REGULAR
BOARD MEETING
MINUTES
March
15, 2007
The North Carolina Board of Funeral
Service met for a duly scheduled Board Meeting at 9:00 a.m. on March 15, 2007
at the Board’s office,
Present: T. E. White, President;
Vice President,
Also Present: Paul Harris, Executive Director; Stephen N.
Dirksen, General Counsel; Patricia Hayes with the N. C. Funeral Directors
Association, Fred Jordan with the NC Eye Bank, Herbert Rulison with N. C.
Funeral
Mr. White called the meeting to
order at 9:05 a.m. and had the invocation.
Mr. White read the Ethics Awareness
& Conflict of Interest Reminder. No
one recused themselves at this time.
Mr. White opened the meeting for
public comment and there was none.
Mr. Andrews presented the February
minutes to the Board as previously mailed and made a motion to accept
them. Mr. Daniels seconded and the
motion carried.
Exam Committee: Pearson Vue has agreed to review the
statistics from pathology exam in an effort to move past the issue of holding
scores for so long. Staff completed
initial compilation of statistics but Pearson Vue requested even more detailed
statistics to review. This information
will be mailed to Conference and Pearson Vue Friday.
Mr. Blake stated in February
fifteen applicants took laws and rules, 11 passed (four were retakes). Four
failed (all first time). Nine applicants
took pathology, four passed (three first time, one retake), five failed (all
first time).
Finance/Personnel
Committee: Mr. Daniels presented the February
financials. Mr. Lea made the motion to
move $60,000 from the operating account to the reserve account. Mr. Daniels seconded the motion carried. Mr. Daniels made the motion to accept the
financial report and Mr. Manson seconded.
The motion carried.
Preneed Committee: Mr. Andrews submitted the February preneed
report. Mr. Daniels made the motion to
accept the report as information. Mr.
Manson seconded and the motion carried.
Clinics: Mr. Lea stated the Spring Clinic was now
complete with thanks to Mr. Harris and staff.
Registration will be from 8 to 9 on April 9 at the
Disciplinary: Mr. Lea
yielded the floor to Mr. Harris in Parrott’s absence. Mr. Harris stated there was one addendum. Discussion ensued. Mr. Blake recused himself from discussion and
voting on M07-007. Mr. Blake made the
motion to accept the Disciplinary Committee recommendations with the exception
of M07-007. Mr. Lea seconded and the
motion carried. Mr. Daniels made the
motion to accept the Disciplinary Committee recommendation with regards to
M07-007. Mr. Andrews seconded and the
motion carried. Mr. Blake did not vote.
Laws,
Rules and Legislation: Mr. Briggs stated a public hearing was held
on March 14 to discuss changes to the Board’s legislation. The Committee met afterwards to discuss any
changes pursuant to the public and written comments received. Mr. Briggs asked Mr. Harris to present their
recommendations.
Mr.
Harris stated the revisions were presented under Tab 8 of the Board Book and he
reviewed the changes in each statute section.
Mr. Harris asked the Board for direction regarding the amendment that
had been given to Rep. Allen for the House Health Sub-Committees Bill HB116
that would prohibit the recovery of tissue in a funeral establishment and the
Board’s proposed bill that would prohibit payment to any licensee related to
tissue recovery. Discussion ensued with
President White recognizing Mr.
Mr.
Briggs made the motion to accept the report and adopt the changes. Mr. Daniels seconded and the motion
carried. The staff requested authority
to make conforming changes. Mr. Briggs
made the motion and Mr. Daniels seconded.
The motion carried.
Mr. White
and Mr. Briggs commended the staff on the revisions. Mr. Blake commended the Board for holding the
hearing and adopting some changes from the public and written comments.
Attorney’s
Report: Mr. Dirksen presented the Legal Case Report
as of March 15, 2007. Two hearings were
continued from yesterday’s meeting and will be heard at the next
opportunity. Mr. Blake made the motion
to accept the Attorney Report for information.
Mr. Manson seconded and the motion carried.
The Board
took a five-minute recess at 10:17.
Executive
Director’s Report: Mr. Harris submitted the Inspectors Monthly
Status Reports for review. Since
February 14, 2007, twenty-three reports have been filed. The following are establishment changes: New funeral homes--Mayo-Zion Community
Funeral Home,
New
funeral director licenses have been issued to: Joseph T. Clay, Crystal M.
Matthews, P. Hasten Wall. New funeral
service licenses have been issued to David E. Thompkins, Sr., and John A.
Adamcewicz. New Embalmer license to
Amira Thompson-Prather. Trainees
registered are Max Hayes, David Lockridge, Rebecca Polley, James Anderson,
Jarod Tucker and Asberry Windham II.
Mr. Harris
has not heard back from the representative from US Air regarding the death
certificate requirement. Mr. Andrews and
Mr. Lea have shipped bodies and all they had to present was the burial
transport paperwork.
Mr.
Harris had researched the information requested with regards to the partnership
that had changed to an LLC and the grandfather provision. The percentage of ownership is the same—three
individuals and a trust. The same
individuals involved with the partnership are the LLC. Mr. Briggs made the motion to consider the
LLC under the grandfather provision. Mr.
Daniels seconded the motion. The motion
carried.
The
distribution of checks and Certificates of Credit for the dissolved Lawson
Mutual Burial Association have now been mailed.
Mr.
Harris met with Rep. Lucy Allen and Jon Carr (NCFDA lobbyist) regarding tissue
recovery in funeral homes. Henry
Lancaster (FD & MA of NC, Inc. lobbyist) was invited but unable to attend
due to scheduling conflict. Mr. Harris
met with representatives from the NC Eye Bank and NCFDA to discuss eye tissue
recovery. Mr. Harris attended the
Crematory Association of N. C. meeting in
Staff is
still researching the applicant from
Mr.
Harris will attend his first Anatomy Commission meeting on April 4 since being
appointed to the Commission. The ICFSEB
Annual Convention is April 21-22, 2007 in
Mr. White
stated he would like to see a formal photo of the Board to hang on the
wall. Discussion ensued. Mr. Blake asked if Bowling Funeral Home was
properly licensed and about the inspector position. Mr. Harris stated the funeral home was in
compliance. He hopes to have follow-up
interviews and to make an offer to an individual by month end. Discussion ensued with regards to a fourth
inspector.
Mr.
Briggs stated he was on an advocacy committee with the National Funeral
Directors Association and they had considered seeking to sunset the FCT rule
because no substantial changes had been made since 1998. It had been voted down. Discussion ensued.
Mr. Blake
made the motion to accept Mr. Harris report for information only. Mr. Andrews seconded and the motion carried.
New
Business: There was none.
Old
Business.
Information regarding the Mutual Burial Association assessment was sent to the
interested party list and no comment was received. Mr. Manson made the motion to accept the
recommendation of $100 per mutual burial association and $.35 per member. Mr. Daniels seconded and the motion carried.
Informational
Items: Mr. Harris submitted a newspaper article
regarding T. E. White, Jr.
Mr. White opened the meeting for
public comment and there was none.
Mr. Briggs made the motion to
recess the meeting until the 1:00 Ethics Class.
Mr. Blake seconded and the motion carried.
The Board reconvened at 1 p.m. for
the Ethics training presented by Mary Shuping of Allen & Pinnix. The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
T.
E. White, Sr., President