DRAFT
Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.
June 2007 Council Meeting
Executive Committee Meeting
June 7, 2007
6:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Staff Present:
Enrique Escallon, Chair Debra Dowds
Terry Millican, Vice Chair Allison Cruz-Mitchell
Nila Benito, Treasurer Lisa Taylor
Judy Birnie Jenny McKendrick
Chris Drummond
Jacquelyn Needelman Guests:
Susan Gold
Absent Members:
Bob Frank
I. Called to Order:
The meeting was called to order by the Chair, Enrique Escallon at 6:15 p.m.
II. Minutes:
The committee reviewed the minutes from the Interim Conference call held on
May 7, 2007.
There was one correction to the minutes. It was not noted that Chris Drummond was on the conference call. He needs to be noted at present for the call.
It was moved (Jacquelyn Needelman) and seconded (Chris Drummond) to approve the minutes with afore mentioned correction.
The motion was approved.
III. Election of Members:
Enrique Escallon explained that at the 2007 elections there were four individuals on the ballot for at-large members (after the election of the chair, vice chair and treasurer). At that meeting, the newly elected Chair, Enrique Escallon offered to designate the two individuals who would not be elected as the appointed at-large members. The Council approved that all four individuals would be considered at-large members. The limit of two consecutive terms as an elected at-large member or an appointed at-large member determines whether certain members can be on the ballot for the 2008 elections. Therefore, the designation for Chris Drummond determines whether he can be on the ballot for at-large member in 2008 and whether Jacquelyn Needelman can be on the ballot for at-large member the subsequent year. It was recommended that Chris Drummond and Jacquelyn Needelman be designated appointed at-large members for the 2007 elections and Bob Frank and Lynda Thabes be designated appointed at-large members.
It was moved (Judy Birnie) and seconded (Nila Benito) to designate Jacquelyn Needelman and Chris Drummond as appointed at-large members and Lynda Thabes and Bob Frank as elected at-large members.
The motion was approved with Jacquelyn Needelman and Chris Drummond abstaining from the vote.
IV. Discussion of Major Issues/ Decisions from Committees:
Nila Benito reviewed the 2008 budget allocations and that there are currently more unmet needs projects than available unmet needs funds.
The Finance Committee recommended, as the strategy for meeting the unmet needs projects, that certain projects be considered for funding by the task forces.
It was moved (Judy Birnie) and seconded (Jacquelyn Needelman) to approve the recommendation of Finance Committee to take certain projects to the task forces and ask if the task forces can fund the unmet needs projects.
The motion was approved.
Nila Benito reported that the Finance Committee was also putting together a work group to look at the budget and the unmet needs line items. The work group is to include representation from each of the task forces and program managers. The Finance Committee also recommended to the Human Resource Committee that the PTO hours to be carried over to the next year be increased.
· Human Resource Committee:
The Human Resources Committee recommended adding one additional special projects manager and one additional staff assistant.
· Leadership Committee:
Chris Drummond reported that interviews have been taking place for the following Council members who are retiring/resigning:
Bob Frank
Judy Birnie
Lynda Thabes
Jim Van Valin (on hold – new resource member, Charles Koval’s, name has been submitted for appointment but we are waiting to hear back from the Governor’s office)
The following individuals have been interviewed and their names will go to the Governors office by June 30, 2007 (in order of preference):
1. Amber Luke
2. Karen Rogers
3. Susan Redmon
4. Phillip Stevens
5. Elena Anderson
6. Karyn Kander
The Committee approved Karen Clay, Betsy Farmer, Kathleen Henderson, Michael Smith and Idelio Valdes for reappointment.
Some reappointments have yet to be approved. Charm Thometz has not sent in her application for reappointment and Lilly Rangel-Diaz needs to be contacted to find out if she intends to apply for reappointment.
It was moved (Nila Benito) and seconded (Judy Birnie) to approve the reappointment recommendation of Leadership including Charm Thometz, Lilly Rangel-Diaz and the recommended candidates.
The motion passed.
· Program Planning and Evaluation:
All the projects that were presented before the Committee passed. The Committee hopes by September to have a clearer picture of funding and will not have to make hard decisions. The committee spent time looking at the evaluation portion of PP&E because of the federal mandate for reporting by December. The committee will hold focus groups and hopes to find out how the public sees the Council fulfilling its objectives.
· Public Policy and Advocacy Committee:
There were two issues that were brought up:
1. Legislative Public Relations/Media Consultation
2. Study of the Legislative Service Reduction
Both of these projects were approved by the PP&E committee.
The Rainy Day fund was also discussed as an option to help APD’s deficit. Two awards will be given out to legislators: One in the House to Representative Loranne Ausley, and one in the Senate to Senator Stephen Wise. There will also be letters of thanks for support of the budget issue sent out. Eighteen (18) people voted in our favor, but two (2) reversed their votes, so there will be sixteen (16) letters sent out.
Alert Letter:
The comments for elimination of services were due today. It was agreed that there needs to be an alert sent out to families and individuals with developmental disabilities, on our listserv. The letter should let the readers know that if they get a notice to reduce services to please contact the Advocacy Center and/or their local legislator.
It was moved (Terry Millican) and seconded (Chris Drummond) to draft an alert flyer to hand out at Family Café on Saturday and to send an email alert to our listserv.
The motion was approved.
V. Other
· PPAC Staff:
Currently the Public Policy Coordinator’s cell phone allowance is $30.00; however her cell phone bill for the month of March and April was over $400.00. It was suggested to increase the allowance during the months of March and April (the time of the legislative session) to $100.00.
It was moved (Nila Benito) and seconded (Judy Birnie) to increase the cell phone allowance for the Public Policy Coordinator to $100.00 for the months of March and April, during the legislative session.
The motion was approved.
· National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities:
The NACDD will hold its next meeting October 7-9, 2007. Staff and Council members usually attend. Debra Dowds would like to send staff members who have not been yet or would benefit most. It was suggested that 5 Council members also be permitted to attend.
It was moved (Nila Benito) and seconded (Chris Drummond) to send 5 Council members, with a priority for Executive Committee members, to the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities annual conference in October.
The motion was approved.
The Committee asked Debra Dowds to look into submitting a proposal to present at the National Conference.
The meeting ended at 7:45 p.m.
Page 1 of 4