OPEG Meeting Minutes

OPEG minutes for Board of Trustees meeting at Maryhaven, Columbus Ohio 3/12/04

President Steve Albanese called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. Present: Steve, Debbie Crawford, Tim Champney, Rosemary Chaudry, Rob Fischer, Jennie Nickel. Not present: Bob Fine, Tom Archer. Absent: Robin Fenn.

Review of minutes from 1/30/04: Minutes were approved with spelling corrections. Tim will submit to webmaster for posting to website.

Treasurer’s report: Sandy presented the account balances as of February 28, 2004 (attached). Balance in checking $149.59, savings $0.00, balance in CD $6,852.50, for total of $6,998.09. Outstanding bills are owed to Jennie Nickel for post office box and postage, and to Child Focus for postage and copies for the mailing. YTD income is $639.88, expenses are $939.71. Sandy transferred the monies in the savings account ($169.24) to checking to pays other bills and to avoid paying an ongoing $4.00 monthly service charge. When the balance is less than $250.00. Since September 2003 OPEG paid $20.00 in service fees and received $0.19 interest. Bank One will reactivate the savings account upon our request at any time. The balances on the report do not include 20 membership checks that Sandy received in the last few days.

Sandy noted that it will be necessary to transfer monies out of the CD to checking if enough membership dollars are not received prior to incurring expenses for the Exchange. Debbie made a motion to authorize Sandy to transfer monies from the CD to checking as Sandy sees fit to cover the lapse in cash flow, to pay bills. Rosemary seconded, motion approved. Sandy will email the board members notifying everyone if she has to transfer monies from the CD.

The post office told Jennie that OPEG may want to consider a larger size box because of all the membership returns and the bank statements that could not fit in the box. It was decided to keep the current box because these large numbers of mail only occur once per year, after the first membership mailing.

Board members reviewed the current budget. It was noted that the Exchange does not have an entry for speaker’s fees, and Tim noted that the figure for conference fees is probably too low, because of larger attendance and higher fees for this year’s event. Also, Tim noted that there is a $500.00 expense this year for speakers, which is not reflected in the current budget. Sandy to revise budget-add $500.00 to speakers’ fee line for the Exchange. Printing costs for the first membership mailing were much higher than budgeted due to inclusion of addressees from the ODMH OPER and AEA lists.

Members discussed the need for a financial audit. The previous treasurer learned that it is acceptable for OPEG board member(s) or independent entity (not necessarily a CPA) to review the organization’s books, because our financial holdings do not warrant a CPA audit. Steve and Rob will meet before the next regularly scheduled meeting to review the books with Sandy. Also, Sandy will explore whether any OPEG member not on the board who lives in the Cincinnati area, or someone from the Greater Cincinnati Health Foundation would be willing to participate in reviewing the books with her.

Membership Committee report- Sandy reported that the membership mailing went out on Feb.20. Tim will have the Exchange announcement added to the web site, and Rob will post it to EvalTalk listserv. There was discussion about the number of returned envelopes (approximately 50 out of the total mailing of about 600 (approximately 12%. There may have been a higher number of returns than normal due to the mailing o individuals on the AEA and ODMH OPER lists.

There was discussion about mailings and the advantages/disadvantages of regular mail versus electronic (email) mailings. Tim noted that in the future it may be necessary to use a listserv software product that will allow for mailings to large number of people (i.e., full OPEG membership).

Debbie reported that articles she prepared about OPEG have been placed or will be placed in the following organizations’ mailings: 1) Ohio Public Health Association Newsletter (January) –2/11, posted to OPHA listserv reaching ~ 300 public health folks; 2) Ohio Association of Non-Profits – posted on resource web site (OPEG and June 4 event) on 2/17 – estimated reach 300; 3) OANO (OH Assoc. of Nonprofit Organizations) will include an article about OPEG and the Exchange in newsletter in March or April (~300 recipients); 4) Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) – (57 members) Debbie emailed article to Todd Hollett, he said he forwarded it to "appropriate decision-makers" and Debbie will contact again next week; 5) Ohio Family and Children First Councils – ODMH – Debbie contacted Deb Hatch, newsletter editor, and the article will go out in newsletter on April 1 to 200 board and agency folks; 6) An article will go out on the FCFCs’ listserv, Debbie worked on this with Dora Sterling, this will go out 3/2 to 88 county contacts.

Debbie also reported that email communications about OPEG and the Exchange went out to: 1) John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy L2000 and Council – ~100 recipients, went out 2/18; 2) Ohio City/County Management Association OCMA (200 city/county mangers throughout Ohio) slated to go out in April (through John Glenn Institute); 2) approximately 120 OCPM alumni in central Ohio; 3) the statewide EPI group of ~ 40 epidemiologists, email is pending, arranged with Franklin county Health Commissioner Susan Tilgner; 4) Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, also arranged with Susan Tilgner, sent out to 138 members on 2/13.

Debbie will be doing a presentation on evaluation at the Ohio Public Health Association Annual Meeting (May 11) and will include information about OPEG. Both Rosemary and Debbie attended David Julian’s workshop, through OSU, on evaluation; David presented materials on OPEG, which were left with him at the Thursday, and Friday workshop sessions.

Program Committee report-Tim reported that the Program committee has been meeting to proceed with work on the Exchange. A draft task list was presented for the Board’s review. Suggestions were incorporated into the list. Tim reported that to date 5 submissions have been received for presentations. There are at least two more likely submissions that Tim is aware of. The MOU with HSRI for speaker at the Exchange was reviewed; a motion to approve was made by Rosemary, seconded by Jennie, motion approved. Steve signed the MOU, which Tim will send to HSRI.

Communications report- A suggestion was made to advertise the OPEG website at the Exchange. Tim stated that he would prepare an announcement about the Website and include it in the program packet.

AEA Affiliates Group- Rob reported that the AEA affiliates meeting will be the weekend of June 25^th in Atlanta. At present there should be grant coverage for 1.5 persons per affiliate to attend the meeting. Rob and Tim will plan to attend, with each receiving at least .75 coverage for costs to attend the meeting.

OPEG elections 2004- Steve reported for Bob, who was not able to attend the meeting. Tentative dates and activities regarding the 2004 election are: Send call for nominations (Jennie will send electronically to 2003 and 2004 paid members)- April 2; cut off date for receipt of nominations- April 16; Email distribution of ballot to 2004 paid members- May 7; Last date to receive ballots- April 21; announcement of election results- June 4 (business meeting at the Exchange).

Next meeting date: Friday April 16, 10-12,Maryhaven, Columbus.

Respectfully submitted-rosemary Chaudry, secretary.

 

ACTION ITEMS (Items pending from previous meetings in italics)	DUE DATE
Treasurer/budget
Sandy to revise budget-add $500.00 to speakers’ fee line for the Exchange	April 16
Board will review the current budget at the next meeting.	April 16
Steve and Rob will meet immediately before the next regularly scheduled meeting to review the books with Sandy.	April 16
Sandy will explore whether any OPEG members in the Cincinnati or whether any representative of the Greater Cincinnati Health Care Foundation would be willing to do an independent review of OPEG books.	April 16
Membership
Tim will have the Exchange announcement added to the web site.	April 16
Rob will post the Exchange announcement to the EvalTalk listserv.	April 16
Evaluators’ Exchange
Tim will send signed MOU for speaking services to HSRI.	April 16
Elections
Steve or Bob to prepare call for nominations and send to Jennie	March 31
Jennie will send call for nominations by email to 2003 and 2004 paid members	April 2
Bob will close acceptance of nominations for election	April 16
Bob to prepare ballot and send to Jennie	May 5
Jennie to send email with ballot to 2004 paid members	May 7
Bob will close acceptance of ballots for the election and tabulate election results	May 21
Bob will announce results of election at business meeting during Exchange luncheon	June 4