August 2023
The meeting took place on 9/6/23
Meeting date: We weren’t able to meet in August due to travel and other commitments. Thus our August meeting was held on September 6, 2023.
Greg is retiring from the Board. We’re extremely happy that Greg and his wife are expecting a daughter - Elenor Ann O’Brien! I hope I spelled that correctly. Thank you Greg for your many years of service to the People's Consultants (tPC), Agua del Pueblo (AdP), and our beneficiaries.
Andy’s leave of absence - Prior to the meeting, Andy proposed a one-year leave starting with this meeting. Steve recommended that Andy take leave until our next meeting. I believe Andy agreed. Andy has continued his compassionate and unpaid efforts to help Agua del Pueblo since its founding. Indeed he is meeting with AdP’s director, Mateo Racancoj (and sometimes Bruce) weekly. Naturally, Andy will continue to help Agua del Pueblo in Guatemala independent of the People’s Consultants (tPC). Andy graciously agreed to continue to do the tPC finances for the remainder of this year. Andy will also work with Jose to potentially take over some of the Treasurer’s responsibilities.
Steve will travel to Guatemala in November for a family visit and intends to visit the Agua del Pueblo (AdP) offices in Quetzaltenango.
$6,000 deficit in recent course Doug Cohen attended the meeting. Among other comments, Doug explained that email communications can serve as commitments. Previously Andy drafted several emails about the deficit including an email to the Student and Campus Life Department of Cornell: (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1doy-oGzOPzPysqPd0lLeayC8HXMKp0Y-). A Cornell representative had contacted Andy around the beginning of the course. Andy will share the email that he received from Cornell. Bruce will revise the email and send it to Doug for review and comment.
Wix, our website host, is requiring additional registration to enable credit card donations. Bruce and Jose are working on the response. Here is the first draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p_9VoDKef3LJO9vca5IZMBvGzcc9kIahxtcgm727rr0
Charity Navigator is revising their charity evaluation process. We will need to provide Charity Navigator with significant additional information to regain our platinum rating. Organizations now need to submit three consecutive years of 990s to qualify. tPC began submitting 990s for the calendar year of 2022. The IRS does not require tPC to submit 990s. Based on our past donation and revenue history, the IRS would allow tPC to submit 990EZs or even 990 postcards. AdP may also have to share additional information to maintain tPC’s platinum rating. For example, AdP should report water quality data on every project to tPC, Rotary, other major donors, and Charity Navigator. Steve may need to confirm or update, data on our human rights program. One can view the revised Charity Navigator ratings here: https://www.charitynavigator.org/about-us/our-methodology/ratings/#text-9d5209af3c.
Mission Statement: We discussed and approved Andy’s revised Mission Statement as follows: “To protect the human rights of refugees anywhere and poor underserved people in Guatemala who lack access to safe water and sanitation.”
Vision: Our website does not include a Vision. Steve circulated a Vision earlier. I apologize, but I can’t find it. We will discuss and hopefully approve the vision during our next meeting.
By-Laws: Bruce will provide revised by-laws for our next meeting. Here is the first draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XLWpnOc6U91QaiFKsgMHbX12O91OHJuBiDx2x6TXYaM/
Human Rights: Steve updated us on Nazeelas’s recent successes and informed us that he is looking for a US-based degree program for Nazeela’s sister, Khaleda (sp?) who is an OBGYN in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Khaleda has not been able to practice medicine in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover.
Social Media We discussed the need for someone to manage our social media presence or consider paying Antonio, or someone else, to do so. Antonio provided an estimate in an email to all of us on August 24th.
Board Recruiting We agreed that we need to recruit to add to and diversify our Board. Jose may have a candidate and Steve may have other ideas. Greg, let us know if Elenor would consider a future membership:-)
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 8th
ACTION ITEMS:
Bruce:
Post the revised Mission Statement and minutes on our website or provide them to Antonio for posting
Once Andy finds the last email from Cornell, Bruce will revise Andy’s draft letter (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1doy-oGzOPzPysqPd0lLeayC8HXMKp0Y-) and send it to the Board and Doug Cohen for review and approval.
Draft edited revised by-laws and circulate to the board for discussion. Here it is: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XLWpnOc6U91QaiFKsgMHbX12O91OHJuBiDx2x6TXYaM/. Please review before our next meeting.
Jose:
Complete the form for Wix. Send to Bruce to submit to Wix to enable credit card donations.
Andy:
Share the email from Cornell about the $6,000 payment with the Board
Work with Jose to bring Jose up to speed on future finances and reporting
Steve
Circulate Vision (once again) -
Meet with AdP in Xela and share requests for additional information including water quality data.
REMAINING ISSUES FOR FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS:
Review, comment, revise as necessary, and approve minutes for posting
We need a volunteer to serve as interim secretary to take minutes
A while ago Steve proposed a Vision. Regretfully, I could not find Steve’s proposal. Subsequently, Andy proposed the following: “The People’s Consultants is working to create a world in which all communities, organizations, and individuals from developing countries have the skills, knowledge, and resources to take effective action on their own behalf to meet their basic human needs.” Bruce wanted to eliminate “from developing countries” to allow for future courses and summits of Rotary members and other donors.
Confirm that we agreed to provide 50% reimbursement for Bruce to attend future Rotary conventions including Singapore, Calgary, Taipei, and Hawaii.
Discuss and vote on the role and permanence of potential interim treasurer, interim secretary, and other board member roles for Jose and Steve.
Discussion about the using Google Ads: https://ads.google.com/home
New Business
Respectfully Submitted,
Bruce Clemens 9/7/23
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