Minutes- Oct 06 Annual Meeting

JEFFERSON COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Minutes: October 27, 2006

Present: Katerine Baril, Jim Hodgson, Jim Watson, Sally Lovell, Joe Baisch, Joy Baisch.

History: Introduction: Katherine Baril gave an overview of the History of the foundation. Started in l990 by the Port Townsend Paper Mill as a way to support computers and enrichment education before the District had a tech levy. In the past it has received grants from the US Forest Service for the Magnet center program to retrain umemployed loggers. It was a coordinating body for the community to get funds for distance learning and expansion of the county’s access to higher education initiatives. And lately the Foundation has supported the Clemente Humanities program for college credit for low income students.

In the future an area that needs support and work is youth entrepreneurship and workforce training.

Discussion: As an Annual Meeting we discussed whether to continue the organization and who could help us re-invigorate the Board. Jim Hodgson is willing to serve as President/ Chair. Jim Watson is willing to serve as vice Chair and Sally Lovell and Laurie Meyer are willing to work together on the treasurer/ financial paperwork. We need to identify a Secretary- perhaps Cammie Brown who has served on the Board before. We brainstormed other names to invite to a December meeting.

Discussion: What is the niche or value added that the Foundation provides to the community e.g. it can support and assist groups that are getting started such as Local 2020. Suggestion was made to consider amending the by-laws to “support, coach and aid groups that share the mission of education and workforce training”. Will discuss again at next meeting.

Board- model is to be passive board, not a fundraising board, meet 4 times a year minimum and maximum!! Develop strong guidelines, do grants management, support and assist groups so that they can do the community work better, not just a bookkeeping conduit but adding value by supporting, coaching, connecting, focusing.

Next Meeting December 1 :
1) elect board
2) develop 2007 startegic plan
3) review by laws
4) consider amending by laws to continue incubator function for non profits
5) develop an affiliation agreement – are we a fiscal sponsor? What does it take to be a project of the Foundation? Agree to abide with 501c3 non partisanship