Board Meeting: April 8, 2008

PRESENT: *Jim Llewellyn (Vice Pres.) Chair, *Abdullah Abdul-Rahim, *Stephen Gray, *Walter Kroll, *Denise Moccia, *Demetrios Panteleakis, *Ben Swan Jr., *Marianne Winters (Treas.), Meredith Boone, Conrad Chaffee, Jeri Gardiner, Lisa Gaudreau, Luzed Guzman, Sandra Hession, James Holmes, Adiz Ibrahim, Thomas Kubik, Ceil Lewonchuk, Margaret Martin, Shayena Martin, Carl Moccia, Yasir Osman, Karan Parkin, David Stein, Luz Swan, Raymond W. Talbot, Stephen Thibeau, Kenneth Walker, Michael Wiersma, David Wright, Kat Wright (*Members of the Board)

Guests: Pedro Almonte, applicant for beer & wine license at 346 Bay St.; Carla Nieves, interpreter; Barbara Kelly

Meeting called to order 7:10 p.m. 8 Board members present

BY-LAWS: Chair JL and member SH read through each proposed change to the By-Laws, and each change was discussed and voted on, as follows. Note: Three people left the meeting before voting; Total members present: 28.

Full copy of By-Laws showing original wording and adopted wording is attached.

§ Art. I, Sect. III: Fiscal Year. Change to delete annual audit. Change to this by-law was defeated unanimously.

§ Art. II, Sect. I.B: Non-discrimination. Change from adherence to "City's affirmative action goals/plans" to broader, more generic language, "shall not discriminate..." Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. I, Para. 1: Board, number of members. Change from "fifteen" to "a maximum of fifteen(15)." DP moved to modify proposed change to state "...a maximum of fifteen(15) and a minimum of ten(10)..." WK seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Amended change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. I, Para. 2: Board, number of representatives in each district. Change from "four(4)" to "up to four(4)." Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. I, Para. 3: Board, at-large seats. Change of age limit for Youth at-large representative from 18-20 to 14-20 years of age. MWinters moved to amend paragraph by elimination of general at-large representative and replacement with two(2) youth representatives; AAR seconded. Amendment defeated. RT moved to amend paragraph to have no upper age limit for either youth or general at-large representatives; there was no second. Amendment failed. BS moved to amend paragraph by changing general at-large representative age limit to "14 years of age or over." ST seconded. Amendment passed. Amended change to this by-law was adopted. (Vote: aye 18, no 7)

§ Art. III, Sect. II, Para. 4: Election Procedure. Change election of at-large candidates from even to odd numbered years, to reflect reality. Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. II, Para. 7: Election Procedure. Replace delivery of notice to each residence to posting on Council website. Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. II, Para. 8: Election Procedure, restriction on chairperson of election commission. Change to eliminate "sitting MNC Board member." Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. III, Sect. II, Para. 9: Election Procedure, proof of residency. Change to "prove...to satisfaction of ... election commission." Discussion: AAR, WK & ST felt this language is too loose; old language specifically requires showing license, utility bill, library card, etc. Change to this by-law was defeated unanimously.

§ Art. IV, Sect. I: Officers. Change eliminates requirement for Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer & eliminates service limit to 5 consecutive years in any one office. BS moved to restore term limit to five(5) consecutive years; MWinters seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Amended change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. IV, NEW Sect. VIII: Removal [of board member] for cause. Discussion: By-law as written does not specify a list of ethical or fiduciary standards or violations. New Section VIII of by-laws was defeated. (Vote aye 7, no 18.)

§ Art. IV, OLD Sect. VIII: Recall. Change reduces from 15% to 5% number of resident signatures to force a recall. Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. V, Sect. II: Quorum. Change requires five(5) rather than two-thirds of board. Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. VI, Sect. III: Annual Meeting. Change requires posting of notice in public places and on Council website instead of delivery to every McKnight residence. Change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. VII, Sect. III: Board Committees. Changes requirement that majority of any committee be non-Board members to an "ideal" of such a majority. DP moved to clarify what executive session can discuss by replacing phrase "personalities or litigation" in last sentence to "personnel issues and pending litigation." MWinters seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Amended change to this by-law was adopted unanimously.

§ Art. VIII, Sect. I: Indemnification. Change is to eliminate the entire article. Change to this by-law was defeated. (Vote aye 20, no 6.)

GUESTS: Application for beer & wine license at 346 Bay St.: (Board member BS and member JG left the meeting during this portion of the meeting; both serve on the Springfield Planning Board and will have to hear the application there.) Applicant Pedro Almonte chose to answer questions posed to him by members present. He was accompanied by his friend and interpreter Carla Nieves. Council gave the applicant 45 minutes to make his case and answer members' questions. DM moved to oppose the beer & wine license at 346 Bay Street; DP seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT: No report, as President GAH not present.

SECRETARY'S REPORT: Minutes of Feb. 12, 2008, and March 11, 2008: WK moved to accept minutes for both meetings, AAR seconded. Motion passed.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Treas. MWinters: Nothing out of the ordinary to report. Financial report attached.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

§ COMMUNICATIONS (Jim Llewellyn & Ben Swan Jr., Co-chairs): JL reporting. Deadline for next newsletter is Monday, April 21; should be available for delivery last week of April. Report attached.

§ DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING (Demetrios Panteleakis, chair) DP reported he met with SPD Commissioner Fitchet, who said he will support the public safety sections in the 2008 McKnight Revitalization Plan. No written report.

§ FINANCE & FUND RAISING (Marianne Winters, Chair): No written report.

§ HOUSING (Denise Moccia, Chair): DM noted that three carriage houses in McKnight have been identified for demolition by the City Structural Survey Board (under Code Enforcement Commissioner Steve Desilets). She will follow up with the Historical Commission. No written report.

§ PUBLIC SAFETY (Walter Kroll, chair): WK reported on the newly formed SPD ‘Quality of Life Flex Squad.' Their direct phone number is 750-2371. SPD is following up at Big Bass Club on Bay Street as a public nuisance. BS noted the Sector F Beat Management Team meeting is set for Thursday, April 17, 5:30 pm at the Indian Motocycle Bldg. Report attached.

§ OFFICE RELOCATION (Liz Stevens, chair, not present) No report.

ANNUAL MEETING & BOARD ELECTION PLAN: Member & administrative staff person KW proposed a plan & time line for both required events, and called for volunteer committees to oversee them. Proposed Election Plan attached.

§ ANNUAL MEETING: BS moved to hold Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2008, from 7-9 pm; DP seconded. SG amended motion to hold Annual Meeting at Rebecca Johnson School; BS seconded. Amended motion passed unanimously.

§ BOARD ELECTION: KW noted those board members whose terms expire June 30, 2008; they are Gregory Hession, Ben Swan Jr., Liz Stevens, Walter Kroll, and Sven Martin. In addition a seat in District 3 and the Youth At-Large seat are vacant through June 30, 2009. DP moved to hold Board Election on Saturday, June 14, 2008, 10 am to 2 pm at Rebecca Johnson School; WK seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

§ ELECTION COMMISSION: DP moved to appoint KW chair of 2008 election commission; BS seconded. Discussion: Call for volunteers to serve; election commission is responsible to carry out election plan. Motion passed unanimously.

§ NOMINATING COMMITTEE: Tabled to a future meeting.

NEW BUSINESS:

§ KEEP SPRINGFIELD BEAUTIFUL: Saturday, May 3, 2008, 8 am to 12 noon; Board members asked to sign up to clean a vacant lot in the neighborhood; Liz Stevens is the point person for this event, will take the list to KSB coordinating group; Flyer to recruit neighbors to help in cleaning specific lots was distributed to members.

§ SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS INCUBATOR: Report by RS & KW on their visit was postponed.

§ RECOGNITION: Member CL noted article that ran in The Republican about the Key Players Project originated by former MNC board member and officer Todd Crosset; suggested a follow-up article in McKnight newsletter.

§ PROPOSAL: Member RT asked that MNC support a proposal to install a police camera at Brown & Bay Streets to stem illegal traffic and other illegal activity. Related to that location, ST said all six properties there are mis-zoned Residence A and are in violation of code. It was suggested these issues be taken up by both the Public Safety and Housing committees.

BS moved to adjourn; WK seconded. Motion passed.

9:45 pm - Adjournment