REGULAR BOARD MEETING

 

MINUTES

 

May 17, 2004

 

 

 

The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service met for a duly scheduled Board Meeting on May 17, 2004, in the Board’s office located at 1033 Wade Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina.

 

Present:  Alex Lee, President; Jack Briggs, Vice President; Jamie Boles, Secretary; George Parrott, Rudy Lea, Jerry W. Hawks, and Jeanette Sherrod

 

Also Present:  Paul Harris, Executive Director; Stephen N. Dirksen, General Counsel; Patricia Hayes, Bill Joyner, and Lyn Cochrane.

 

President Alex Lee called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

 

Mr. Briggs gave the invocation.

 

Mr. Lee read the Board of Ethics statement, Governor Easley’s Executive Order #1.  No one recused themselves at this time.

 

Mr. Lee opened the floor to receive public comment and there was none.

 

Mr. Lee welcomed new Board member, Jeanette Sherrod who had been previously sworn in on April 14 in Union County by Nola H. McCollum, Clerk of Superior Court.

 

Mr. Lee read a Resolution of Appreciation of Service for former Board member Nancy Rorie who was unable to attend the meeting.  Mr. Hawks made a motion to accept the Resolution of Appreciation of Service and to include a copy with the May minutes and send the original to Ms. Rorie.  Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried. Mr. Briggs stated his personal appreciation to Ms. Rorie for her service to the Board.

 

Mr. Boles stated the minutes for the March 17, 2004 meeting had been previously mailed. Mr. Lea made the motion to accept the minutes as presented and Mr. Briggs seconded.  The motion carried. 

 

 

Disciplinary:  Mr. Parrott presented the Disciplinary Committee report.  Mr. Briggs made the motion to remove M04-005 from consideration and consider it alone.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.  At this time Mr. Briggs recused himself from further consideration of the report and left the room.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as recommended by the Disciplinary Committee the Dismissals V03-069, M03-021, V04-001, V04-010, V04-019, V04-021, V04-024, V04-030, and V04-031.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as recommended by the Disciplinary Committee the Letters of Caution V04-012, V04-020, V04-023, M04-010 but not M04-005, which will be considered alone.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.  Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept the Notices of Hearing as recommended by the Disciplinary Committee V04-014, M04-009 and M04-011.  Mr. Hawks seconded.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Parrott withdrew his motion.   Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as recommended the Notices of Hearing V04-014, M04-009 and M04-011.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the Consent Orders as recommended by the Disciplinary Committee M03-009 and M03-014.  Mr. Lee seconded and the motion carried.   Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the Disciplinary Committee’s recommendation for Other Matters M04-002 and M04-008.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.  Mr. Briggs then returned to the room and Case M04-005 was then brought up for discussion.  Mr. Briggs made the motion to issue a Notice of Hearing for M04-005.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.

 

Finance:  Mr. Harris presented the finance report for Mr. Daniels for March and April 2004.  Discussion and questions regarding the Inspection Reports ensued.  Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept the report and Mr. Hawks seconded.  The motion carried.

 

Preneed:  Mr. Lea presented the Preneed Report for Mr. Leavitt.  Questions ensued.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the report.  Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried.

 

The Board recessed at 10:00 a.m. and reconvened at 10:30 a.m.

 

Attorney’s Report:  Mr. Dirksen reported that the status of cases pending was provided to the Board for their review and responded to questions.

 

Executive Director’s Report:  Mr. Harris stated the Report to the General Assembly regarding preneed activity had been resubmitted because of errors in statistics that had been found after the original Report had been submitted.

 

Mr. Harris has responded by telephone to Dan Shackleford’s proposal of “No Licensee Left Behind.”

 

Mr. Harris has researched Board shirts for the members and staff and suggested that it be included in the 2005 budget.

 

Mr. Harris will be requesting an opinion from the Attorney General and a tax attorney regarding the Board paying property tax.

 

A response from Virginia regarding the continuing education issue will be submitted to the Board after their June 1, 2004 meeting.

 

Mr. Harris has been discussing health benefit alternatives with the Board representative to lower costs.

 

The St. Louise International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards annual convention report had been previously mailed.

 

Mr. Harris is working on new Board member handbooks and should have them ready for the July meeting.

 

The next Preneed Review will be in Raleigh on June 22 from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.  This review will probably be in the Board’s offices.  There are also reviews planned for the western and eastern parts of the state.

 

Mr. Harris thanked the Board’s staff for the Open House on Sunday, May 16.  He especially thanked Ms. Marty Mills and Ms. Cochrane for their hard work.

 

Karen Giles, director of the Dover Mortuary, has made a commitment to speak at the December clinic to be held at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.

 

Mr. Harris reviewed the potential schedule for proposed changes to become permanent rule.  The Public Hearings can be held at the July 14 Board meeting for 21 NCAC 34B Funeral Service and 21 NCAC 34D Preneed.

 

A copy of the Draft Crematory Manager Permit Application is submitted.

 

The 2003 Board audit is schedule for May 25 – 28.

 

New Business: Mr. Harris reviewed the proposed rule changes for 21 NCAC 34B Funeral Service.0100 Resident Trainees.  The last sentence in 21 NCAC 34B. 0103(c) was changed to read, “When a resident trainee assists in funeral service, funeral directing, embalming or any funeral planning off the funeral home premises, such activities shall be performed only in the presence of a licensed supervisor employed with the establishment with which the resident trainee is registered.” Mr. Briggs made the motion to accept as amended 21 NCAC 34B Section .0100 Resident Trainees.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34B .0200 Examinations.  Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34B .300 Licensing.  Mr. Lee seconded.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Lee called for the vote and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34B .0500 Out-of-State Licensees.  Mr. Lee seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34B .0600 Funeral Establishments.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34B .0400 Continuing Education.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept as submitted 21 NCAC 34D Preneed Funeral Contracts General Provisions.  Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried.

 

There was no other new business.

 

Old Business:  Mr. Hawks made the motion that previously approved 21 NCAC 34A Board Functions .0100 General Provisions be sent to Rules Review.  Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Briggs made the motion that previously approved 21 NCAC 34C Crematories be sent to Rules Review.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the Documents retention policy, Item 38011.  Mr. Briggs seconded and the motion carried.

 

Informational Items:  Mr. Harris submitted several articles for review and informational purposes only.

 

Mr. Lee opened the floor to receive public comment.  Ms. Hayes reminded the members about the NCFDA conference at Myrtle Beach.

 

There being no further business, Mr. Lee adjourned the meeting at 12:45 p.m. for lunch.

 

The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service reconvened for a duly scheduled Board Hearing on May 17, 2004, at 1:00 p.m. in the Board’s office located at 1033 Wade Avenue, Suite 108, Raleigh, North Carolina.  Jack Briggs, Vice President, presiding.

 

Members also present:  Jamie Boles, Jerry Hawks, Rudy Lea, and Jeanette Sherrod.  George Parrott and Alex Lee recused themselves from participating since they were on the Disciplinary Committee.

 

Also Present:  Paul Harris, Executive Director; Stephen N. Dirksen, General Counsel

 

The Board conducted a hearing in the matter of NCBMS vs. Gilmore Funeral Home.  Mr. Dirksen stated the defendant had requested a continuance until the next Board meeting.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to grant continuance and Mr. Lea seconded.  The motion carried.

 

The hearing was adjourned at 1:00 p.m.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                    Alex Lee, President

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                    Jamie Boles, Secretary