Walter H. McClenon Fund

Sunday 14 December 2014

Minutes of Quarterly Meeting

 

The quarterly meeting of the Trustees of the Walter H. McClenon Fund, Inc. was held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday 28 September 2014 in cyberspace with the nominal location as 1119 S. Carolina Ave, S.E., Washington, DC 20003. The President called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. The following Trustees were present in person or on the phone:  Bob McClenon, Chuck McClenon, Carol McClenon, Lee McClenon, Robin Alm, Tom Baisden, Dave McClenon

 

The Minutes of the previous meeting of September 28, 2014 were approved unanimously.

 

Treasurer’s Reports:  Chuck previously distributed the Quarterly Report.  In summary:

 

            The General Endowment has approximately $3,900 and the recommendation is that        the General Endowment give between $3,000 and $5,000 this year.  Some securities    can be sold if we want to donate more than $3,900.

                         

            The Special Endowment has approximately $7,900.  The recommendation is that the       Special Endowment give $7,000 this year, of which $2,500 has already been given.           Thus the goal for contributions today would be $4,500.

 

Report of the President:  It is available on-line and has been sent by e-mail.  There were no questions.

 

Ad-Hoc Committee Reports:  Bob suggests that we find Reaching-Out Community Services of Brooklyn, a Food Bank in Brooklyn, as ineligible.  It was an unsolicited grant application.

 

Lee pointed out that the Agenda List needs to be updated with regard to Equal Footing Foundation of Northern Virginia, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and EarthQuaker Action Team (Equate) in accordance with the minutes of the last meeting. 

 

Lee noted that the Training for Change group sent representatives to help in Ferguson for several weeks.

 

Lee disclosed a potential conflict of interest regarding the EarthQuaker Action Team (Equate); she is currently co-chair of their Fundraising Committee.

Report of Investment Committee:  Has not met.  There is, however, no doubt that it actually does exist. At least probably.

Action on Amendments of By-Laws and Charter  

A proposed amendment of the By-Laws had been circulated by Bob McClenon, as follows:

 

 VII.       Meetings and Quorums.

D.         Quorum

l. Trustees

   

For the purposes of considering any charter question (as defined below), two-thirds of the qualified Trustees shall constitute a quorum, provided that at least two Trustees must be personally present.  For the purpose of considering any amendment to these By-laws, five Trustees shall constitute a quorum.  For all other purposes, including the evaluation of organizations and the approval of contributions, four Trustees shall constitute a quorum.

 

The phrase “, provided that at least two Trustees must be personally present” for charter questions is obsolete now that the Board no longer has a primary meeting location.  I propose that it be deleted.  I also propose to change “two-thirds of the qualified Trustees” to “a majority of the qualified Trustees”, which is normally six. 

 

Bylaw 7D1, when amended, should read:

 

VII.       Meetings and Quorums.

D.         Quorum

l. Trustees

   

For the purposes of considering any charter question (as defined below), two-thirds a majority of the qualified Trustees shall constitute a quorum, provided that at least two Trustees must be personally present.  For the purpose of considering any amendment to these By-laws, five Trustees shall constitute a quorum.  For all other purposes, including the evaluation of organizations and the approval of contributions, four Trustees shall constitute a quorum.

During this meeting on December 14th, two motions passed unanimously:

            That the phrase in 7-d-1   “provided that at least two Trustees must be personally            present” (for Charter questions)  should be deleted, and that the phrase” two-thirds      of the Trustees” be changed to “a majority of Trustee.”

            That the phrase in 7-d-2  “provided that at least two Trustees must be personally             present”  be deleted.

Action on File of Grant Requests

A motion that Reach Out Community Services be categorized ineligible from both Endowments carried unanimously.

A motion that the Special Endowment contribute $3,000 to Training for Change and $1,500 to Equal Footing Foundation carried unanimously.

A motion that the General Endowment contribute $2,000 to Project Vote Smart, $2,000 to Equate and $1,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation passed unanimously with two abstentions.

New Business:   Ballots from the Members on the Charter amendment are due by December 22nd.   No other new business.

Next Meeting:  Sunday, 8 March, 2015 at 4:00p.m. Eastern Time and at all the other simultaneous times. 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:06 p.m.

 

UnRespectfully (but hardly disRespectfully) submitted,

 

Carol McClenon                                                                                                                               Secretary