BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: KATHY OSBUN, PHYLLIS SANDS, GEORGE IRIZARY, DOUG SCHWARTZ, DAVIS BROWN AND SUZANNE de KOZAN. SANDY GRANT ATTENDED THE PORTION OF THE MEETING RELATED TO THE TREASURER’S REPORT AND UPDATE ON INCORPORATION.
CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Kathy Osbun called the meeting to order at 10 a.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Kathy Osbun read the minutes from the meeting of June 15, 2011. The minutes were approved as read, with one correction: The June 2011 donation jar total was $182, not $188.
LETTER TO PATRICIA STAUDACHER: Kathy Osbun read a letter that was sent to Pat on behalf of the board, accepting her resignation as chairperson and thanking her for three years of service in that position. She will continue as a board member. Pat attended the meeting briefly to share her birthday.
CLOSING OF PANC OFFICE: Kathy summarized a letter from the Parkinson Association of Northern California, notifying members of the closing of PANC’s Sacramento office for economic reasons. PANC is working with the National Parkinson Foundation to wrap up final details of the closure and to help decide the future of PANC.
LIABILITY INSURANCE: George Irizary reported that according to Larry Alver, PANC board chairperson, the Parkinson’s Support Group of Sonoma County (PSGSC) will continue to be covered by an existing PANC liability insurance policy until March 1, 2012. George noted that the insurance essentially covers the monthly general meetings of PSGSC at Christ Church United Methodist, but does not cover individual board members nor volunteers who drive other members to meetings. PANC is exploring the possibility of extending the insurance another year until March of 2013 as a group policy paid by PANC’s 36 or so satellite support groups.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Sandy Grant reported that the main expense for June 2011 was $1,500 paid to Spaulding, McCullough and Tansil, a legal firm, as a retainer fee for handling PSGSC’S applications for incorporation and non-profit status on the State level. PSGSC is recognized as a 501(C) (3) by the Internal Revenue Service, but not by the State of California.
Other expenses in June were $68 for a breakfast meeting with doctors working with PSGSC to promote medication protocol for people with Parkinson’s who are hospitalized; $13.86 for copying; and $100 to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which provided a speaker for the June meeting.
NON-PROFIT UPDATE: Sandy Grant made a motion, seconded by Suzanne de Kozan, to pass a resolution authorizing the change of PSGSC from an Unincorporated organization to an Incorporated entity, one of the steps required for eventual non-profit status in California. The motion passed. The incorporation process should take three to six weeks, after which the attorney will file for non-profit status.
Incorporation also requires an annual meeting of the board to reinstate officers and a set date for regular board meetings, the third Wednesday of each month in our case. The annual meeting date will be in January of each year.
FINANCIAL REPORTING: Sandy reported that according to the attorney working on PSGSC non-profit filings, the group’s financial statements must be made available upon request, but do not have to be otherwise posted.
PROGRAMS: Kathy said breakout groups at monthly meetings will return to mixed genders rather than separation of men and women. The speaker for the August 13 meeting will be Dr. Graham Glass, a movement disorders and sleep disorders specialist associated with UCSF and the Veterans Administration Hospital in San Francisco. Dr. Glass, attending neurologist at the Veterans Hospital, is available to talk on cognition, medication side effects and other issues, and will allow time for Questions & Answers.
Speaker for October 1 will be an expert from the The Swain Center in Santa Rosa, who will do a presentation on the Lee Silverman Voice Therapy program. Several members of the PSGSC have completed the program.
In connection with the arranging of guest speakers for meetings, the board reiterated provisions in the by-laws that define the Program Chair as the single point of contact for all guest speakers.
WOMEN’S GROUP: Suzanne de Kozan reported that the first meeting of the newly-formed satellite Women’s Group went well. “We’re available to women who just want to be in a small group,” with a focus on support and socializing. Phyllis Sands said the group provided a setting conducive to developing friendships.
LETTERS TO HOSPITALS: Suzanne reported that letters from the PSGSC have been sent to all area hospitals asking that hospital medical professionals follow procedures specific to Parkinson patients, such as dispensing medications on time, and avoiding medications that are contraindicated for Parkinson’s Disease and patients with DBS implants. The hospitals were asked to contact Davis Brown for follow-up. For those hospitals receptive to the protocol, PSGSC will put them on a list of facilities aware of the special needs of Parkinson’s patients.
FUND RAISER: A fund raiser at Mary’s Pizza is tentatively set for early October, either the 3rd, 4th or 5th, depending on availability of the restaurant.
BROCHURE: Doug Schwartz provided draft copies of a PSGSC tri-fold brochure redesigned by Doug and a graphic artist friend. For comparison, a version in color and another in black and white were displayed. Changes and updates were given to Doug to incorporate into the final version of the brochure. Doug was thanked for his work on the brochure.
ADJOURNMENT: The board meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m. by Kathy Osbun. The above minutes are subject to approval at the next board meeting on Wednesday, August 17, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at Emeritus, 300 Fountain Grove Parkway, Santa Rosa.
Respectfully submitted,
George Irizary
Secretary
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Kathy Osbun read the minutes from the meeting of June 15, 2011. The minutes were approved as read, with one correction: The June 2011 donation jar total was $182, not $188.
LETTER TO PATRICIA STAUDACHER: Kathy Osbun read a letter that was sent to Pat on behalf of the board, accepting her resignation as chairperson and thanking her for three years of service in that position. She will continue as a board member. Pat attended the meeting briefly to share her birthday.
CLOSING OF PANC OFFICE: Kathy summarized a letter from the Parkinson Association of Northern California, notifying members of the closing of PANC’s Sacramento office for economic reasons. PANC is working with the National Parkinson Foundation to wrap up final details of the closure and to help decide the future of PANC.
LIABILITY INSURANCE: George Irizary reported that according to Larry Alver, PANC board chairperson, the Parkinson’s Support Group of Sonoma County (PSGSC) will continue to be covered by an existing PANC liability insurance policy until March 1, 2012. George noted that the insurance essentially covers the monthly general meetings of PSGSC at Christ Church United Methodist, but does not cover individual board members nor volunteers who drive other members to meetings. PANC is exploring the possibility of extending the insurance another year until March of 2013 as a group policy paid by PANC’s 36 or so satellite support groups.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Sandy Grant reported that the main expense for June 2011 was $1,500 paid to Spaulding, McCullough and Tansil, a legal firm, as a retainer fee for handling PSGSC’S applications for incorporation and non-profit status on the State level. PSGSC is recognized as a 501(C) (3) by the Internal Revenue Service, but not by the State of California.
Other expenses in June were $68 for a breakfast meeting with doctors working with PSGSC to promote medication protocol for people with Parkinson’s who are hospitalized; $13.86 for copying; and $100 to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which provided a speaker for the June meeting.
NON-PROFIT UPDATE: Sandy Grant made a motion, seconded by Suzanne de Kozan, to pass a resolution authorizing the change of PSGSC from an Unincorporated organization to an Incorporated entity, one of the steps required for eventual non-profit status in California. The motion passed. The incorporation process should take three to six weeks, after which the attorney will file for non-profit status.
Incorporation also requires an annual meeting of the board to reinstate officers and a set date for regular board meetings, the third Wednesday of each month in our case. The annual meeting date will be in January of each year.
FINANCIAL REPORTING: Sandy reported that according to the attorney working on PSGSC non-profit filings, the group’s financial statements must be made available upon request, but do not have to be otherwise posted.
PROGRAMS: Kathy said breakout groups at monthly meetings will return to mixed genders rather than separation of men and women. The speaker for the August 13 meeting will be Dr. Graham Glass, a movement disorders and sleep disorders specialist associated with UCSF and the Veterans Administration Hospital in San Francisco. Dr. Glass, attending neurologist at the Veterans Hospital, is available to talk on cognition, medication side effects and other issues, and will allow time for Questions & Answers.
Speaker for October 1 will be an expert from the The Swain Center in Santa Rosa, who will do a presentation on the Lee Silverman Voice Therapy program. Several members of the PSGSC have completed the program.
In connection with the arranging of guest speakers for meetings, the board reiterated provisions in the by-laws that define the Program Chair as the single point of contact for all guest speakers.
WOMEN’S GROUP: Suzanne de Kozan reported that the first meeting of the newly-formed satellite Women’s Group went well. “We’re available to women who just want to be in a small group,” with a focus on support and socializing. Phyllis Sands said the group provided a setting conducive to developing friendships.
LETTERS TO HOSPITALS: Suzanne reported that letters from the PSGSC have been sent to all area hospitals asking that hospital medical professionals follow procedures specific to Parkinson patients, such as dispensing medications on time, and avoiding medications that are contraindicated for Parkinson’s Disease and patients with DBS implants. The hospitals were asked to contact Davis Brown for follow-up. For those hospitals receptive to the protocol, PSGSC will put them on a list of facilities aware of the special needs of Parkinson’s patients.
FUND RAISER: A fund raiser at Mary’s Pizza is tentatively set for early October, either the 3rd, 4th or 5th, depending on availability of the restaurant.
BROCHURE: Doug Schwartz provided draft copies of a PSGSC tri-fold brochure redesigned by Doug and a graphic artist friend. For comparison, a version in color and another in black and white were displayed. Changes and updates were given to Doug to incorporate into the final version of the brochure. Doug was thanked for his work on the brochure.
ADJOURNMENT: The board meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m. by Kathy Osbun. The above minutes are subject to approval at the next board meeting on Wednesday, August 17, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at Emeritus, 300 Fountain Grove Parkway, Santa Rosa.
Respectfully submitted,
George Irizary
Secretary
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