup, outreach to COLT members, check-ins with EC on the way
  • Kelley is reaching out to each COLT member to talk through the initiative, soliciting ideas and feedback.
  • Much of the information and messaging discovered in year 1 will inform specific strategies in years 2 and 3
  • It is not the case that every organization will participate in each strategy
  • There are still key organizational questions the Executive Committee will need to talk about, including:
  • COLT capacity for implementation, how to manage the PR firm hired in year one, etc.

3)EC authority draft language - Dan Bell

  • Dan took the EC through the bylaws, pointing out the substantive suggestive changes would be to provide the committee with board authority.
  • Section 8.9 contains the bulk of the changes
  • He relied on examples from the Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Wallowa Land Trust
  • EC update should be a standing agenda item at board meetings
  • Committee agreed to change annual meeting date in bylaws from March to May
  • ED has authority to enter into contracts?
  • Technically no, but implicit in approval of budget
  • Dan will prepare changes and additions to discuss at board meeting in February
  • He will include a memo to highlight major changes, being clear about where adding EC authority to in the bylaws
  • Discussion on the distribution of Executive Committee minutes to full board
  • Minutes should be available within 10 days of the EC meeting
  • Most important will be to timely share EC decisions with full board
  • Minutes should be, at the minimum, reviewed by staff and president
  • Key points can be included in monthly ED update
  • Minutes will be posted on members-only section of website as soon as possible after EC meetings and after reviewed by staff and president

4)Executive Director Update - Kelley

  • Kelley shared the news of her pregnancy with the Executive Committee, and talked about transition to her maternity leave.
  • COLT is currently in a good position with good momentum
  • During her absence, how do we keep the momentum going?
  • Board engagement key in this period
  • Kelley and EC will look into bringing on another staff person to help the organization
  • Either an assistant or an interim ED
  • OWEB suggested COLT could be the fiscal agent for $150k (over two years) grant to support the Governor’s Farms and Ranches Working Group
  • Kelley will follow-up with EC in the coming month or so, with the hope of making a decision on whether or not to play this role
  • EC members are concerned that the project management component of this grant will be a strain on our capacity.

5)2016 officer elections and ExecutiveCommittee membership - Kevin

  • COLT will hold officer elections during Spring board meeting (late April or early May)
  • Katie is willing to stay as Vice-president; Kevin willing to stay on EC.
  • Will need to elect a new President
  • We should start thinking about the EC, where we want to go, who should be on it, how to bring on new leadership, and how to deal with succession
  • Make sure to spendsome time at the February EC meeting on this issue
  • Want to look at who is main director and alternate for each of our organizations.

6)** Executive Session**

  • The committee went into executive session

Adjourned at 4pm

COLT Executive CommitteeJanuary 6, 2016 minutesPage 1 of 1