February USSI Board of Director Minutes

Date: Monday, February 10, 2025

Called to Order: 3:33 PM

Board Members Present: Michael Davis, Tony Covarrubias, Derek McDonald, Marti Goff, Lynne Williams, Sheena Fort (via Facebook live) Darlene Rich (via facebook live), and Ronni Spaulding.

USSI Staff Members Present: Kevin O’Connor (Executive Director), Stephanie Smothers (Office Manager).

Board Member Excused: Pam O’Brien, Lynne Williams

Board Members Absent: Darlene Rich

Members present: Mark Lyman, Rose Davis

Persons to be heard: Mark Lyman, asking about Alaska Lottery. Kevin stated he would look into it. 

Quorum: Present

Marti Goff, board chair, called the meeting to order at 3:30PM.

Approval of Agenda:

Shaina moves to approve the agenda, Tony seconded the agenda. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed.

Approval of Previous Minutes:

Mike moves to approve the agenda, Ronni seconded the agenda. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed.

Treasurer’s report: BOD reviews the report.

Mike shares the suggested Bylaws changes to the Annual Meeting voting, he states that 14 days in advance the voters could turn in their votes and they will be counted prior to the meeting. The BOD states that memberships for the USSI should be 90 days before the members are eligible to vote for board members. They will prorate for June 30th- July 1st. To be able to vote you should be a member by July 1st 2025.

Marti makes a motion to approve the amended membership article 3.01 membership, Derek seconded the motion. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed.

Derek made a motion to approve the changes to the second Tuesday in October to the 2nd Friday in October, Tony seconded it. 

Discussion: 3.04 Annual meeting date change to the second Friday of October. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed. 

Tony makes a motion to make the change to 4.01 expected hours to over 10 instead of “10-15”, Derek seconded the motion. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed.

Committee Reports

Membership: Discussion of membership dates, prorate to July 1st expiration. 

Activities/Fundraising/Gaming: Bingo will be February , April 11th, and April 25th. The board members agreed to ask Krystal about the raffle tickets for the gun show being $10.00 per ticket.  

The board agrees to do Fathers Day BBQ event that is paid for by grants. Saturday, June 14th. 

Board members to identify a volunteer for yard sales. 

Derek motions to combine Gaming/Activities and Fundraising as one committee, Tony seconded the motion. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed. 

Property Development/Expansion/Building Maintenance/Housing: Derek states that they are working on getting more resources for the expansion. He also adds that the generator needs 2 new batteries and a trickle charger.  

Ronni makes a motion to approve the 2 new battery costs and trickle charger, Marti seconded the motion. 

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed. 

Grants: Tony states that they had discussion of the meeting with HUD. February 18th from 10AM-11AM is the Alaska Funding Directory, Foraker has over 100 grantees and funders in the area and they will show what they can provide. 10-2PM there is grant writing training on February 28th in Palmer at MSC $25.00. 

Kevin adds that North Grant for energy efficiency was given to every tenant and filled out for the center to give us 150,000.00. 

Rasmusen turned down our grant for the building costs of expansion. 

Murkowski grant request was sent in for expansion. 

UAA Center development and AARP community project. 

$89,000.00 for the State grant was extended for the end of June 2026. Alder architecture of Palmer. 

Kitchen/catering/MOW: 1 client for the MOW.

ED Report

Kevin shares updates:

• Easter egg hunt on April 19th Saturday. 

• Tomorrow’s lunch will have 

• Rob will be helping with social security

• Payroll system called “onpay” is up and running and there will be W2’s instead of 1099. 

• on the 3rd Thursday lunch, last month about 18 people show up.

  
  

Tony shared that he attended a Financial Minimum Wage/Sick Leave training from the Foraker group.

Old Business

1. Bylaws revisions/Policy revisions - Mike discussed prior in the meeting. 

2. Audit - Tony and Mike will start the audit once Stephanie is back. 

3. Vicki Compensation - $400.00 per dinner was promised to Vicki so they gave $800.00 for the last two dinners and $400.00 for the one dinner this year. 

4. Evening Exercise classes - Ronni and Marti discuss the start of exercise classes. Tony mentions the liability coverage, board confirms that the insurance covers the event. 

5. Website - Ronni states that the website is ready to launch and will be after this meeting by February 18th.

New Business

1. Robert's Rules of Order 

2.  Bids for automatic generator - Mike questions if Jacob could 

3. Housing Manager responsibilities - Review Mike’s job, general maintenance, $250.00 a month discount for his rent. Add “gateway to the arctic kids responsibilities for the summer” to the Building Maintenance committee. 

4. Vending machine - visit at the next meeting. 

Tony makes a motion to adjourn the meeting, Mike seconded the motion

All present board members vote and the motion passes unopposed

Meeting adjourned at: 5:30PM.