MINUTES

Neighbors Helping Neighbors (Food Pantry)
2:30 p.m. February 15, 2010
NHN Food Distribution Center

(Click Here For Print Friendly PDF Format) 
 

Present: Tom Priester, Jeanne Pascale, Randy Richards, Louise Bolin, Joyce Roach, Wanda Vonderahe, Robert Stinnett, Marsha Goodin, Virgil Goodin, Art Schneider, Donald Dreyer. 

Guest attending: Mary Ann Kempf (elected board member before business session of the agenda). 

Not Present:  Hazel Stone. 

Marsha Goodin offered the invocation. 

Call to Order Virgil called the meeting to order at 2:37 p.m. 

Items to add to agenda
Virgil added Central Missouri Food Bank annual required update meeting for member agencies. 

Minutes from January board meeting: Tom moved and Jeanne seconded that minutes be approved as sent out. Passed unanimously. 

Possible new board members:
Eileen Fangman--not present

Mary Ann Kempf--Virgil introduced Mary Ann Kempf.  Her background is a teacher at Boonville High School and Ss. Peter & Paul School. She is very active in youth athletics and enjoys volunteering to do things for people. She has been a volunteer at the distribution center since August 2009. Her husband and grandson also are volunteers.  Jeanne moved and Wanda seconded that Mary Ann be elected to board membership. Passed unanimously. Her term will end December 2012.

Old Business 

Treasurer’s report:
Tom, pantry treasurer, distributed handouts that showed deposits of $1924 in January. Expenses were $4448.90.  To cover the costs on February 1 he shifted $1000 from savings to the checking account. End of the month checks had not cleared before Tom made the deposit. Savings had $5583.33 at the end of January, but $1000 of that amount was transferred to checking February 1.  He also reported total value of CDs was $18608.54. He said he will have to transfer additional funds because of annual insurance payment and truck repairs. Tom was concerned that income was much less than expenses and that the board may need to take additional funds from its savings. 

A charge account has been opened at Dollar General. This makes the total number of charge accounts three: C&R and Dave's Country Mart in addition to Dollar General. Art asked if usage was limited to specific board members. Tom reported it was not. Wanda suggested Wal-Mart be added. She noted that bulk items at Wal-Mart could result in substantial savings. Tom will check into opening an account with the supercenter. 

Jeanne raised a question about $75 for GribIt & Go--this was for gasoline and is the former BP service station. Robert said BP has surrendered its Missouri operations. 

Wanda suggested a schedule for monies being sent to Tom.  She noted that a deposit sitting undeposited for several days or a month is unsatisfactory to donors. It also delays Jeanne being able to provide thank you notes. Marsha reported that some donors date their checks and do not submit them to a board member until several days later. When a board member receives a check, Tom requested that it be given or mailed to him within five days. Tom will print up envelopes for board members to mail that will be pre-addressed and pre-stamped. They will be kept at the distribution center in the first desk and the top upper left drawer. Wanda moved and Joyce seconded that the policy be approved. Passed unanimously. 

Jeanne asked about a $500 deposit in January. It was a donation from UMB Bank. She also mentioned $205 in an envelope from PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization service club). Marsha said she thought cash and checks were in the envelope, but that she had not opened it.  Jeanne will work with Tom on this. 

Jeanne moved and Marsha seconded that the Treasurer's report be accepted. Passed unanimously. 

Donated food weight reported in January:
Jeanne reported 4938 pounds donated--3614 from Super Wal-Mart.

Total Hours donated in January:
Jeanne reported 442 hours donated.

NHN Food distribution in January:
Virgil reported the following:
Total families assisted_294__ Total people served__658___
Thursday distribution _55___ families
Tuesday distribution __110____families
Saturday distribution __75__ families
Emergency _7___ families
Village Meadows __32__ families
Handicapped __15__families
Total families on Supplemental Nutrition Education Program (SNAP) formerly the food stamp program _170___ families
Total families receiving TANF __15___ families

Update on NHN client data entry:
Robert reported the data on 201 families had been entered in the software program. He said the distribution center's second computer will be installed next week so that entries could be made in either computer.
 

Cross-Training and Records of Where Things Are, People Contacts (What if….document): 

Art distributed the document and noted that he also included a month-by-month calendar and a listing of possible volunteer contacts. He asked that the board members closely review the document to report errors or other problems with it. 

Back-Up Change:

Jeanne reported her employer's policies do not allow serving as a treasurer or the pantry and she would not be able to serve as a backup to Tom. Virgil asked Robert to serve in this capacity and Robert agreed to do this. He will be serving as backup for the secretary and for the treasurer. 

Discussion on whether it would be necessary for Robert to be added to the checking account:

Tom suggested that the current four officers are sufficient.  He also reported that Wanda has signed the check authorization card and that Art & Virgil need to do this. Tom also said that the bank needs minutes authorizing this to allow the signatures. Tom moved and Robert seconded the motion the 2010 officers be authorized to sign checks for NHN. Passed unanimously.  

Switch plate replacement at the distribution center:
Robert said he has the switch plates and will install this weekend.

Truck Wiring/Rear Doors Repair Update:
Randy reported that Rick Ball Ford has repaired the wiring, fuses and installed a new battery. The blinker also works. Marsha said the backup blinker has not worked. Randy reported the lights had passed inspection. It was noted the back-up light was not an inspection item.

He said the door pulley still needs to be reattached.

Walk-in Freezer/Refrigerator:
Robert said the refrigerator/freezer did not stop running when he was here and he found that the temperature was set at 35 degrees below zero.  He said that 0 to minus 5 degrees should be adequate.  HA screwdriver will be needed to reset the thermostat. Robert will do so this weekend. 

City of Boonville gaming income grant proposal:
Tom appeared before the Boonville City Council and included in his funding request dollars for a building.  

Permanent building for the NHN food pantry:
Don has contacted a firm in Moberly to check on the cost of a 60 by 100 foot building with a 12-foot ceiling. The building would have three entry doors, a loading dock, a small kitchen and two handicapped accessible restrooms. He will report on the estimated cost next month.

Art reported he visited with Rick Ball about land and that there are six acres for sale--the old Korte Lumberyard area. He said he has tried to reach Ball since then, but his calls have not been returned. 

Volunteer annual dinner to thank volunteers--What needs to be done?
Randy said plans are advancing for the dinner at 7 p.m. March 5 at Open Bible Church. He is working with Jeanne on developing a volunteer invitation list.  Mary Ann reminded board members that March 5 is in Lent and that practicing Catholics may not eat meat in Friday. Randy said plans are for casseroles, but he will check on non-meat items.  Randy said he also will need an RSVP for the banquet, which will be held before the next board meeting. Virgil will work on a program for the event and for the recognition of Hazel Stone. 

Share the Harvest--What happened to venison for NHN?
Tom said he had not checked on this. It had been promised, but none was delivered. Board agreed to table this item until next fall. 

Job description of officers and committees--Do these need to be revised or more detailed or…?
Art distributed the job descriptions for officers and non-job descriptions for committees. Virgil suggested that board members review the items and send to Art any suggestions for changes and additions to be discussed at the next meeting. 

Locked file cabinet for food pantry client forms and Social Security numbers:
Robert showed the board the two-file drawer that he valiantly was able to locate and move.  Mary Ann suggested that a locksmith be contacted to secure duplicate keys for the cabinets. (Currently there are two keys). Robert's lobbying with Staples for the file cabinets resulted in Staples’ donation of two boxes of hanging folders--bringing new meaning to the Godfather movies' memorable line of "making an offer they couldn't refuse". 

Data entry training:
Robert will be able to train two data entry operators at a time--one for each computer.  Marsha AND Virgil will be the first two trained.  

Proposed by-law on board member removal:
Art noted the by-law proposal was brought up at the January meeting and meets the notice requirement for by-law changes. What follows is the current article with the proposed addition.

 Current by-laws

Article 2:        Members

a.    Board shall consist of 7 to 14 members.

b.    Board members shall serve for 3 year term.  One-third shall serve for three years, one third for two years, one-third for one year for     the charter board.

c.    Board members may serve more than one term. 

Proposed addition:

d.      Any board member having three consecutive unexcused absences shall automatically be terminated from the board. 

No discussion with Robert moving the addition be approved and Wanda seconding. Passed unanimously.

Virgil said it will be the president's responsibility to notify an individual that s/he has been terminated from the board.  This will be put in the policies list.

New Business 

Distribution Center Electricity Usage; Monthly charge by the Boonville Daily News of $200 to increase:
Joyce said she and Deborah Marshall, BDN publisher, had discussed the expansion of electrical units in the distribution center since the pantry first moved there. Virgil affirmed this. The newspaper electricity bills have increased. Art asked to look at the bills; Joyce said it would be a lot of work to do that.  After brief discussion Wanda moved and Don seconded that the board approves increasing the "rent" from $200 to $350 a month. The vote was 10 in favor and Art and Jeanne abstaining. Payment will start with March rent.

SCRIPT fundraiser:
Art apologized for not having sent the SCRIPT information out. Briefly, cards are purchased for specific businesses, such as a gasoline station, supermarket, etc... The purchaser receives full value for the purchase, but is given a card to use. The sponsoring organization--NHN--receives a small percentage of the card purchase price. Robert said he went on the web to learn about the program.  

Food Priorities:
Not noted as an agenda addition but discussed were food product priorities. Wanda noted quite a bit of freezer space is used for cakes and bread and that the cakes are heavy in sugar. Art took the position that refined sugar products are not of healthy benefit to the NHN consumers.  Other board members noted that to hungry people it does not matter whether the food is healthy or not. Marsha made an impassioned plea that noted for one child the cake was distributed just a day before the child's birthday and it was received with excitement and thanks. 

Virgil noted that as meats or other quality foods come in; the cakes are removed from the freezers. Robert said that keeping the freezers full saves electrical usage because a freezer turned off and then restarted expends considerable energy.  Mary Ann suggested that cake and pie are special treats for children. Joyce noted that there were irresolvable differences in views. Randy reported that Super Wal-Mart is providing a considerable quantity of fresh vegetables that are not at the end of their shelf-life and that this component has increased. 

Tom moved that the board formally adopt the policy that it accepts breads and cakes, but that nutrient rich foods received take precedence over the sugar items. Jeanne seconded and the board approved.  

Start and finish time of board meeting - possibly starting earlier to end by 5 p.m. (the time the BDN office closes):
Board did not discuss rescheduling, but limiting board discussion to finish by 5 p.m. Also, it was noted that the distribution center was an acceptable meeting site and that it could be used instead of the BDN conference room.

 Jeanne suggested that the board read the minutes before the meeting as they are distributed several days before the board meeting. Virgil, Tom and Jeanne have pointed out corrections after the first draft is distributed. Corrections are then made and the minutes redistributed.  Concurrence board members are expected to read the minutes in advance. 

Joyce also suggested that instead of individual handouts being distributed to board members as they arrive, handouts be laid out for board members to pick up.

AmerenUE Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Donation Request:
Robert learned from a contact that in St. Louis AmerenUE provides energy efficient fluorescent bulbs to food pantry customers to replace incandescent bulbs in an effort to reduce their energy costs. The fluorescent bulbs are without charge.  Wanda raised a concern about packaging as a broken fluorescent bulb releases mercury. Robert said the bulbs are packaged in threes with packing materials around them.

Board was supportive of the concept. Robert will bring an application to the next meeting.  He did note that AmerenUE requests an annual statement.
 

Central Missouri Food Bank annual required update meeting for member agencies:
Virgil reported that the Central Missouri Food Bank requires member agencies to attend a once a year meeting for updates and other information. This year the required meeting will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 13 at the food bank. Lunch is provided. He and Marsha plan to be there--both representing Harvest House or one representing the shelter and the other the pantry. He asked if board members would like to attend.  Robert and Wanda expressed an interest in representing the food pantry at the meeting. Virgil had the enrollment forms with him.
 

Open House:
Joyce noted that the board discussed an open house at the last meeting, appeared in favor of the concept, but took no action. MaryAnn said she had contacted a city council member about clearing the pantry entrance so it was accessible for handicapped individuals. Henry Hurt checked alley prior to February’s Thursday distribution. He gave suggestion on contacts to make future help more effective. Agreement that an open house should be offered. Joyce said the open house provides an opportunity to generate community awareness. Virgil seconded this as a good idea. May was suggested. No action was taken.
 

Two-wheeler:
Robert reported that he had contacted Browning's and the cost was sky high. He then contacted other possible distributors—all high-priced. The board authorized $150 for a heavy-duty two-wheeler. He found one from Amazon.Com for $170.50--without any charge for shipping.  He ordered it. Joyce moved and Marsha seconded that the board pay the additional $20.50. Board approved.
 

Distribution Application for food:
Robert shared a computerized application form that clients can complete to access food. Board members liked the features. He will revise it with some additions and bring to the March board meeting.
 

Human Trafficking:
Virgil reported that the Columbia Police Department is offering information on human trafficking from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 15 in Columbia. Cost is $10.
 

Yellow Book:
Tom said Yellow book offered to list the food pantry with the 412 High Street address and Virgil's cell phone for free. Board members expressed concern that the 412 address is officially the Boonville Daily News. Art learned the city could provide a separate address designation for the center.  There were concerns about mail being delivered to that new address.  Virgil suggested that the Yellow Pages just include the P.O. Box number. Board tabled the matter.

Tom moved and Don seconded the meeting adjourn and was unanimously approved at 4:18 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Art Schneider
Board Secretary 

  
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