Chestnut Hill Library
Thursday, March 22, 2007

MINUTES

Board Members Present: Elaine Aiello, Lou Aiello, Bob Bacino, Jane Becker, Richard Becker, Ed Berg, Carol Cope, Mary Anna Ross Cowper, Maxine Dornemann, Janine Dwyer, Marianne Dwyer, Ed Feldman, Tom Fleming, Jim Foster, Stewart Graham, Jeremy Heep, Tom Hemphill, Dina Hitchcock, Nancy Hutter, Kathy Jones, Bright Judson, Marie Lachat, Howard Lesnick, John Levitties, Virginia Mallery, Sarah Maneely, Anne McNally, Ned Mitinger, John O’Connell, Jane Piotrowski, Joseph Pizzano, Susan Pizzano, Ron Recko, Gina Sannicandro, Meredith Sonderskov, Ann Spaeth, Jonathan Sternberg, Kristina Sullivan, and Walter Sullivan

Board Members Excused: Tia Burke, Joanne Dhody, Christopher Padova, Frank Steel, and Lisa Sullivan-Mancuso

Board Members Absent: Matthew Engebrethson, James Gleason, Janice Manzi, Kip Powell, George Roitzsch, and Sister Carol Jean Vale

Others Present: Ed Budnick (Interim Community Manager), Patricia Conway (owner of 7641 Ardleigh Street), Pete Mazzaccaro (CH Local Editor), Stan Moat (Fund Trustee), Noreen Spota (Administrative Coordinator), Lauri Strimkovsky (Vice President of Financial Affairs, Chestnut Hill College), Pam Rosser Thistle, and Tolis Vardakis (Bylaws Committee Co-Chair)

President Ron Recko called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM. Secretary Ann Spaeth conducted the roll call.

Search Committee Report. A motion was made and seconded to go into Executive Session to consider the report of the Search Committee for the permanent Community Manager. The motion was approved with one abstention. All those who were not Board members were asked to leave the room while the Board met in Executive Session.

When the regular meeting reconvened some minutes later, and non-Board members were re-invited into the room, the President announced that the Board had approved the recommendation of the Search Committee to hire Martha Benedum of Lancaster, Pennsylvania as the new Community Manager. She will begin her job in late May. Ed Budnick will continue in his position as Interim Community Manager up to that time as he wishes. The President and Board thanked Ed for his contributions throughout this past year.

Approval of Agenda. Ann Spaeth moved to amend the agenda to include the report of the Nominating Committee consisting of Carol Cope, Marianne Dwyer, Stewart Graham, Kathleen Jones, and Maxine Dornemann, Chair, regarding its recommendations to the Board for three institutions and three schools which would choose representatives to serve as Directors on our Board (the Institutional Directors for a two-year term and the Student Directors for a one-year term beginning in September). The motion was seconded and approved.

Approval of Minutes. The minutes of the Board meeting held on February 22, 2007 were approved as presented with two abstentions.

Variance Requests. Susan Pizzano, Vice President of the Physical Division, presented the proposal from Chestnut Hill College for a use variance to use current buildings on their Sugarloaf campus for classrooms and other student facilities. Temple University had had the same use variances, but they were extinguished when Temple ceased to use the property and it reverted to the Greenfield Foundation. This proposal had been previously approved by both the Development Review Committee and the Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Committee of the CHCA. The Board approved this request for a use variance with one abstention.

Susan then presented a request for approval of a variance for a single family dwelling at 7641 Ardleigh Street to build an addition onto the house. This had also been approved by the DRC and by the LUPZ members on the DRC. The Board unanimously approved this request for a variance.

Letters of support on both these issues will be sent to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Fund Drive. Tom Fleming, Chair of this year’s Fund Drive, stated that bad publicity from the sale of 8431 Germantown Avenue resulted in fewer donations. Nancy Hutter questioned whether the Fund Trustees have donated to the Fund; the Declaration of Trust requires them to be involved in fundraising. Ron Recko read a note received from a $1,000 donor who would have contributed more if CHCA handled its business in a more positive manner. Marianne Dwyer emphasized that personal contact in fundraising is crucial.

Approval of Fund Trustee. Nancy Hutter, Trustee Nomination Review Committee Coordinator, presented Dr. Susan Bray’s qualifications as a prospective Fund Trustee, including a master’s degree in bio-ethics. Tom Fleming offered a motion to approve Dr. Bray’s appointment. This motion was seconded and passed with four abstentions. Ron Recko mentioned the need to appoint one more Trustee, with an accounting background, bringing the total number up to seven.

Report from Oversight Committee. Jim Foster, Oversight Committee Chair, stated that the committee’s report would be sent to the Board via e-mail and that hard copies are available now, immediately after the meeting. (The other Committee members are Ed Feldman, Martha Haley, Nancy Hutter, Carl Shaifer, and Meredith Sonderskov; commercial litigator Mark Sellers served as a consultant). The Committee reviewed CHCA and CHCF activities for the fiscal years ending 3/31/04, 3/31/05, and 3/31/06, including finances, adherence to bylaws, “accepted practices,” use of assets, and the interaction between the Association and Fund. Jim re-emphasized the need for a certified financial statement prepared by an independent auditor. The report will be presented to the community via the Local. Some Board members expressed concern that the report should be seen by the Board before being published. Kathy Jones offered a motion urging that the report not be published in the Local until the Board has had an opportunity to review it thoroughly. This motion was seconded by several people. Ed Feldman countered that the report is a public document, and this is a public meeting, so they can be covered in the paper, on television, etc. Kathy then offered a motion to table the report (stop discussion about the report). This motion passed with 19 votes in favor, 13 votes opposed, and two abstentions. Meredith Sonderskov then offered a motion to un-table the report and receive it tonight. This motion passed with 27 votes in favor, two votes opposed, and three abstentions. Nancy Hutter emphasized that the report states facts and provides documentation; it is up to the reader to interpret the findings. Carol Cope stated that we must be very careful about accusations of legal wrongdoing and that the CHCA’s liability insurance rates can go up. Joe Pizzano stated that it is the Board’s responsibility to ensure that our funds are used properly, or we can lose our 501(c)(3) status.

Approval of 2007-2008 Budgets. Draft #3 of the proposed budgets for the CHCA and CHCF were distributed along with a proposed budget for the Local. Financial statements as of February 28, 2007 for the CHCA, Fund, and Local were also distributed. Treasurer Ned Mitinger noted that the Fund budget will be approved by the Trustees. Richard Becker stated that the Board cannot approve the CHCA and Local budgets until it has had a chance to review them. Mary Anna Ross Cowper offered a motion to convene a special meeting of the Board devoted to discussion about the proposed budgets. This motion passed. It was decided that the special meeting would be held on Thursday, April 26, 2007. Ed Budnick questioned whether we could continue to pay bills; in response, Carol Cope offered a motion for a “continuing resolution” to make this possible. This motion passed.

Nominations for Institutional Directors and Student Directors. Maxine Dornemann circulated the proposed slate of institutions and schools selected by the Nominating Committee. The institutions nominated were the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, the J.S. Jenks School, and the Chestnut Hill Library. The schools named were Chestnut Hill College, the Springside School, and the Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory School. Discussion ensued about ways to encourage the Student Directors to take a more active role on the Board by making the experience more of a meaningful learning process. The motion to approve the slate passed unanimously.

Report from Vice President of Physical Division. Susan Pizzano reported that a meeting will be held on Thursday evening, April 19 at the Library for the “Tree Tenders.” This will be an introduction to the full “Tree Tenders” course given by a Fairmount Park instructor. Susan’s vision for the newly-activated CHCA Tree Committee is that every block in the community have a “tree tender.” Marie Lachat noted that the trees in Chestnut Hill are in serious decline and that we lag behind other Philadelphia neighborhoods in maintaining our trees.

Report from Vice President of Social Division. Jane Piotrowski reported that planning has begun for the Black & White Gala, which will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2007.

Report from Vice President of Operations. Given the late hour, Lou Aiello offered to e-mail his report to the Board.

New Business. Joe Pizzano urged Board members to sign the petition to Senator Arlen Specter requesting federal funding for new streetlights along Germantown Avenue.

Having run out of time, the meeting was adjourned at 10:10 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Ward Spaeth
CHCA Secretary

Minutes prepared by Ann Spaeth and Noreen Spota, CHCA Administrative Coordinator, and approved by the Board of Directors on 5/24/07.