MINUTES of 13 December 2015 Meeting of Board

 

The meeting was held on 13 December 2015 via teleconference.  The meeting was called to order (without use of the words “called to order”) at 4:08 pm EDT / 3:08 pm CDT / 2:08 pm MDT / 1:08 PDT / 10:08 pm CEST / 2008 GMT by Chuck McClenon.  In attendance were: Chuck McClenon, Bob McClenon, Tom Baisden, Lee McClenon, David McClenon, Kathy Clark, Carol McClenon (left at very end), Carol Livaditis (late). 

 

1.         Approval of minutes of previous meeting in September

 

There was a question about Good Shepherd Mediation Center.  It was discussed.  No action was taken, because it was already nominated.  The minutes were approved as posted.

 

2.         Report of President

 

Estimated General Income is now $3200.   Recommended contributions were discussed.  There was discussion of giving $4000 to $5000 from the Special Endowment, based on the IRS 5% rule.   A target of $1600 to $2000 for the General Endowment, based on the bylaw requiring distribution of at least 50% of the income but also requiring retention of some of the income.  The Special Endowment checking account has $5,419.08 .  The General Endowment checking account has $925.01, but more money can be brought to the General Endowment, including $1258.27 in brokerage cash.  The Special Endowment has $1181.93 in brokerage cash.  To contribute $2000 from the General Endowment while avoiding minimum-balance fees, it will be necessary to sell securities, but this can be done.

 

3.         Task forces.

 

The task force on long-term purpose is making slow progress.  There was discussion.  It submitted some discussion recently.  By the next meeting, we should have something to submit for approval. 

 

The task force on investment policy has reached a conclusion, which is that we should be wise financial stewards and not use investment policy to favor specific causes. 

 

There is still a task force of one, consisting of Lee, to frame a request to the Trustees to contribute to the Fund.

 

4.         Review of list of organizations

 

Lists of organizations showing the status of organizations that were or could be nominated had been distributed by the Secretary and posted to the web.

 

Training for Change was mentioned, as was the Good Shepherd Mediation Program.

 

5.         Task Forces (again)

 

The email sent by Kathy on long-term purposes was discussed.  The first two points were agreed to be good.  With regard to the third point, it was suggested that we also mention the memory of Paul McClenon.  There was discussion of the need to improve the language of the fourth point. 

 

Carol says that hashing out the long-term purposes will improve the identification of causes.  It was mentioned that contributions to smaller organizations may help them more than large ones, because our contributions may be meaningful. 

 

The committee on external presence consisting of Clara and Ann has not met and will be deferred.

 

6.         Family

 

Comments were made about Oliver Alm and Scott Ray.  Chuck will call John McClenon.  Alison Livaditis got married.  Mary Wendy Clark got married.  John Clark was mentioned.  An item will be included in the agenda on family status. 

 

7.         Action on File of Grant Requests

 

Carol McClenon mentioned that the Good Shepherd Mediation Program has a pre-release and post-release program having to do with children of prisoners.  Chuck said that we will first identify names and then discuss amounts before making a formal motion.  The names include Good Shepherd Mediation Program (GSMP), Training for Change (TFC), Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT), Equal Footing Foundation (EQFF).  EQAT is only eligible from the General Endowment.  Equal Footing Foundation is not currently nominated from the Special Endowment, but it was moved and seconded to suspend the rules to permit a contribution to Equal Footing Foundation.  It was passed unanimously, which is more than two-thirds.  It was then moved to permanently nominate those four organizations.  The motion was seconded and passed. 

 

It was then moved to give $1600 from the General Endowment to EQAT.  That was seconded and passed.   It was then moved to give $1250 from the Special Endowment to the Equal Footing Foundation.  It was seconded and passed.  It was then moved to give $1750 to GSMP and $2000 to Training for Change.  It was seconded and passed. 

 

8.         Nomination Process

 

Bob moved that an email be sent to all of the members of the Fund requesting nominations for Trustees, and that each Trustee be allowed to nominate two persons, and each member may nominate one person.  That was moved, seconded, and passed.  These minutes are that notice to Trustees.

                                                                                                            

9.         Next meeting (in March)

 

There was discussion of when to schedule the next meeting.  Sundays in March 2016 are 6 March, 13 March, 20 March, and 27 March.  March 27 is Easter Sunday in 2016.  A motion was made and passed to schedule the next meeting for 13 March, holding out 20 March as an alternate.  The time was agreed to be 4 pm EDT / 3 pm CST / 2 pm MST / 1 pm PST / 2000 GMT.

 

10.       Adjournment

 

There was a motion to adjourn.  The motion passed.  The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 pm EDT / 4:15 pm CDT / 3:15 pm MDT / 2:15 pm PDT / 2115 GMT.

 

                        Respectfully submitted

 

 

                        Robert McClenon

                        Secretary