Minutes from the Dec 4 Board meeting

RAB Minutes 4 Dec 2008

The meeting was held at the Mosaic Coffee House in a church in Wallingford about a block south of 2nd & 45th. We began after 7 PM and ended around 9 PM.

Members present: Jami Fecher, Dana & Eddy Fowler-Lindner, Alvin Lee, Elizabeth Maupin.

Jami Fecher offered the opening prayer

Introductions followed with a focus on why each person was attracted to serve on the board of Response Ability Builders and what they felt they had to offer. For example, Alvin brings the gift of asking good questions that help to clarify the vision and shape the organization. Jami is good with the process part of conducting meetings, can clarify the passion in words and communicate it beyond the walls of the “board room.” Elizabeth brings a passion for those on the margins and a penchant for taking notes. Eddy has passion, ideas, and a gift for seeing possibilities. (I didn’t get down what Dana said about herself.)

Jami spoke about the need to clarify the mission, vision, values, and the action plan, and then to carry out the plan. “We need to have an adaptable plan that leads toward self-sustainability.” “Eddy needs to be paid.” Jami also advised that we set priorities based on the guiding values and that we step out of crisis mode to evaluate the values. Ultimately, he reminded us, “All great ideas degrade into work.”

Alvin was eager to work on a strategic plan, one that would tell the intent of the organization and how the organization plans to carry out that intent.

Dana favors clearing things up. She noted that Adaptability and sustainability are huge issues.

Alvin suggested that we need attainable benchmarks as we move toward sustainability. The benchmarks and the plan need to stay parallel to the wording of the 501 c 3.

We spoke about some examples of benchmarks, and how taking a benchmark and then working backward to imagine the steps needed to get there would produce a plan. A trained crew is one benchmark. Transfer of property is another benchmark – and one on which we would focus tonight.

Updates
We glanced at the minutes of November 10 for items on which updates were needed. The minutes were deemed acceptable as written.

Eddy has had further conversations with Brent Warren of Banner Bank who has been encouraging. The bank is waiting for the pieces to come together.

Contact with WHEEL is being pursued. Elizabeth and Eddy have both left messages for the Rev. Jim Eichner of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Redmond. We are waiting to hear from PSKS. So, nothing really new to report on those fronts.

Lawrence followed up with Cadman in hopes of getting a gift to help with RAB. The result was an offer to allow RAB to get material at cost. Concrete, for example, would be $80/yd.

* Not reported at the meeting, but important FYI: Eddy and Elizabeth met with Michaela Albon, an attorney who is just starting with a new firm, and asked her to consider participating. She will check with her new employer regarding pro bono, and get back to us.

Strategy and transfer of property
A discussion of strategy for stewardship led directly into a discussion of the possible models for the transfer of title. The Fowler-Lindners prefer the trustee model which not only works for this property but provides a model to use with distressed properties in the future. This model is acceptable to the bank as well. The board approved presenting it to the bank with two contingencies: the stewardship agreement and financing. RAB will seek a guarantor for $25,000 for 2 years.

Follow through
The Fowler-Lindners will discuss the trustee model of land transfer with Brent Warren of Banner Bank and with Michaela Albon, our attorney.

We also need to check on our bylaws to see who is needed to sign an offer.

Minutes submitted by Elizabeth Maupin -- corrections are welcomed!