Community Action Board Meeting

Althea Dallas, Interim Director Community Action

Members of the southeast Arkansas Community Action  Agency Board of Directors meet May, 17th in the conference room of the agency headquarters, for the organization's monthly meeting.  The board meeting seemed to be better organized and productive as a result of better planning and instruction provided by the State of Arkansas Department of Human Services.

A quorum was approved and minutes of the April, 19th board meeting were approved after a close review and some corrections.  The board was told that the review of the status of board members was still underway.  The staff had been ordered to conduct a review of the procedures followed in selecting board members to assure that all are legally on the board.  Later in the meeting, staff of the state office told the staff an extension would be honored if requested in writing, but the review must be completed.

Committee reports were requested and a report was given by the Executive Committee. Then program updates were provided for LiHeap, Head Start and CSBG.  The financial statement was then reviewed and adopted as was the credit card activity report.  The Interim Director gave an administrative report on agency operations.  During public comments Gregg Reep with salineriverchronicle.com ask that information be provided on purchases made utilizing credit cards.  Amounts were provided but the items bought were not included.

To wrap up the meeting Mrs. Beverly Buchanan with the state Human services department, spent some time training the board, which has been an ongoing process for several months.  She told the board they should be promoting programs and seeking ways to help individuals and families get out of poverty, not just continue to receive services.  She indicated each program should be operated with that intention in mind.