CoC Board of Directors Minutes – April 6, 2017

Guilford County Continuum of Care

Board of Directors Meeting

April 6, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. – Minutes approved May 4, 2017

The Guilford County Continuum of Care Board of Directors met in regular session in the boardroom of the United Way of Greater Greensboro (1500 Yanceyville Street, Greensboro, NC) on April 6, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

PRESENT: Debbie Bailey, Dana Bentley, Yatisha Blythe, Brett Byerly, Tom Campbell, Ramona Carl, Bennita Curtain, Cynthia Davis, Ruth DeHoog, Jamal Fox, Tina Gray, Brian Hahne, Randal Hoover, Steve Key, Edward Keohohou, Gattis Long, Jackie Lucas, Donna McCormick, Shanna Reece, Hope Rife, Sarah Roethlinger, Wendy Scott, and Gwen Taylor

REGRETS: Crystal Broadnax, Ray Trapp, Wes Ward

ABSENT: Cam Cridlebaugh

Welcome and introductions Steve Key, Chair of the Continuum of Care (CoC) Transition Committee called the meeting to order. Members introduced themselves, noted the organization they represent, and shared about their involvement with the CoC.
Review of Transition Committee’s work Steve Key shared a brief history of the CoC and an orientation as to the need for and role of this board. He also spoke about the new governance charter that would lead the board and CoC, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Partners Ending Homelessness (PEH), the changing role of PEH as collaborative applicant, and the MOU with Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) for the CoC’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). He noted the HMIS MOU is currently with PEH and will need to be renewed and revised by July 1, 2017.

Steve asked all board members to read and become familiar with the Governance Charter.

Brian Hahne shared his thoughts, as new PEH Executive Director, on the changing role of PEH going forward. After being on the job for around 90 days, he envisions four ways PEH will serve the CoC: as collaborative applicant (preparing and submitting the HUD grant on behalf of the CoC agencies); HMIS/data management; system administration; and providing the relational glue to foster and cement strong, positive relationships within the CoC. He noted that PEH is contracted with the City of Greensboro to administer their grant funds; he anticipates that PEH will vet these allocations with the CoC Board.
Vote on officers Steve Key brought forth a slate of nominations, as recommended by the Transition Committee: Chair – Jackie Lucas, Salvation Army of Greensboro, Chair Elect – Brett Byerly, Greensboro Housing Coalition, Secretary – Sarah Roethlinger, Youth Focus. Steve opened the floor for additional nominations. Hearing none, he called for a vote on the nomination for each office.   The vote tally was as follows:   Jackie Lucas as chair – unanimously approved; Brett Byerly as chair elect – unanimously approved; Sarah Roethlinger as secretary – unanimously approved. There were no abstentions or recusals.
At this point, Jackie Lucas, as chair, assumed the presiding role. She thanked the chair elect, secretary, and board members for agreeing to serve.   She also expressed thanks to the Transition Committee and to PEH for the roles they have played in the CoC during the transition process.
Discussion of pressing work Nominations to fill additional board slots

  • Jackie noted there are several vacant board slots. She asked those wishing to make nominations submit them to Gwen Taylor at PEH (gwen@partnersendinghomelessness.org) for consideration at the next board meeting.
  • It was noted that Ray Trapp has resigned from the County Commissioners.         Jackie will reach out to him as to his intention to continue to serve on the CoC Board. Ed Keohohou will contact Kay Cashion to see if she is willing to fill this vacancy. Tina Gray suggested Carlvina Foster as an alternate to Commissioner Cashion and will contact her, if necessary.
  • Cynthia Davis made a motion that Shanna Reece, Executive Director of The Servant Center, be nominated to the CoC Board of Directors to fill the slot for an advocate. Hope Rife seconded the motion. It was noted that Shanna has served on the Transition Committee and has an in-depth knowledge of the Coordinated Entry system processes.        The motion was approved unanimously. This nomination will be presented for a vote at the Continuum of Care meeting on June 8. Shanna agreed to serve through June 30, 2019.
  • Any further nominations for the CoC Board of Directors will be brought to the next board meeting and will be presented, along with Shanna’s, at the June 8 CoC meeting.

The Board recessed for lunch from noon until 12:25.

Committee appointments

Jackie reviewed the governance charter regarding the role of each of the standing committees and asked Board members in what capacity they would be willing to serve as chair. Members volunteered as follows:

  • Advocacy Committee – Gattis Long, Caring Services 
  • Coordinated Entry Committee – Shanna Reece, Servant Center (pending CoC approval of her nomination to the CoC Board of Directors)
  • Governance Committee – Jackie Lucas, Salvation Army of Greensboro
  • HMIS/Data Committee – Debbie Bailey, Partners Ending Homelessness (ex officio, representative of HMIS lead agency)
  • Housing Resource Committee – Ed Keohohou, lived experience
  • Membership Committee – Brett Byerly, Greensboro Housing Coalition
  • Nominating Committee – Tom Campbell, Family Service of the Piedmont
  • Strategic Planning – Jamal Fox, Greensboro City Council
  • System Performance and Evaluation Committee – Cynthia Davis, High Point City Council

Cynthia Davis made a motion to approve the committee chairs as nominated.   Hope Rife seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.

[Following the meeting, it was discovered that, according to the governance charter, the Chair Elect will chair the Governance and Nominating Committees and that the Secretary will chair the Membership Committee. These changes will be discussed at the next board meeting.]

Coordinated Entry

Jackie Lucas, Debbie Bailey and Shanna Reece explained the processes and rationale of the Coordinated Entry system. It was noted that the Interactive Resource Center (IRC) discontinued Coordinated Entry (CE) for the Guilford County CoC, as of March 28, due to a shortage in operational funding. However, as CE is a mandate for the CoC’s current HUD funding, the CoC Board must act quickly to recommend a slate of community partners to begin both the work of the CE committee and the process to apply as new lead. Funding could be compromised if we do not name a new lead agency for CE by May. Following further discussion of a recent trip by Shanna Reece, Debbie Bailey, and Bennita Curtain to learn more about the Charlotte-Mecklenburg CE system, Shanna proposed the following list of CoC representatives to serve on the Coordinated Entry Committee.

  • Shanna Reece, Servant Center
  • Ches Kennedy, UNC-G
  • Lamont Taylor, City of Greensboro
  • Michelle McNair, City of High Point
  • Tina Gray, Greensboro Housing Authority
  • Leroy Wilson, Salvation Army of Greensboro
  • Steve Key, Open Door Ministries
  • Debbie Bailey, PEH-HMIS
  • Bennita Curtain, PEH-Housing

Jamal Fox made a motion to accept this proposed list of Coordinated Entry Committee members. Ruth DeHoog seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.

The board was again reminded that, because IRC received the funding from HUD for CE, the CoC must name new lead agency for CE and amend the HUD contract before the new Notification of Funding Availability (NOFA) is published or funding for CE will be jeopardized. Also, the CE system must be up and running, fully compliant with HUD regulations, by January 23, 2018.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) upcoming Notice Of Funding Availability (NOFA) – Debbie Bailey explained that release of the NOFA is expected in May or June. At that point, the collaborative applicant (PEH) and the applying CoC agencies will have 60 days to complete the application process. Last year’s NOFA application was data-intensive and the expectation is that this year’s process will be similar. HUD placed a score on each item and the more points we receive, the better our funding will be. Debbie encouraged all grantees to make sure their data is recorded in HMIS and is accurate, as soon as possible.
Establish regular meeting schedule and distribute paperwork The CoC Board agreed to monthly meetings on the first Thursday until July 2017 at which time, the Board may move to a quarterly meeting schedule. Board members will be polled to determine the best hour to meet and the result advised.   The Board also agreed to rotate meeting locations between Greensboro and High Point. Gwen Taylor will post this information on the CoC website.

Gwen Taylor will send the board profile document and the conflict of interest statement to board members who have not completed it yet. She asked that this information be returned to her at PEH by the next board meeting.

Gwen and Board Secretary Sarah Roethlinger will review the minutes and Gwen will post them on the CoC website.

 The meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.

Sarah Roethlinger, Secretary

Jackie Lucas, Chair