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Politics & Government

GHI Community to Pay for Pilot Program If...

GHI board votes for the community to pay for the pilot program if the membership votes the community-wide upgrade down.

The board of directors of Greenbelt Homes Inc. (GHI) discussed the , member communications and ways to encourage more volunteerism in GHI its July 14 board meeting.

With eight of the nine board members present (Diana McFadden was excused from attendance), Thursday’s GHI board meeting covered a packed agenda. After opening the meeting, board President Tokey Boswell announced that

General Business

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The board listened to brief committee reports. Boswell stated that he would attend the July 18 communication task force meeting to consider the task force’s communication strategy for the cooperative.

The yard line plats for 16 Court of Ridge Road were presented to the board for certification, which unanimously approved the plats and were turned over to Boswell for his signature.

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General Manager Transition

Ralph’s transition to the general manager’s role came up again, as the board reviewed bids for general manager transition team services. Sylvia Lewis, a member of the transition task force, reported on the two bids submitted in response to GHI’s Request for Proposal (RFP).

Lewis characterized the bid from Cummings Inc. as “exorbitant” and “focused on an executive search,” as well as including tasks not requested, such as a general assessment of organizational operations. Lewis noted that the other bidder, Transition Guides, had experience with nonprofits and its bid appeared to be in line with RFP.

Lewis initiated discussion on an additional item on Transition Guide’s itemized list of tasks—the creation of a general manager’s desk manual. Gretchen Overdurff, GHI's general manager, responded that she has already been pulling together her standard operating procedures and best practices for the new manager.

The board unanimously approved the bid of Transition Guides for the general manager transition services.

Pilot Program Financing

The board discussed the proposal to have the GHI membership as a whole pay for materials and the installation of components in the pilot project houses, in the event that the membership votes against the community-wide upgrade. Boswell restated his hope that the pilot program proves effective and that the membership does vote for the upgrade.

In the discussion that followed, board members acknowledged that pilot program participants are doing the community a valuable service by volunteering their homes as test subjects, and that rejected alternatives not selected for the upgrade could make pilot-program houses unmarketable.

Boswell also added that participants have no choice about what components are installed in their homes and — unlike the membership who will consider whether to vote for the upgrade — they do not have the option to vote for or against the changes.

The board unanimously approved the measure, with six members voting in its favor. Board members Boswell and Bill Jones, who are pilot program participants, abstained from the vote.

Pilot Program Construction Bids

Eldon Ralph updated the board on the construction bids for the pilot program. Only one bid was received within the time limit specified in the RPF, he reported, and it was 2.6 times over the RFP budget estimate. GHI received a late bid, also over budget, he added.

Ralph recommended increasing the time frame for completion and reviewing and adjusting the scope of tasks, even if this meant delaying phase two of the pilot program by an additional year. (The additional year is necessary to have the full benefit of winter month measurements.)

Ralph mentioned that a third company, which declined to submit a bid, had indicated an interest in bidding, if the construction period could be increased. Ralph emphasized that now was the time to "pull out all the stops" and “do this thing right,” by making the timeline more attractive and getting in as many bids as possible.

Board Secretary Ed James wondered about the ramifications of the delay. Ralph answered that delay was inevitable, since by the time a new bid package would be ready, there would be even less time to complete the work.

Jones interjected that the additional delay might be a good thing, since consideration of the attic and crawl-space insulation could be isolated and the Buildings Committee would have the benefit of an additional year’s worth of measurements.

James agreed that breaking down the RFP into smaller pieces made strategic sense. The board agreed, without putting it to a vote, to refer the adjustments to the Buildings Committee, which next meets July 27.

Addition Maintenance Task Force Recommendation.

GHI maintenance operations manager, Matt Berres, presented the addition maintenance task force recommendation that a sample survey of selected additions is needed. Without such a survey, Berres felt the task force could make no determination about the diversity of GHI additions and anticipated costs to the upgrade, especially for additions not on the maintenance program.

Following a lengthy discussion, the board agreed to permit the task force to meet with the Buildings Committee and for GHI staff to develop additional criteria for the survey, but the board wanted to approve the list of criteria before any survey took place.

Communications

Overdurff reported on staff member Sheri Swaim’s new role in communications and marketing. She added that Swaim will be staff liaison to the communications task force and will handle GHI’s Facebook page, Twitter account, advertisements and press releases. Swaim will also assist in the marketing campaign and maintaining the member volunteer database.

Lauren Cummings, a GHI member on Plateau Place, submitted suggestions for an enhanced GHI communications program, including a demographic review. She explained that many new residents on her court wanted more information about what is going on at GHI.

Cummings was used to having regular electronic information updates: “CNN tells me who has been found guilty!” she exclaimed.

Overdurff responded that GHI doesn’t regularly provide email updates to people now, but that it has been investigating phone outreach services. Overdurff encouraged Cummings to fill out a volunteer form, and Boswell invited her to the communications task force meeting.

Boswell asked about the role of staff in the marketing of GHI. Overdurff said that she and Swaim have discussed GHI’s marketing plans and materials. But she stressed that staff could not cover tables at marketing events and that staff was looking to the board for direction.

Boswell responded that the cooperative needed more interested and engaged volunteers.

Lewis noted that the last GHI News in Review page put out a call for volunteers to organize the annual members’ picnic and to write grants for the upgrade.

Cummings suggested that there were free sites to solicit members for specific projects and thought that people might respond to “Operation One Hour” requests for an hour or two of their time.

Final Items of Business

The board unanimously approved three bank resolutions, which change who can sign financial documents for GHI following the results of the May election.

Individual board members commented on the city of Greenbelt’s involvement in the playground renovations at Southway's 7 and 9 courts. They also congratulated Mayor Judith “J” Davis, who was in attendance, for her election as president of the Maryland Municipal League.

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