Board Meeting Minutes - November 14, 2019

Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization Board Meeting
October 10, 2019, 4:00pm
501 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs

The following board members/attendees were present: Howard Hawkes, Amy Brinkman, Gustav Swanson (via phone), Sheila Cobrin, Mickey Puig (via phone), Kermit Ferrer (via phone- joined late), Glenn Cameron.

AGENDA

  • Review / Approve Minutes from October Meeting

  • Review Action Items from October Meeting

  • Prep for Annual VLPNO Meeting: 11/24/19

    • Special Guest: Glen Cameron (VLPNO Advisory Board) – scripts for Kermit & Gustav

    • RSVP: ?

    • Call for candidates: 3 open positions – No applicants; Gustav?

    • Meeting Agenda

Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization Annual General Membership Meeting
2:45-3:30pm:  Arrivals/Check-In/Mix and Mingle/Cash Bar
3:30-4:30pm: General Meeting, Presentations and Election

  • · Annual Report of Activities (Howard)

  • · Financial Report (Howard)

  • · MW2020 VLPNO Home Tour: Save the Date: 2020 Modernism Home Tour on Saturday, February 15th, Tour Update, Call for volunteers (Jeffrey)

  • · Alexander Star Dedication (D. Hyams – Confirmed)

  • · Other guests: TBD

  • · Proposal to Replace the VLPNO’s Bylaws with the attached By-Laws (Kermit & Gustav)

  • · Candidate Introductions & Election of Members to the Board of Directors (Howart)

4:30-5:00pm: Election Results / Closing Remarks

  • Treasury / Finance Report

    • October Report

    • Annual Budget

    • GoFundMe: Alexander STAR

  • MW2020 Update

    • Tour Name: Vista Las Palmas: The Alexander’s Jewel in the Crown Designed by William Krisel and Charles Du Bois

    • Scheduled for Saturday, February 15th

  • Alexander STAR Dedication Event Follow-up – Create small group to prepare the following:

    • Decide who will speak at the ceremony

    • Draft a 3-4 minute speech

    • NOT REQUIRED: Choose 2 pictures that illustrate the above connection.

  • Communication Updates: HSPS

RECAP / NOTES (Minutes provided by Mickey Puig & Gustav Swanson)

  • Board approved the Oct 2018 minutes

  • ​Mickey proposed a "thank you" gift to be given to Glen as appreciation for his efforts regarding the change of ByLaws. Board agreed to a budget of $200 and Howard agreed to have a gift basket from On The Mark created and delivered to Glen.

  • Sheila and Mickey agreed to man the Welcome Table and check-in guests

  • Sheila and Mickey agreed to meet prior to the meeting to create a master list of due paying member

BYLAWS

  • Glenn Cameron gave synopsis of by-law to Board. Highlighted major changes to by-laws:

  1. Eliminate term limits.

  2. Stagger Board seats.

  3. Verify VLP boundaries with city. Adapt city definition of VLP.

  4. Communication via Skype and conference call.

  • Adopted city template for by-laws. City template acts as a foundation where neighborhoods could then add verbiage applicable to their neighborhood.

  • Major provision of city template is the inability of an association to charge membership dues.

  • City trying to foster inclusion of neighbors. Discussion ensued. Cobrin noted some people would tend to opt out and not pay.

  • Board agreed upon "voluntary membership dues".

  • City supports our by-laws with a couple of minor changes. The most notable change was to include a map of VLP's boundaries.

  • Board in agreement over new by-laws.

Annual General Membership Meeting

  • Amy updated Board on number of RSVP's for Annual Meeting: 30 as-to-date

  • Howard committed to printing and posting signs around the neighborhood reminding all of the upcoming Annual Meeting.

  • Gustav proposed and Board discussed creating new, permanent signs to be used every year, in which only the date need be changed

  • Board discussed swag for the meeting. Board agreed not to spend additional monies but decided to have the surplus MW 2019 booklets available for anyone. Additionally, Howard mentioned that he had in storage VLPNO keychains that were created for a prior event, available for anyone.

  • Board discussed upcoming election - 3 open positions: Howard and Amy stated they will not re-run; Gustav informed Board he will rerun.

  • Board discussed its' concern that no one, except for Gustav, had submitted their name for the election. Howard agreed to make a whole-hearted "call" during the President's speech at the meeting for write-ins.

  • Glenn Cameron lead discussion of Annual Meeting process. (The script)

  • Annual Meeting would be structured into 2 parts:

    • Meeting to proceed under old by-laws.

    • Vote to adopt new by-laws

    • Conduct meeting under new by-laws

  • Discussed logistics of who could vote when. Discussed various election scenarios.

  • Board discussed the need to have a "write-in candidate" form created and available at the meeting. Also, a two-color ballot form to be created.

  • Amy Brinkman would follow up with colored cards indicating membership under "old by-laws" versus "new by-laws"

  • Board discussed speakers for the meeting: Howard - President's speech; Gustav/Kermit/Glen - ByLaws discussion; Jeffrey Saadeh - MW 2020; David Healey - "State of PS" (Sheila reassured Board that she had a commitment from him); Kermit - Alexander Star

  • Sheila and Mickey agreed to man the Welcome Table and check-in guests

  • Sheila and Mickey agreed to meet prior to the meeting to create a master list of due paying member