2018-03-14 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Roger Irvin Dena Elliott, Rachelle Payne, John Scott, Char Opheim, RJ Thoefield, Steve Martinenko

1. Presentation by RJ Theofield & Steve Martinenko on Calendar Options

City of Monroe is trying to expand their representation of and collaboration with the entire South Benton community. RJ & Steve presented several options for ways the merged calendars could appear. We discussed how it could work, how we would maintain our branding on the merged events, how much additional work it would require from us to participate, the level and duration of the commitment, and the path forward. Monroe has also approached the school district and the library. Joyce and John will consult further with RJ & Steve as they come up with a draft for evaluation.

2. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

The second, corrected draft of the minutes for 2/14/18 was approved.

3. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

4. Prioritize Agenda

5. Financial Report

The board reviewed the financial reports for February. Dorothy was notified by our accountant that we had been late filing our tax return extension for a recent year, and had to pay a penalty to the IRS. The board Accepted the reports.

6. Preschool Report

CoEnergy got a report of a propane smell around our building. They came by and did a safety check on 2/21/18, but found no leak or cause for concern.

For the last couple weeks Char has been doing her practicum for her Master’s program, and Claudia has been running Char’s lesson plans. Things have gone well.

They had a book fair here last week. As part of hosting it, we got credit to get a number of books from the supplier. Char has ordered a selection, including teacher resource books and laminated cardstock books for students to practice writing letters, etc.

We have not yet scheduled parent first aid training. The board encouraged Char to go ahead with this, perhaps focusing on parents of the littles rather than all the parents.

Joyce delivered the papers for the background checks for co-oping parents at the meeting to Dorothy to mail with a check to ODOE.

The date for the Alpine 5K Scamper has been set for 5/5/18. Parents are recruiting sponsors now.

7. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

Dorothy got a call this month from Christie Cox of Ford Family Foundation. SPARC/QRIS has still not published their updated guidelines, which were expected last summer, but the expectation is that the new guidelines will share most of the basics with the old ones, such as the requirements for policies & procedures. Christie Cox advised Dorothy that we can use the grant to hire a consultant to write a plan for how we would get to licensing and rating, including a plan for the capital we’d need to raise to support implementing the plan. Ms Cox recommended a couple sources who might be able to recommend someone who could do this kind of plan.
Dorothy moved that we recruit and contract with a consultant to develop a two year plan for licensing our preschool, who would created a document that lays out the steps including a budget, and recruiting a new teacher/director. Dena seconded, approved.

8. Community reception/input event planning

The board discussed our goals for this event (raise awareness of the Center in the community, recruit new volunteers), and how best to accomplish them. We came up with a summer block party barbeque, perhaps coordinated with the Alpine Tavern. Rachelle will ask tavern if they want to join us in hosting such an event on 6/23/18.
Char noted that Steve and Christie Horning are parents of a preschooler this year, and that one of them might be willing to serve on the board. Char will reach out to them.

9. Recycling Center abuse

Configuration of video recorder to network. No progress.

10. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Final report to Trust Mgmt. No progress.

11. New Business

Carl Deaton is interested in reviving the regular gaming events he hosted at ACC a few years ago. He is working up a plan.

12. Proposed agenda for April

Recruiting a consultant to develop a plan for preschool formalization

Summer block party event planning

13. Schedule

ACC Board 4/11

2018-02-14 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Dena Elliott, Rachelle Payne, Roger Irvin, John Scott, Char Opheim (by phone)

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved.

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

The board reviewed and accepted the financial reports for January.

Joyce met with a group of managers at Co-Energy Propane. They admitted to several mistakes in billing us, and are giving us credits to reverse their mistakes. She was encouraged by their responses.

5. Preschool Report

Background checks/registry enrollments for co-oping parents have still not been sent in.
Action Item: Joyce and Dorothy will work together to get these submitted.

The board reconfirmed to Char that we want to do the first aid training, even with parents of the “bigs” who may not be with us very long.
Action Item: Char will schedule first aid training for parents and staff, funded from the FFF grant.

Old Mill Ctr wants to site a relief nursery in a manufactured building at Monroe Grade School, and Cindy Bond has asked Char to write a letter in support of that plan. The board agrees that a relief nursery in South Benton would be valuable, and would not compete with our preschool. The board asked Dorothy and Char to work together on a letter on behalf of both the board and our preschool teacher in support of a Monroe relief nursery.

The preschool students have decided to hold a food and baby needs drive, to benefit the South Benton Food Bank.

Char will recruit parents around a plan to work on moving the playground fence this spring or summer.

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

Char has no news on QRIS/SPARK requirements revision that was expected in late 2017.

The close date for the current FFF grant was March 2018, but we have received an extension through June 2018. We will close it out then, report what we’ve done toward FFF’s goal that we get licensed and form a plan for placement in the QRIS system, and return any unspent funds.

7. Grant applications for preschool wall removal

John led a discussion about prospects for grant funding for wall removal to unify the preschool space. OCF is a possible funder, with an application deadline of July.

8. Year-End Appeal Letter

Dorothy pointed out that this year’s appeal brought in $2200 with expenses of $718 (33% expense ratio). This is down from previous years. Dorothy believes that our appeal is growing stale, and that for next year we will probably want to reconsider how we do this, or freshen it up, such as with a color brochure about the Center. (Chart below created after the board meeting to illustrate Dorothy’s point.)

9. Recycling Center abuse

Joyce reported no progress on configuration of the video recorder to network.

10. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Dorothy reported no progress on the final report to Trust Mgmt.

11. Board mtg participation expectations for those with schedule conflicts

Discussion: In January the board members present discussed “What should we expect of each other when we can’t attend?” and agreed to the following.

We expect ourselves to notify each other in advance if we will be unable to attend a meeting, and that if we will be unable to attend, we will send written (email or print) notes to the meeting about any action items we have assigned and discussion items from the agenda that we have input on.

All board members and Char were present for this month’s discussion. All agreed that they understood these or similar expectations when they joined the board, even though it was not explicit in the bylaws or director job description. All agreed that these expectations are reasonable. We discussed adding verbiage like this explicitly to the director job description, or setting some standard relating to attendance into the bylaws.

This transitioned into a discussion about how our greater challenge is in recruiting new directors, rather than managing directors who aren’t taking the job seriously. We discussed things we could do to recruit new volunteers, and perhaps new board members. One possibility suggested would be to have a reception event, similar to the note payoff reception, to raise awareness of the need, raise community awareness about us, and seek input for new directions/programs/opportunities.

12. New Business

The board discussed a proposal from the City of Monroe to integrate ACC’s event calendar into the City’s events calendar. Dorothy and John will invite the representative of the City to come to our meeting in March to show us what it would look like.

13. Proposed agenda for March

Party/reception event plan

City of Monroe calendar merge proposal

14. Schedule

ACC Board 3/14

2018-01-10 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Agenda
6:00 pm Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dena Elliott, Roger Irvin, John Scott
Absent: Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Rachelle Payne, Charlene Opheim

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

No corrections or additions. Approved.

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

Board reviewed the financial reports for November and December. The December P&L has a large expense under Legal and Accounting that we would like more detail on. Reports accepted.

5. Preschool Report

The Christmas program went well.

Parent first aid training has not yet been scheduled.

Because of uncertainty about how much additional value would accrue to our program from enrolling the parents in the Oregon Registry, we have not yet sent the parent background check forms to either the OR Dept of Education or the Registry. Joyce accepted assignment from the board to complete the cover list for ODE and hand off the packet of applications to Dorothy for a fee payment check and mailing to ODE.

Char has delayed the Parent Handbook revision because of the uncertainty about our path toward licensing, since that would involve significant changes.

The board reviewed the applications for Tuition Assistance and reaffirmed October’s decision to offer 2/3rds subsidy for the 4 families who have completed applications for assistance, and to pre-approve two other families with partially completed applications, contingent on them completing their applications.

During December the preschool experienced a day without water and a partial day without electricity. This has emphasized the advisability of laying in a store of water such events.

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

No news.

7. Comm. Svcs. Consortium proposal for training partnership

Since last month’s meeting, no board members have thought of any partnership opportunities we overlooked last month.

8. Recycling Center abuse

Joyce reported no progress on configuration of video recorder to network.

9. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

No progress on the final report to Trust Mgmt.

10. Holiday season projects

Dena reported that the new team at Umpqua Bank are unsure of what they will do, and have not established clear ownership of responsibilities for the Partnership for a Strong Community. It will be appropriate to revisit this late next summer.

11. Board mtg participation expectations for those with schedule conflicts

The board reviewed the bylaws and position description for Directors for whether we had previously committed any expectations to print. There were no specifics in those documents. We agree that everyone involved is participating in good faith. We discussed our expectations, that we expect ourselves to notify each other in advance if we will be unable to attend a meeting, and that if we will be unable to attend, we will send written (email or print) notes to the meeting about any action items we have assigned and discussion items from the agenda that we have input on.

12. New Business

Jeanne Ann Lindsay corresponded with the board about a recent incident where an area resident had a narrow escape from carbon monoxide poisoning, and about a chimney brush owned by ACC but stored at the Monroe Fire Station, and available for loan to neighbors. She would like send info about the brush to the ACC email list. Board supports this idea, but advises getting confirmed details about the brush size, checkout protocol, etc.

13. Proposed agenda for February

Schedule conflicts

Grant applications for preschool wall removal

14. Schedule

ACC Board 2/14

2017-12-13 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, December 13th, 2017 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Roger Irvin, Rachelle Payne, John Scott (by phone)
Absent: Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Dena Elliott, Charlene Opheim

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved.

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

Received an application to use the center for a meditation class on Monday evenings. Board approved unanimously with a stipulation about no use of incense or fragrances.

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

Financial reports for November were not available yet.

5. Preschool Report

No report on parent first aid training, background checks/registry enrollments for co-oping parents, or the handbook revision

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

No report.

7. Lessons learned from Holiday Festival 2017

This year’s festival did well as measured by attendance and income. (Rough figures were not available for the meeting.) No specific lessons for next year were raised.

8. Recycling Center abuse

Joyce reported no progress in configuring the video recorder to network.

9. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

No report on production of the final report to Trust Mgmt.

10. Holiday season projects

No report on the future of Partnership for a Strong Community.

11. New Business

Water from the Alpine Water Co. was out recently, affecting the ACC preschool along with other customers. It was suggested that we prepare an emergency kit with water and other supplies. The board has taken that input under advisement.

Community Services Consortium would like to partner with us for job training experience for someone. The board discussed possible ideas of alternatives at the Resale Shop and the preschool, and neither seemed obviously appropriate. We will need to know more from CSC about the program and about possible trainees before we could approve such a partnership.

Dorothy asked for clarification on last month’s board approval of a raise for Claudia.: how far back to apply the new wage. We reviewed the record and specified that it should be effective to September 1, 2017.

We received an application from an instructor to conduct yoga and qi-gong classes on Saturday mornings. The board approved, with stipulation that they don’t use incense or diffusion of essential oils. Joyce will respond for the board.

12. Proposed agenda for January

Parent background checks
Parent first aid training
CSC training partnership

13. Schedule

Preschool Holiday Program 12/19-20?, ACC Board 1/10

2017-11-08 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, November 8th, 2017 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Roger Irvin, John Scott, Charlene Opheim (by phone)
Absent: Dena Elliott, Rachelle Payne

1. Introduction to Ophelia’s Place

Presentation by Anuhea Wall and Shea Selby. Ophelia’s Place is an established program for adolescent girls in Eugene. They are gearing up to start expanding services in Junction City, and are hoping to include girls from South Benton County. We discussed the resources ACC can offer to help them publicize their programs, and suggested other resources in our area that they will want to connect to.

2. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved the minutes.

3. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

4. Prioritize Agenda

5. Financial Report

During October we received a sizable donation from Starker Forests, as we have in many previous years. This year they asked that in future years we send them a request in mid-September. Dorothy moved that we earmark this year’s donation to underwriting our Tuition Assistance Plan, and in future ask them to specifically underwrite TAP. Roger seconded, Approved.

Accepted the P&L report. Balance Sheet was unavailable due to clerical mishap.

6. Preschool Report

Char reported that she has not yet reached agreement with Fire Chief Smith on a date for the parent first aid training.

Char has not yet sent in this year’s paperwork batch for background checks on our co-oping parents, but she will move ahead on it.

Char and Claudia have not yet completed the Parent Handbook revision.

In general, things are going well with the preschool. The parents are ready for the Holiday Festival booth, and have finished taking orders for the poinsettias.

A Benton County health inspector visited recently and had daunting comments about the improvements that would be needed if we were to offer prepared food to the preschoolers. Dorothy and Joyce reassured Char and the board based on Dorothy’s conversations last year with Scott Krueger (of Benton County).

Char is having trouble finding good days to schedule the preschool holiday program. The board confirmed priorities that make additional evenings eligible.

7. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

The board opened discussion with Char about her future with the preschool in 2018-19, as she completes her Masters degree program.

8. Final Preparations for Holiday Festival

Dorothy reported that all preparations are in line for the festival. Jeanne Lindsay has been doing a fantastic job with promotions.

9. Painting the main hall

This month Karen Shepard and Roger Irvin repainted the main hall. The board appreciates their contributions.

10. Recycling Center abuse

Joyce reported that she has begun but not completed work on configuring of video recorder to network.

11. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Dorothy reported that she has not completed the final report to Trust Mgmt.

12. Holiday season projects

No report on our partnership with Umpqua Bank on gift tree.

13. New Business

We have received a membership renewal invoice from Nonprofit Association of OR. The board decided not to renew.

We received a letter from Security Alarm Co. that they will be raising our rate.

Dorothy moved that we increase Claudia’s wage to $14/hour, retroactive to the point when we increased the teacher’s wage. Roger seconded. Approved.

The board discussed a draft year-end appeal letter generated by John based on our previous letters. The board made some light edits. John will get the edited version to Dorothy for forwarding to our mailing vendor.

We received an invitation to provide a booth in conjunction with the Monroe Light Parade, scheduled for Dec 9th. We are unable to participate this year, and have replied with our regrets.

14. Proposed agenda for December

Holiday Festival lessons learned
Futures discussion with Char.

Partnership for the community gift tree

15. Schedule

Holiday Festival 11/11, ACC Board 12/13

2017-10-11 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Roger Irvin, Dena Elliott, John Scott
Absent: Rachelle Payne, Charlene Opheim

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

The Board accepted the financial reports for September.

Dorothy bought a reader-board sign for the Center, to replace the heavy, worn board we have been using. In July the board discussed purchasing a new sidewalk sign for the Resale Shop, and approved an expense for purchasing one. Before Dorothy acted on that approval, Eva made a new sidewalk sign for the Resale Shop.

5. Preschool Report

Char has had a class that conflicted with this board meeting in September, October, and will again in November, but won’t in December. Dorothy also has begun a job where she works evenings, and will have conflicts periodically. After discussing the possibility, we agreed that at this time there is no compelling reason to alter the schedule for our board meetings.

Char has talked to Fire Chief Rick Smith, who can do the first aid and CPR training for $70/per person, in either two half-day sessions or a single full day. Board is firm in its resolve to do this, and to require cooping parents to attend. Char will work out the schedule to have these classes, and if appropriate, schedule child care and lunch.

Char has collected the forms for the background checks/registry enrollments for co-oping parents, and will meet with Rachelle in the coming week to submit the batch.

Claudia has been working on the handbook revision. Char will meet with her soon to review her draft and forward their draft to the board for review.

Char has received applications for tuition assistance from 5 families. Joyce moved that the board approved 2/3rds TAP scholarships for 5 families who have applied. Dena seconded, Approved.

Char also reports that this year we have a fantastic group of students and families. This week has been fire safety week, with a visit to the fire station, and next week will be the field trip to the pumpkin patch.

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

Dorothy has submitted to the Ford Family Foundation an application for a $15,000 grant for remodeling. That amount would represent more than a third of the projected cost of our planned project, with other parts to come from previously-raised on-hand capital improvement contributions from the community, volunteer & in-kind contributions to the work, and possibly from the already-received FFF grant.

7. Preparations for Holiday Festival

The only gap in the volunteer rota for the Festival that Dorothy was needing to fill was for coverage of the raffle ticket table. Roger and John committed to staff the raffle table from 2:00 through the end of the day.

8. Painting the main hall

Karen Shepherd is willing to scrape and paint the main hall on Oct 28th, but needs to have someone to work with her to do the ladder work. Roger can help, if we can’t find anyone else to help. John will provide a ladder.

In August, Brenda Goracke repainted the bathrooms. The board is grateful to her for that service and contribution.

In September one of the other preschool parents pruned back the rhododendrons along the front of the Center and weeded the planting bed there. The board is grateful to that parent for their service and contribution.

9. Recycling Center abuse

Joyce reported no progress on the configuration of the video recorder to network.

10. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Dorothy reported that she will be composing the final report to Trust Mgmt this month.

11. Holiday season projects

We have not heard anything yet from our partners at Umpqua Bank on the holiday gift tree. There has been staff turnover at our branch of Umpqua in the last year. Dena will reach out to them to coordinate.

The board discussed whether we want to revive the christmas tree lot this year. We are uninterested in doing this without a partner, and have not been approached by any potential partners.

12. So. Benton Community Advisory Group (SBAG) for M. Hull bequest

Roger reported that there is no news from SBAG.

13. New Business

Dorothy moved that we change from metered natural gas billing to gallons to fill billing with CoEnergy Propane. Dena seconded. Approved.

Joyce reported that Rann Millar is organizing the road cleanup for this Saturday, 10/14. An announcement and appeal for volunteers for this went out today on the mailing list.

Joyce has added Jeanne Anne Lindsay as an admin on the ACC Facebook page, the ACC site, and the MadMimi listserve. This is to help her promote the holiday festival more readily.

John reported that Alpine Water Company contacted him about higher than normal water usage during August and September. He turned off the timer sprinkler on the raised garden bed and talked to Char about any other signs she may have noticed of unusual water usage.

14. Proposed agenda for November

Last minute logistics for Holiday Festival

15. Schedule

Road cleanup 10/14, ACC Board 11/8, Holiday Festival 11/11

2017-09-13 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Agenda
6:00 pm Wednesday, September 13th, 2017 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Roger Irvin, Dena Elliott, Rachelle Payne, John Scott, Dorothy Brinckerhoff
Absent: Charlene Opheim

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

None

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

Board accepted the financial reports for August.

5. Preschool Report

Char had a conflicting engagement, but left a brief written report.
Preschool is at full enrollment with 8 on the waiting list.
The first week of school was awesome.
Char has a call outstanding to Fire Chief Rick Smith to schedule the parent first aid training.
There is still some uncertainty about how to address background checks or registry enrollments for co-oping parents. Char is trying to coordinate with Rachelle.
Char and Claudia are still working on the parent handbook revision.
We have four current applications for tuition assistance, with two more possible.

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

Dorothy has identified another foundation with funding guidelines that potentially include our remodeling project as a possible funder and has drafted an inquiry letter. They appear to be open to applications year around. Dorothy intends to get the inquiry out this week.

7. Painting the main hall

Char and her elves have painted the bathrooms. No progress this month on the main hall.

8. Recycling Center abuse

No progress on configuring the video recorder to our network.

9. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Dorothy has started composing the final report to Trust Mgmt.

10. So. Benton Community Advisory Group (SBAG) for M. Hull bequest

Roger reported no news from SBAG.

11. New Business

Holiday festival. We are getting vendor deposits already. Dorothy will probably need helpers for selling raffle tickets.

12. Proposed agenda for October

Holiday Festival (11/11/17)

13. Schedule

ACC Board 10/11, Holiday Festival 11/11

2017-08-09 Minutes

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Alpine CC Board Minutes
6:00 pm Wednesday, August 9th, 2017 at ACC

Present: Joyce Long, Dorothy Brinckerhoff, Roger Irvin, John Scott, Charlene Opheim
Absent: Dena Elliott, Rachelle Payne

1. Discuss & approve minutes of the previous meeting

Approved.

2. Review board email votes since last meeting

None.

3. Prioritize Agenda

4. Financial Report

Board reviewed the financial reports for July. Accepted.

5. Preschool Report

Char and Claudia are meeting to work on the handbook revision, and the contract for parents.

Enrollment for the year is filled, with a couple inquiries about the waiting list. The open house is scheduled for 6-7:00PM on Monday 8/21.

Discussed background check options. PCPO informs us that the option for this have changed since last year, shifting toward enrolling co-oping parents in the Oregon Registry.

Char is working with Monroe Rural Fire Protection District to schedule first aid training for the parents early in the fall.

6. FFF Grant for Staff Development and QRIS Plan

Dorothy will be working on the grant budget in the coming month. OCF annual cycle is out of synch with our schedule needs, so Dorothy will look for another possible benefactor.

7. Painting the main hall

Char will organize prep and painting events in late August.

8. Recycling Center abuse

No progress on configuration of video recorder to network.

9. 2012/2014 Trust Mgmt Grant Implementation

Dorothy reported no progress on the final report to Trust Mgmt.
Action Item (Dorothy, by 9/13), Search files for extension request letter we sent to Trust Mgmt last year.

10. So. Benton Community Advisory Group (SBAG) for M. Hull bequest

Roger reported that there is no news from SBAG.

11. New Business

Dorothy proposed removing the contact form from the ACC web site, and listing instead the info@ email address. The only traffic we seem to be getting through the web form are solicitations for us to purchase web traffic optimizations (and similar).

12. Proposed agenda for September

?

13. Schedule

Preschool Open House 8/21. First day of preschool 9/5?, ACC Board 9/13