REGULAR BOARD MEETING

 

MINUTES

 

November 10, 2004

 

 

 

The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service met for a duly scheduled Board Meeting on November 10, 2004, at the Courtyard by Marriott, 100 Charlotte Avenue, Carolina Beach, North Carolina.

 

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

 

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

 

President Alex Lee called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

 

Mr. Lea 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. Boles stated the minutes for the October 6, 2004 meeting had been previously mailed. Mr. Parrott made the motion to accept the minutes as presented and Ms. Sherrod seconded.  The motion carried. 

 

Disciplinary:  Mr. Parrott presented the Disciplinary Committee report.  After review, questions and discussion ensued.  Mr. Briggs made the motion to accept the report as submitted.  Mr. Hawks seconded and the motion carried.

 

Finance/Personnel:  Mr. Daniels presented the finance report for October 2004.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the finance report and Mr. Daniels seconded.  The motion carried.

 

Preneed:  Mr. Leavitt presented the Preneed Report.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Briggs stated the Board was appreciative of the inspectors’ efforts in the 533 inspections for the year.  Mr. Daniels made the motion to accept the report and Mr. Parrott seconded.  The motion carried.

 

Exam Committee:  Mr. Leavitt stated the Committee had met Tuesday.  The Laws and Rules exam needed to be updated and the Committee was requesting that each member submit by fax or mail ten questions to be considered and to reference the statute upon which they were based.  These ten questions could also be submitted personally at the December 15 Board meeting.

 

Mr. Leavitt stated the Funeral Service Advisory Board at Fayetteville Technical Community College had met on November 4, 2004, and Michael Landon, Chairman, had two concerns for discussion with the Board.  Mr. Leavitt explained the process of testing and grading of the Pathology Exam.  The Advisory Board was recommending the Board purchase the Pathology questions from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.  Discussion ensued.  The Advisory Board was also recommending that the Pathology exam carry no greater weight than any of the other testable areas on the funeral-directing exam.  Discussion ensued.  The Exam Committee recommending that the Board take the letter under advisement and take no action at this time.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the report.  Mr. Daniels seconded and the motion carried.

 

Traineeship:  Mr. Lea deferred the report to Mr. Harris.  Mr. Harris requested a modification of the Board’s policy on defining a full time student. The present policy has been in place since prior to the availability of distance and online learning. Discussion ensued.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to allow students enrolled for online/distance learning classes to exceed the weekly limit of class time as long as the class schedule for actual in classroom attendance does not exceed 12 hours and can be verified with Fayetteville Technical Community College and the Trainee Supervisor.  Mr. Daniels seconded.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Lee called for the vote and the motion carried.

 

Attorney’s Report:  Mr. Dirksen reported that the status of cases pending was provided to the Board for their review.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept the motion to continue and Mr. Daniels seconded.   The motion carried.

 

Executive Director’s Report:  Mr. Harris stated that the Virginia Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers responded to his March 24, 2004, letter.  At this time it will not establish a reciprocal agreement regarding continuing education but will consider this in March of 2005.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Harris will make this request again in 2005.

 

William Betts, President of the Funeral Directors and Morticians Association of North Carolina, Inc., has submitted the names of William H. Manson for the two-year term on the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service and T. E. White, Sr., for the three-year term on the Board of Funeral Service to the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions as required by HB 859.

 

Mr. Harris presented copies of 21 NCAC 34B.409, 21 NCAC 34B.0411 and 21 NCAC 34B.0415.  These will be presented to rules review.

 

Mr. Harris informed the Board of the condo association meeting on Monday, November 15.  Items to be discussed at this meeting are the sign to be erected in front of the office building, a building secure access system, vehicle speed on the road beside the building, and secure lighting for the building.  These will all be capital expenditures that were not in the 2004 budget.

 

A proposal from Vincent Miranda with MiraComp was included for their information and review.  Discussion ensued.

 

Mr. Harris would like to invite the new Board members, if they’re accepted by the Governor’s Office of Board and Commissions, to the December 15 Board Meeting so they can be sworn in effective January 1, 2005 and to lunch that afternoon.  Mr. Harris would also like to invite former Board member Nancy Rorie to this meeting to present her with the Resolution of Appreciation of Service and outgoing Board member gift.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Parrott made the above motion to include payment of Ms. Rorie’s hotel accommodation for December 14.  Mr. Daniels seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Harris presented the new Board member outline that will be used for their orientation in January 2005.

 

Mr. Harris discussed the State of North Carolina Business Continuity Plan that implemented March 2005.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to authorize Mr. Harris to pursue a vendor for the development of the Board’s Business Continuity Plan.  Mr. Lea seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Harris stated that the Board could have access to a National Disciplinary Database hosted through the International Conference for verifying disciplinary items for licensees.

 

The Board is developing a Test Procedures Manual.

 

New Business:  Mr. Harris presented a list of transition items for the new Board members for discussion.  These items included legislative, exam, technology, personnel, facilities/condo association, traineeship and continuing education.

 

The new and renewal atneed and preneed applications were submitted for approval.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to accept all forms as submitted.  Mr. Daniels seconded.  Discussion ensued regarding the Chapel Application.  Mr. Hawks amended his original motion to accept all forms as submitted but to amend the Chapel Application by removing item 3.  Mr. Daniels seconded.  The motion carried.

 

Old Business:  After reading the Resolution of the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service Deductible Reimbursement Plan, Mr. Leavitt made the motion to accept this plan.  Mr. Briggs seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Harris presented the informational items.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to respond to the editorial submitted by Maxine Bakeman to the Greensboro News & Record. Mr. Briggs seconded and the motion carried.

 

At this time Mr. Daniels made the motion to go into closed session to instruct the staff as to compensation and other material terms of an employment contract. Mr. Parrott seconded and the motion carried.

 

Upon proper motion, the Board returned to open session.  Mr. Hawks made the motion to approve the recommendation of the finance/personnel committee.  Mr. Leavitt seconded and the motion carried.

 

Mr. Lee opened the floor to receive public comment and there was none.  The Board adjourned at 1:35 p.m.

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                    P. Alex Lee, President

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                    James L. Boles, Jr., Secretary