July 15, 2009 Board Meeting

Peace and Environment Resource Centre

Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday July 15, 2009

The meeting was called to order at 5:35pm. Kristin Miller chaired the meeting and Valerie Doucette took minutes.

Present: Mike Kaulbars, Kristin Miller, Valerie Doucette, Kristina Inrig, Robert Smith, Margaret Jensen and Joe Parchelo.

1. Check-in: Everyone checked in.

2. Select Time-Keeper:  Kristina Inrig.

3. Approval of Agenda:  Suggestion to move Financial Report up in the agenda due to time constraints. Kristina moved to approve agenda as amended. Mike seconded. Carried.

4. Financial Report: See attached financial statements. Joe notes that $5000 cheque has not yet come from anonymous donor. Will be out of town from Wednesday of next week until August 16th. Rhonda has the key to the mailbox. ACTION: Rob and Mike will coordinate receipt of mail. If $5000 cheque does come in, someone will make decision on how to spend it. Mike notes that the budget is done incorrectly with regards to budget of donated money - don't run donated campaign in May - needs to be separated out to better measure if it is successful. Question about how to spend anonymous donation - print, rent, and as much to Margaret as is possible. Mike notes that PDFs of receipts are required. ACTION: will talk to Krishna about it again. Question of whether or not we accept online donations? Kristina notes that we do.

5. Communication:  Kristin notes that this needs to be improved. Earlier notification required of attendance and also accessing of wiki to potentially improve communication. ACTION: Valerie to put minutes on wiki.

6. Review of PERC's meeting guidelines:  Kristin describes how meetings should be more focused and reintroduces the use of hand signals. Less interruptions, careful listening to everyone when they speak.

7. PEN Report:  Margaret reports that issue on climate change is coming out soon, but questions about support from the Friends of the Environment grant - is the money coming through? Kristina had an email correspondence with them. Margaret recommends that she keep a hard copy of the email. Margaret notes that ACTION: Valerie to write an article on veganism and climate change for this issue, deadline of August 12th. Also there will be a faith issue coming out. Margaret asks about regular column requesting new volunteers for PERC - should we still be printing this? Kristin motions to allow 2 more minutes for this discussion, Valerie seconds this. Mike confirms that the volunteer program is still underway.

Refreshment Break

8. Focus and Direction of Board:  Mike and Kristin had met to discuss board development. In order for PERC to survive the board needs to be active: stronger and more focused. Building board member skills, improving structure as well as putting more emphasis on recruitment. See attached PERC Mandate, Draft Board Member Job Description & Election Process, and Board Orientation Needs documents. On the wiki there are no biographies, need to improve content. Mike proposes that we need to educate board members. Proposal to introduce some information at each meeting and improve document on wiki about board structures. Kristina brings up issue of whether the board is governance or operational in its functionality.

ACTION: Valerie to post Policy and By-Laws onto the Wiki. Suggestion to have hybrid committee of Actions and Management. Kristina suggests that the board should review policies to see if they need to be changed. ACTION: Kristin to email board the policies, which will be reviewed and discussed in the next meeting. She notes that this is a long term process, need to prioritize and then work through them slowly. Suggestion that at each meeting one policy is presented to the board for discussion.

Discussion about PEN, acknowledgement that PEN is central to the organization. Discussion of ways to modernize and improve PEN and PERC. Ideas emerge such as e-newsletter, web presence, improved website. Kristina points out that in improving PERC it is important to follow the mandate, in helping local organizations. ACTION: Kristina will write plan for web engagement initiative and description of possible funding requirements - will also consult with Mike Gifford who is an expert in Drupal content management system. Kristina informs the board that there is a funding opportunity with a deadline of November 1st that the board could aim for.

10. Other Business:  Rob suggests that PERC conduct another survey of members. Kristina suggests an article that invites comments so people are not caught off guard. ACTION: Valerie to provide minutes on Wiki a week before meetings.

11. Check-out:  Everyone checks out.

Meeting adjourned at 7:10pm.