REGULAR
BOARD MEETING
MINUTES
April
12, 2006
The North Carolina Board of Funeral
Service met for a duly scheduled Board Meeting on April 12, 2006, at the
Board’s office located at
Present: Jack Briggs, President; T. E. White, Sr.,
Vice President; Mark Blake, Secretary; Jody Tyson, William Manson, Rudy Lea,
Windell Daniels, Larry Andrews and George Parrott.
Also Present: Paul Harris, Executive Director; Stephen N.
Dirksen, General Counsel; Patricia Hayes, Fred Jordan, and Lyn Cochrane.
Mr. Briggs called the meeting to
order at 9:07 a.m.
Mr. Briggs read Governor Easley’s
Executive Order #1 and no one recused themselves at this time.
Mr. Briggs gave the invocation and
then opened the floor for public comment.
There was none.
Mr. Blake stated the minutes for
the March meeting had been previously mailed to the Board and there had been no
corrections. Mr. Andrews made the
motion to approve the minutes as corrected and Mr. Tyson seconded. The motion carried.
Exam Committee: Mr. Blake summarized the events leading up to
the Exam Committee’s pathology exam review. The Committee was recommending with regards
to the current exam removal of some items, continued use of remaining items and
increasing the number of exam questions from 25 to 40. Mr. Blake made the motion to go into closed
session to discuss items relating to content of the pathology exam. Mr. White seconded and the motion carried.
After proper motion by Mr. Blake
and second by Mr. Daniels, the Board returned to open session.
Mr. Tyson made the motion to amend
the pathology exam to remove the recommended items, increase the number of exam
questions from 25 to 40 and purchase the exam from the International Conference
of Funeral Examining Board (ICFSEB). Mr.
White seconded the motion. Discussion
ensued regarding the purchase of the exam from The Conference. Mr. Blake stated six applicants had taken the
March 21 exam. Four took laws and rules
and failed and two passed. Three
applicants took the pathology exam. Two
were retakes that both passed and one for the first time and failed. Mr. Briggs called for the vote. Mr. Tyson, Mr. Briggs, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Lea,
Mr. Daniels, Mr. Blake and Mr. White voted yes.
Mr. Parrott and Mr. Manson voted no and the motion carried.
Traineeship: Mr. Blake stated there was discussion at the
ICFSEB conference in
Clinics: Mr. Lea presented the agenda for the Spring 2006 Continuing Education Clinic to be held on May
10, at
Disciplinary Committee: In Mr. Parrott presented the Disciplinary
Committee Report with one addendum.
. Mr. Blake made the motion to
accept the Disciplinary committee report with the exception of V06-003. Mr. Daniels seconded. Mr. Lea asked to be recused from voting on
the total report. Mr. White made the
motion to recuse Mr. Lea from voting.
Mr. Manson seconded and the motion carried. At this time Mr. Lea left the room. Mr. Briggs called for the vote and the motion
carried. Questions ensued regarding
V06-003 regarding the Letter of Caution vs. the Letter of Instruction. Mr. White made the motion to accept the
Disciplinary committee recommendations with regards to V06-003. Mr. Daniels seconded. Mr. Parrott, Mr. Blake, Mr. White, Mr.
Andrews, Mr. Manson and Mr. Daniels voted yes.
Mr. Tyson voted no. At this time
Mr. Lea returned to the room.
Mr. Dirksen informed the Board he
had received a request for continuance with regards to the Rivers-Morgan
hearing. Mr. White made the motion to
accept the motion for continuance and Mr. Parrott seconded. Mr. Lea, Mr. Parrott, Mr. Daniels, Mr. White
and Mr. Manson voted yes. Mr. Blake, Mr.
Tyson and Mr. Andrews voted no. The
motion carried.
Mr. Dirksen stated he was
recommending dismissal of NCBFS v. Wright to be heard at 3:00 p.m. today. The necessary information had been delivered to
the office on Monday and their license had been issued. Mr. Daniels made the motion to the
recommendation and Mr. Parrott seconded.
Discussion ensued. Mr. Briggs
called for the vote and the motion carried.
At this time Mr. Briggs called for
a fifteen-minute recess. The Board
reconvened at 10:45.
Finance and Personnel: Mr. Daniels presented the March financials
and made the motion to accept them. Mr.
Andrews seconded and the motion carried.
There was no Personnel report.
Preneed Report: Mr. Andrews stated the Preneed Committee had
met prior to the Board meeting to discuss the Forethought contract submitted by
a funeral home for approval. The request
had been disapproved.
Discussion ensued regarding
solvency of new preneed licensees. Mr.
Tyson asked the Preneed Committee to discuss and review preneed bonding for all
licensees.
Attorney’s Report: Mr. Dirksen presented the report and made a
recommendation to extend the date for accepting 2005 Preneed Annual Report late
fees and reports to Tuesday, April 18 since Friday, April 14 the Board’s office
would be closed for a legal holiday. Mr.
Daniels made the motion to accept the recommendation and Mr. Parrott
seconded. The motion carried.
Executive Director’s Report: Mr. Harris stated the individual Inspector
Reports were submitted for review.
Sixteen reports have been filed since March 8, which includes two chapel
inspections. Two
funeral home were cited for minor FTC issues (one needed required
disclosure on OBCPL and one needed to add address to OBCPL. One firm lacked OBCPL and CPL and needed to
correct the GPL.
The following establishment changes
were made: New establishments—A Simple
Service, Gastonia; Otho Hart’s funeral Home, Rocky Mount; Mainstream Community
Funeral Home, Raleigh; Gallop Funeral Service, Nags Head; Sunrise Cremation
& Burial, Raleigh; Memorial Funeral Service, Clemmons; and McKinney
Memorial & Bailey Funerals and Cremations, Selma. Rountree Family Mortuary & Cremation
Service,
Since March 8, 2006, funeral
service licenses have been issued to Steven E. Hundley, James P. Richardson
III, Billie Curfman-Smith and Dan Fuchess.
Funeral Director license has been issued to Plummer Christopher Hart. Trainees registered since March 8, 2006,
include Charles Allen Fennell, Felicia Lashawn Gaston and James Michael
Swanger.
The proposed plan for the parking
deck behind the building was submitted for review.
Mr. Harris presented a report of
the ICFSEB convention in
Mr. Harris presented the Pandemic
Flu facts from the ICFSEB convention and the joint state/federal meetings he
had attended.
The new server will be installed
the weekend of April 22 and 23 at the Board’s office. Mr. Harris will be in attendance during this
procedure.
Questions ensued regarding the
Pandemic Flu meetings.
New Business: Mr. Harris asked the Board to suggestion
locations for the Board’s Christmas Dinner and the Board’s retreat.
Old Business: Discussion ensued regarding the ICFSEB
conference discussion on other religions burying of diseased deceased with
regards to a Pandemic Flu outbreak.
Mr.
Briggs congratulated Mr. Harris on his new election as President of Association
of Executives of funeral Service Boards.
Mr.
Dirksen stated he had received a Consent Order from the licensee that was to
appear at the 9:00 a.m. hearing on Thursday.
He would recommend the Board adopt the consent order. Discussion ensued. Mr. Daniels made the motion to accept the
Consent Order. Mr. White seconded and
the motion carried.
Information items: Included for information only--Updated Board
member and staff information; April 2006 Board of Ethics newsletter; and
Pandemic Flu information.
Mr. Briggs opened the floor for
public comment. Mr. White stated he had
attended the Ladell Beasley wake. Mr.
Briggs informed the Board of the death of Chalmers Biggs. Mr. Andrews made comments regarding the
legacy of Mr. Biggs and his influence on the funeral industry.
The meeting adjourned at 12:00
noon.
Jack
D. Briggs, President
Mark
Blake, Secretary