Florida VOAD Meeting - Sarasota, March 9, 2009

[Rev. Mr. Marcus Hepburn]

Thanks for everyone who was able to make the March 9th meeting of the
Florida VOAD.

The next meeting will be the Florida VOAD Annual Meeting at the
Governor's Hurricane Conference on Thursday from 5:30 -7:00. We will
be electing a new slate for Officers and Board Members. Voting is
open to all Class A members in good standing of the Florida VOAD. That
means that 2009 FLVOAD dues for Class A members are due - now.

Nominations Committee will be comprised of Marion Sartore (FLVOAD
Interim Secretary), Jody Hill (FIND) and Steve Ewing (Compassion
Alliance). We welcome individual nominations. The Nominations
Committee will present a nominations slate at the Annual Meeting and
there will be an opportunity to make nominations from the floor. We
will post the nominations slate before the Annual Meeting.

In late June/early July we will be conducting our Third Annual
Strategic Planning Session - most likely at the State Logistical
Warehouse in Orlando (if available). Date will be decided. We
envision a day-long planning session, with catered lunch. Please let
us know if you would like to participate - seating will be limited and
officers and Board Members are expected to participate.

I am including the minutes of the meeting, below. We will also be
posting these minutes via the Google Group as a MS WORD file. Thanks
to Marion Sartore for typing up the minutes for the Meeting; and, I
apologize for not getting them out earlier in the week.

Thank you for your time.

God bless,
Rev. Mr. Marcus Hepburn
Chair, Florida VOAD
Catholic Charities of Florida/Florida Catholic Conference

Florida VOAD Quarterly Meeting
March 9, 2009
Sarasota, FL
Convened 10:00 am

Present:

Donna Dunio, American Red Cross Sarasota
Pauline Tracy, Sarasota County
Ken Skalitzky, Region IV, FEMA ATL
Danielle Kearney, Lutheran Services FL
Stewart Stearns, Sarasota Community Foundation
Marilyn Swanson, Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church
Kevin Smith, The Salvation Army
Chris Floyd, Big Bend COAD
Jody Hill, FIND
Cicero Hartsfield, Volunteer Florida/ESF 15
Jim Bentley, Brevard County VOAD
Lois Natiello, Department of Children and Families, Sarasota County
Michael Day, Department of Children and Families, Sarasota County
Merilee White, Volunteer Florida
Marcus Hepburn, FLVOAD/Catholic Charities of Florida
Jamie Mahadeo, Sarasota County Health and Human Services
Susan Goffard, Sarasota County Health and Human Services
Edward McCrane, Sarasota County Emergency Management
Curtis Hencye, Relief Ministries Calvary Chapel Sarasota
Dennis Doughman, Rapid Response Ministry
Rick Osborn, Rapid Response Ministry
Inaki Rezola, American Red Cross-Southwest Florida Chapter
Hawley Botchford, Florida Association of Food Banks
Joyce Jacobs, Harry Chapin Food Bank
Justin Vibbard, Adventist Community Services
Cindy Desmond, American Red Cross Sarasota
Steve Ewing, Compassion Alliance
Kathy Broyard, Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network
Rick Heers, I-HOPE, Immokalee
Deb Allich, National VOAD
Greg Strader, Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies
Keith Carson, Knights Hospitallers of the Sovereign Order of St. John


I. Meeting opened at 10:05 by Marcus Hepburn and turned over for
welcoming comments to Pauline Tracy, Sarasota County Health and Human
Services, and a member of Sarasota Community Organizations Active in
Disaster, who introduced Stewart Stearns.
A. Stewart Stearns, Chair of Sarasota-COAD and President and CEO of
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County welcomed the Florida VOAD
to Sarasota. Stewart remarked that he stands in awe at what all FLVOAD
and VOAD agencies do in regards to agency and individual commitments
to service. Stewart is very grateful for the model that the FLVOAD
presents.

He then introduced Rev. Bruce Wismar, Pastor Pine Shores Presbyterian
Church, Sarasota and Chair of the Long Term Recovery Committee –
Sarasota-COAD.

B. Bruce Wismar – Expressed thanks for the model that FLVOAD brings to
local communities. He expressed his thanks for the FLVOAD being in
Sarasota, and for all of the work FLVOAD does.

II. Introductions of participants

A. Individuals introduced themselves and the agency they represent

B. Guest Speaker Remarks: A view from the Bunker (Local EOC
Perspective on VOADs) Ed McCrane, EM Chief, Sarasota County. Ed
expressed a large thank you to FLVOAD for what each group/person does.
Among Ed’s comments were: Most successful responders are those who are
involved with VOAD/COADs. Volunteer/faith-based are the most willing;
“…you know how to do it, you do it every day. The resources and heart
you bring to response and relief is unique.” He went on to emphasize
that the most important thing about disasters is building
relationship.

III. FLVOAD Administration and Finances
A. Treasurer’s report – Kathy Broyard, Treasurer

1. Comments:
Checking account 2, 074. 40, papers will be transferred today
The 2009 budget will be sent to everyone…FLVOAD will be as transparent
as possible

B. Proposed FLVOAD 2009 Budget: Kathy Broyard, Treasurer
1. Income
a. Dues
i. Class A: $2,800; $100/member-27 on books for 2009-expect 30
ii. Dues Class B: $0
iii. Dues Class C: $0
b. Fund Raising/Donations
i. $400 Fund-raising donations luncheon donations
c. National VOAD 2010: expect some income from NVOAD conference
d. In kind support: conference calls, board travel, etc
e. TOTAL INCOME: $3,200
f. Carry-over balance 2008 $2,199
g. Total Estimated Income $5,399
2. Expense
a. Equipment and supplies: $100
b. Printing and copying: $200
c. Telephone and fax: $100
d. Postage & delivery $250
e. Web hosting, related costs N/A
i. $420/year; $35/mos. 2009 paid
f. Board travel: $1,600
i. $200 per board member as annual travel stipend/ board meeting or
NVOAD conference
g. National VOAD travel: $800
h. NVOAD 2010 planning
i. TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSE: $3,650

C. Discussion
1. Proposed budget reflects work of the budget adhoc committee
2. $200.00 stipend for members of the Executive Board…
a. Comments
i. suggested addition: “if not available from agency”
ii. “makes an exception for the FLVOAD to support a board member if
their agency does not cover it”
b. Comments will go back to the Ad Hoc committee

D. Lunch bill was $276; at close of lunch not all donations were in
and $236 had been collected.


E. New FLVOAD Secretary to replace Karen Thompson
1. Discussion
b. Karen received a promotion to National Anti-poverty Initiative with
United Church of Christ
c. Recommendation for interim secretary – Marion Sortore
d. Some discussion on qualifications to be a member of the Executive
Committee
e. EC to vote on replacement

IV. Briefings and Updates

A. Volunteer Florida/ESF 15
1. Merilee White: Fiscal Year 2008 social services grant awarded in
2009. Learned about it Thursday, $ part of the stimulus package. Will
help organizations who are providing everything from: adoption
service, employment service, foster care for adults (much more)…if in
connection with a disaster. If the money was spent in 2008 they can be
reimbursed. Strong case for all agencies continue documentation of
volunteer statistics. This grant must be applied for and approved
within 60 days. Merilee will push it out to FLVOAD members.
2. Cicero Hartsfield reported on the Data collection form for ESF.
a. Report from tropical storm Fay: capture activities from agencies
what accomplished in the field. Emphasis on tracking what volunteer
organizations are doing. Emphasis that this report is a summary. If
you have been tracking, you have great data for grants, state and
county government. Volunteer community in State of Fl. reports upward
of $3million dollars. These numbers tell our communities the value of
ESF 15. Please spread the word for people to collect and report this
information. You can develop and distribute a similar report. Copies
were distributed. Volunteer Fl. would like this information from
counties.
i. Discussion
a. Concern that this reflects response? Not day to day?…The form asks
for what volunteers did, and needs to ask what did the Vol. Org do.
i. Added categories have updated the form so that it includes more
than just response, and will broaden it to include the agency report
not just volunteers.
3. Volunteer FL working on Catastrophic Planning. The biggest impact
to FL response and recovery organizations is the responsibility of
hosting. ONO area…scenario- cannot bring in voluntary orgs will use
survivors in shelters, prepared to use untrained spontaneous vols.
Identifying roles, job descriptions, pulling together just in time
training for volunteers, engaging local resources in recovery. How can
your organization use survivors as volunteers?
a. Merilee would like to know if you have job descriptions and
training already developed.

4. Cicero
a. ESF 15 has some new MOU partners: Samaritans’ Purse, Knights
Hospitallers of the Sovereign Order of St. John, Florida Fraternal
Order of Police,
b. Updated ESF 15 COOP plan …encourage all support orgs to update
COOPs.
c. Volunteer Fl working to support local letters.
d. Also doing work on multi agency donation warehouse: support package
– pre-identified vendors
5. Training
a. Merilee - Volunteer FL will be providing support about what levels
of ICS are appropriate/necessary for volunteers. Leaders of volunteer
agencies may have to interact with government officials and will need
ICS. Merilee calls for input from agencies if you have any suggestions
about what level is good for volunteers and leaders. Also want to
start a NIMS-cast – website where agencies enter where they are in the
ICS training process.
b. Cicero – State is setting up a data base that captures training
skills possessed by agencies (possibly individuals) at state level…
skills typing
6. Jody Hill mentioned the Florida Crisis Consortium. This group
provides disaster behavioral health and operates under the State
Disaster Behavioral Health Plan. They operate through regional
disaster response teams.

B. FEMA Update: Ken Skalitzky
1. FEMA planned on opening ROCK and expanding it beyond FL to help May
28, 29 June 1-3 hurricane exercise. Top off type exercise…top
officials week long exercise. Region IV hasn’t been involved yet (we
have had our own real life exercises). Lessons learned will be used in
the new exercise.
2. Disaster housing strategic plan has been issued: changes – intend
to be engaged with HUD in housing assistance…individual will have
assistance from FEMA and then go into HUD. Intent is to get people
from temporary to permanent housing. Will charge rent, up to the point
of 31% (or 33%) of net (take-home) income.
3. Are working with Methodists to do training in South East
conference, also working with Mennonite Conference training 500
4. Headquarters…putting together VAL trainings there are 12 full time
positions. 6 are new. DAE, disaster assistance employees will all
receive training also…so service will be consistent across the nation.
5. National and State Hurricane Conference coming up…invitation to
attend these
6. Challenge Fl VOAD to develop a training institute for local VOADs
7. Continuing with case management pilot projects. Will NOT have a
program ready for this 2009 season.
8. Credentialing and badging: recommend that volunteer agencies have
picture, id with name/org, and an expiration date
a. Discussion
i. question: in regards to id badges…can add info in bar code or chip
format
a. Badging and Credentialing are two separate things. Badging is a
picture id. Credentialing has training and skills, resource typing.

9. USA Today reports President Obama supports CNCS and AMERICORPS

C. Catastrophic planning: Inaki Rezola reporting
1. started in 2006 – June 30 2009. Many elements from CAT Plan will be
tested. Anything south of I4 will have hurricane winds. The drill
coming up May 28, 29 may focus on pre land fall, June 1-3 focus will
be on response and recovery phases. Post disaster relocation: pre-
event evacuation, during event evacuations and post event evacuations.
Focus is starting on those who are most in need.
2. Another aspect: Family notification, case management, mobilizing
local volunteers, long term recovery, forms for all of these. Lessons
from Kat Aide today are being taken into consideration, i.e. how to
avoid duplication of services.
3. Please take message to local communities to be involved in this
exercise and local planning.
a. Discussion
i. Marcus: CAT planning event designed to overwhelm local systems and
see where the week system processes are. Don’t think about the ways
that you normally do things. Think out of the box. Some of lessons
learned by planners were used.
ii. Kevin Smith - Salvation Army…previous CAT planning didn’t go far
enough to include others who know what the systemic shortfalls are.
Should FL VOAD/local VOADs take the initiative to look at taking on
10,000 persons who will be arriving by bus…what do you do? Our CAT
plan is to maintain fl evacuees in FL to keep votes in FL. We will
quickly overwhelm our state/local resources. We stand in the
opportunity to be engaged in this…all need to pull together to look at
how we will do this. For exercise hurricane Sudder.
iii. Merilee, in order for this to have an impact on the exercise, we
need to do this earlier.
iv. Ad hoc committee will be formed to look into this: Kevin Smith,
Jodi Hill, Chris Floyd, Ken Skalitzky, Merillee White, Rick Osborn,
Marcus Hepburn, Greg Strader, Jamie Mahadeo.

Charge to the committee: to identify and articulate active role for
FLVOAD in hurricane exercise Sudder with emphasis on convening and
understanding the resources needed in a host community to meet the
needs.
v. Inaki…most local do not have any idea about what the CAT plan is
about.
vi. Marilyn Swanson – how well connected are we with local VOAD/COADs?
We need contact information for them.
a. Interim Secretary is charged with creating current list of state
VOAD/COAD groups.
vii. Jodi…what is the minimum we can allow for safe and sanitary to
stay in homes and triage that we can repair.
viii. Cicero…what is your capacity in your local community/ hosting
community to respond to sheltering/hosting. What is our capacity
locally, how to bring in resources form outside.
ix. Merilee…will try to get access to us for online latest version of
the exercise.

D. National VOAD Conference report: Marcus Hepburn
1. The conference will be at the Hilton adjacent to Downtown Disney
in 2010. Will be in late April or Mid May. Marcus is calling for a
large volunteer contingent to help with the conference. National will
do the planning, but expect host committee to help carry it out.
FLVOAD will have a host night on Thursday of the conference…with a
program. Need to start recruiting FLVOAD volunteers for local
conference planning committee who will work with the NVOAD planning
committee. FLVOAD should receive some revenue from this. Marcus is
participating in the planning for the 2009 AVC to gain knowledge about
this process. FLVOAD will need a logo for the conference. Take the
national local and in the C put something that brands FLVOAD. Also
need a motto. At strategic planning for FLVOAD will begin AVC
planning.

E. Governor’s Hurricane Conference: Marcus Hepburn
1. First two days training workshops, Cicero is coordinating training
a. Volunteers and donations training…Florida Volunteer Administrator
certificate program.
i. Workshops:
a. Keep them coming back - What types of things can we do to create
an environment to come back to our state and donate their times.
b. Get ready get set get reimbursed: how to better document; pre
agreements with local government for volunteers to get reimbursed for
expenses incurred in response. Will coordinate with FEMA
c. VOAD/COAD round table
d. Lessons learned
e. NIMCAST
f. 211: your lucky number....target emergency managers
g. LTR Roundtable…questions and lessons learned.
ii. Events
a. Thursday may 14, 3:30 to 5:00 roundtable led by Vol. FL followed by
annual meeting of FLVOAD 5:30 to 7:00.
2. Deb Allich, National VOAD staff
a. Expectations of FLVOAD/rolls and responsibilities
i. Work with NVOAD to guide direction of conference to make it truly a
FL conference.
ii. There will be an evening dedicated to FLVOAD. We need to make it
an exciting evening out with dinner and entertainment
iii. Work to get local/Fl venders. MO is to use Florida vendors and
create a positive economic impact while we are there.
iv. Shine a light on the VOAD movement.
b. Typical costs we are responsible for: no costs, do give volunteers
on host committee attend conf for free, other volunteers conf rate
reduced,
c. Questions form the floor: none.
d. Dates of Conference May 10-14, 2010

Break for lunch 12:15
Convene 1:05

V. Discussion and debate items
A. Membership fees: currently $100 each calendar year for Class A
memberships with voting privileges/responsibilities. Class B and C do
not have voting responsibilities. Suggestion is to have Class B and
Class C pay $50
1. Discussion
a. not a good time to go raise dues
b. what are their benefits
c. voting is an issue to assess
d. Membership definitions
i. Class A: a) organization shall be state-wide in scope and purpose;
b) organization shall consist of voluntary memberships or
constituencies, shall have a not-for-profit structure and shall have
tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
of the United States; c) organization shall have a disaster response
program and policy for commitment of resources (i.e., personnel, funds
and equipment) to meet the needs of people affected by disaster
without discrimination as to race, creed, gender, or age; d) in the
event that an organization is structured into districts or regional
representation, its NVOAD parent organization will designate its
representative in FLVOAD.
ii. Class B: may be granted to any chartered county, district or
municipal VOAD group.
iii. Class C: may be granted to any organization with disaster
planning and operations responsibilities or capabilities which does
not meet the requirements for membership n Class A or Class B
e. Do we want to extend voting rights to Class B.
f. At the strategic planning meeting of FLVOAD need to define benefits
of membership
g. first step is to get list of COADs & VOADs
h. B and C not be STATE VOAD members.
i. There are agencies that need to be engaged…get past chairs back to
the table. Look at the NVOAD list…who has FL ties
j. There are three reps from local COAD/VOADs who vote for them
k. Suggested name change for Class memberships to: State level,
Affiliate, and Associates
l. ESF 15 requires that all those agencies with which they have an MOU
be a VOAD/COAD
m. Marcus will send out message about strategic planning session… will
meet at the Orlando logistics warehouse.


B. Nominations committee – Chaired by FLVOAD Secretary
1. Jodi Hill, Steve Ewing

C. Other Items
1. Keith Carson: web site…that will include members by agency and
agency and contact information hasn’t been changed. Marcus: training
on software was completed two weeks ago…and will undertake this ASAP.

2. Merilee offered congratulations to this group…this group was
recognized as a model for other states.

NEXT MEETING OF THE FLVOAD WILL BE AT THE GOVERNOR’S HURRICANE
CONFERENCE

Respectfully submitted,
Marion R. Sortore
March 10, 2009