Present
Board: Terri Rutledge, Bill Wilkerson, Don Comis, Mike Stark
Audit Committee: Michael technician
Terri called the meeting to order at 9:05 pm.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of July 6 and August 24 were approved unanimously with minor corrections.
Work Program
Bill proposed that the board priorities constitute the 2009 – 2010 Work Program.
He compiled the priorities based on a July 27 work session. The previously distributed
draft work program included his recommended time frames and proposed leaders for the
tasks. The priorities will serve as a guide for board/cooperative projects and can
be revised at any time.
MOTIONS: To adopt the 2009 – 2010 work program as distributed.
MOVE: Mike Stark
SECOND: Don Comis
VOTE: 4-0
Loans
The finance committee reported that on September 7, 2009 a request for a $10,000 loan was sent to the Greenbelt Consumer Cooperative (GCC) as directed by the board. If approved, the loan would pay off the high interest credit card with a lower interest rate loan. It was also reported that the committee will meet with the NASA Federal Credit Union to explore a debt consolidation loan on September 9, 2009.
Blues Festival
The board discussed some last minute logistics for the festival. It was agreed that the cooperative would pay $50 toward food and drinks for festival performers and sound technicians. A policy on future concerts was thought to be needed.
Proposed By-Law Amendment
Bill presented a proposed concept for a by-law amendment that would permit a board member to work as a paid bartender. He proposed to add a sentence to by-law Article V, Section 3a to state that Article 3a is subordinate to Article V, Section 6.
Bill explained that by-law Article V, Section 3a of the by-laws provides that a director is automatically disqualified and shall vacate the office if he/she is employed by the corporation. By law Article V, Section 6 provides the board shall be compensated in such amount as the membership shall direct. The necessity for the proposed amendment is that Section 3a conflicts with Section 6, and the amendment would set which section supersedes in the event of a conflict.
If the membership approves the by law change in a special meeting, Bill proposed that the membership be requested to approve the specific compensation of a board member to work at the bar as per the board approved bar position salary schedules. Bill will send the board the proposed wording for the by-law amendment for review this week. The matter is somewhat time sensitive as the cooperative needs to fill the bartender position. It was proposed to set the membership meeting as soon as possible.
MOTION: To draft the proposed by-law amendment and set the special meeting date.
MOVE: Bill Wilkerson
SECOND: Don Comis
VOTE: 3-0-1 (Rutledge abstains)
Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Financial Opportunities
Terri reported on a conversation with the EDC. The cooperative can apply for $5,000 to do a market study and can also apply for a 0% refinancing loan through a MCAP program.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Wilkerson, Acting Secretary
The board approved the minutes of September 9, 2009 on November 23, 2009.
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