A regularly scheduled meeting of the NCDA Board of Directors was held on Thursday, June 1, 2000 at the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. The meeting was held during the 2000 Annual Conference - May 31 - June 3, 2000.

NCDA President Para Rosario, Director of Housing and Community Development for Bridgeport, Connecticut, called the meeting to order. The following members of the Board, guests and staff were in attendance:

BOARD MEMBERS

Para Rosario
Bridgeport, CT

Thomas McColgan
Springfield, MA

Nancy Remington
East Providence, RI

Amintha Cinotti
Providence, RI

Tom Tiffin
Birmingham, AL

Emory Counts
Daytona Beach, FL

Roslyn Phillips
Jacksonville, FL

Chester Wheeler, III
Macon, GA

Willie Day, Jr.
Anderson, SC

Jeff Meyer
Rock Falls, IL

Barbara Richardson
Rockford, IL

Kenneth Brunsvold
Minneapolis, MN

Robert Hammer
St. Paul, MN

Brenda Richard-Montgomery
Jefferson Parish, LA

Jacqueline Howell
Monroe, LA

Jo Carroll
College Station, TX

W. Thomas Utter
Corpus Christi, TX

Barbara Ross
Denton, TX

Anthony Covacevich
Hidalgo County, TX

James Vaughn
Kansas City, MO

James Caruso
Lincoln, NE

Karla Gomez-Meyer
Denver, CO

Emily Nottingham
Tucson, AZ

David Thompson
Richmond, CA

Stephen Young
Sacramento, CA

Hazel Bhang
Seattle, WA

Guests

Mtumishi St. Julien
New Orleans, LA

Jan Shapin
Newport, RI

Aaron Longoria
Edinburg, TX

Debi Wood
Washington, DC

Staff

John Sasso
Chandra Western
Vicki Watson
Romulus Johnson
Karen Means
Tamika McRae

Following completion of the roll call, a made a motion, and seconded by Tom Tiffin, Grants Administrator for Birmingham, Alabama, to accept the minutes of the previous Board Meeting held on January 27, 2000 in Washington, D.C.

Anthony Covacevich, Urban County Program Director for Hidalgo County, Texas, introduced to Board members Mr. Mtumishi St. Julien, Executive Director of the Finance Authority of New Orleans and the Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (ALHFA), welcomed Board members to New Orleans. He thanked NCDA for their work and help given to ALHFA's staff. He also thanked members for helping educate Congress and Hill staff on serving their constituents.

ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES

Financial Report and Proposed FY 2001 Budget

David Thompson, NCDA Secretary-Treasurer and Community and Economic Development Director for Richmond, California, briefly discussed the proposed 2001 budget that was enclosed in the Board packets previously mailed to members. He also provided the Board with additional information and update on the finances of the Association.

Upon completion of discussion on the finances of the Association, a motion was made and second by James Caruso, Planning and CD Director for the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, to approve the Budget as presented.

Mr. Thompson thanked staff for their hard work.

Nominations and Election Committee Report

W. Thomas Utter, Assistant City Manager of Development Services for Corpus Christi, Texas, provided the Board with the report of the Nominations and Election Committee. He reported that the slate of officers were as follows:

Anthony Covacevich (Hidalgo County, TX) President
David Thompson (Richmond, CA) Vice President
Greg Hoover (Davenport, IA) Secretary-Treasurer

A motion was made and second to accept the slate of officers for 2000-2001.

NCDA MEMBERSHIP ISSUES

Membership Committee Report

The report on membership was given by Brenda Richard-Montgomery, Co-Chair of the Membership and Planning & Professional Development Committee and Community Development Director for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Ms. Montgomery reported that the full Committee discussed to reverse the decision made by the Strategic Planning Committee to combine these to committees. She mention that the By-Laws Committee would have to be activated if this decision was approved by the Board.

She further explained that the Committee felt that both committees had their own agenda and required a lot of attention: 1) Membership Committee - membership and recruitment and 2) Planning and Professional Development Committee - certification process and site selection.

Ms. Western then explained that during the Executive Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island in September of 1998, the Strategic Planning Committee felt NCDA has too many committees and recommended that the Membership and Planning and Professional Development Committee be merged.

Ms. Montgomery offered a recommendation and made a motion, and seconded by Tom Tiffin, to separate the Membership and Planning & Professional Development Committees.

After lengthy discussion, Ms. Rosario suggested that when Anthony Covacevich becomes President, he could appoint a By-Laws Committee to look at the issues concerning the separation of the two committees.

Ms. Montgomery also recommended to the Board that effective July 1, 2000 NCDA would allow members to choose the format for how they want to receive their WASHINGTON REPORT with no financial distinction, credit the additional $250.00 to communities who have already paid their FY 00/01 dues to their FY 01/02 dues.

The Board stated that staff would note the change in the next newsletter to the membership.

Ms. Montgomery made a motion, and it was second, to provide members with hard copy and electronic mail copy of the newsletter.

Ms. Montgomery also stated that there was discussion in the committee meeting regarding discounting membership dues for communities who recruit new members within their region. It was decided to further discuss this issue at the upcoming Membership Committee meeting in January. The outcome and recommendation from that discussion would be presented at the next Board meeting in January.

Planning and Professional Development Committee Report

The report on planning and professional development was given by Amintha Cinotti, Associate Community Development Director for Providence, Rhode Island. Ms. Cinotti expressed her views on the CD practitioners certification process stating that NCDA should have its own recognition and that the levels of expertise should depend on experience.

The Board recommended that at the January 2001 meeting, the committee would report back regarding the structure of certification, what it would mean to the Association and a detailed course outline. The Board also wants to know if NCDA's course would be of value to member communities and its employees and should a consultant review the structure.

After the report was given on from the Planning and Professional Development Committee, Ms. Rosario made a motion, and it was second, to proceed with the CD practitioner certification process.

Vicki Watson, NCDA's Senior Legislative Counsel, reported that the Housing Committee recommended NCDA also develop a HOME professional certification program in conjunction with the CD practitioner certification.

NCDA PROGRESS REPORTS

NCDA Staff Report

Chandra Western, NCDA's Executive Director, advised Board members to look at the staff activity report enclosed in Board packets previously mailed to members.

The following members thanked NCDA staff for their legislative updates and help during their regional conferences: 1) Emory Counts, Community Development Director for Daytona Beach, Florida - Region IV in Jacksonville, FL; 2) Nancy Remington, Community Development Coordinator for East Providence, RI - Region I Conference in Newton, MA; 3) Anthony Covacevich - Annual Urban Conference on South Padre Island, TX; and 4) Karla Gomez-Meyer, Operations Manager for Denver, CO - Region VIII Conference.

NAHTI Report

Vicki Watson briefly outlined the various products and activities that will be undertaken during the new NAHTI contract. She reported that the new 3-year contract started in September 1999 with a funding level of $150,444. The contract would also continue HOME training sessions and tailor the training to each region's needs. She mentioned that training sessions would be taking place in Region I in November, Region VI in October, and possibly Region IX in October. She also stated that NCDA will be involved in a joint task with the ALHFA, National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), and the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) to put together a training module on CHDO capacity building.

With regard to funding for next year, Ms. Watson reported that NAHTI submitted a $3 million application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May 19, 2000. Staff should hear this fall or early winter if the application will be approved; and if approved, NCDA will receive $350,000 during this 3-year contract.

Again, the contract would continue HOME training sessions. The Housing Committee has asked that next year's funding focus on predatory lending and lead-based paint. She also stated that NCDA would be involved in joint activities with the other NAHTI organizations.

Jan Shapin, Executive Director of the Community Development Training Institute (CDTI) in Newport, Rhode Island, informed the Board that she will be leaving CDTI in October. She stated that she wanted to take on other activities and that John Sasso will be taking over her position.

She then briefly discussed the Executive Symposium being held in Tucson, Arizona at the Westward Look Resort and the cost would be $96.00 per night. She urged members to make reservations early because of the limited number of rooms reserved.

Emily Nottingham, Assistant Community Services Director for Tucson, Arizona, stated that she was looking forward to hosting the Executive Symposium.

Ms. Rosario, on behalf of NCDA, acknowledged Ms. Shapin for her services throughout the years of planning and coordinating the Executive Symposium and her support of the Association.

OTHER BUSINESS

Steve Young, Community Development Director for Sacramento, California, expressed his concern that the Census Committee was not equally balanced amongst regions. Therefore, he made a motion, and it was second by Mr. Utter, to equally balance the Census Committee.

There being no further business, the Board went into Executive Session.

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