Permanent Board minutes | August 8, 2013

13-77 Opening Worship: Friends gathered in worship at Bryant University, at the close of our 2013 sessions.

13-78 Roll Call: The recording clerk called the roll:

Present: Holly Baldwin, Travis Belcher, Deana Chase, Susan Davies, Jeremiah Dickinson, Eric Edwards, Justice Erikson, Ben Guaraldi, Galen Hamman, Jan Hoffman, Nancy Isaacs, Sandy Isaacs, Leanna Kantt, Allan Kohrman, Christopher McCandless, Jean McCandless, Robert Murray, Bruce Neumann, Elias Sanchez- Eppler, Karen Sanchez-Eppler, Suzanna Schell, Sara Smith, Becky Steele, Carolyn Stone, Philip Stone, Jane Van Landingham, Donn Weinholtz, Carl Williams, Rosemary Zimmermann, Hannah Zwirner.

Regrets: Aimee Belanger, Sarah Gant, Mary Knowlton, Rebecca Leuchak, Rocky Malin, Patricia Shotwell, Fritz Weiss,

Ex-officio: Edward Baker (Clerk of Personnel), Maria Lamberto (Clerk of Finance), Noah Baker Merrill (Yearly Meeting Secretary), Jacqueline Stillwell (Presiding Clerk).

Visitors: Jackson Hamman (Providence)

13-79 New Members: After welcoming new members, we appointed Friends to act as mentors to these new members, helping them to understand the functioning and responsibilities of Permanent Board. Rosemary Zimmerman will fill this role for new member Justice Erikson, Bruce Neumann for Leanna Kantt, Christopher McCandless for Rocky Malin, Deanna Chase for Jean McCandless, and Phil Stone for Becky Steele.

13-80 Minutes: The Minutes from our August 3 meeting were distributed, but given that Friends had not had a chance to review them, we agreed to postpone consideration until our next meeting.

​​​​​​​13-81 Yearly Meeting Secretary Report: Noah began his report by exclaiming with glee and relief: "We had sessions!" A preliminary financial report suggests that we ended with a small surplus, including a deficit for equalization. Friends requested, at a future PB meeting, a chart displaying attendance and the financial bottom line for recent years of Sessions.

Given our current financial situation, Noah has requested that the Sessions Committee review our Equalization policy and practices this year. There are concerns both that Equalization gives out much more than comes in, and that the process is not transparent.

Noah remarked that excellent cooperation among the YM staff, and between our staff and Bryant University, both contributed to an environment conducive to the spiritual and temporal aspects of our annual sessions.

​​​​​​​13-82 Personnel Committee: Edward Baker reported that the committee met during sessions, and agreed that he will continue as clerk of that committee, with Karen Sanchez-Eppler as recording clerk.

The committee has been continuing its work on updating the Personnel Policy Manual. While there are no important policy changes, there are a large number of details that need to be brought up to date or clarified, including insertion of the role of the Yearly Meeting Secretary Supervisor, and eliminating references to NEFH. The committee expects to bring the new manual to PB in September for consideration. Friends Accepted the new manual as a working draft until final approval. Friends approved the new manual being posted at neym.org, and authorized the committee to make decisions based on this working draft. Edward expects that it will be emailed to PB members well in advance of the Sept. meeting.

We were reminded that the family leave benefit we offer staff includes 6 weeks paid leave and up to 3 months off. Since it is likely that this benefit will be used this year, Personnel is planning to reexamine the policy and in the event that the benefit is used, will consider how to cover this work during an absence, and what the financial implications will be. They will bring recommendations to Finance Committee and Permanent Board as necessary.

Personnel committee has also been considering staff development, both as a general commitment to support development efforts, and in light of our commitment, on hiring Noah, to providing executive coaching. Friends encouraged Noah, his Supervisor, and Personnel Committee to explore options for executive coaching.

Although the current fiscal year budget includes $2000 for staff development, this is likely not enough to support both executive coaching and other training for staff. Friends appointed Maria Lamberto and Sandy Isaacs to explore how these initiatives might be funded, including considering grants.

​​​​​​​13-83 Relationships with Monthly Meetings: Following our acceptance (Minute 13-67) of tending the relationships of the Yearly Meeting and the Monthly Meetings, the clerk requested a few volunteers to consider how this work might happen. Given the scope and importance of this work, we are not asking this initial group to present a final plan at our Sept. meeting, rather to begin consideration of: What is the goal? What is the method? How might this take shape? How do we coordinate with others doing related work, including Legacy Gift committee, Structural Review committee, Ministry and Counsel, Finance Committee, and the Yearly Meeting Secretary? We ask these friends to consider these questions, and to bring, to our September Meeting, some thoughts and ideas to help organize our discussion. Sara Smith, Deanna Chase, and Jan Hoffman volunteered to take on this initial discernment. Jan will act as contact person. Friends approved these Friends taking on this work.

​​​​​​​13-84 Nominating: For Yearly Meeting Nominating Committee, Christopher McCandless advised us that the Nominating slate in the advance documents did not list Jonathan Vogel-Borne, Jay Smith, and Leslie Manning, who are continuing as members of the FUM General Board, or that Frederick Martin will continue as clerk. Friends approved these corrections.

Acknowledging that this individual had not been approved by nominating committee, Christopher proposed a name for Archives committee. A short discussion ensued, voicing viewpoints that PB should be able to approve names without waiting for the formality of nominating's consideration, and that there is value in the deliberate nature of the current process. Recognizing that an individual may be invited by a committee, to attend its meetings, we deferred approval of this nomination.

The clerk expressed appreciation to Nominating Committee for their continued work within a structure that is not serving us well.

​​​​​​​13-85 Internal Nominating: For Internal Nominating Committee, Donn Weinholtz presented the following names for our approval:

• Yearly Meeting nominating: Rhoda Mowry (Smithfield) Class of 2016
• Yearly Meeting nominating: Eileen Cummings (Winthrop) Class of 2016
• Yearly Meeting Nominating: Virginia Bainbridge. (New London) Class of 2016

Friends approved.

​​​​​​​13-86 Presiding Clerk report: Jacqueline Stillwell read the text of the closing minute from Sessions. Friends approved.

​​​​​​​13-87 September Preview: Observing that the fact of our having a meeting in September takes pressure off our need to accomplish things at this end of sessions meeting, and adds some spaciousness to our work for the coming year, the Clerk advised us of a few items she expects to be on the agenda at our next meeting:

• Consideration of how the Yearly Meeting might continue exploration of the significance of the Doctrine of Discovery. We may need a few Friends to shepherd a continuing conversation.
• Whether and how repayment with interest, of money drawn from reserves should be accomplished
• How the work of Financial Planning might continue.
• Consideration of a minute from the YAF community about the Student Loan program.

We were also reminded to advise the clerk, as early as possible, of issues that need to be considered at the next meeting. In the case of our September meeting, reports for the advance documents should be submitted by September 14.