OAALJ BOARD MEETING MINUTES
August 25, 1999
The meeting was called to order on August 25, 1999 at 6:05 p.m. at the Phoenix Inn, Wilsonville, Oregon, by President Charlotte Rutherford. The following Board members were in attendance: Daina Upite, Bruce Black, Erika Hadlock and Steve Rissberger. During the meeting, the following topics/issues were discussed/decided:
1. Minutes of the June 9, 1999 Board meeting were approved.
2. Treasurer's report:
Current balance is $10,891.76. Recent major expenses include $325 for newsletter mailing; reimbursement to Charlotte for expenses of the mid-year NAALJ conference in May 1999 (disbursed at the June 9 meeting); and a $65 bill from "From the Doghouse."
Daina reported that a Business Money Market account earning 1.85% interest (APR) is available at U.S. Bank where our existing account is located. The $8 per month fee is waived if a minimum balance of $1000 is maintained. Three checks per month may be written on this account. Daina also reported that U.S. Bank has numerous Certificates of Deposit (CDs), ranging from 3 months up to 5 years, with interest ranging from 4.52% APR on the 3&mdashmonth CD up to 5.40% APR on the 24-month account. Interest on the 6-month CD is 4.65% APR; 4.97% APR on the 9-month CD, and 5.30% APR on the 12-month CD.
Board members anticipated upcoming expenses for monthly Board meetings, the annual meeting in November 1999, another newsletter mailing, costs of sending members to the NAALJ annual meeting, and the scholarship, in the total amount of approximately $2,750. Board members concluded that $4,000 should remain immediately available, but the remainder of our account balance should be deposited in a 9-month CD.
Bruce moved and Steve seconded the following motion: $1000 shall remain in our current checking account; $3,000 will be deposited in a business money market account at U.S. Bank; and the balance of OAALJ funds will be deposited in a 9-month CD. The motion passed unanimously. Daina is to check whether a credit union or Savings & Loan would pay greater interest than U.S. Bank, and Charlotte will look into rates at the Albiina Community Bank in Portland.
3. President's Report:
Charlotte reported that Vertrand Roy of the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals, the organization that is sponsoring the 1999 international "Best Practices" conference in Canada, contacted Charlotte and expressed interest in establishing a relationship with our organization. Roy invited OAALJ members to attend the conference, but did not offer any financial support. Charlotte referred him to NAALJ. She raised the question whether OAALJ should follow up on this invitation.
Charlotte reported that former President David Marcus suggested bringing together all ALJs affected by HB 2525 after the NAALJ national conference in September 1999 to discuss issues related to the legislation. Steve suggested that first Friday lunches could be an appropriate forum for such discussions.
Charlotte reported that Janice Krem, formerly Director of Hearings at OLCC, now an attorney in private practice, will be presenting an analysis of HB2525 to the Bar, and that she will be doing training sessions on the legislation. Janice will provide Charlotte with a written analysis of HB 2525.
Planning for discussions of HB 2525 was discussed. Charlotte suggested setting up after work/evening meetings in Portland, Salem and Eugene to discuss HB 2525, so that discussion would not be limited by the constraints of lunch hour. Bruce recommended that we set up such meetings later, after issues of concern have been identified, so that the meetings can be more structured. It was also suggested that HB 2525 issues should be discussed at our annual meeting in November. The goal of these meetings would be to set an agenda of issues to be addressed by the Chief Hearings Officer. Board members agreed that input from the absent members would be helpful. It was decided to convene again by telephone conference call, initiated by Charlotte, at? p.m. on Wednesday September 1,1999 to discuss these issues further.
Charlotte estimated that there are some 79 ALJs affected by HR 2525, 35 of whom are in Employment. Charlotte will obtain a roster of all ALJs affected by the legislation. It was also agreed that all affected ALJs should be invited to the informal discussions, not just OAALJ members.
Annual dues are due October 1. Charlotte will draft a dues reminder letter, which will include information about the change of location of first Friday lunches in Salem. Salem Board members agreed to change the location from The Heritage Tree to The Pointe Downtown at Commercial and Court due to dissatisfaction with the service and menu at The Heritage Tree. Charlotte is to send the letter to Steve, who will send it to Beth Landon (From the Doghouse) for mailing. Charlotte will also include information about QAALJ's plans to organize HB 2525 discussion meetings in the future. This letter will be drafted within the next week.
Charlotte will be leaving for the NAALJ national meeting in North Carolina on September 10, 1999.
4. Committee Reports:
(a) Communications - Steve reported that 408 pieces of the recent newsletter were mailed. Bruce reported computer-related difficulties in submitting his piece to Bill Young, which made Bill's job more difficult. Bruce also reported that Bill indicated that he may not be continuing as the newsletter editor. Board members expressed appreciation for Bill's hard work in preparing the newsletter all these years and recommended an appropriate recognition at the annual meeting.
The next newsletter should go out by October 15, 1999, so that it can include the required notice for the annual meeting. The annual meeting is set for Thursday, November 18, 1999. The Board set October 4, 1999 as the deadline for submitting articles to Bill. October 11, 1999 is the deadline for submitting the finished copy to Valley Mailing. Steve reported that Valley Mailing typically sends out the newsletter within three business days after receipt of the copy.
Contents of the newsletter should include: report on the NAALJ annual conference; update on HB 2525 the annual meeting notice; a notice regarding first Friday lunches in Salem; and an article regarding the Ethics Committee's work. Steve indicated that a draft ethics code would not be ready by October 4, but he agreed to write an article on the progress of the committee's work. Steve also suggested inviting Chief Hearings Officer Ewing to submit a letter for the OAALJ newsletter.
(b) Ethics - Steve's committe report was included in the Communications Committee report.
(c) Education/Scholarship - Daina reported that we have received only one application for the scholarship, from an employee at BOLl. Daina reported that Erika declined to evaluate the application due to a potential conflict of interest. Board members reviewed the application, but decided not to award the scholarship at this time. Bruce moved that we table the scholarship at this time due to insufficient interest. Steve seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Charlotte will communicate the Board's decision to the applicant. It was recommended that Erika write an article for the newsletter regarding the status of the scholarship.
Board members expressed interest in trying again to organize a conference locally using NJC faculty. Charlotte reported that NJC has a new President, whom she expects to meet at the NAALJ conference, and Charlotte will talk to him about how to arrange such a conference.
5. The next meeting date was not set. This will be determined at our telephone meeting on 9/1/99.
There being no further action, the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Daina Upite