Community Engagement Committee Meeting Minutes: June 28, 2010
In Attendance: Father Stan Aksamit, Andrew Baker, Jane Banks, Sylvia Dehaas-Phillips, Dave Gadaire, Andrew Morehouse, Pamela Schwartz
Leadership Council Recruitment status:
Confirmed additions to the Council:
Rabbi Justin David, Congregation B’Nai Israel, Northampton
Mary Reardon Johnson, executive director, YWCA of Greater Springfield (domestic violence provider)
Bill Messner, President, Holyoke Community College
Paul Robbins, Paul Robbins Associates, communication and marketing firms, will start in December
Carmelina Romano, former consumer (guest speaker at 4/26 Network event)
Senator Stan Rosenberg, Hampshire/Franklin Counties
Will send new members (and all LC members):
by-laws
list of LC members
committee structure
attendance expectations
Will put this information in one spot on the blog so it is easily accessible at all times.
Continued follow-up:
Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette Pamela
Representative Jim Welch (Hampden County): Pamela
Jeff Sullivan, United Bank, Lynne, Sylvia
Economic Dev. Council: Gerry
Jim Lumley, Jones Town & Country, Amherst: Pamela
Franklin County business: Father Stan
Berkshire Bank: ask Dave C to check about Rima Dael
Construct Inc: ask Dave C to check on United Way recommendation
Pat Spradley, Springfield K-12: Sylvia
Paula Alexander, Greater Springfield Council of Churches: Pamela
Rev. Joel Huntington: Dave C, Pamela
Amy Swisher, Franklin Medical Center: Father Stan
Cheryl Volpe, Greenfield public health nurse: Joanne Glier
Health Care for the Homeless: Gerry, Doreen Fadus
Health Recovery Learning Centers: Jay levy
Paul Fitzsimmons, DCF: Pamela
Jane recommended Yellow Brick, new property development company. Working with shelter providers. Good energy, good addition to LC. Will bring to Steering Committee for discussion (must look at whole community of property developers), but agreed the Network should have a developer on its LC. Also, led to discussion of featuring best practices, e.g., best property development practice; something to consider for blog development.
Agreed to check by-laws on total number of LC members (estimated to be 35-40). Co-chairs will assess and reach out to inactive members to assess their future interest and commitment to LC. Will explore how other networks handle “non-participants”.
Committee considered and rejected notion of “advisory board” for inactive members whose “name” lends the Network value. Agreed that we should explore giving representatives capacity to appoint a designee instead. Will check by-laws and report back.
Chapter 40B ballot question: Andrew Baker, formerly of the Hilltown CDC, has taken a new position as western mass. coordinator of the campaign to defeat the repeal of Chapter 40B, the affordable housing law. First, the committee accepted and appreciated Andrew’s willingness to continue to serve on the Council in this capacity. The Committee agreed that Andrew should present at the LC meeting about the ballot question and make a recommendation for Network involvement, laying out the possibilities, e.g., taking a public position, sponsoring a letter to editor, op-ed, forum? Questions to consider: Impact on fiscal sponsor? Impact on funders? Impact of new lobbying law? Andrew will offer answers where possible and the LC will discuss on 7/22.
Network DVD from 4/26 event: The Network is working with Paul Robbins on the production of a DVD for distribution to cable stations and beyond that includes the video produced for the 4/26 event and excerpts from the conference itself. We agreed that we would aim to have multiple copies of the DVD ready for distribution by the 7/22 LC meeting and use that meeting to determine and assign distribution outlets.
Regular meeting time: 3rd Thursday of the month, 9 am. No meeting in July since LC meets the week following. August 19th is next meeting but will take stock of attendance and otherwise meet by email if quorum is not available and reconvene in September.
