CAN Board Meeting, February 28, 2017, Granger’s 5946 NE 45th Ave, Portland, 7 pm – 9 pm

Board Members Present: Laura Young, Tristan Markwell, Xan Hamilton, Alma Velazquez , Stephanie Neely, Oscar Gilson Moreno, Rich Gunderson, Chris Browne and Julie Granger
Others present: Elise Scolnick, facilitator, Sandra Lefrancois, CNN and Kathy Young

We did not follow the order of the written agenda because one board member was late and we did not want to start the part of the meeting that the facilitator was going to run until everyone was present. The numbers below represent the agenda item number.

4. March General Meeting Agenda: Laura will have agenda to Alma for translation by Friday March 2nd. Alma will send it to Julie who will have copies made and distribute them to the news boxes since Dennis if out of town. Julie will also bring the agenda copies to the General Meeting.
Laura moved to strike item # 5 from the agenda, second by Stephanie. Motion carried.

6. April General Meeting agenda is being formulated. The Cully Cleanup planning is well underway led by Jessica Jazdzewski. Work on promoting the cleanup is a priority.
Cuisine in Cully happens at the April meeting. Stephanie agreed to coordinate. It was suggested that all board members contact the food establishments to see if they will again donate this year. Julie said she would contact Kathy and Janis for the list of food establishments that have participated in the past. Stephanie also asked if they had a write up to use when one approaches a business (talking points).
Board Member arrived so we went back to the beginning of the agenda.

1. Welcome and Introduction: Facilitator added an ice breaker to introductions so she could get to know those in attendance.
Please see attached document of the board’s facilitated conversation on Board Communication Guidelines.

2. Public Comment Period: Laura made an agenda amendment to # 2 Public Comment Period. She changed the descriptor from ‘Reaction to fake event flyer distributed by Chris Browne’ to ‘Reaction to flyer distributed by Chris Browne’.
Chris said that he sent out the flyer as an alternative march to the march being organized for the renters of Normandy Apartments. He attended the meeting at Rigler about the rent hike and reported back to the board. When he saw the flyer about the march he didn’t think that the board should take a stand nor had there been a board vote. He said that what he wrote was factual. Chris said he felt disrespected by comments to his flyer.
Alma had sent the original flyer to the board asking if it could be eblasted but Chris was inadvertently left off that email. Alma apologized to Chris for her omission. Laura responded that a disclaimer needed to be added to the renters march eblast and it was done. Laura also suggested any eblast not related to
an official CAN activity have a declaimer. The board was not supporting this event just making the information of the event available to Cully residents. Any community serving event should be able to be publicized through CAN. Issue to clarify – when is something a board stance and when is it advertising a community event.
Chris’ email ended up being distributed beyond the board and Laura received emails asking if the information in his email was the position of the CAN board. This created a very awkward situation for Laura. She felt his email was disrespectful to Living Cully and mocked renters concerns. She responded that it was not the board position.
Alma noted that CAN has had a working relationship with Living Cully. Laura agreed. Some Board members suggested a further discussion to clarify the relationship of CAN with community organizations.
This situation clearly showed the need for the board to create a policy/procedure around what CAN eblasts. There was also discussion around the need for clear, transparent guidelines for board email communications and that only board members are on the email distribution.
Agenda items #3 Board Communications was deferred until after board elections at the April CAN General Meeting so that the new board could address/create board member guidelines regarding: Email Communications, General Communication (acceptance of ground rules created at this board meeting), Web Blast Uniform Criteria, Board/Member General Meeting Comments and Board Public Comments

7. Board Member Roles: We ran out of time to discuss the ‘Board Chair Guidelines’ document that Julie drafted. Everyone was asked to review them for the next Board Meeting which will probably be on Tuesday March 21st at Cully Grove. Laura will check with David as that is usually the night of the Land Use/Transportation meeting. March 28th, the regular scheduled Board Meeting time falls during spring break.
Tristan reported that Alma and Rich are the only two board members whose position on the board continues. All other positions are up for election at the April CAN General Membership meeting.

Oscar moved that the meeting be adjourned, second by Laura. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:03 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Julie Granger