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