Commission Minutes
November 18, 2011
Location: Bowdoin College Alumni House
In Attendance: Deb Eckart, Susan Lavigne, Mary-Anne LaMarre, Marcia Hart, Casey Bromley, Ron Holmes, Kristie Littlefield, John Portela, Stephen Letourneau, Eileen Smart. By teleconference after meeting started: Joan McDonald
Staff Present: Maryalice Crofton, Pam Zeutenhorst, Michael Ashmore, Krysta Lilly-Brown, Meredith Eaton, Katherine Klein, Erin Dunne, Eileen Buzzello.
Guests: Joely Ross Goodwill NE, Sarah Seames, Erin St. Peter.
Call to Order: 10:13
Public Comments: None
Quiz Winners: Marcia Hartt, Ron Holmes
Announcements: None
Additions or Deletions to Agenda: None
October Minutes: Ron Holmes motioned to accept, Deb Eckart Seconded. Unanimous Approval without Quorum.
Executive Committee: (Mary-Anne LaMarre) November meeting included the approval of service-learning grants and the authorization of funding applications to CNCS for Commission operating funds. The budget was provided to board members before the meeting. There were no questions.
Part FF Update: (Mary-Anne LaMarre & Maryalice Crofton) The plan voted on by the part FF Committee will move us to the Department of Education. Mary-Anne met with the Governor's staff who made it clear to her that they will not approve a plan that puts us out as an independent agency and that they will look into more options.
The legislation is being drafted to go back to the Governor's Office for finalization. We have a window to reach out to the Governor's Office for change. We are currently an independent agency with the SPO as our fiscal agent. The new plan as of right now is:
1.) The Department of Education will be our fiscal agency.
2.) The Commission is to reduce the number of staff to the number that is required in order to carry out our federal responsibilities with the money saved going into the programs. However, we currently do not use program money to support staff.
3.) We will lose our $40,000 of general fund support. The Commission must become self-sustaining, matching the $250,000 in federal funds on our own.
Such a reduction in support puts us in a high risk category in the Corporation's eyes, possibly causing them to diminish our federal support. Commissioners chose legislators on both State and Local and the Appropriations committees to approach about the matter.
(Deb Eckart) Where are other Commissions? (Maryalice) Vermont's Commission is housed in the Governor's Office with a staff that changes every 2 years. New Hampshire's Commission is a quasi-governmental agency. Connecticut's Commission is housed in the Department of Higher Education; we do not have that department in Maine. Pennsylvania's Commission is in the Department of Labor. New York's Commission is a part of the First Lady's Office.
Grants Task Force: (Ron Holmes) Grants will meet Monday at Noon about the Volunteer Generation Fund grants. They need an executive decision so that grants can approve the VGF grants before the next Commission meeting due to the funds running up on December 31st. There was a motion to give the Executive Committee permission to approve the recommendation of the Grants Task Force by John Portella. The Motion was seconded by Stephen Letourneau. The Commission (with Joan McDonald attending via speakerphone) approved the motion.
Public Information and Education/Public Policy: (John Portela) Planning has begun for the Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism with ideas circulating about the future of the Roll of Honor Ceremony. We may do the ROH via newspaper, depending on cost.
There have been several Tuesday evening meetings about federal CNCS funding at various places around the state. They have talked with Representative Pingree and Representative Michaud's offices as well as had success getting op-ed pieces in the Bangor Daily News, the Portland Press Herald, and the Times Record. There have also been conversations with editorial boards; editorials are promised in the major papers. Mary-Anne thanked John for the considerable effort he is putting into the editorial board meetings.
Excellence and Expertise: (Pam Zeutenhorst) Deferred until January.
Service-Learning: The Service-Learning Task Force will not meet today. At the last meeting they extended the Global Youth Service Day grant process and doubled the grant amounts in order to entice applicants because there were no applicants by the original deadline.
They have attended various conferences and given several presentations for outreach. They also presented with a few NCCC members to 170 Skowhegan High School Seniors about the NCCC program because the program is currently underutilized by Maine youth.
(Erin Dunne) presented the final draft of her service-learning plan to the Commission. She has incorporated the previously discussed changes into the document. Today is Erin's last day as the Service-Learning VISTA. She will be starting in her new role as VISTA Leader with the Commission on Monday.
Update on National Service program fingerprint requirements: (Eileen Buzzello) Eileen was supposed to have a meeting with the State Police yesterday, however it was canceled. Due to this there was no update necessary. Eileen and Mary-Anne discussed both options of the State Police and the Sheriff's conducting the background checks.
Update on MCCS role as co-chair with MEMA: Postponed until January.
VISTA Project Update: (Meredith Eaton) Currently we are working on new site development. We are hoping to have 5 new VISTAs for veteran's issues and 5 new VISTAs for service-learning.
Overview of mission and programs: Sarah Seames presented on behalf of the McKeen Center at Bowdoin College with student Erin St. Peter. The McKeen Center for Common Good provides opportunities for students to discover the ways in which their talents, passions, and academic pursuits can be used for civic engagement and the common good. They also have a Common Good Day, a Bowdoin Volunteer Corps for students to engage in ongoing services, an Alternative Spring Break program for service trips that are student-lead, weekend service trip programs where they send students out for local service, an educational series that they do each semester called "Seeking the Common Good", summer opportunities, and a Global Citizen's Grant that students can apply for to fund their service trips. They also have community-based courses. 70% of Bowdoin students take part in community engagement activities while studying at Bowdoin
Motion to Adjourn: Made by John Portela and seconded by Ron Holmes at 12:23.
Next meeting is January 13, 2012 at Union Street, Augusta