Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Beaver Lake Fire Department, Station 1
Location: 16035 Cypress LN, Rogers AR 72756
Zoom Link: Due to technical error this meeting’s recording was terminated at the 7 second mark. All attempts to recover a full recording of the meeting failed. These minutes have been produced solely by the notes taken by the Secretary of the Board and input provided by notes other directors provided.
1. CALL TO ORDER
1.1. Directors attending in person: Jeff Easley, Monte Gagliardi, Curtis Hathcock, Jerry Hudlow, Kelly Lewis, Gisela Mejia, Ronda Pegram, Larry Smith, Laura Tucker
1.2. Special Board Members attending in person: Justin Stanbery (via Zoom)
1.3. Attending via Video: Todd Weber (President)
1.4. Absent: None
1.5. Quorum Status. Requirement met. Ten out of 10 directors were present for the meeting.
2. Chairman Comments.
Chairman Jeff Easley opened the meeting with comments explaining he would be asking for public comment at the beginning of this meeting only. This was being done to hopefully make the Bylaws review portion of the meeting more effective.
3. Disposition of Previous Meeting Minutes.
3.1.
Review Board of Directors Meeting Minutes for July 9, 2024.
3.2.
Motion to approve Minutes of meeting held on July 9, 2024, was made by Curtis Hathcock. Motion seconded. The minutes were approved by a unanimous vote of those present.
BEAVER LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Page 2 of 6
4. Open to Public Comments.
4.1. Member Sheila Gallagher made comments referencing various parts of the working document on bylaws review. She felt it was critical that the board consider keeping any changes made to the bylaws be a process to remove subjects she deemed to be too detailed and subject to change by successive boards. She stated she believes items such as the collection of dues and transfer of ownership of a parcel(s) was an administrative procedure that should be contained in policy documents not the bylaws. She also thought that specifying use of Roberts Rules of Meetings in the bylaws would handcuff the meeting process. Jeff Easley recommended having Sheila and a board member (Todd Weber volunteer) form a working group to further discuss her suggestions and present findings at a later board meeting.
5. Reports of Officers
5.1.
Fire Chief Operations Report.
5.1.1.
Reviewed monthly response numbers. Chief Qualls was unable to attend meeting. Justin Stanbury led the discussion of the Numbers chart. Total numbers of incidents and distribution of types was consistent with past numbers.
5.1.2.
The firefighters have been working hard to spruce up the general aesthetics around the fire houses. Main doors have been painted, the physical fitness room has been updated with and arranged to serve our firefighters better.
BEAVER LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Page 3 of 6
5.2.
President’s Report.
5.3.
Treasurer’s Report.
BEAVER LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Page 4 of 6
5.3.1.
Review Monthly Financial Documents. Current cash asset in bank accounts is $448,296.56. Review of the Actual to Budget plan continues to be doing slightly better than projections for this point in the year.
5.3.2.
Motion to approve monthly Balance sheets, P &L, and Budget review documents for the month of June made by Kelly Lewis. Seconded by Jerry Hudlow. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote of those present.
5.4.
Secretary’s Report.
5.4.1.
Consolidated Bylaws document for review sent to each director. Comments and suggestions continue to be made indicating more review is needed.
5.4.2.
Curtis Hathcock presented a proposal to consider making Zoom recordings of meetings available on the BLFD website as soon as they are available for the members to be able to review. Links for the meetings can be found in the meeting minutes if they are downloaded but are up to a month old by the time the minutes are approved at the next meeting. Further coordination with the website maintenance/design company will be required. Zoom recordings are usually available for sharing withing 2 to 4 days. This would make access very similar to how the Benton County Quorum Court does their postings for recorded meetings.
6. Reports of Committees – No updates.
7. New Business.
7.1.
Recognition for Fire Chief Dusty Qualls.
7.1.1.
Jerry Hudlow presented a motion to officially recognize our Fire Chief, Dusty Qualls, for an outstanding job since he accepted the position 13 plus months ago. The board had brief discussion confirming a highly recommended vote of confidence for the Fire Chief’s continued service.
7.1.2.
Motion recognition of Outstanding Service and desire for Fire Chief Qualls continued service made by Jerry Hudlow. Motion seconded. The motion was approved by a unanimous vote of the board.
7.2.
Todd Weber presented a motion to appoint Steve Long to fill a vacant director position effective immediately. The term of the appointment will continue through the end of calendar year 2025 in accordance with current BLFD Bylaws.
7.2.1.
Discussion was opened and agreed to be appropriate. Jeff Easley provided Steve Long an opportunity to speak and confirm that he is willing to serve as a director for the organization.
BEAVER LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Page 5 of 6
7.2.2.
Motion to approve the appointment of Steve Long as a Director on the Board of Directors for BLFD was made by Todd Weber. Motion was seconded by Ronda Pegram. Motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. (Jeff Easley-Yes, Monte Gagliardi-Yes, Curtis Hathcock-Yes, Jerry Hudlow-Yes, Kelly Lewis-Yes, Gisela Mejia-Yes, Ronda Pegram-Yes, Larry Smith-Yes, Laura Tucker-Yes, Todd Weber-Yes).
8. Old Business
8.1.
Acquisition of new Firefighting/Recue Apparatus.
8.2.
Special Meeting of the General Membership.
8.2.1.
Updates, if any.
8.2.1.1.
Board will continue making announcements for the Special Annual Meeting of the membership via social media and official BLFD website.
8.2.1.2.
Director positions up for election. Currently held by Jeff Easley, Monte Gagliardi, Jerry Hudlow, Laura Tucker, Todd Weber. All of these currently serving directors have stated they will serve for another 2-year term if elected. They represent the candidates recommended by the board’s nomination committee.
8.3.
Backup Generator Project. Request for estimates was provided to 4 providers with only one being returned with proposal. The search will continue. Jeff Easley reiterated the 3 options; 1. Do nothing, 2. Whole station backup, and 3. Purchase multiple smaller generators that firefighters could setup and use on specific areas when needed. The boards discussion resulted in a consensus that the whole station backup for station 1 on Cypress Lane was probably the best solution. Search for a provider will continue. Larry Smith suggested the board consider a possible fund-raising event to help fund this project.
8.4.
BLFD Bylaws Review/Update/Amendment. (Note: due to operator failure or technical difficulties, the recording of this meeting was terminated at the 7 second mark as reported by Zoom. Each of the following areas led to some robust discussion with minor changes being made to the working document. It is important for everyone to understand that the Bylaws review project is not complete and working copies only provide a basis for continued discussions as desired. Once the board determines it is appropriate for a vote the resulting document will be published for final review and comments. A vote to approve adopting the new document will require a super majority approval vote of the Board of Directors.)
8.4.1.
General format.
8.4.2.
Continuing discussion.
8.4.2.1.
Paragraph 1.4 Purpose
8.4.2.2.
Paragraph 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 Calculation and collection of dues
BEAVER LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Page 6 of 6
8.4.2.3.
Paragraph 3.1.1 Voting Rights
8.4.2.4.
Paragraph 4.3.3 and 4.3.4 Special and Emergency Meetings
8.4.2.5.
Paragraph 5.1 and 5.2 Keeping Records
9. Other Business.
9.1.
Next Board Meeting scheduled for September 21, 2024, at the Prairie Creek Association Community Center Room BLFD Fire Station 2, 16035 Cypress LN, Rogers AR 72756.
9.2.
Proposed Bylaw Review will be continued during the October meeting.
10. Adjournment. Meeting was adjourned at 8:25 P.M.
SUBMITTED BY: Curtis Hathcock, Board Secretary