Board of Directors
Island Remediation and Public Participation Center (IRPPC)
3 May 2001
Minutes of meeting
The meeting was convened at 7pm at Café Luna. Present were: President James English, Treasurer Nan Hammett, Secretary Steven Macdonald, and Director Lyman Houghton. Nan Hammett was chosen to chair this meeting. The agenda is attached as the last page of these minutes.
Announcements
Rita Schenck, member of the VMICC Arsenic-Lead Remediation Committee (ALRC), informed the Board, through Director Hammett, that she plans to be a subcontractor on a study of plant uptake, and that she hopes to be a contractor for a water study. She wanted the Board to be aware of the potential for the perception of a conflict-of-interest. The Board expressed confidence in her personal integrity.
Review and adoption of minutes from prior meeting
Minutes of the 20 April meeting were approved.
Board business: Report of ad hoc Committee on Bylaws
This item was deferred to the next meeting.
Development of work plan, Budget/Process for prioritization of projects listed under grant proposal
Director Hammett reported on her inability to obtain copies of records directly from the Northeast Everett Community Organization, which we would like to review to learn about their methods of operation. She has asked Washington State Department of Ecology staffer Kathy Seel for assistance.
The Board had considerable discussion of the scope of IRPPC, and how that affects our prioritization of grant-funded projects and development of our workplan. Consensus emerged that the Board sees the scope of IRPPC as limited to those activities specified in our Public Participation Grant proposal, regardless of whether those activities are funded in a specific year.
The grant proposal budget was reviewed, to reduce it from the $60,000 requested to the $25,000 we have been told orally which we will receive. The Board decided to eliminate budget for projects 1, 2, and 6, and halve the budget for project 5. Director Hammett volunteered to develop a workplan which would derive from these decisions, and circulate it to the Board via email for review.
Process for criteria for contract awards, and Process for announcement of "Request for Proposals" for contracted activities
Director Houghton was informed by Ecology staffer Seel that Ecology will need to review all contracts before they can be awarded. Seel also said that "sole source" providers are allowed, if justification is documented. Because of the diminished size and nature of the contracts now included as grant-funded activities following budget reduction, further discussion of these agenda items was deferred to the next meeting.
Liaison with concerned governmental agencies
Some brief discussion covered the issue of role clarity relative to Ecology. We strongly wish to avoid an adversarial relationship with the agency. However, we also want to strive to avoid any community perception that, because IRPPC is funded by Ecology, we cannot disagree with plans or actions of the agency. IRPPC is independent, and its credibility depends on the clarity of that role.
Next meeting
To be held 31 May 7:00pm at Café Luna.
Board of Directors
Island Remediation and Public Participation Center (IRPPC)
3 May 2001
Agenda
Announcements
Review and adoption of minutes from prior meeting
Board business: Report of ad hoc Committee on Bylaws
Development of work plan, Budget/Process for prioritization of projects listed under grant proposal
Process for criteria for contract awards
Process for announcement of "Request for Proposals" for contracted activities
Liaison with concerned governmental agencies
Next meeting
To be scheduled.