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Zion Cemetery March 2021 Board Meeting Minutes

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Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society Board Meeting
March 18th, 2021

MEETING 
The Chair called the regular meeting of the Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society to order at 11:32 a.m. Other Board members present included Reva Iman, Fred Herns, Yvette Lewis, Connie Burton and Leroy Moore, and Bryon Presley.

MINUTES
A motion to approve the Minutes of the annual Board Meeting of March 2021 was tabled to the next board meeting. Corrections need.

A motion to approve the Minutes of the annual Board Meeting of January 2021 was made by Reva Iman and seconded by Yvette Lewis.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion to approve the Agenda of the annual Board Meeting of March 2021 was made by Reva Iman and seconded by Clark Simmons.

PUBLIC COMMENT
None to come before this forum.

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 NEW BUSINES

  • Election of Officers Leroy Moore: A quorum was not met. Will address next Board Meeting
  • Review Articles of Incorporation Leroy Moore: A quorum was not met. Will address next Board Meeting
  • Approve By-Laws Leroy Moore: A quorum was not met. Will address next Board Meeting
  • Approval to Submit Finial report to State of Florida: A quorum was not met. Will address next Board Meeting
  • Motion to explore acquisition for surrounding properties Budget Leroy Moore: A quorum was not met. Will address next Board Meeting

BOARD COMMENT

  1. Leroy Moore: I want to expedite considerations and offer a slate of Officers for the Board's considerations, then have a discussion for any other nominations. I nominate Fred Herns as President due to his educational background and being an a claimed historian, he will serve us incredibly well as the President as we seek funding and support. I would also like to nominate as part of the slateVice-President, Reva Iman, being a former resident and a current leader at Robles Park Community and a life-long advocate for Human Rights. I would like too also nominate myself as Secretary Treasurer, the role of Secretary Treasurer needs to have resources to maintain the minutes and get documents produced and get minutes and meetings organized. That would be my nomination as a Slate, if there is a second, we can have discussion on that, or any other nominations.
  2. Reva Iman Second the motion.
  3. Connie Burton: I would like to nominate Yvette Lewis for President.
  4. Leroy: Ask to hold , as there was second for Leroy's slate of nominations, now we are in discussion for the first slate then move forward to Connie Burton's nomination. 

    Discussion on First Slate of nominations:

  5. Yvette Lewis:  I have a concern if Fred Herns is the President then he is getting paid as well. I am not sure how both roles will play. If you're going to be the President be the President, if you're going to get paid, whether you're working for the company of this or that, it should not be combined, to me it's a conflict. He also works for Tampa Housing Authority. I have a problem with that.
  6. Leroy Moore: Fred Herns does not work for Tampa Housing Authority, he is a contractor for Tampa Housing Authority on past projects including Encore as well as West River currently, he is also a sub-contractor to the contractor of Tampa Housing Authority for Robles Park Master Planning Effort. I would like Fred Herns to speak in terms of any specific conflicts he will have in the role of the Zion Preservation Society.
  7. Fred Herns: I have my own business, Fred Herns & Associates LLC. You do not work for free if you have an LLC and sign a contract. I am not working for Zion anything. I am a volunteer for Zion everything.
  8. Leroy Moore: There is no Board compensation for the Zion committee. In the future, according to our By-Laws the position of President/CEO we can hire, but we do not anticipate anytime soon the Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society will have resources to pay for staff, it's been due to the graciousness and volunteer of all the Board Members to get us to where we are. Over the next several years the funds we raise will be going towards Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society activities. No Board members will benefit personally or financially from any of the Zion activities.
  9. Leroy Moore: We do have a motion of the second on the First Slate, and an individual nomination for Ms. Lewis as President. Is there a second for Ms. Lewis as President?  
  10. There was no second. 
  11. Leroy Moore: If there is no second, the motion will be fail. The motion on the table with a second is for the slate of officer as Fred Herns as President, Reva Iman as Vice-President and Leroy Moore as Secretary Treasurer. any further discission's on that Slate? Are there any further nominations for officers?

    Yvette Lewis: The other discussion that I have is that he is working for the sub-contractors. To me it's the conflict of interest when he's receiving money, whatever you feel is best
  12. Connie Burton: I would like to raise the discussion, it's all based on perception, we don't have to be confined to a location to love our community. I see nothing but displacements for the residents and very little voices of the people remaining in any of these facilities. I agree you don't work for free. There seems to be a shortage to bring other people on board, if Fred is not begin paid off begin a consultant, but in the middle of too many decisions made by the THA. It gives off the appearance that there's no individualism in terms of begin able to lead and advocate for Zion in ways which the people will have deep appreciation, or will it give an appearance that Fred Herns will become a mouthpiece for the Housing Authority and other entities. There is a balancing act that Tampa Housing Authority will have to do. Even Leroy Moore doesn't come in as a consultant. I don't understand how the people have a perception that any of these concepts moving with some type of clarity or independency, that the people's issues will be dealt with first. She is always on the side of advocating strongly for the community. I am walking on eggshells because she wants to see what's going on but oppose to see what decisions are making. I don't see how Fred Herns being his hands has been in a lot of these issues, how he can bring the confidence and perception to the Board as oppose to when he's going to get his next contract. 
  13. Reva Iman: It is governing by the board with us making decisions, even though Fred Herns is appointed the President, we all must agree moving forward on anything to be done. We do hold the power as a collective whole to make those decisions as a governing body. Fred Herns can hold a title as the President, but the board does have a say to make decisions. Connie Burton: I understand, but all the marbles were already put in the slate as oppose to saying, these are the positions that are open, let's take nominations for the Board. That would've been a more honest approach, as oppose to we need these individuals in these key places.
  14. Fred Herns: Reva Iman is right as a member of this Board, I have one vote, for a term of one year, if I am elected. Nothing with the name Zion on it is paying me to do or say anything. If anyone thinks that I am bought to do anything to harm the community, then they are mistaken. This has never been my record. I have even taken a lot of loss and heat in the community. I am solely doing what is right. As long as you are a member of the Board, you have one vote. 
  15. Connie Burton: Leroy Moore was on WMMF RADIO a month ago and they were talking about Zion. Leroy did a quick 360 uturn to move from the Zion discussions to the development that's happening in Robles Park, Development and Developers. It was almost like stepping on the gravesite of those of Zion, it was very disappointing. The only reason I am here is advocacy for the people, I want to ensure the right declaration for the community is made correctly.
  16. Yvette Lewis: I want to say for the entire commitee about the one vote by Fred Herns. The Board is padded to look like what it supposes to look like, even the voting is coming from the same direction. I was taking by surprise about this Slate. The game is already set, ball already toss. There will be no advocacy because everyone that Leroy Moore called out is a part of Tampa Housing Authority. This entire thing has been a padded from the beginning. 
  17. Leroy Moore: Is there any further comments or nominations?
    1. There is a motion and a Second for a slate of officers as 
      • Fred Herns, President
      • Revan Iman, Vice-President
      • Leroy Moore, Secretary-Treasurer 
        • ALL IN FAVOR?
          • YEA - Leroy Moore, Reva Iman, Fred Herns
          • NEA -  Yvette Lewis 
            Connie Burton and Clark Simmons logged out of the meeting and/or were disconnected. Yvette Lewis, then, requested a determination as to quorum. At that point, it became apparent to the remaining Board members that there was no quorum. 
    2. Leroy Moore: We started the meeting with six members, and now 2 have logged off. We lost a quorum, it's a shame there is important business to do with the preservation comminute, and we cannot do it without a quorum.  It's very unfortunate for us not to complete a vote in midstream of a vote. Board Members, for those remaining we do not constitute a quorum and no business of Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society that can be conducted without a quorum. 
  18. Fred Herns: Regardless of who is elected to an office for the Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society, whenever there is an issue comes before this group, and we have to vote on it, or there is a conflict of interest, that person needs to speak up and let everyone know they cannot vote on an issue.

PUBLIC COMMENT
None to come before this forum

NOTICES AND UPDATES
None to come before this forum

ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before this Board, the Chair declared this meeting of the Zion Cemetery Preservation & Maintenance Society adjourned at 12:00PM.