MaAOHN Officers and Directors Meeting Minutes

Date: Friday March 4, 2005 

Present: Sheila Litchfield, President ; Terry Donohue, Vice President ; Stephanie Chalupka, Secretary ; Nancy Clover , Treasurer ; Barbara Haswell, Director WM ; Jeanne Donohue, Director GB ; Maureen Longtin, Arlene Sullivan (representing NOB), Linda Allen , Anne Lafontaine, and Susan Katz-Sliski.

Absent: Darlene Meisner, Director CM; Connie Surpitski, Director NOB

The Meeting was called to order by President Sheila Litchfield at 5:58PM at the Holiday Inn in Worcester , MA .

1. Agenda reviewed for the meeting with members given opportunity toadd items. No items were added at this time.
2. Minutes of the December 12, 2004 meeting were reviewed and approved with no changes.
   M/S/P
3. Legal Concerns:
   1. Transfer of files to new officers: President Litchfield announced that the transfer of files from outgoing officers to incoming officers should occur within 30 days of leaving office.
      Files of the Treasurer: Outgoing Treasurer, Maureen Longtin has transferred files to Nancy Clover and is awaiting documentation of a CD transfer which will also be given to Nancy Clover.
      Files of the Secretary: Outgoing Secretary, Nancy Clover hastransferred the files of the Secretary to Stephanie Chalupka.
      GBAOHN President has received MaAOHN files from predecessor.
      Transfers in Process: Nominating Committee; Communications Committee
   2. Status of Incorporation: President Litchfield announced that MaAOHN is currently incorporated. Business still to be completed includes updating the forms to indicate current directors and business address and the annual report to be filed through the Office of Attorney General on Nov 1. This is customarily done by the Clerk of the Corporation. As MaAOHN has no appointed Clerk of the Corporation, Sheila did this in 2004 and suggested the MaAOHN Vice-President position be designated to function as Clerk of Corporation. M/S/P. VP,Terry Donahue will submit forms this year.
   3. Status of taxes: MaAOHN back taxes have been paid with interest. A $180.55 penalty was paid as well. 2004 taxes will be done by Dawna Berube and Treas. Nancy Clover.
   4. Records Retention and Archives: The MaAOHN Secretary is holder of records and in the meantime while we are gathering required documents for the archives, Sheila has the archives box. Records that must be maintained in the MaAOHN archives include minutes, cancelled checks, correspondence, contracts (still in effect and expired), financial statements, audit reports, insurance policies (expired and current), policy and procedure manuals, newsletters, notes receivable ledgers/schedules, and petty cash vouchers. Guidelines for record retention, including specific retention periods, and archive maintenance are available at the AAOHN website. See Attachment 1.
4. MaAOHN Professional Development Conference:
   1. Lessons Learned: The March 2005 Professional Development Conference was cancelled due to lack of on time paid participants. Over 30 registrations came in after the due date. President Litchfield solicited input from officers and directors related to the conference.
      Among the issues raised were:
      1. Concern that decision to cancel conference due to lack of enrollment was made 2 days before published deadline for registration.
      2. Early start time of conference may have made conference less attractive.
      3. Location not sufficiently appealing to potential participants
      4. Block of rooms gone and cost was high ($99 special rate/ $149 otherwise)
   2. Suggestions for future planning:
      1. Plan registration dates differently in order to permit enough time to make decision to cancel if necessary.
      2. Establish date that registrations must be postmarked by
      3. Start time of conference of 9:00 AM should be considered.
      4. Consider more appealing venues e.g., Cape Cod or venues with less overhead e.g., college campus or public building.
      5. Include a strong networking component (increase # or duration of breaks to enable networking)
      6. March was a perfect time for the MaAOHN Conference, although perhaps coincide with April when OHN week occurs.
      7. Establish "speed dating" or "independent business card" process for self promotion
      8. Fewer breakout sessions to ensure full rooms for speakers
      9. Consider half day versus full day
   3. Reschedule: Potential dates for rescheduled conference are September 17 or 24. Committee will investigate several locations in the Worcester area that are low cost and accessible to major highways.
   4. Conference Committee: Conference Planning Committee should meet ASAP to identify a venue and date. Sheila to contact Darlene. All currant members at meting agreed to remain on committee, Stephanie and Susan (for purpose of finding a venue) agreed to join as well
5. NECOEM Conference Planning Status: MaAOHN will collaborate with partners to host the NECOEM Conference in 2005 at the Bedford Renaissance Hotel. The themes will include clinical practice; improving work conditions through collaboration with organized labor, and government agencies; and expanding your horizons/ OH trends globally. The planning committee members from MaAOHN are Carol Somers, Barbara Haswell, Nancy Clover , and Sheila Litchfield. Nancy Clover suggested that the Conference/Vendor Coordinator position is a very labor intensive effort and that NECOEM should pay for Coordinator's registration and cost of hotel room. Sheila to follow-up with NECOEM. The MaAOHN 2005 Annual Meeting will be held at a December 1 lunch meeting during the conference. Various Nurse Speakers were considered.
6. Appointments:
   1. Communications Committee: Susan Katz-Sliski was appointed to the position of Chair of the Communications Committee. m/s/p
   2. Governmental Affairs: Arlene Sullivan was appointed to the position of Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee. m/s/p
   3. Membership: Linda Allen was appointed to the position of Chair of the Membership Committee. m/s/p
7. Review 2004 goal achievement and establish 2005 goals
   
   Attachment 2
   
   2005 Goals (target dates forthcoming)
   1. Hold Professional Development Conference
   2. Plan to move annual meeting away from NECEOM Conf beginning in 2006
   3. Support local chapters
   4. Reinvest CD
   5. Create and issue policy and procedure manual
   6. Seek AAOHN recognition for MaAOHN activities
   7. Build archives of required records
   8. Pay taxes on time
   9. Submit forms to state required for incorporation on time
   10. Participate with NECOEM in 2005 Annual Conference
   11. Assess effectiveness of NECOEM conference for MaAOHN members
   12. Increase attendance at Professional Development Conference and AC
   13. Establish a Scholarship fund
8. 2005 calendar and plans
   1. NEAOHN-June 1-3, 2005, NY
   2. Election October/November (Terms expire for President, Vice-President, Nominating Committee-2 members)
   3. Board meetings: June 11, 2005 ; September (date not set, awaiting date confirmation of Professional Development Conference), November 30, 2005
   4. MaAOHN Professional Development Conference, September 17 or 24, 2005 TBD
   5. MaAOHN Annual Meeting, December 1, 2005 , Bedford Renaissance
   6. NECOEM December 1-2, 2005
9. Treasurers report, comments ( Nancy ); status of transition
   Taxes have been sent to Dawna Berube, CPA. New checks have been ordered. New Treasurer, Nancy Clover , will begin soliciting ideas for scholarships. Report attached. Attachment 3.
10. Committee reports for 2004 and goals and objectives for 2005:
    1. Bylaws, Policies & Procedures (Terry):
       1. Bylaw revision has been completed and was voted on by members in Dec 2004.
       2. The table of contents for the policy and procedure manual was distributed for review. See Attachment 4 . The first draft of the manual will be completed for review at the June 2005 meeting.
       3. Policy and Procedures Committee is chaired by Terry Donahue and includes: Fran Gerroir, Barbara Roller, Sheila Litchfield, Barbara Haswell, Arlene Sullivan, Darlene Meisner and Jeanne Donahue.
    2. Communications: No report.
       President Litchfield asked Chapter Presidents to communicate chapter contact persons to Susan Katz-Sliski
    3. Professional Development: Report submitted by Darlene was read aloud. See Attachment 5.
    4. Finance: Treasurers' report submitted previously, committee has not met yet. Will draft 2005 budget for next meeting.
    5. Nominations: No report yet. Will develop time line for 2005 elections.
    6. Legislative Affairs (Arlene): Description of potential for collaboration with other nursing organizations through Mass Center for Nursing or through MARN were presented. Arleen to bring recommendation to Board. Other "hot button" issues that will be monitored by Arlene Sullivan include stem cell research and obesity.
11. Discussion regarding need for an Executive Director: The position of Executive director could provide for continuity and availability of staff support for MaAOHN activities. Members present were supportive of investigating sources for support of a position to be funded for approximately 5 hours per month. It was also suggested that copies of job descriptions be obtained for the position of executive director in similar professional agencies for review.
12. Comments from Constituency Presidents about anything you would like to share: problems, current events, future plans, etc.
    Greater Boston : Continue to assess NECOEM relationships to assure that it provides benefits to MaAOHN
    Western Mass : Chapter will continue to build membership. Upcoming educational programs include Tattoos, Travel Medicine, and Diabetes Mellitus
13. Other Business: A suggestion was made to identify actual voting members around table. This will be initiated with the next meeting. A suggestion was made that end of May would be better than June for Board meeting due to family graduation activities. To be considered.

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned by President Litchfield at 9:14 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by
Stephanie M. Chalupka,
Secretary