Present were:
Jack N. Richards, Commissioner Seattle Indian Center
Carl Elliott, Commissioner Seattle Indian Center
Augustine McCaffery, Commissioner United Indians of All Tribes Foundation
Lillian Chappell, Commissioner American Indian Women’s Service League
Constance Griffin, Commissioner American Indian Women’s Service League
Terry Danysh, Commissioner Seattle Indian Health Board
Rosalee Walz, Commissioner Seattle Indian Health Board
Michael Marshall, Executive Director Seattle Indian Services Commission (SISC)
Absent:
Marty Bluewater, Commissioner United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF)
Public: Seattle Indian Center-staff
Shaun Dale Seattle Indian Center-staff
Victorine Joyner Seattle Indian Center-staff
Carol Peloza SISC Staff
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Approval of Minutes – The corrected minutes of the January 16, 2001 SISC Board meeting were discussed. Mr. Richards requested a clarification on item, e. State Audit in regards to scholarships being approved without a quorum being present. Mr. Marshall informed him that it was not an audit issue, that we were seeking Board clarification before it became an audit issue. Ms. Chappell requested that a correction to page 5 be made changing Mr. Chappell To Ms. Chappell. Mr. Marshall reported that Ms. McCaffery was troubled by the detail of the January 16th minutes as they related to personnel issues. Mr. Marshall stated that although quasi personnel issues were discussed, as this was a public meeting the issues were reported, and that in the future to avoid the issues being addressed in the minutes, the Board might want to consider going into Executive Session. Ms. Chappell requested a motion be made to approve the minutes as corrected. The motion was so moved by Mr. Danysh and seconded by Ms. Griffin, the motion carried, Ms. Walz abstained.
2. Executive Director’s Report – Mr. Marshall presented his report to the Board.
Financial Reports – Mr. Marshall asked if there were any questions on the financial reports? Mr. Richards requested clarification of the Trustee Fee listed on page one. Mr. Marshall explained the fee was paid to both Trustees of the Bonds. Mr. Richards requested clarification on who the trustees were. Mr. Marshall stated the Trustees were, The US Bank Trust NA for the Leschi Bond and Chase Manhattan on the Pearl Warren Bond. Mr. Richards inquired about the items on page one, Maintenance Contract and Maintenance Salary and his concern about six of the eight lights being out in the main walkway for the Leschi Center. Mr. Marshall informed him that an estimate had been requested in December from Advance Electric. The current lights cost $40.00 each to replace. Clients of both tenants have been observed deliberately damaging the fixtures. We are in the process of trying to find fixtures that will be more resistant.
Mr. Richards inquired about the trash removal charges of $1,600 for the Pearl Warren Building and the difference between the trash removal at the Leschi Center. Mr. Marshall informed him that the Commission did not have any trash containers at the Leschi Center and that the Tenants paid for their own trash removal at the Leschi Center.
There being no further questions, Ms. Chappell requested a motion to approve the financial reports. The motion was so moved by Mr. Danysh and seconded by Ms. Walz, the motion was carried.
Traditions & Beyond – Mr. Marshall explained the financial figures on the shop and requested that the Commission wait until the February numbers were in before deciding on a course of action for the shop.
Mr. Marshall explained the two inventory lists presented to the Commission. The first list included all the items that could not be accounted for during the last physical inventory of the shop; the items go back to at least 1993. The items were, either stolen, sold with no inventory number, or not tracked, a new clerk sold items and did not placed the inventory numbers on the daily sales sheet. Mr. Marshall explained that the Commission would need to decide how they wanted to handle this list. The Commission could either acknowledge the items were missing, acknowledge they had been informed the items were missing and that everything reasonable had been done to find said items, or officially write off the items. Mr. Danysh asked if this was evidence of the need for the inventory discussion we had. Mr. Marshall stated some of it was, but it also was never being certain that someone off the streets had stolen items. Mr. Danysh asked if anything further needed to be done with the list. Mr. Marshall stated they needed to write them off. Mr. Danysh made a motion to write off the unaccounted for items, seconded by Ms. Griffin. The motion carried.
The second list was of items that had been damaged or broken and could not be fixed. Mr. Danysh asked what action the Board needed to take? Mr. Marshall stated they needed to be written off. Mr. Richards asked what Mr. Marshall recommended? Mr. Marshall stated write it off. Ms. Chappell requested a motion be made, Ms. Walz made a motion to write off the broken items, seconded by Ms. Griffin. The motion carried.
Mr. Marshall stated that the level of attention to detail has greatly improved and that each year the Board would see an annual list so they could get a sense of what was happening at the shop.
Scholarship Request – There was a scholarship request from Ms. Bloomberg for $828.30. Ms. Chappell requested a motion to approve the Scholarship request. Mr. Richards made a motion to approve the request, seconded by Ms. Walz. The motion carried.
State Audit – the Auditors finished their fieldwork two weeks ago. Mr. Marshall stated the issues they had raised were, one- the Commission meeting the various requirements of filings with the City. The Economic Interest Statements due in April 15th and the Annual report. Items have been filed at the City Clerks Office and not been recorded as filed in the City Clerks Office, efforts have been made to correct this.
The second is in relationship to the shop. The items were in the last Management Letter. The State Auditors wanted the deposits to go from a random deposit to a regular deposit, with a clear tracking pattern, with each day’s sales being deposited separately. The other was a clear tie between the Z Tapes (daily sales tape), and the daily deposit, that the cash and checks listed on the Z Tapes be the same as deposited.
The recommendations from the State Auditor had been previously brought to the Board in December of 1999. The recommendations of the State Auditor had been approved at the December 1999 Board meeting and proceeded to be implemented, after Board approval.
The same problems encountered in the last audit would still be found in the months prior to January of 2000, which would include this audit for the period ending June 2000.
We are in the process of scheduling an exit interview based on Mr. Bluewater’s schedule.
Mr. Marshall stated that the shop has always operated in the same manner and previous State Audits had not listed these items as problems. Mr. Marshall stated that as soon as the Auditors recommend something, he has staff immediately make the requested changes. Mr. Richards asked if Mike needed any action by the Board on this. Mr. Marshall stated no Board action was needed. Ms. McCaffery requested clarification on the exit conference. Mr. Marshall explained what occurs, he stated it is our opportunity to respond to their Management Letter.
Mr. Elliott gave Mr. Marshall the Seattle Indian Center’s report on the Christmas gift giving.
3. Board Retreat - Ms. Chappell asked the status of the Retreat. Ms. Peloza stated that Ms. Kauffman had been contacted and been asked to resubmit a new proposal giving different rates and structure.
Ms. McCaffery had requested information on previous retreats, two handouts from previous Board retreats pertaining to Goals and Objectives were handed out.
4. Fund Raising – this item will be removed from the agenda until after the Board Retreat.
5. New Business – Mr. Belmont brought by flyers for upcoming powwows and to say Thank You to the Commission for the wood they had purchased for the Youth sweats. Mr. Belmont will have pictures for the Board if he can retrieve them from Costco as they had lost them.
Ms. McCaffery reminded the Board that the University of Washington Powwow will be held April 13, 14 and 15.
6. Old Business – AIWSL Lease – Ms. Chappell explained the resolution presented by the Executive Officers of the AIWSL. The rational for having the Lease was explained. Ms. McCaffery asked if they had space here. Ms. Chappell explained their current space allocation. Mr. Richards requested clarification on why the AIWSL was not paying rent when the other agencies housed in the Buildings are.
Ms. Peloza explained the history of the Commission, when these events took place and why it was created, (as she was the only person at the Board meeting who was present at the famous AIWSL vote and was involved during the creation of the Commission). The City of Seattle in attempting to give the AIWSL funds for the Second and Cherry Building discovered that as a discriminatory organization they could not give the money directly to the AIWSL. The City gave the AIWSL the option of either letting men into their organization or creating an organization consisting of members of agencies that the AIWSL had created to be in receivership of the money intended for the AIWSL. The AIWSL took a vote on male membership, in which the final vote was not to allow male membership and so therefore as a direct result of that vote the Commission came into being. Ms. Peloza also explained that when the Second & Cherry Building was lost some provision should have been made for the AIWSL in either the Leschi Center or the Pearl Warren Building. Mr. Marshall further explained the history of the sale of the Second & Cherry Building and the AIWSL. Mr. Smith had given the AIWSL free space in the Building for as long as he owned the Building. When Mr. Smith went into default on the Building the Bank took possession. The Bank sold the Building, they wrote off the land lease and the free space. What the Bank couldn’t write off was that the Building was to revert back to Commission after the lease. What the Bank did was pay the Commission to have the lease clause taken out. What they did was give us enough money for the lease and to pay for the lease on the shop. The Lease on the Building for the shop space is for the exclusive use of the Commission, no other shop can be put into the space. The Commission has a moral obligation to the AIWSL and an obligation on the space in the Building for the AIWSL. We also have an obligation to formalize the agreement for audit purposes and to also have on record for historical purposes. Ms. McCaffery requested that the history be written down. Mr. Marshall explained that it would be put into the minutes but that also a group of students have also been recording the history of the Indian organizations in the area for a communications class. Ms. McCaffery asked if there needed to be a more formal agreement in terms of a lease. Ms. Peloza stated that the resolution could go through but there needed to be a lease for insurance purposes, etc. Mr. Richards asked if this was intended to be passed on at this meeting. Ms. Peloza stated that it had been tabled at the last meeting and this was the first time we had seen it. A previous version of a lease based on other Commission leases had been passed out. Mr. Richards stated that as one of the constituent agencies here and they’re using space, regardless of the past history that Mike has described, that there be a rent status established for one of these agencies that they’re expected to enjoy the space that the rest of us are paying for. Ms. Chappell asked what kind of status? Mr. Richards stated a rent status. Mr. Richards stated that he had a very difficult time accepting the fact that you have three of the constituent agencies in here and two of them are charged rent and one isn’t. Ms. Walz stated that was why Mike, the story of this is so important and compelling, like the framework for this, and that it needs to be written down. Mr. Richards like an employee action statement?
Ms. Walz, I don’t know that it needs to be an employee action statement. The spirit of this needs to be written down, this needs to be captured somewhere down the line. Ms. Griffin basically the AIWSL gave up their space to the Commission on the understanding they would have space with the Commission. Mr. Marshall informed her that she was correct. Ms. Chappell reminded the Board that the AIWSL was a volunteer organization with no paid staff. Mr. Richards stated the AIWSL has an income as he and his wife had sent them $2,000 for scholarships and they still don’t have an accounting for it, even though they had asked for one. Ms. Griffin stated that wasn’t for rent. Ms. Peloza stated that this was a separate issue and has nothing to do with our meeting. Mr. Marshall stated that the AIWSL had space and they gave it the Commission with the understanding that they would be taken care of and this is just a statement in writing of that understanding. Ms. Griffin the moneys for the sale of that seems like they have already paid for this space. Mr. Marshall said we were compensated for two things, the land and free space. You can make a strong argument for that. Mr. Elliott asked if the same opportunity could be made available to the Alaska Native Brotherhood? Mr. Marshall stated that the Alaska Native Brotherhood had never given us free space or given us $800,000. This is not just a pat on the back because the AIWSL have been around along time and done a lot of good things, they actually had a material interest, which they gave up for the Commission to pursue this interest. Ms. Chappell stated that if it wasn’t for the AIWSL the Indian Center and the Health Board would not have been formed along with United Indians. Mr. Richards stated he understood that but the fact still remains that this is a business enterprise. Mr. Marshall stated that there was a business agreement, the business agreement was, they gave up space for which they were not compensated except for a guarantee of continued space. That guarantee unfortunately, from everybody’s perspective was not put in writing this puts it in writing.
Ms. Chappell stated that in all fairness your remark about the scholarship committee they have a new President who is still finding her way. She did get a letter from Camille about the scholarship fund they did give out two checks to outstanding students. Ms. Abada is responding to Camille’s letter and you can tell her that her response is on the way and they are sorry it took so long but they haven’t absconded with the money. Ms. Peloza stated that at the last AIWSL meeting they were looking for individuals that needed scholarships.
Ms. Chappell requested a motion on the AIWSL resolution, the motion was so moved by Ms. McCaffery and seconded by Ms. Walz. Ms. McCaffery requested the history be attached to this. The vote taken was, yes – Walz, McCaffery, Chappell, Griffin; no-Elliott, Richards. The motion carried.
Traditions & Beyond – item on the agenda to again have a Craft-shop Committee.
There being no further business Ms. Chappell adjourned the meeting at 6:30pm.
The regularly scheduled Board meeting of the Seattle Indian Services Commission was adjourned at 6:30pm.
Respectfully submitted: Carol Peloza, Assistant Director