Minutes of OMVNA Steering Committee meeting, Monday, September 30, 2024, 7:30PM, convened electronically (via Zoom)
Present: Regular SC and subcommittee personnel (M. Hauser filling in for Deborah Vasquez); community members including Shivika Nayyar, Mark Flider
(1) Call to order: Chair David Lewis. Came to order 7:30.
(2) Call for additional agenda items: Chair David Lewis (None)
(3) Approval of minutes from last meeting: M. Hauser (acting). Moved (Cox), 2nded (Wormald), passed (6 Yes, 1 Abstain)
(4) Confirming time and place of the next OMVNA Steering Committee meeting(s): Chair David Lewis and Newsletter Editor Susan Bickford. *Annual* meeting already announced for December 2. Tentative next regular SC meeting January 27 — which will be the required follow-up meeting to vote on bylaws adjustments formally proposed on December 2. CERT chair Sherril Brennan away for a month starting Dec. 1; R. Cox requested a year-summary paragraph for a CERT representative to read at the December-2 Annual Meeting.
(5) CERT Update: CERT Subcommittee Chair Sherril Brennan. Recent “Shake-Out” exercise drew 41 people including 3 firefighters; notable family participation; thanks offered to Kristin Bailey for good signage help. October CERT meeting pending; Academy (5 nights + check-out day) filled to capacity this time, recruitments for OMV are possible; 3-times-yearly AMVNC (Assoc’n of MV Neighborhood CERTs), 12 members from MV; 501C3 tax status, contributions deductible; some CERTS have no affiliated neighborhood association, and questions can arise then re asset ownership.
(6) Brief report on OMVNA City Council Candidate Forum: Robert Cox, David Lewis, Susan Bickford, Lorraine Wormald. R. Cox: Forum got good feedback, incl. from other MV neighborhoods. Requests pending to share video; RC lost access to it for now (via his email address changing).
(7) Discussion of Minor Bylaws Corrections/Amendments: Social Chair Kristin Bailey
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JnykLCgRKpeMb3ExaLTW_8_EJ5ACjRmD1QR3j_lZNug/edit#heading=h.mtxif3f2hvu
— for work before Dec.-2 Annual Meeting, where changes will be proposed. Interested people to follow up with Kristin.
(8) Report of Nominating Committee for 2025 OMVNA Leadership Team positions: Nominating committee Member Paul Lansky for Committee Chair Jerry Steach who is on vacation in Europe. Gist reported out: Proposed slate (incl. Chair Cox; Secretary Melanie Kaye). Discussion: Proposal exists to create standing subcommittee for Newsletter Distribution [continued below in item 9(a)], headed by Lorraine Wormald, who also is happy to leave At-Large position so that Deb Henigson can fill it in 2025 (given current limit of two At-Large members).
(9) Discussion of Issues relating to OMVNA’s Nominating Process
a. Should we have a new standing subcommittee for Newsletter Distribution? So moved (Cox), 2nded (Hauser), passed (unanimously).
b. Should we have an open nominating period (2-3 weeks) before the nominating committee begins active recruitment for empty positions? Discussion: Susan Bickford questioned formalizing this. Robert Cox: Perhaps at least *some* period to broadcast the opportunities? Lorraine W felt the Newsletter is appropriate. Susan: Continue discussion of this in Spring 2025, the May 2025 Newsletter issue? To raise the issue, set the stage, with the larger neighborhood.
c. How should we handle voting in the general meeting? Discussion: And don’t forget possible floor nominations. Susan Bickford: Zoom has versatile polling capability, suitable for contested positions as well. Not a perfect fit to our preferences, but pragmatic. To be tested out separately with a sample online vote (Note: Subsequently, evening of November 11, SB, RC, and I did this, a “dry run” by Zoom using its polling features; SB noted options to have ready for floor nominations. Further summarized in later email exchange among the three of us. — MH)
d. Proposals which could encourage involvement in the steering committee: (1) Add more at large members? (2) Migrate at large members to other positions so we can recruit new steering committee members each year? Discussion; Susan Bickford proposed (note the specific wording) change SC definition to permit “Up to” four at-large members. General support. Motion to work on amending bylaws for this (K. Bailey), 2nded (S. Bickford); passed.
(10) Steering Committee/Subcommittee Chair Member Reports
(a) Chair David Lewis
(b) Vice Chair Robert Cox
(c) Secretary: Deborah Vasquez [absent]
(d) Treasurer: Carola Thompson. Several tax formalities with bank accounts; Carola has info. Longterm deposit portion now accrues interest that will post when it matures. Spent down checking acc’t somewhat in recent expenditures. K. Bailey: Still some reimbursement requests to file; that includes the tote bags, however, which are an investment as they continue being sold and returning revenue.
(e) Social: Kristin Bailey. Annual Ice Cream Social (ICS) drew 100 more people this time, and more tables. Kristin credits resident Scott Hobin’s Facebook efforts.
(f) Downtown Committee Jamil Shaikh. City’s DT Committee now meeting again. A new business coming, and development updates; see email that Jamil sent in September with details.
(g) Newsletter Susan Bickford. Susan wants to recruit a successor editor; work closely together a while to learn quirks. Indesign[?] software works well with printing firms. Susan also working on a proposal for a “Technology” subcommittee.
(h) At Large: Lorraine Wormald and Max Hauser
(i) Historic Preservation: Jerry Steach
(j) Parking: Robert Cox & Jamil Shaikh
(11) Adjourn meeting: Chair David Lewis. (Adjourned approx. 9PM.)
— Max Hauser, acting OMVNA Secretary
