Jul 25, 2007
OR 211 Board of Directors
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Call to Order
Meeting was called to order at 9:03am at the 211info office in Portland.
Attendance
Stephen Guntli, Oregon CCR&R Network, Chair
Kathleen McHarg, Multnomah County Aging Services, Treasurer
Len Hockley, White Bird Clinic (Lane County)
Jeri Shumate, 211info (Portland Metro Area)
Vic Falgout, Umpqua Community Action Network (Douglas & Josephine Counties)
Julie Massa, Oregon Food Bank
Wendy VanEverdinghe, Community Action Directors of Oregon
June Sedarbaum, United Way of Lane County
Howard Klink, United Way of Columbia Willamette
Jimi Smith, Community Action (Washington County), Secretary
Tom Page, OR211 Consultant
Guests
Mark Tennyson, OR Emergency Management
Sean Cook, White Bird Clinic (Lane County)
Howard Kopp, Consultant/United Way Volunteer (Lane County)
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from our meeting on May 30th and our conference call on June 27th were reviewed. No corrections were noted.
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Vic moved the May 30th and June 27th minutes be accepted as submitted. The motion was seconded by Jeri and passed unanimously.
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Approval of Fiscal Report
The July 25th Fiscal report was presented and discussed. No corrections were noted.
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Len moved the Fiscal report be accepted as submitted. The motion was seconded by Vic and passed unanimously.
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Introductions
Introductions were made around the room. In addition to our full Board participation (welcome back, Wendy), Seamus (Sean) Cook joined us again from White Bird Clinic in Lane County. Howard Kopp, a consultant who is currently volunteering with the United Way of Lane County, joined us as a guest of June Sedarbaum.
Election of new OEM representative
Also joining us is Mark Tennyson, 911 Program Analyst with Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Mark will be the Board representative of the OEM.
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Jeri moved we suspend the formal application process to bring Mark Tennyson onto the OR211 Board. The motion was seconded by Vic and passed unanimously.
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Relationship between OR211 and OEM
Mark explained the OEM works with the 911 centers across the state. When state tax money comes to the OEM, it is distributed to all the 911 centers based on a set formula. Mark thought there may be a niche for 211 by taking some of the non-emergency call volume from the 911 centers. Stephen suggested Mark connect with the 911 managers in Washington State to explore their relationship before approaching the 911 managers in Oregon.
Update on the new 211Lane
June explained they have received permission from the United Way to use the 211 logo for their web-based 211 service. At this point the 211 service is web-based only and they are not in a position to activating a call center without federal funding. Their emergency management people are interested in 211 serving as a volunteer management. Also, they have met with funders to gear up for the match required by the federal legislation and have determined it will be tough to raise the required match.
Update from 211info
211info has completed the development of infrastructure (business plan, computers, phones, and furnishings) and is now focusing on fund raising. United Way now provides about 20% of their funding. In five years they must have federal funding or they will not be able to continue providing services.
Ted Wheeler, Chair of the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners, visited 211info recently and was impressed. He wants to meet with Jeri again.
Fundraising Discussion
Tom has completed four grant applications that would bring in $100,000 in year 1, $20,000 in year 2, and $10,000 in year 3.
The NN/LM is very interested in working with 211. The regional office is working with Tom at crafting a proposal for $450,000 over three years to present to the national office. It would be submitted in September with a response by the end of the year. In addition, 211info is talking to OHSU about an NN/LM “Go Local” grant of $25,000.
We currently have enough to retain Tom through mid-September at the latest. We need $10,000 to $15,000 to get through the end of the year with Tom working at the same level.
Stephen will write a one page document for us to use when requesting small grants through corporations which are more flexible and faster turn-around than foundations.
Action items:
- Howard will approach Priscilla Lewis
- Wendy will talk with DAS
- Kathleen will talk with Lee Girard and then discuss with Stephen
- Howard will approach NW Natural
- Wendy will approach PacifiCorp
- Jeri will approach PGE
Discussion about “Preparing 211 to Respond to a Statewide Emergency
Tom will send four documents pertaining to the part played by 211 during natural disasters which we can also share with potential funders.
Stephen’s concept is to get commitment from several areas around the state who could set up a call center and coordinate volunteers in a time of emergency. 211info, which is set up to take calls statewide if necessary, could start routing local calls to the appropriate emergency call center as needed. These areas would be the first step in developing permanent 211 call centers throughout the state.
Several Board members were concerned that disaster response shouldn’t be the only benefit offered when doing an ask, rather it should be one piece of a larger plan. Howard Kopp expressed his concern that the majority of Oregonians are not particularly worried about disasters as our area is less prone to natural disasters than others.
Howard Klink felt promoting 211 as a portal to benefits as part of (if not the focus of) a larger plan might be an easier sell.
Stephen will work on a proposal that uses the disaster piece as part of a larger plan.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:45am
Our next meeting will be a conference call at 9am on August 22nd. Jeri will send details.
Respectfully submitted,
Jimi Smith, Secretary