Minutes of the Board of Director’s Meeting Tucson Community Meditation Center
December 4, 2007
Present: Blake Barton, Terry Magee, Frank Tomizuka, Lhasha Tizer, Blake Ashley, Steve Villaescusa, Della Estrada, Debra Raeber
The minutes from the last meeting, November 6, 2007, were approved.
Call to the Audience: Rita Rosenburg, Wanda Poindexter, Willoughby, Ying, and Hisayo were present
Conflict of Interest: Blake Barton let us know that a member has raised the issue of whether a conflict of interest exists when a board member receives dana from teaching classes for TCMC. Blake A. wants us to address this issue at our next board meeting to make sure there is no impropriety. The question is whether a board member should prosper by a decision that has been made by the board.
Frank suggested that we look at other organizations to see how they handle situations like this. Blake A. says that we need a guideline in place that we can go by in the future that would apply to all situations, rather than be handling this on a case by case basis. The TCMC board should be laying a foundation to guide TCMC in the future. The board needs to figure out what the right thing to do is and then make a rule that will be followed, making it as black and white as we can. Steve V. thinks that we can make a policy and if something comes up in the future that is in question, the board can vote to make an exception.
What the board needs to do is define a process by which further issues can be evaluated.
Willoughby suggests that the board get standards in place that will define who is authorized to be a teacher.
Terry and Steve both mentioned that in the past we have relied on teachers to tell us who is qualified to teach.
It was decided that this issue will be on the agenda of the next board meeting in January.
Date for the Annual Meeting: The board passed a motion that the date for the Annual Meeting is set for Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 10:00 am.
Financial Report:
Balances are approximate
Checking Account $9,700.00
Savings Account $19,066.00
CD $5,883.00
All of our bills are paid up to date. There are no retreat registrations coming in right now. We have paid a deposit of $500 to Pocket Sanctuary for the Anna Douglas/Hugh Byrne retreat.
The Sharon Salzberg retreat netted $10,300.00. TCMC sent Sharon a check for 60% which left TCMC with about $4,000.00.
The rent for the TCMC center is now $750.00 per month. We are paying Willoughby through April 2008, now.
The Financial Report was approved.
Protocol for nominating candidates for director: It has been suggested that we change our protocol for nominating candidates to the board prior to our annual meeting and election in order to allow more time for members to be included in the process.
Steve asked if we should have some sort of standards in place for a person to be on the board. For instance, a background in meditation, time spent at the center, and at retreats, etc.
Blake A. stated that there are three ways for a person to become a board member. 1) If a vacancy appears, the bylaws allow board members to appoint a new board member to fill the position. 2) The board prepares a slate of nominees and the members vote on that slate at the annual meeting. 3) We provide a way for a nominee to come out of the membership. Blake A. says that the membership should be able to vote in a new board member.
Steve says a nomination committee is usually composed of some board members and some members at large.
The board approved the creation of a Nominating Committee that would develop and recommend a nomination process to the board for us to approve. The committee will include some board members as well as some members at large. We will invite the membership at large to be a part of the nominating committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.
