BVCLT Board Meeting
Date: February 17, 2009
Location: LAEV, room 201
Present: Stephanie Zill, Barbara Corkrey, Irma Garcia, Somerset Waters, Lara Morrison, Kristina Mata, Luther ?, Helen Campbell, Michelle Wong, Adonia Lugo, Bobby Gadda
Scribe: Adonia Lugo
- Agenda Review
- Introductions
- Election of board officers:
- Descriptions of positions were read.
- Vice president description changed to reflect completion of bylaws. Section 6.B removed from organization’s master binder.
- Lara moved to elect Tina as president, Somer as vice president, Irma as secretary, and Stephanie as treasurer. Michelle seconded and motion passed.
- Adonia will take notes of meetings and pass them on to Irma.
- Discussion of where to keep record book. Irma can donate a locking file cabinet, and Lara will ask LAEV members if it is alright to keep this cabinet in the community room here. The community room is the official address of BVCLT.
- Financial update: Michelle reported as previous year’s treasurer
-Ending account balance for 2008: $621.65 - Payment of $25 to the state of California to file for official tax-exempt status - Membership dues for 2009 to be deposited: $840. This is for six new members and eighteen returning members each paying their annual dues of $35.
- BVCLT now has an account at Kinecta Federal Credit Union. Lara and Michelle have visited the Santa Monica branch. - On Wednesday Lara and Stephanie will meet to go to Kinecta and have her added as a signer on the account as she is the new treasurer.
- LAUSD update: Michelle and Lara reported
- Lara, Michelle, Lois Arkin, Sarah Manning (a student of Don Shoup’s), and an intern from Bresee Community Center met today with Monica Garcia’s community outreach staffperson and her facilities liaison. - They recommended that any development of the lot at 1st and Bimini keep its entrances and exits on 1st rather than creating new ones on Bimini, which would be very disruptive to the neighborhood and LAEV.
- They suggested that 1st be downgraded in its traffic designation, and could even be made into a slow route or incorporated into Safe Routes to School programming.
- Helen mentioned a report on street safety from 2005 that could help build an argument for slowing down 1st. She will send out a link to this. - Facilities staff claimed their hands were tied due to LADOT regulations. It might be useful to gain contacts there in order to apply pressure directly, in addition to keeping pressure on LAUSD. - Somer will ask Aurisha who would be a good contact at LADOT. - Michelle spoke to Garcia’s staff about the benefits of a horticultural program near Bresee and the area schools. Tina knows someone who used to run LAUSD’s agricultural programs, and she will pass on contact info to Michelle. - Sarah Manning presented Garcia’s staff with alternatives to a parking lot, such as parking cash-out and hiring people who live near area schools. She is developing a more formal proposal as part of a class assignment.
- Legal update: Barabara
- At this time BVCLT cannot move forward until the co-op is formed. - Al Valencia, the co-op’s lawyer, has sent some questions about tax filing status. The co-op must demonstrate its qualification for tax-exempt status as a limited equity housing co-op (LEHC) rather than as a taxable homeowner’s association. Appreciation of equity cannot exceed ten percent regardless of how long someone holds a share in the co-op.
- Valencia and his assistant will attend a co-op workshop on February 27. Lara will also attend. If she finds relevant materials to purchase and bring back, she will request reimbursement from BVCLT.
- Another item to be determined for the ground lease is whether BVCLT and the co-op will create a development agreement. They must agree on any changes to be made on the property.
- Would it be helpful to have BVCLT representatives at the co-op/ CRSP negotiation sessions?
- CRSP has discussed offering money to BVCLT with the express purpose of acquiring buildings in CRSP”s target two block area in order to further their own mission. Unless an institution like the National Co-op Bank came on board, these payments would be incremental based on co-op payments to CRSP.
- Transition Timeline: Lara
- The co-op negotiation team has met with CRSP three times. At this time they are trying to determine a purchase price for the buildings, then the interest rate and term of the loan. - Timeline could be clear in 1-2 weeks.
- Board retreat
- Tentative date and time: Saturday April 18, 9 am to 4 pm - Location TBD. Group will brainstorm on potential locations in the area, preferably not LAEV. - Group can work on developing goals for the retreat online - Lara will approach Ron Milam and Jill ? to find out their prices and availability as meeting facilitators. Then the board will determine whether to hire one or both of them to help facilitate the retreat. - Tina will distill key points from CRSP’s historical goals and visions and send it around for review to be discussed at the retreat.- Board members should be prepared to be photographed for the wiki at the retreat.
- Stephanie needs a brochure or similar item to present to her company in order to qualify BVCLT for pro bono tax help. She will use the one page description of the CLT or determine whether something different needs to be developed.
Action Items for March:
Lara and Stephanie will visit Kinecta and set up Stephanie as the new treasurer.
Think about potential retreat locations
Somer will ask Aurisha about LADOT contacts
Tina will forward former agricultural coordinator for LAUSD’s information to Michelle
Michelle will research Safe Routes to School to find out if this program can be used for 1st Street
Lara and Irma will develop a transition timeline document
All board members should send a short bio to Irma by the next meeting. This should include a brief summary of work and other relevant experience to board membership
Tina will work on materials for the board retreat
Next Meeting: March 19, 2009, 7 pm