PRESENT: Scott Adams, Celeste Branham (remote), Susan Cheesman (remote), Kelly Day, Chelsey Fortin-Trimble (remote), Bill Guindon, Necole Janczura, Janet May, Thomas Meuser, Kelsey Preecs, Pam Proulx-Curry, Betsy Sawyer-Manter, Luke Shorty, Tade Sullivan, Jenni Tilton-Flood (remote), Ruben Torres.
STAFF AND GUESTS: Krystal Williams, Michael Ashmore, Maryalice Crofton, Jamie McFaul, Tilan Copson.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Krystal Williams presented an introduction to the new AmeriCorps Legal Access Navigators program. Three AmeriCorps members provide information to people who are representing themselves and also help the Volunteer Lawyers Project with an intake process. The training they are getting right now emphasizes understanding Maine’s legal system and how to provide information but not unauthorized practice of law. The members are system navigators, not lawyers.
CALL TO ORDER. Chair Luke Shorty called the meeting to order at 10:19 AM. After introductions of Commissioners, staff, and guests, the quiz answer was given. One Commissioner submitted a correct response. The protocols for a hybrid business meeting were covered before the Public Comment opened. The chair did remind members that conflicts of interest should be declared as agenda items come up.
ANNOUNCEMENTS. It was noted that the 2024 Annual Report has been printed and copies are available for Commissioners to take with them. Also, Matthew Williams has resigned from the Commission. He has taken a new job that is not local government so he doesn’t qualify to hold the seat for local government. Commissioners with recommendations for a successor are asked to send them to the chair. There is also an opening for chair of the Service Programs task force. Any commissioner interested in filling the role is asked to contact Luke. Regarding staff appointments, interviews for a position are underway but no changes have yet been made.
There was one addition to staff reports and no deletions to the agenda.
CONSENT AGENDA. MOVED by Proulx-Curry to approve the consent agenda. SECOND by Guindon. Vote on the motion (roll call): In favor– Adams, Branham, Day, Fortin-Trimble, Guindon, Janczura, May, Meuser, Preecs, Proulx-Curry, Sawyer-Manter, Sullivan, Tilton-Flood, Torres. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
Under the motion, the following minutes were approved and reports accepted: Commission business meeting minutes of December 20, 2024; Executive Committee reports from January 7, 2025 and February 4, 2025; and Service Programs Task Force report from January 21, 2025.
PLANNING AND FUTURE INITIATIVES
Federal issues and their Commission implications/impact. First discussion item was Executive Orders and other federal executive department actions. The impoundment of funds was short lived and the state treated it like they would with a federal shutdown. The procedure is well known from prior federal experiences. Payroll would have been covered if needed but it did not last that long. The other Executive Orders the Commission needs to deal with address DEI, American Climate Corps, and the use of gender vs sex on any forms or documents or data instruments. There are four and the Commission has been directed to sanitize language in grant narratives even when the terms are not indicative of current activities. For instance, the training grant narrative refers to a DEI training for grantees. The narrative was written in December 2021 for activities that occurred and ended in 2022. In subgrants, most of the cited language appears in text responding to a required section about the sponsoring organization and not the program. While no one references the American Climate Corps which ceased to exist on January 17, some reference climate change as an issue their communities are worried about. If the language is removed now, the original text remains in the federal grant management system and an amendment with the current date appears. Doing this would easily make it appear that language was removed for the purpose of obscuring what was going on when, in fact, the language does not indicate what program activities are underway. Maryalice is working closely with AAG Forester on the process and response. Two court cases are also factoring into the process and response. The Commission’s extension on responding is today but another extension is needed. A check of state commissions around the country finds that final response dates are varying all the way through Feb 28. The Maine staff will ask for another extension after this meeting.
A question was asked about how the Executive Orders impacted the board’s DEI task force. No federal funds are used, in fact, no monies at all go into the conversations the group has. Commission board members are not eligible for compensation (per diem) under federal and state law. However, there is a proposal later in the agenda to retire the DEI Task Force and replace it with one that has a broader mission. Further discussion was held until that part of the agenda.
A second issue concerns the changes in office operating grants and budget timelines. A graphic was shared so the confusing discussion could be seen in an easier graphic form. Commissioners were reminded that the federal funds are in a bridging period that will move the office financial cycle into alignment with the state July-June fiscal year. Match is not needed for this six months but, starting July 1, match will be an issue again. Federal AmeriCorps monies for the July 1 period are part of the current federal FY2025 budget discussions and the continuing resolution that runs out March 14. The application for those funds and the budget will likely be requested in April with a May due date so the turnaround will be exceedingly fast. Under the state budget proposal, the Commission requests impact the year starting July 1, 2025. The proposal this year is for ongoing funding and, if approved, would give the Commission full match for the support grant for the first time ever. MOCA has already testified about the budget in a joint Appropriations and Housing hearing. The work session for their budget is next week at Housing and Economic Development.
At the same time, the Commission needs to follow the new president’s proposed budget. Its release is expected late March and, from Volunteer Maine’s perspective, will cover the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. While there’s a longer runway to the financial start, any outreach and national coordination with ASC will have to occur immediately on the heels of the work for funding tied up in the CR. It is going to be a very, very busy year.
Foundation. Celeste reported as the liaison. The Foundation met on February 11 and the treasurer reported they had $19,556 on hand. As part of those funds, the annual appeal made up $7,200 and the sponsors of the awards program accounted for $10,100. Their board also adopted its first budget. This gives them all the essential pieces to pursue grants and gifts because funders request a budget among other things. As a way to strengthen communication and the understanding of needs, a member of the foundation board will be asked to meet with the Commission Financial Task Force quarterly for a briefing.
GSA planning committee. Nikki gave an update. Sponsorship has been the high priority so far. Now that nominations are coming in, attention will turn to the event details. She is meeting with the Commission PIO later today to sort out staff, foundation, and committee roles. Nikki mentioned that Tilan has been very helpful in keeping things organized. Commissioners should expect to see a list of roles that need to be filled for the event and the request is to sign up to help.
FOCUS ON MISSION RESPONSIBILITIES
Commissioner Ambassador Reports on program visits. There were no reports.
BUSINESS REPORTS
Public Policy. Jenni reported on state legislative issues. The task force is meeting twice a month during the legislative session. It is focused on three things: the Volunteer Maine budget, protecting against federal fiscal clawbacks, and ensuring the Commission’s statutory enabling language is not edited when it is moved under the MOCA statute. This is the first time the Commission’s statute will be subsumed into another agency’s statute. Most recently, the task force worked on talking points and materials for Diane and Tom to use in their Hill visits next week. They will attend the annual ASC Leadership Convening and the Hill visits will be on the day before. Everyone is so grateful to them for taking this on.
The task force is waiting to see the language of bills we have heard about. Representative Rielly has submitted them for drafting but the actual language has not been issued.
Michael interjected that the annual National and Community Service Day at the state Capitol is on March 13. It will go from 9am to 12 pm. There is a program starting at 11 am that will be the commitment to service for AmeriCorps members who started in January. Tilan added that there will be tours of the building if anyone is interested.
Chelsey was asked about issues raised at the national public policy meetings. She indicated they have been covered in discussions earlier today. ASC has provided a timeline for federal events, based on what should happen but realizing the times are very different. The significant items for March are the budget resolution, release of the president’s budget, State of the Union, and debt ceiling.
Grant Selection and Performance Task Force. The task force met and reviewed the National Direct AmeriCorps programs that propose to operate in Maine. The list is from the federal agency. The applicants are required by law to consult with the Commission before submitting their proposals. If they do not consult, the Commission’s recommendation is an automatic “do not support” which FoodCorps and the American Leadership Corps earned. In accordance with the Commission’s policy, four others earned a “neutral” recommendation because, while they did consult, the needs and activities are not in alignment with the Commission’s funding priorities. Those applicants are the American Heart Association, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, Notre Dame Mission Volunteer Corporation, and Student Conservation Association.
Executive Committee. Luke reported that most members of the Executive Committee are on the search committee for the next Executive Director. That committee added Chelsey to represent the Dept of Education and Samantha Horn as the Director of MOCA. The committee meets weekly and is largely on track with the timeline set.
The search committee update is brief so that no candidates, current or future, have a perceived advantage in the process. There are 22 applicants and a set of committee members are reviewing them to ensure they meet the minimum criteria announced for the position. There are two parts to the interview process, two sets of questions. The committee members created the questions and approved for use by state HR. The finalists will have a chance to meet with staff so they can provide feedback. Then the committee will come to the full board with a recommendation for the next executive director. Ideally, the person will start the Monday after Maryalice leaves but they may need to give notice to a current employer. The committee will be discussing a contingency plan if there needs to be coverage for a few weeks.
Communications Task Force. No report.
Service Programs Task Force. Tom introduced the task force recommendation for a new policy for the Maine Service Fellows program. He asked Lucy to describe the need and summarize the policy which had been previously distributed. The policy addresses the situation where a Service Fellow completes one term, has a break in service, and decides to do a second term at the same site. The issue is the length of the break and how long before a federal criminal history check must be done. The first draft had the length at three-months but, after discussion, the members set it at 45 days. They felt it would encourage a Service Fellow to do a second term at the same site rather than move.
The host site can require it for shorter time and the policy doesn’t apply to Service Fellows who move to a new site. A question was raised about the cost but, due to the program being a volunteer one, it falls under the state’s reduced fee of $38 for state and federal check. A follow up asked about the length of time to get the check’s report and staff responded that is about a week, two weeks at the most. There is no cost for the organization to enroll in the Maine volunteer criminal history service program and it takes less than 20 minutes to do so. Another board member asked for a red-lined version of the policy so changes were more evident. The explanation is this policy is totally new, it is not a revision of a previous policy. The next question pertained to how the Commission audits the files and ensures the background checks are completed. The response explained that the local organization may not, under federal law, share the total findings with anyone. Only the named person in their agency may see them. So, the host site determines if the results allow or block the person from serving based on their policies and then they write a memo-to-file that the results were reviewed and what they determine. The Commission staff review that memo. Because of the dependence on local policies, the Commission does provide technical assistance if needed.
Luke called for a motion. MOVED by Proulx-Curry to approve the policy as presented. SECOND by Meuser.
Luke encouraged members of the Service Programs task force to take note and discuss other issues raised during discussion such as results that would automatically disqualify someone from being a Service Fellow, review of host site policies about background checks and disqualifying offenses, and the need for technical assistance.
Vote on the motion (roll call): In favor– Adams, Branham, Day, Fortin-Trimble, Guindon, Janczura, May, Meuser, Preecs, Proulx-Curry, Sawyer-Manter, Sullivan, Tilton-Flood, Torres. Opposed – none. Motion passed.
It was noted there is another proposed policy that did not make it onto the agenda. A draft was distributed but it will be taken up next month.
DEI Task Force. Celeste reported that members of the task force met on several occasions in the last month. The conversations were very challenging and difficult at times, but authentic and thoughtful. The discussions were prompted by the Executive Order that, in summary, directed federally funded grantees to end DEI initiatives. Task force members concluded, however reluctantly, that the DEI task force should be retired and a successor created with a broader charge.
The proposed name of the successor task force is “Institutional Effectiveness and Accountability” and its charge would be as follows:
The Institutional Effectiveness and Accountability Task Force is responsible for ensuring the Commission's mission, policies, procedures, initiatives, and tactics are responsive to the varied needs of Maine communities. The task force carries out this responsibility by:
- fostering Commission understanding of Maine communities, their residents, historic and current issues influencing their success and resilience, and local priorities;
- assessing Commission activities and decisions through the lens of the Commission's Identity Statement to detect both opportunities and barriers to working with the Commission;
- identifying conditions that may limit participation in service by Maine people and raising those conditions to Commission staff and Board members for potential resolution;
- ensuring the mission, values, and beliefs of the Commission are central to all operations by holding staff and peers accountable for decisions that promote participation by all Maine people.
Luke noted the first step is to sunset the DEI task force and then take up creation of another one. MOVED by Branham that the DEI Task Force be disbanded. SECOND by Proulx-Curry.
Discussion started with a question about what would happen if the task force was not disbanded in response to the Executive Order. Members responded they expected there would be financial repercussions, undue attention and time spent proving we were not doing certain things, and demands on energy we need to spend on the multitude of issues already in front of the Commission. One person shared that, while it feels odd given our values, the new task force is proposed as an evolution of the work which makes sure the Commission knows what the needs are and who we might serve. Another noted there seems to be a narrow interpretation of DEI and omission of its full meaning. The observation was made that the verbs in the charge were not strong enough to convey the group commitment and feelings. Celeste noted that and offered to bring back an amendment at a later date. A follow-up comment emphasized that Maine is not one big white state where everyone looks, feels, talks the same. There are many cultures. A final comment noted the Commission is doing this under duress but not without asking “where is the line” one should not cross. Understanding communities and their needs is a core part of Commission work.
The chair called the question. Vote on the motion: In favor (7) – Day, Guindon, Janczura, Meuser, Preecs, Sawyer-Manter, Tilton-Flood. Opposed (2) – Adams, Torres. Abstain (4) – Branham, May, Proulx-Curry, Sullivan. Motion passed.
Moved by Adams to establish the Institutional Effectiveness and Accountability Task Force with the charge presented by Branham. Second by Tilton-Flood. Vote on the motion: In favor – Adams, Branham, Day, Guindon, Janczura, May, Meuser, Preecs, Proulx-Curry, Sawyer-Manter, Sullivan, Tilton-Flood, Torres. Opposed – none. Motion passed unanimously.
The chair asked Celeste if she would lead the new task force and she agreed. Luke then asked any board members who want to serve on the new task force to let him know and he invited others to join.
Financial Task Force. The task force reviewed progress on closing out grants and funds available to cover the six-month transition to the new grant cycle. Payroll is covered but it will be tight. Maryalice reported that the Commission would be working with a new accounting service center when it joins MOCA. Currently, the General Government Service Center is handling bookkeeping. The new one will be the Natural Resources Service Center and it provides financial analysts as well as accounting. The NRSC leads are already meeting with Maryalice to learn about grants and finances. There will be just one quarter left with GGSC before the change.
AmeriCorps (federal agency). Susan gave a quick update. The agency is in the process of doing a comprehensive review of its portfolio of grants. Two emails went out through GovDelivery with instructions. The first alerted grantees that the agency was taking steps to comply with all the executive orders including the ones discussed here. The second email was sent February 11 and it explained what executive orders an AmeriCorps grant would have to comply with. On Feb 14, all grantees were notified by email of the three response options for each grantee to use concerning executive orders. The first is stating they are in compliance; the second, amend any language contradictory to the executive orders; and third relinquish the grants. This process covers AmeriCorps Seniors, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps state and national awards. It’s a very aggressive timeline but need to set grantees up for compliance.
Commission staff reports (items here are in addition to published reports). The Volunteer Services Coordinator interviews were conducted by Maryalice, Lucy, Kelsey Preecs, and Melissa Beecher (Dept of Education, new COO). Kelsey and Melissa were thanked. The transition work to MOCA has started. Director Horn is convening meetings of all staff and formed subcommittees to handle facilities, communications, and other aspects. Tilan is serving on the communications group. Last item to mention is an AmeriCorps competition will open up immediately and aims to allocate the funds returned from the Penobscot grant. The competition will run in conjunction with the continuation application process because both deadlines are going to be about the same time. The NGA project has been unveiled. There is a press release on the Maine Dept of Labor site. Finally, the upgrade to the Maine Ready platform will add functionality that makes it useful to all volunteer programs, not just those responding to disasters. There will be a new name, Serve Maine, and the use has been cleared in writing. The issue is that Maine Conservation Corps’ statute references SERVE Maine. Even though it is an acronym, Tilan made sure they were okay with the Commission’s use of a similar name. It will not conflict with the individual United Way sites which use Volunteer ME. The Commission site will be one stop for statewide search and not be bound buy counties or other regional boundaries.
BUSINESS WRAP UP
Luke asked remote participants how the technology went. They all indicated it had no problems. The next scheduled business meeting is March 21, 2025.
MOVED by Proulx-Curry to adjourn. SECOND by Meuser. Motion accepted unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 12:53 pm.