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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/04/1999EMPOWER SANTA ANA CORPORATION* BOARD Minutes of Regular/Organizational Meeting August 4, 1999 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was convened at 7:38 a.m. in the Santa Aha Unified School District Board Room at 1601 East Chestnut Street, Santa Ana. SELF-INTRODUCTIONS/ATTENDANCE The following Board Members were present: Armijo, Avila, Bracho, Burrier-Lund, Cibrian, Cong, Davis, Dietz, Fogarty, Garza, Haynes, Hernandez, Leaman, Magdalena, Martinez, Metzler, Mijares, Ream, Richardson, and Zaragoza. The following Board Members were absent: Henley and Yanez. Staff present were: Executive Director Nelson, Acting General Counsel Kaufman, Empowerment Zone Manager Schindler, Economic Development Manager Nunn, and Secretary Guy. ROLE OF BOARD Executive Director Cindy Nelson provided an overview of the formation of the Empo~ver Santa Ana Corporation and explained its Board of Directors was composed of individuals who represented the community served. She indicated the Board's role was to oversee and manage Zone operations, and its primary function to receive input from Zone committees and make policy and funding decisions based on that input. *ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION Acting General Counsel Ben Kaufman reported the Corporation would be established as a non- profit, public and charitable benefit corporation under California law with tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). He noted "Empower Santa Ana" had been taken by another party prior to the City's application for that name, thus the corporation would form under "Santa Aha Empowerment Corporation." Kaufman indicated the Corporation was required to comply with the Brown Act ("open meetings" law), and that Directors would be held liable for decisions and needed to follow conflict of interest rules for recipient organizations. He commented that once the Articles of Incorporation were approved, the Corporation could elect officers and adopt by-laws. WORK PLAN A. BY-LAWS Directors Hemandez, Metzler, and Richardson volunteered to serve on a By-Laws Task Fome. OPERATING AGREEMENT Directors Armijo, Garza, and Ream volunteered to serve on a task force to develop an operating agreement with the City, since the City is the actual grant recipient and responsible for distributing funds to the Corporation. Nelson indicated that while the City was currently staffing the Zone, the Corporation could employ its own staff. SANTA ANA EMPOWERMENT CORPORATION 1 AUGUST 4, 1999 MINUTES Co EMPOWERMENT ZONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE STRUCTURE Empowerment Zone Manager Aldo Schindler reported the five Empowerment Zone working committees -- Resident Advisory, Workforce Development, Economic Development, Youth Development, and Sustainable Community Development -- had each met once for the purpose of sharing information but were still in the formative state. He noted a progress report on Zone activity was due to HUD on August 31, 1999. Schindler indicated the committees wished to interact with the Board and needed guidance regarding how to structure feedback. He explained participation on the committees was encouraged through word-of-mouth and a newsletter. Nelson stated the expectation was that the committees would bring resources to the Zone that would enable the grant funds to be leveraged and would take "ownership" in their respective areas. She noted formation of an Advisory Council as proposed in the Zone application was still open to discussion. FUNDING ALLOCATIONS Economic Development Manager Patti Nunn reported the initial $3 million in Zone funds had been allocated by the City Council and detailed the amounts awarded. She explained the Board would assume full responsibility for funding decisions by Year 3 of Zone implementation, as well as make decisions on awarding $130 million to businesses over the next 10 years. Nunn noted the Board needed to develop criteria for allocating funds and formulate measurable performance standards. She also commented that a monitoring visit by HUD was anticipated next year. MEETING SCHEDULE Following discussion, the Directors agreed to meet next at 6:00 p.m. on August 25, 1999 at a site to be determined but located within the Zone. Staff agreed to inventory possible meeting sites in the Zone and to explore rotating Board meetings among those sites. ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA The Board informally agreed the following would be placed on the next Board Agenda: Committee Structure including possible formation of an Advisory Council Roles and Relationship between the Board and Working Committees Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws Industrial Development Bond Policy and Procedures Election of Officers PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no comments from members of the public. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:03 a.m. SANTA ANA EMPOWERMENT CORPORATION 2 AUGUST 4, 1999 MINUTES