Visions Board of Directors Annual Meeting
November 3, 2011
Present: David Alberts, Joni Carter, Sissy Crowther, Jean Duggan, Lindsy Gardner, Tom Gosse, Torrence Harman, Margaret Nost, Bill Pennell, Ken Rioland, Jack Russell, Alison Towles, Marilyn Warren
Lindsy Gardner called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. A motion was made to approve the minutes from the previous meeting in August. Minutes were approved as submitted.
Director’s Report
Joni Carter, executive director of Visions, introduced herself. She stated the office is set up with phone service and wireless internet. She gave out the office phone number as well as her cell phone number and encouraged board members to stop by and take a look. The physical address is 266B N. Main Street; the mailing address is P. O. Box 78, Kilmarnock.
Joni has started a stakeholder survey with area nonprofits to assess needs and perceptions, which she passed out. She has done six so far, but is finding the nonprofits she has spoken with have similar needs and issues. They need more funding, there is a gap between supply and demand, and communication among them and with the public is limited. She is in the process of converting this survey into an online version and will send it to all board members and committee members. She asks that all please reply. Alison Towles will be helping by going to selected area churches to do the survey.
Joni will be attending a strategic planning for nonprofits class in Richmond this month. She is taking Lance Barton, director of the Northern Neck Food Bank, with her since he identified that as a problem for him.
She has also met with the superintendent of Lancaster County Schools about a community service requirement for graduation. Northumberland County Schools, Christchurch School, and all of Maryland schools already have requirements. Joni felt that the timing on this request was positive, since the Lancaster county schools are initiating a RISE program in which the “S” stands for service. She has spoken to the counselors and is meeting with the principals of the schools next week. She has been talking to Cindy Balderson, director of Northern Neck Connection, about ways to utilize that electronic database and social media to alert teens to volunteer opportunities. Although the requirement would not be in place this year, she feels that it could begin next year. Community service would allow students to better connect to the community, build self-esteem, and provide area nonprofits with bridges to the schools.
Joni has begun exploring the idea of a print resource directory. She is using the Catalog for Philanthropy to help her identify local nonprofits for the survey, but the audience for that directory is potential volunteers. She envisions the resource directory as a short document directing people in need to appropriate contacts for help and services, such as food, shelter, etc.
Joni reported that the Community Resource Forum will restart as a monthly brown bag lunch meeting in January. The first or second will involve representatives from the radio station and newspapers, as well as Northern Neck Connection, discussing ways to communicate their message and needs to the public.
Joni has also become an active member of the Economic Development Committee and serves on the Northern Neck Leadership Committee. She has met with Jerry Davis and Lisa Hull of Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Regional Partnership and is meeting with Kenny Eades and Ronnie Jett, along with some Visions board members, in Northumberland at Macedonia Baptist Church next Monday, November 7th.
Staff Report
Alison Towles reported that the application for nonprofit status was returned by the IRS with specific requested changes. Mat Terry made those changes and the final application was submitted on October 24th. There is no further action needed on this end, we are just waiting to hear from the IRS at this point. Lindsy added that she and Paul Sciacchitano are working on the insurance and account side.
Committee Reports
- Nominating Committee
The nominating committee was made up of Lindsy Gardner, Margaret Nost, Ken Rioland and Tom Gosse. They presented a slate of proposed board members, suggested terms for current advisory board members and new members, and a slate of officers.
The nominating committee approached Lillian Waddy as a potential board member, but she declined. Reverend Dale Bunns accepted and Reverend Rose Currie is considering. Lindsy suggested that the board vote to accept her for now and then revisit a further nomination if need be. She also pointed out that there will be two vice-presidents, one for Economic Development and one for Community Development. She foresees that the latter will become a working committee in future.
Torrence suggested a one year term could be offered to Rose Currie is the three year term was too much.
The slate, terms and officers were accepted by unanimous vote. The officers are:
President - Lindsy Gardner
Vice President, Economic Development - Paul Sciacchitano
Vice President, Community Development - Kenneth Rioland
Secretary - Marilyn Warren
Treasure - William Pennell, Jr.
Visions Team Members by class include:
Class of 2012 - Torrence Harman, Thomas Gosse, Marilyn Warren, Kenneth Rioland
Class of 2013 - Lindsy Gardner, Margaret Nost, William Pennell, Jr., Paul Sciacchitano
Class of 2014 - Elizabeth Crowther, Jack Russell, Dale Bunns, Rose Currie (pending acceptance)
- Economic Development Committee
In Paul Sciacchitano’s absence, Bill Pennell reported that Jack Russell is working on a vision statement. He noted that efforts are being made to involve the Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Partnership and Northumberland county representatives in the Economic Development Committee. Bill noted that, because of changing demographics, Lancaster and Northumberland are in danger of losing their designation as HUB Zones. This would negatively impact businesses like MTEQ, who might be forced to relocate. The Economic Development Committee will need to keep an eye on that situation.
Lindsy Gardner congratulated the committee on their successful lobbying to get funding from the Kilmarnock Town Council for the new RCC site. Sissy thanked everyone for their help.
- Northern Neck Leadership
This committee has been working on developing a curriculum through RCC to train area leaders from various fields in the community. The targeted individuals in the first class will be about 20 people who are recognized as influential, thereby lending the leadership class “cache” that would later translate into more perception of the program as worthwhile and important. They will meet once monthly for a day-long session over a 9 month period. The class will be expected to complete a group project of their choice over the 9 months. The committee has the outline for the sessions and is currently working out details and budget. They hope to begin in January, 2012.
- Youth Works
Lindsy Gardner reported that 62 area youth from 5 counties participated in Youth Works last summer. Of that 62, 33 students were new to the program. The financing for the Lancaster and Northumberland county youth came from the DuPont Fund. Rusty Bragg and Jason Perry of RCC were creative in finding funding to include teens from 3 more counties. Of the 62 students, only 2 did not complete the program. Lindsy said that 33 Career Readiness Certificates were awarded. The post program survey indicated in an increase in confidence level in participants over last year.
Joni has asked Jason to include speakers who exemplify local success stories in future Youth Works, as suggested by participants in the Visions Community Conversations last year.
Tom Gosse and Jack Russell spoke up to praise RCC’s administration and dedication to this program.
- Northern Neck Connection
According to Alison Towles, Cindy Balderson has indicated the new website should have a soft launch within the next month. Selected people will be invited to review the new website and provide feedback for any improvements or revisions. The hope is that the hard launch will be in January. There will an event to celebrate or mark this, but Cindy does not have details on that yet.
DuPont Report
Mark Constantine was here in October for the Donor’s Forum, which is sponsored by the Community Foundation. He continues to reiterate that the trustees see a negative trend in the future of the Northern Neck economy. He also shared their disappointment in the outcome of the Northern Neck Family Maternity Center, which closed its doors within less than a year of opening, and in the closing of SAIF Water. He stated that the duPont Fund is unwilling to finance any new projects in the community.
Torrence Harman said that SAIF Water was a very different situation. It was closely associated with one individual who is retiring for health reasons. It had a 21 or 22 year history of very effective work in the area and had essentially run its course. Future efforts to build nonprofit capacity should and will include attention to sustainability as part of the analysis.
Sissy Crowther stated that, after Mark Constantine recommended that RCC find a duPont eligible four year college partner rather than a church in seeking funding for infrastructure and technology needs for the new Kilmarnock location, she met with officials at Mary Baldwin College. This college very actively works with RCC and accepts as much as 90 hours toward a Bachelor’s degree from the community college and will be offering classes at the new site. Mary Baldwin indicated that they had a grant proposal called “Learn Local” in process with the duPont Fund. It would allow them to offer more to the Northern Neck and Southwest Virginia. There has been no further word on this proposal. Jack Russell pointed out that RCC is a very important key in moving away from short-term or “band-aid” approaches into long-term solutions like increasing educational and economic opportunities.
There was a brief discussion of the new organization, The Link, which would help churches work together in providing services to people in need. There are 17 area churches that are duPont eligibles, in addition to other churches that have been active in developing this clearinghouse approach. The coordination and funding will need to come from member churches.
Ken Rioland reminded the board that Visions was developed in a model supported and encouraged by the duPont Fund several years ago in Jacksonville. Hub organizations can help them better understand the area and its needs. Much of what Visions has been able to accomplish is because of that model. Our organization has become an umbrella which results in better coordination and communication.
The board felt it would worthwhile to include the duPont Fund in emails of minutes to help them stay better informed of progress in the Northern Neck. Lindsy Gardner pointed out that the bottom line was that we need to report to them frequently, but also look beyond the Fund for financing of future efforts.
Smart Beginnings Update
Tom Gosse reported on Northumberland Lancaster Smart Beginnings, an early childhood education and intervention program designed to help children be ready for school and funded by the Wiley Foundation with assistance from Virginia Early Childhood Education Foundation in Richmond. It has been in existence for 1 ½ years. However, the Smart Beginnings branded program is essentially an urban model that did not connect well with the Northern Neck’s rural nature and did not allow for much, if any, adaptation to better serve this area’s different needs.
The Leadership Council and Coalition have voted unanimously to carry forward without the Richmond funding and structure. The name will need to change away from Smart Beginnings, which is branded. A number of children have already been identified as needing assistance and the Wiley Foundation will fund any programs they develop to intervene with these children.
The Leadership Council has some interest in potentially connecting with Visions in future as an additional piece. They are not interested in becoming a separate nonprofit.
There was some additional discussion of the loss of federally funded programs in the area like Head Start. Torrence Harman suggested that the Family Development Center in Warsaw, which receives some assistance with funding through St. Mary’s Whitechapel, might be a helpful model in early intervention with children and families.
Departing Board Members
Lindsy Gardner thanked departing Board members Dave Alberts and Jean Duggan for their service throughout the development and transitions of Visions. Dave will continue to serve on the Economic Development Committee and it is hoped that Jean may be willing to serve on a committee in future.
Annual Report
Marilyn Warren suggested that an annual report would be useful. Alison will work on scheduling some time for Lindsy Gardner, Joni Carter, and Marilyn to meet with her in writing this report.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Alison Towles, Visions Project Coordinator
