Board Meeting Minutes - April, 2022
Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization Board Meeting
Thursday April 14, 2022
4:00PM - 5:30PM
Location: 830 N Fair Circle (& by Zoom)
Attendees:
Kevin Comer (KC), Kermit Ferrer (KF), Steve Orr (SO), Gustav Swanson (GS), Patsy Marino (PM), Joe Vassallo (JV)
7th Board member recruitment – All
KC: Stephen King (Coronet Cir) On hold pending existing outreach to others by PM and KF.
KF: Desirable board member characteristics: youth & women. Kevin Comer is re-elected Treasurer, Joe Vassallo is the newly elected Secretary.
KC – wants us to find a new Treasurer so he can finally transition his current role.
KC: PM to ask Glenn.
KF: Contact Bonnie R (Bruce & Richard’s friend)
March Treasury Report – Kevin presented:
$66,379 start of mo. 2 xfer to KF as a precaution to safeguard funds due to on-going fraudulent check incidents and Chase Bank’s lack of proactive support to protect our account. Tom Dole check cleared. 2 wire fees pending reimbursement to KF. PM has pending check to cash. Total assets = $66,500 (majority of which is MW2022 income).
KF: Will transparently document banking transfer details.
Banking – Kevin
JV reported nothing but positive experiences with FRB for both personal and business accounts. Neighbors Bruce & Richard had one bad experience with First Republic Bank. They recommend Chase or Pacific Premier. We are not likely to stay with Chase. There was discussion about Pacific Premier. KC noted how he’s only seen very positive rankings for FRB in all private banking rankings. KF Proposed we move our accounts to FRB. Board Votes: 100% in favor. After the vote, JV as Secretary agreed to produce Board Authorization letter to open new acct w/signers: KC, PM, KF.
Donations -All
4:30PM Guest Speaker via Zoom - Pam David
JV: My dear friend Pam David has accepted my invitation to zoom into our meeting tomorrow around 4:30pm. She was the ED of the $250M Walter & Elise Haas Fund, she led Community Development in San Francisco under 3 mayors, and has served on or chaired many philanthropic boards including the Northern California Grantmakers. I believe her advice can help frame our philanthropic activity. For reference, here's her linked in profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-david-a5a980/details/experience/
Notes from Pam David: Major themes: transparency, accountability.
Convert to 501c3 vs find a fiscal sponsor? Possibility of running org as a Donor Advised Fund where another larger Not-For-Profit 501©3 org acts as our fiscal sponsor, but we would have the most flexibility as our own independent 501©3.
KC: Can we run a new 501c3 sub under our 501c4? Whether we do that or completely switch to 501c3, we would require extensive legal advice.
Wrt running due diligence on donations we want to make: Is the donation going to a 501c3? With audited/legitimate financials? A local organizational history? a stable staff & board? Will they use it the way we intended (is it for general operating or for a specific program)? $25k is the level that should require substantially more due diligence. We need to develop a documented process for donations. Can we implement an open voting process for members? There is a need to present information transparently.
Pitfalls to watch out for: self-dealing. Paying VLPNO members for any services, especially board members, could be a big issue and requires extra scrutiny and transparency.
GS: re: VLPNO Strategy : “Local” is important.
KC is excited about VLPNO playing a more major role in community philanthropy by creating leveraged opportunities for neighbors/members to match VLPNO’s donations.
KF: Motioned that we continue to offer sponsorships for MW2023. Board voted 100% in agreement to create another Sponsorship Program.
KF: Motioned to move our 501c4 designation to 501c3? Board agreed to put this effort on hold until we can get a local board owner/champion & more knowledge of the expense/effort involved. KC is understandably concerned about the amount of work in such an undertaking.
PM: Will ask Glenn Johnson (name?) for volunteer help/advice moving 501c4 to 501c3.
KF: Presented a draft Due Diligence Checklist for fund raising requests. JV suggests sending draft to Pam David. KF proposes and Board unanimously agrees to use it. Form calls for a member to be the Requesting Sponsor/Champion for the request. PM: Agrees to be contact for AIDS Memorial Sculpture Project. PM: Will ask Jeff Stanley to host major donor event. May 21st is the target date. KC: has backup candidate to host on W. Stevens. KC will hold request until Jeff Stanley is confirmed. The ask is a Hosted event for 80.
PM: Suggests Co-Sponsors/Co-Hosts commit to give or get $5000.
$10k VLPNOs donation, $25k estimate from Co-Hosts, total=$35k budget/goal
KC: Proposes motion to proceed with 10k donation to Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture and create a 5/21 fund raiser w/due diligence completed form. Board unanimously approves.
Need to establish a Board Member owner for all fund raising efforts
Develop Process/Program to review and approve charitable organizations as well as contribution amounts
Current opportunities/organizations under review: AIDS Memorial Sculpture (DAP fiscal agent), Sanctuary, PS Animal Shelter
Fundraising - All
VLPNO Classification was discussed
Program Administration – There’s substantial concern about the need for professional assistance in this endeavor.
Next Social/Fundraiser: May 21st – PM – hold the date email/social to go out.
KF: We need to plan these months in advance. Next one suggested for July (for yr round residents.)
KC: TTK offered to underwrite a Social. Chris Menrad could speak on Krisel Architecture. Target an October event. KC: asked PM to take lead. PM: Suggested we need to announce that we are having an October event and suggests we seek $8k-level sponsorships.
KC: recommends GC hold off on drafting email regarding a method for members to request grants until we have an official process for donations. There was discussion of travel schedules for various participants during April and May.
A tour of the Animal Shelter is pending for possibly mid/late May.
Neighborhood Safety - PSPD participation is desirable at a future VLPNO Social.
We need to work on scheduling PSPD for our Summer social event. Should co-ordinate with Andy Mills and/or our Lieutenant/contact for our neighborhood. PM to work on draft schedule and send to the Board.
KC suggests we further develop Block Ambassador concept. KC will prepare a draft letter to the neighborhood detailing the benefits. This can help leverage membership recruitment and is synergistic with Summer Social & PSPD meeting.
One PS Highlights
SO: There was an impressive update on Martha’s Village & Kitchen and new Navigation Center. There was a police presentation on homelessness. SO want to take the lead on tracking them for possible VLPNO donation, fund raising event, and general info flow.
GS: COD West campus update was presented by COD Superintendent. Process has extended time adding substantial costs. New goal is to break ground in 2026 (if ever?)
Communication - Website Updates & Newsletter – Gustav
KC: Our website went down due to Godaddy invoice not being paid. Kaitlin got website back up. Getting rid of Godaddy, will use Square. We renewed godaddy for now. JV will contact Kaitlin to evaluate our web hosting strategy/vendors.
GS: confirmed that MW2022 pictures are posted on our website.
KF: PM will give KF the Birba invite card for the Social and develop a tracking document.
Next board mtg Thurs May 12 @KF’s house
Other Board Member Updates