Board Meeting Minutes - May 14, 2020

Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization Board Meeting
May 14, 2020  4:00pm
Virtual Call via GoTo Meeting

Meeting Objective: VLPNO Board Updates 

The following board members/attendees were present: Scott Turner, Kevin Comer, Gustav Swanson, Sheila Cobrin, Kermit Ferrer, Rebecca May, Sally Hightower Lippin.

AGENDA

  • Review / Approve Minutes from April Board Meeting (04/09/20) - All

  • Review Action Items from April Board Meeting - KFerrer

  • Treasury / Finance Report - KComer

    • April Report

    • Annual Budget

    • Donations: $ Allocation, Organizations & Timing Board

    • COVID-19 Local Organizations/Businesses

    • Other VLPNO funds projects

    • Treasury Transition / Signees (Open Item ‘til restrictions are lifted)

  • Modernism Week 2021 - VLPNO Home Tour? - Board

  • Neighborhood - Board

    • COVID-19

    • Street Condition Update

    • Safety/Security

  • One PS Update - SCobrin/KComer

  • Communication Updates: - GSwanson

    • Email Addresses DB - KComer

    • VLPNO website

    • Next Door

    • Facebook - RMay

    • Event Publications: Alexander Star, MW2020, Other

    • Other

  • VLP Neighborhood 'Dogleg' - Old Las Palmas.

  • Other Board Member Updates

 

Thursday, May 14th meeting was held virtually via GoToMeeting due to COVID-19 Shelter at Home Order

Review/Approve Minutes from April 9th and May 5th meetings

  • Board reviewed and unanimously approved minutes from the April 2020 Board Meeting and the May 5th, 2020 Supplemental Donation meetings

  • Gustav to coordinate w/ Imagine-IT to publish April and May Supplemental 2020 Board Meeting minutes on-line

RECAP / NOTES from March Meeting

  • Gustav to make the following VLPNO website updates:

    • COMPLETED: Publish minutes from January, February and March Board meetings

    • COMPLETED: Add Rebecca May as incoming Board Member at Large

    • OPEN: Remove Mickey Puig as parting Board Member - Treasurer

    • OPEN: Update Kevin Comer’s title to VLPNO Treasurer

  • COMPLETED: Kevin to update VLPNO Annual Budget w/ and w/o Modernism Tour as we might have to cover 2 years of funding of neighborhood events, socials and donations if we don’t have a tour in 2021

  • OPEN: Kevin, Scott and Kermit to set-up co-signer’s on VLPNO bank accounts

  • OPEN: Kermit to research VLPNO non-profit classification – determine if VLPNO has to file tax report to IRS

  • COMPLETED: Board to discuss annual donations at next meeting. Separate donations meeting held on May 5th

  • OPEN: Board to discuss whether to have a home tour in 2021 at next meeting

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to assist in editing MW2020 VLPNO Home Tour photos

  • COMPLETED: Kermit to send out Calendar Invite to the Board along with a GoToMeeting invite for May 14th Board Meeting

Treasurer’s Report

  • Kevin provided April Financials via email to the Board prior to the meeting

  • April reporting included

    • Account Reconciliation

    • Check Detail

    • Chase Bank Statement

  • Kevin went through the VLPNO account balances

  • Kevin informed the Board that he was able to file the Form 990 N on May 7th, 8 days to spare before losing our tax exempt status.

  • Kevin talked about California filings. He couldn’t find any record that we’ve ever done any filing with the State of California. Usually the state has mirror filings to the Federal Govt. He asked if anyone had any information on why this would be?

    • Kermit repeated that there was a Letter on file with regards to 'Preparation of Application for Recognition of Exemption under the applicable section of Internal Revenue Code'.

    • CPA is MMGCCPA (Maryanov Madsen Gordon & Campbell CPA’s)

    • http://mmgccpa.com/

      • Our MMGCCPA contact: Lyle Pierceall

      • Kermit sent a follow-up email and multiple phone calls to MMGC CPA (Lyle Pierceall) asking about the outcome of this service. No response. Kevin will attempt to contact.

      • We still need another two (2) signers: The Board agreed that this will be Scott Turner, VLPNO Board Chairperson & Kermit Ferrer, VLPNO Board Secretary. This will be set-up once regulations permit for us to go to the bank to complete the signature paperwork.

  • We still need another two (2) signers: The Board agreed that this will be Scott Turner, VLPNO Board Chairperson & Kermit Ferrer, VLPNO Board Secretary. This will be set-up once regulations permit for us to go to the bank to complete the signature paperwork.

Donations 

  • As agreed during May 5th VLPNO Supplemental Board meeting:

    • Kevin made out the $1,500 check donation to The LGBT Center – Food Bank

    • Sally delivered check to The LGBT Center (Debra Pollock, Director of Development)

    • Photo was taken of Sally handing Debra of The Center the VLPNO donation check

  • Debra Pollock wrote: ‘Thank you for your generous donation. Last night we provided a week’s worth of food for 220 households with a total of 519 people. Thank you for helping us accomplish this! We believe that the need for food will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. It’s nice to know that our neighbors want to help us address this need.’

  • Kevin & Kermit communicated The Center Food Bank VLPNO donation to their neighbors and collected an additional $2,050 of personal donations to match VLPNO donation

  • Overall Donation Proposal Sub-Committee Members:

    • Kevin Comer

    • Rebecca May

    • Scott Turner

    • Kermit Ferrer

  • Scott thanked all Board members for their input on suggested charitable organizations.

  • On behalf of the sub-committee members, Scott presented the following recommendations from the VPLNO Donation Sub-committee of organization / donation amounts to the Board:

    • The LGBT Center Food Bank: $2,500 (current approved donation of $1,500 + additional funds raised by matching funds)

    • AAP Food Samaritans: $2,500

    • PS Modcom: $2,500

    • Palm Springs Animal Shelter: $2,500

    • Total donation amount = $10,000

  • The Board approved the sub-committee’s recommendation.

  • The Board thanked Kevin and Kermit for their personal fundraising efforts.

  • Kevin to collect all checks from fund raising effort by Kevin and Kermit to present those to The LGBT Center – Food Bank.

  • Gustav to draft up VLPNO communication to inform neighbors about (1) our donations and organizations, (2) thank neighbors who personally provided matching donations and (3) a request for matching donations with notification to VLPNO Board so that we may track our matching collection and overall donation.

  • Kevin to issue checks and Sally to assist with deliver of the additional $1,000 funds to The LGBT Center Food Bank as well as the other charities that the VLPNO will be supporting. VLPNO request that we take photos when making these donations so that we may post to the VLPNO website.

MW2021 – VLPNO Home Tour?                                                                                                    

  • Kermit received email from Modernism Week Committee asking VLPNO if they planned to have a tour in February Modernism Week 2021

  • Kermit shared details of Tour and Schedule

  • Scott asked ‘Why wouldn’t we have a tour?’

  • Sheila stated that the VLPNO alternated years to have tours. Kermit rebutted stating that the VLPNO had had tours since he moved into the neighborhood 2013 - 2020

  • Kermit and Sally reminded everyone of the actions required:

    • Identifying a Tour Captain/Deputy and a committee of at least 6 additional members:

      • Co-Deputy, Home Selection, Photos, Brochure, Docent coordination, etc.

      • Kermit recommended that VLPNO Home Tour committee follow tour playbook prepared by Jefrey Saadeh for the successful MW2020 Home Tour

      • Note: Tour Captain/Deputy doesn’t have to be on the Board just as Jeffrey Saadeh who lead the MW 2020 Home Tour

    • Obtaining commitment from 6 – 7 home owners to have their home toured

  • Board discussed and agreed that we should have a tour as this was a success in 2020 and our main source of VLPNO funds

  • Kermit said that we had to provide three (3) choice dates for our MW2021 tour. The Board agreed on the following dates in order of preference:

    • Saturday, February 13th

    • Saturday, February 20th

    • Sunday, February 14th

  • Kermit to prepare draft email to MW2021 committee informing them of our intent to participate and preferred dates, share it with VLPNO Board for review prior to submission

  • Board to begin search for MW2021 VLPNO Home Tour Captain. Sally said she might two interested parties.

One-PS

  • One-PS meetings generally suspended until further notice

  • Kevin participated in District 3 Call with the Mayor on Thursday, April 23rd

  • Major impact to budget from Covid, scenarios put budget reductions at $20-$30mm. City plans on drawing down reserve fund, will also require major budget cuts, hiring freeze, cutbacks on all nonessential construction, etc.

  • Mayor said that he wanted our re-entry to be based on science, not politics, and certainly not based on which companies or industries have hired lobbyists to gain political influence. Said that pickle ball and tennis will re-open, maybe golf. Stores and restaurants later. Churches, etc. if they space people ten feet apart possibly.

  • Mayor ended by saying that in this time when even a pandemic has been politicized it’s important to remain kind to everyone.

Neighborhood                          

  • No Update. Although VLPNO Board understands that current conditions might slow things down, we agreed that projects must continue. Kevin to follow-up.

    • Topics: Street Condition Update & Safety/Security

VLPNO Board Meeting

         Meeting Agenda/Recap

Communication

  • Consolidated Neighbor Email Addresses DB created on Mailchimp by Kevin. Need to identify owner.

  • Board agreed to use Mailchimp as principal method to email communication to our neighbors supplemented by Facebook and NextDoor.

  • Rebecca agreed to own Mailchimp account for the VLPNO. Kevin, Scott and Rebecca to have a video session on Mailchimp.

  • VLPNO website updates are not efficiently being completed by Imagine IT. Gustav to follow-up with Jeff.

VLP Neighborhood ‘DogLeg’

  • Kevin brought up that via One PS Organization The Old Las Palmas Neighborhood Board approached him and asked the VLPNO to consider allowing OLP to annex the dogleg as they think it is a better fit in OLP. OLP Board also suggested that the City of PS asked them to take it, too.

  • VLP DogLeg defined as the homes bordered by the following streets: N Monte Vista (West boundary), N Palm Canyon (East boundary), W Vista Chino (North boundary) and W Stevens Road (South boundary).

  • Kermit brought up that the annexation of the dogleg had been in the works by The City of PS for some time. He also reminded the Board that the annexation was voted on and approved into the new VLPNO By-Laws during the November 2019 VLP Annual General Membership Meeting. If this de-annexation proposal was to move forward it would have to be presented to the VLPNO General Membership and voted on during the 2020 VLP AGMM.

  • Kermit to send on-file communication from 2019 that gave a bit of background on the request to annex the dogleg. Kermit also to request background information from Jade Nelson, Robin Abrahams and Howard Hawkes – previous VLPNO Board members.

  • Kevin to follow-up with OLP Board and Denise Golsby to obtain further details.

ACTION ITEMS:

  • Kevin to issue checks and Sally to assist with deliver of the funds to the charities listed below that the VLPNO agreed to support. VLPNO request that we take photos when making these donations so that we may post to the VLPNO website

    • The LGBT Center Food Bank additional $1,000

    • AAP Food Samaritans: $2,500

    • PS Modcom: $2,500

    • Palm Springs Animal Shelter: $2,500

  • Kevin to collect all personal donations collected by Kevin and Kermit and present to The LGBT Center – Food Bank.

  • Gustav to send Matching Gift Donation email to the VLPNO membership. Rebecca to assist utilizing Mailchimp to publish Donation email.

  • Kevin to contact MMGCCPA to research VLPNO non-profit classification – determine if VLPNO has to file tax report to California and obtain further details of our tax exempt classification and code

  • Kevin, Scott and Kermit to set-up co-signer’s on VLPNO bank accounts

  • Gustav to make the following VLPNO website updates:

    • Publish minutes from April Board and May Supplemental Donation meetings

    • Remove Mickey Puig as parting Board Member - Treasurer

    • Update Kevin Comer’s title to VLPNO Treasurer

  • Kermit to prepare draft email MW2021 committee to inform them of our intent to participate and preferred dates, share it with VLPNO Board for review and subsequently submit to MW2021 committee

  • Board to begin search for MW2021 VLPNO Home Tour Captain. Sally to reach out to the two interested parties she has.

  • Kevin to follow-up on Neighborhood Topics: Street Condition Update & Safety/Security

  • Rebecca agreed to own Mailchimp account for the VLPNO. Kevin, Scott and Rebecca to have a video session on Mailchimp.

  • Rebecca to begin updates to Facebook VLPNO account.

  • Kermit to send on-file email communications from 2019 that gave a bit of background on the request to annex the dogleg.

  • Kermit also to request dogleg annexation background information from Jade Nelson, Robin Abrahams and Howard Hawkes – previous VLPNO Board members.

  • Kevin to follow-up with OLP Board and Denise Golsby to obtain further details on dogleg annexation.

  • Kermit to send out Calendar Invite to the Board along with a MSTeams meeting invite for June 11th Board Meeting