Career Alliance Inc. (CAI) Board

Meeting Minutes

Broome Center

4119 N. Saginaw Street            

Flint, MI  48505

Thursday, February 28, 2008

8:00 a.m.

 

 

PRESENT:    Jimmy King, Lawrence E. Moon, Vera Perry, Mary Sumpter, Suzanne Howell, Edward Donovan, Kevin Keane, Khalil Saab, Lewis Driskell, William Churchill, Cheryl Gifford, Willie W. Middlebrooks, Gary Isham, Jerry Ragsdale, Cunesha Sanders, Sheryl Thompson, Norwood Jewell

 

ABSENT:  Augustine Agho (excused), Erik Eastman (excused), Robert Hardy (excused), Alan Hartter (excused), Gary Smith (excused)

 

STAFF PRESENT:    Craig Coney, Kim Etheridge, Helen Brown, Tammy Irving, Richard Curtis

OTHERS PRESENT: Peter Goodstein

 

I.                  MEETING CALLED TO ORDER:  The meeting was called to order at 8:00   a.m.

II.                PUBLIC COMMENTS   

Donna Poplar expressed concerns regarding the CEO selection process. 

Quincy Murphy, on behalf Garfield Bunche Community, wanted all candidates to be interviewed.

Vera Rison, on behalf of the community, also wanted all of the candidates to be interviewed. 

Quintin Marshall, Sr., Genesee County C.O.G.I.C. Alliance, expressed concerns regarding the CEO interview and hiring practices. 

Barbara Griffith –Wilson, representing the community, expressed concerns about Greg Eason being left out of the final interview process. 

A.C. Dumas spoke in support of Greg Eason. 

Norm Bryant, on behalf of the citizens to save the Broome Center, expressed concerns on whether the CEO interview process was fair. 

Colonel Lee, representing the Flint Community Council, expressed concerns of the selection process for the CEO candidates. 

Adel Johnson, Chair of Flint Park Lake, feels the CEO selection process is not fair and the procedure is not transparent. 

Carolyn Sims, Flint City Councilperson, spoke on the selection process of the CEO. 

Jackie Poplar, Flint City Council, feels the selection process should be offered to all the candidates and open to the public as the public uses the services of the agency. 

Vera Perry went on record questioning why the information about the candidates was not given earlier to board members.  She hopes that as the board moves forward they do everything that the community views as important. 

Eric Mays expressed concerns over the selection process and asked that a motion come from the board to table the interviews and have the board dialog with the community leaders before moving on. 

Harold Jones expressed concerns over the fairness of the process and outlined Greg Eason’s credentials and accomplishments as it related to his tenure at Jobs Central. 

Alex Harris wants the board to embrace an open and fair selection process and expressed concern about the search firm chosen from Lansing, Michigan. 

Kate Fields, representing Greater Eastside Community Association, wanted to know the criteria used to select the final three candidates and asked the board to grant the wishes of the public. 

Matt Taylor stated he wanted everyone to come together and do what is right for the people of the community. 

Vera Perry stated that she would hate to have back door politics continue to bring a dark cloud on the City of Flint and she asked what would be the harm of bringing all five candidates forward. 

Imani Hanafi Malik asked for fairness in the community. 

Sheryl Thompson made a motion to table the interview process and Vera Perry supported the motion. Vera Perry stated that she had not had time to read the information regarding the candidates.  Jerry Ragsdale agreed with Vera Perry.  Ed Donovan stated that the board members have received repeated reports from the

search committee since October and there has been no transparencies.  A roll call vote was made on the motion.

MOTION DID NOT PASS

III.             CEO SEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT:  Mr. Moon reported the committee that was appointed to search for the new CEO comprised of Archie Bailey, Ed Donovan, Lawrence E. Moon, Mary Sumpter, Sheryl Thompson and Jack Litzenberg.  As of January 2008, Woodrow Stanley replaced Archie Bailey. Mr. Moon gave an overview of the selection process from its inception.

a.       Comments – DHR International – Mr. Gordon White, Executive Vice President, explained the interview process. The candidates were asked to prepare a 90 day and one-year work plan.

IV.              CEO APPLICANT INTERVIEWS:  Mr. White asked each of the three candidates to present and explain their proposed work plans.  They were also asked what would be their plan to create a culture of creativity and teamwork at Career Alliance, Inc.  They were asked how they would decide the appropriate strategy for expanding the impact of Career Alliance Inc.  In addition, they were asked to identify some of the opportunities they see to expand funding sources for Career Alliance, Inc. as well as their plan to explore these opportunities and whether or not different approaches were required. Candidates were asked what two trends are happening/going to happen that are likely to affect the success of non-profits such as Career Alliance, Inc.  Mr. White thanked Stacey Vanucci of the Williams Firm, for her service.  He asked the board members to verbalize the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and to then rank each one.  Ms. Perry stated that she will participate in the voting for the CEO but she also wanted to make clear that she stands by her comments.

V.                 ACTION ITEM

a.      Nomination and Selection of CEO for Career Alliance, Inc.:  The CAI Board unanimously selected Alicia Booker by roll call vote.  The search committee was thanked.  Ms. Perry wanted to know what type of background check would be conducted.  Mr. White stated the contract firm will do a criminal background and credit check as well as call references.  Ms. Perry asked if fingerprint check would be included.  A motion was made by Ms. Perry to pursue the background check and include fingerprinting in the process, and supported by Mr. Isham.

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Moon abstained.


 

VI.              ADJOURNMENT:  Mr. Isham made a motion to adjourn the meeting and supported by Ms. Sumpter.

MOTION PASSED

Meeting adjourned at 12:32 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                    Kevin J. Keane

___________________________________

Mr. Kevin J. Keane

            Secretary

                                                                        Date: April 1, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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