Oaths of Office: John Portela, Dedimus Justice and Commissioner, administered oaths of office to new Commissioners Becky Hayes-Boober and Susan Wiggin and returning Commissioners F. Celeste Branham, Zach Maher, and Luke Shorty.
Public Comment Period: No members of the public requested an opportunity to speak.
Present: Ed Barrett, Becky Hayes-Boober, F. Celeste Branham, Julia Fiori, Stacie Haines, Susan Hawthorne, Matt L’Italien, Zachery Maher, Robert Meinders, John Portela, Pamela Proulx-Curry, Luke Shorty, Susan Wiggin.
Guests: Bill Birney, Maine Volunteer Foundation. Patricia Oh, UMaine Center on Ageing. Amie Hutchison, Trekkers.
Call to Order: Chair Tilton-Flood called the meeting to order at 10:12 a.m.
Welcome, Announcements, Agenda Adjustments: Commissioners introduced themselves and stated which seats they held on the Commission. Staff were also introduced. Executive Director Crofton announced that Hayes-Boober answered the quiz question correctly.
Consent Agenda: There were no concerns about the consent agenda. MOTION by Proulx-Curry to approve the agenda. SECOND by Portela.
Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
Items approved by the motion were the Commission meeting minutes for April 15, 2022, the report of the Executive Committee meeting for May 3, 2022, the report of the Communications Task Force meeting for May 10, 2022, the report of the Maine Service Fellows Advisory committee meeting for May 10, 2022.
Planning and Future Initiatives
A. Maine Volunteer Foundation Update (Birney): The Foundation has continued its efforts to recruit more board members.
B. Mid-year update of Commission’s 2022 workplan (Crofton): All goals outlined in the workplan will be completed on time. So far, the Maine Service Fellows coordinator position has not been filled; it would support the MSF advisory committee and seek grants.
Business Reports
A. Grant Selection and Performance Task Force (Barrett): The task force completed the selection process for AmeriCorps Formula planning grants and the reviews and assessments of continuation applications from AmeriCorps programs. The final recommendations are presented as motions for board action.
New Planning Grants
MOVED by Barrett that the Alpha Legal Foundation’s AmeriCorps grant proposal for a 1-year planning grant be funded for no more than $60,000 with the stipulation that corrections and clarifications described in the report from reviewers are addressed before the federal submission deadline. The AmeriCorps funds awarded do not require a match. SECONDED by Branham. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
MOVED by Barrett that the Maine Department of Education’s AmeriCorps grant proposal for a 1-year planning grant be funded for no more than $60,000 with the stipulation that corrections and clarifications described in the report from reviewers are addressed before the federal submission deadline. The AmeriCorps funds awarded do not require a match. SECONDED by Branham. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
Cost Reimbursement
MOVED by Barrett that the Greater Portland Council of Governments' AmeriCorps Resilience Corps be funded for year 3 of the 3-year grant at the level of $362,146 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $124,744 in local funds, supporting 14-member service years distributed over 14 slots; the cost per MSY is set at $25,868. The grantee is required to correct funding information in the Executive Summary prior to the federal submission. SECONDED by Meinders. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
Fixed Amount
MOVED by Barrett that the Main Street Skowhegan’s AmeriCorps program be funded for year 2 of the 3-year grant at the requested level of $130,00 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $34,000 in local funds, supporting 5-member service years distributed over 5 slots with the stipulation that the executive summary align with the budget. The proposed cost per member service year is $26,000. The grantee is required to correct funding information in the Executive Summary prior to the federal submission. SECONDED by Branham. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Abstaining – L’Italien. Motion passed.
MOVED by Barrett that the Maine Youth Alliance's I KNOW ME/AmeriCorps Mentor program be funded for year 2 of the 3-year grant at the requested level of $104,000 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $135,250 in local funds, supporting 4-member service years distributed over 4 slots with the stipulation that progress reports be submitted on time. The proposed cost per member service year is $26,000. SECONDED by Portela. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
MOVED by Barrett that the Trekkers AmeriCorps program be funded for year 2 of the 3-year grant at the requested level of $72,670 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $20,124 in local funds, supporting 2.79-member service years distributed over 5 slots with the stipulation that they adjust their cost per member service year to the maximum amount of $26,000. Seconded by Branham. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
MOVED by Barrett that the UMaine Center on Aging's Lifelong Maine AmeriCorps program be funded for year 2 of the 3-year grant at the requested level of $ 212,940 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $20,124 in local funds, supporting 8.16-member service years distributed over 18 slots with the stipulation that they adjust their cost per member service year to the maximum amount of $26,000. The grantee is required to correct funding information in the Executive Summary prior to the federal submission. SECONDED by Shorty. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
MOVED by Barrett that the Town of Van Buren's AmeriCorps Five to Ninety-Five program be funded for year 2 of the 3-year grant at the requested level of $ 52,000 Federal Share, to be matched by at least $135,772 in local funds, supporting 2-member service years distributed over 2 slots. The proposed cost per member service year is $ 26,000. The grantee is required to correct funding information in the Executive Summary prior to the federal submission. SECONDED by Portela. Vote on the motion: In favor –Barrett, Hayes-Boober, Branham, Fiori, Haines, Hawthorne, L’Italien, Maher, Meinders, Portela, Proulx-Curry, Shorty, Wiggin. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
The Commission discussed how to improve the progressive discipline process for grantees who are late with invoices.
B. Research and Evaluation Task Force (Brewer, Haines): The new Commissioners received an overview of the task force, which currently focuses on climate and involves additional participants outside of the Commission with scientific backgrounds; much energy is directed towards Maine Climate Corps at the moment.
C. National Public Policy Committee of States (Crofton, Shorty): States for Service is currently looking for bipartisan state representatives and state senators interested in volunteerism. Rep Morgan Rielly of Maine is one of the state legislators who approached ASC and States for Service with the idea of a service caucus of state legislators. Members of NPPCS are currently discussing community education and public health components of state climate corps.
D. Board DEI Committee (Branham): The subcommittee was explained to new members; the Commission’s ongoing partnership with SISGI to develop training around evaluation, strategies, representation, grantmaking, and intermediate/long-term goals was elucidated.
E. Financial Reports for quarter ending March 31, 2022: (Crofton, Shorty): The Commission noted that DAFS does not always give revenue and expense detail in financial reports and reminded everyone that one must keep encumbrance amounts in mind when reviewing financial reports in order to find the correct account balance in each Excel workbook.
F. Commission staff reports: The Commission expressed satisfaction upon reviewing the mid-year update of the staff workplan.
Focus on Mission Responsibilities
AmeriCorps Grantee Briefings. Amie Hutchison of Trekkers and Patricia Oh of the UMaine Center on Aging briefed the Commission on program use of grant resources, impact on community issue, and activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Oh noted that her AmeriCorps program services Saco, Dexter, Millinocket, Blue Hill, Houlton, Danforth, Bethel. Home assistance, gardening, transportation, community engagement, and socialization opportunities are provided. Members helped recruit an additional 135 volunteers to service sites.
Hutchison stated that all of Trekkers’ current AmeriCorps service members are alumni of Trekker’s 6-year youth mentoring program and have deep attachment and understanding of their youth engagement role as a result. Trekker’s mentoring is unique in that youth participants have democratic input that shapes the trips and environmental focus of their upcoming year. Recently, Trekkers secured funding to do in-depth internal DEI review and to develop training and strategy with an outside consultant.
Business Wrap-Up: The next Commission meeting will be on June 17th, 2022. Chair Tilton-Flood adjourned the business meeting at 12:30 p.m.