Is Your State Hless Assist Program Working? How Can you Tell?

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

In Oregon, all federal antipoverty and state housing/homeless assistance funds (e.g. Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) and State Homeless Assistance Program (SHAP)) are delivered through Community Action Agencies (CAAs). 

Of the 17 CAAs that serve Oregon's 36 counties, only 3 are public (Lane, Multnomah, Clackamas).  The rest are private non-profit agencies, perhaps  more appropriately described as "quasi-public" agencies (a quasi-public agency is a publicly chartered body that provides a public service and is overseen by an appointed board, commission, or committee).

Although it's through the local CAAs that these programs are delivered (on the theory that these things are best left in local control), it's the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS) that's charged with program administration.  This relationship -- the one between CAAs and OHCS -- is not especially well understood.  Consider, for example a recent discussion at a meeting of the AOC Housing subcommittee where, according to the staff summary, members wanted to know:

1. What is the link to the non-profit organizations that utilize EHA/SHAP?
2. How is the impact of these state funds reported to the state?
3. What outcome measures are used to measure statewide impact of EHA/SHAP?

Here's how their trade association explained things: 

1. The community action network includes 18 [sic] community action agencies (sometimes referred to as CAAs) that serve all 36 counties in Oregon. While the majority of community action agencies are non-profits, three are public and housed in county government. The ‘public CAAs are in Multnomah, Clackamas and Lane county. Because community action believes the greatest impact occurs at the local level, many CAAs, including the public CAAs subcontract with community based organizations, culturally based organizations and faith based groups to deliver services that meet local needs. It is this relationship that brings in a host of non-profit organizations, especially among the public CAAs.
   
2. OHCS distributes EHA/SHAP dollars to CAAs throughout the state by formula. Some of those dollars may be passed through to other non-profits doing homelessness prevention/service work in the community. Those non-profits are required to report back to their local CAA on how the funds were spent,  how many people were served and the outcomes achieved. Community Action Agencies then do a similar type of reporting to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) that includes the data they received from the non-profit partners in their communities.
   
3. OHCS compiles this data. One of the purposes for this collection is to report to the legislature on Key Performance Measures related to their work.  [Bold emphasis added above.]

In brief, then, CAAs report the "impact" of homeless/housing assistance funds to OHCS, who compiles all the data and reports the result to the legislature.  Sounds very efficient, right?  Well, maybe.  But who reports the local data to the local communities? 

OHCS KPM #1

Key Performance Measures (KPMs), are reported in annual Progress Reports to the legislature.  The only OHCS KPM that relates to homelessness is KPM #1: the "percentage of homeless households [statewide] who exited into permanent housing and retained that housing for six months or longer."  Maybe (maybe) this measure tells legislators something, but it tells local communities nothing about what programs the state is funding in their community, how many dollars are involved, how the money's being spent and leveraged, what the return on investment is or what kind of outcomes they're seeing.

There's another report produced by OHCS that does contain local data.  It's produced biennially, and is supposed to report on the efforts of state agencies, OHCS included, to reduce the incidence of poverty in Oregon.  See ORS 458.505(6)(d) and the 2015 Poverty Report (dubiously titled, "Moving from Poverty to Prosperity in Oregon"). 

OHCS duties under ORS 458.505(6)(d)

In addition to reporting on efforts to reduce poverty, this biennial report is supposed to "describe the status of efforts by the department [OHCS] and the Department of Human Services to implement the state policy regarding homelessness."  See ORS 458.528.  The 2015 Poverty Report just reported the point-in-time homeless counts -- hardly what the legislature asked for.  (For those who don't know, the state policy regarding homelessness is that OHCS, DHS, the Oregon Housing Stability Council, and CAPO should "work to encourage innovation by state, regional and local agencies that will create a comprehensive and collaborative support system and housing resources vital for a successful campaign to end homelessness."  [Emphasis added.])

It's to be hoped that the 2017 Poverty Report will have something meaningful to say about the state's efforts to implement the state policy regarding homelessness (and will also change the title of the report to something more on point, like "How Oregon is Addressing Poverty and Homelessness in 2017.")  It is also to be hoped that, given OHCS has chosen CAAs to deliver its homeless/housing programs, it will begin to organize the Poverty Report around CAAs, or even CoCs, instead of counties. (Oregon's 2016 CAPER seems to suggest the latter might make the most sense.)

2015 Poverty Report

The point we are trying to make here is that OHCS is being fed all this data, but it's not being shared  effectively at the local level, and  neither the Progress Report, nor the Poverty Report, are telling local communities what homeless assistance programs the state is funding in their community, how many dollars are involved, how the money's being spent and leveraged, what the outcomes are or what the return on investment is.  Without that kind of information, "local agencies" cannot "create a comprehensive and collaborative support system and housing resources vital for a successful campaign to end homelessness." 

Now, maybe OHCS thinks CAAs are just naturally going to report relevant local data (e.g., the reports they're required to make to OHCS).  Maybe some do, but more don't, as indicated by the questions from the AOC Housing subcommittee referred to above.  Consider the fact that OHCS and the Community Action Partnership of Oregon (CAPO) are putting together a "Community Action Agency 101" course for OHCS's Housing Stability Council.  See here, beginning at page 15.  If CAAs were consistently sharing data and coordinating homeless/housing systems, a "101" for people with knowledge/experience in low-income housing would hardly be necessary.

MWVCAA FY2015 Annual Report

Most people we talk to know that Oregon's CAAs are not functioning as they should when it comes to sharing information on their homeless/housing programs.  Take, for example, our local CAA, the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency (MWVCAA).  Based on FY 2014 expenditures (sadly, the most recent numbers available), it's a pretty significant operation with a lot of employees.  It's also notoriously stingy with information about its homeless/housing programs, which are delivered through its Community Resource Program (HUD CoC, ESG, EHA, SHAP, HOME TBA, SSVF and DHS Child Welfare).  While we're told that CRP accounts for around 8% of overall expenditures, we're not told how those funds (about $1,790,000 in 2014) are spent, or in which programs.  And if there were a problem with how funds were spent, we almost certainly would not be told. 

Early this past summer, MWVCAA began posting Board of Directors meeting materials on its website, but only because new Head Start performance standards required it.  Those materials contain some information about homeless/housing programs, but they hardly provide a complete picture.  So, it's a start, but more is needed.

2016 State Agencies Expenditure Report

Oregon gets good marks for spending transparency.  For example, we can know to the penny what the state paid the Director of OHCS in 2016 for mileage, for meals, or for attending conferences.  But the only information on what the state paid our local CAA is a total: $3,467,543.  We have no idea which state program the funds came out of, or who was supposed to deliver services, or what the services were.  We don't even know if the funds were spent, or returned to the state.

Now, we're not suggesting that the State Agencies Expenditure Report is the best place to look for this kind of information.  We are suggesting only that it should be available somewhere.  We are also suggesting that the Oregon Housing Stability Council, along with OHCS, DHS and CAPO, have a responsibility under ORS 458.525 (at right) and ORS 458.528 to share relevant information about homeless/housing program administration with local communities, and to encourage, or require, CAAs to share relevant homeless/housing program delivery information with their local communities, because, in all likelihood, other CAAs across the state are not any better about sharing information than ours is.  It's not a requirement, so they probably just don't think about it.  But they absolutely need to be thinking about it, and OHCS should help them do that. 

In 2015, the legislature abolished the Interagency Council on Hunger and Homelessness, and moved responsibility for ensuring that homelessness relief efforts operate efficiently and effectively to the Housing Stability Council.  To carry out that responsibility, the HSC needs information.  Local communities have just as much need for the same kind of information at the community level.  Moreover, such information sharing is the only way the Oregon's policy on homelessness will ever be carried out.  Communities simply must be told what homeless assistance programs the state is funding in their community, how many dollars are involved, how the money's being spent and leveraged, what the return on investment is and what kind of outcomes they're getting.  It is not too much to ask, given the likelihood the reports exist, and are just not being published.  OHCS and the Housing Stability Council can and should ensure that local communities have access to the information they need to ensure that local homelessness relief effort operate efficiently and effectively.

Salem Weekly Fact Check

Revised: January 2019

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

Salem Weekly

Salem Weekly yesterday published a rehash of a story it published August 3rd about The ARCHES Project moving to 615 Commercial Street NE with the addition of an unsourced detail that appears to be an attempt to answer the main question raised in this recent blog, which is whether the state approved the use of state funds to acquire the property. 

In the rehash, Salem Weekly and author Delana Beaton assert that the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department approved the use of $.5M in state funds to purchase the  building in February of 2017.  We asked Delana where she got that information, and whether she had been provided any supporting documentation.  She did not respond.

If Salem Weekly's assertion were true, it would means that the Mid Willamette Community Action Agency (MWVCAA) sought approval from the state before getting approval from its board of directors.  That would be contrary to ORS 458.505(4)(c), which requires Community Action Agency boards to approve "all contracts, grant applications and budgets and operational policies of the agency."

A little research would have taken Salem Weekly to MWVCAA records, which show that Executive Director Jon Reeves did not seek board approval to use state funds for a down payment until March of this year.  The building he was wanting permission to buy at that time was not 615 Commercial Street, and there was no mention of needing, much less having received, state approval of the purchase, which is telling because the state required both an application and a detailed project proposal for approval.  Reeves did not even decide to buy 615 Commercial Street until June 2017, so OHCS couldn't have approved the purchase in February.  

As for the rest of the article, the Salem Weekly may well be correct that The ARCHES Project is serving more sack lunches and assessing more clients in its new location, and they may well have organized a 3-day cooling center (offsite at 770 Commercial St.), but it was not "in the midst of major renovation work", which hasn't yet begun.    

News from the Continuum

Revised: January 2019

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

From TSA's Website

Back in July, we reported that The Salvation Army's Lighthouse Shelter was discontinuing its transitional shelter program, effective August 1.  Going forward, TSA plans to operate Lighthouse Shelter as an emergency or overnight shelter, with no in-house case management.

The decision to terminate the program was reportedly due not to changing demands of our community, but rather to a funding shortage of several hundred thousand dollars, as a result of the death of a substantial donor.

As of mid-August, the shelter still had about 40 guests remaining in the transitional shelter program and 6 guests in the overnight program.  TSA hopes to continue to support the 40 "grandfathered" guests until they can be stably housed.  The expectations of each group differ, and their beds are set off from one another within each room, one for men and another for women.

Notice in the July SIT Newsletter

Newcomers must go through an intake process that involves a criminal background check (Seattle just recently voted to bar landlords from using criminal records to screen tenants).  Initial assessments are done between 1 and 3 p.m. over at TSA's Family Services building at 1977 Front Street.  Some are asked to go down the street to The ARCHES Project for further assessment using the VI-SPDAT. 

Guests accepted into the new overnight program must check in by 5 p.m. and pass a daily UA.  Dinner is at 5:30. Employed guests who've provided staff their work schedule are not required to check in by 5 p.m., do not have to strip their beds in the morning and may leave belongings in a locking two-drawer unit under their beds.  In addition to dinner, services include breakfast (continental), showers, laundry (sign up), and a sack lunch (sign-up).  Guests need to depart by 8, and may stay a maximum of 90 days within a 6-month period.

Lighthouse Shelter has a maximum capacity of 83, but staff say things start getting pretty tight at around 65.  With a cushion of about 10 beds for emergencies (e.g., an apartment bldg goes up in flames), that leaves 15 beds for guests in the overnight program, at least until the transitional beds come available.  The aim is to have about half the overnight program beds reserved for men and half for women.

Flyer Circulating in CANDO July 31st

With the Lighthouse Shelter limiting lunch service to program participants, ARCHES has seen an uptick in the number of sack lunches they're handing out (about 400/day), and they're also VI-SPDATing more people.  Because the day shelter still is not open, people have to eat their lunches outside, but they may go inside to be assessed.

On August 2d, MWVCAA's executive director Jon Reeves told us,

Our drawings for those plans [to renovate the first floor] are being finalized now and we hope to be back up and running at full capacity sometime in November.  In the meantime, we continue to operate and connect people in need to available resources.  The people who use our services have been notified of these plans and we are working to address any hardship caused by our short-term limitations, which will in the long run allow us to create a one-stop-shop for homeless services in Salem.

We asked Reeves what sort of things MWVCAA was doing to address any hardship caused by closing the day shelter, but he declined to answer.

ARCHES staff report 39 consumers took advantage of the City cooling center at 770 Commercial Street during the recent heat wave (August 1-3).  In a Willamette Wake Up interview, Mayor Bennett said the City is considering using that same location for a sobering center.  The Mayor said the project had taken longer to come together than he had hoped, but the City Manager assures him "we're moving forward."

MWVCAA has finally posted the 2017 Point-In-Time Count report, and a corrected PITC report for 2016.  In 2016, 733 homeless households, (546 sheltered, 187 unsheltered) consisting of 856 individuals were counted.  In 2017, 871  homeless households (584 sheltered, 287 unsheltered) consisting of 1,151 individuals were counted.  Community Resources Program Director Jimmy Jones attributes some of the increase to this year's effort to count homeless persons living "up the Canyon", something he says had not been done for six years.  He asserts that the count methodology needs a complete overhaul and that he and his team will be having "conversations later this month" to plan the 2018 PIT count.

At the Emergency Housing Network last week: "Transgender and LGBTQ issues under Fair Housing Law."  The presentation and discussion that followed left participants with concerns that transgendered adults who are not victims of domestic violence do not have access to emergency shelter in Salem, which suggests that some local shelter policies may be in conflict with state and local anti-discrimination laws.  To be clear, the issue is state and local anti-discrimination laws, not whether shelters comply with HUD regulations.  The fact that an organization accepts no government support, aside from, say, its property tax-exemption, does not relieve it from having to comply with state and local anti-discrimination laws. 

We checked with local non-DV, adult emergency shelters, TSA and UGM, to see if there is, in fact, a problem.  TSA's Social Services Director, Jason Ramos, told us that the Lighthouse Shelter has individual rooms available on a confidential basis for guests who do not feel comfortable staying in either the male or female room.  Guests still have to pass a criminal background check and a daily UA. Our contact at UGM told us she would have to check the policy before answering, but we never got a response.  Looks like we have a problem.  

8/15/17 Minutes

Residents: Santiago Sorocco, Kathy O’Neal

Organizations: Ken Hetsel, Mid-Willamette Watershed Council

City and County Representatives: Councilor Kaser    

Guests: none 

The regular meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at the First Christian Church at 685 Marion Street NE, Salem.  

The minutes of the July meeting were approved by unanimous consent.

Councilor Kaser reported that the Council had approved the grant awarding $1.4M to the Salem Housing Authority for the Homeless Rental Assistance Project (HRAP).  Seven individuals have been housed, and three or four have been in and out of the program, which is to be expected.  She also reported that the City extended its lease of 770 Commercial Street NE in anticipation of finalizing the purchase of the property for the new public safety facility.  She also reported on some of the proposed amendments to the sign code, on which the Council had conducted a public hearing the previous evening.  Deliberations are scheduled to occur at the next City Council meeting.

 

In public comments, Chair Hoffman reported that the Open Streets Salem 2017 event would take place on September 23 from 9-3p.  Certain downtown streets will be closed to motorized traffic while Broadway Commons, Grant Community School, and Salem Saturday Market will be hosting food, drinks, free activities, free games, and free entertainment from local businesses and organizations.  Erma Hoffman announced that the City plans to permit a private business to operate a temporary ice-skating rink in Riverfront Park from approximately Thanksgiving through the New Year’s Day holiday period.  

Sarah Owens reported that there was $1,338 available for communications in 2017-18.

In new business, Michael Livingston’s motion to expend up to $1,200 for life vests marked with CANDO’s logo in collaboration with the Fire Department’s plan to install a life-vest loaner station at Wallace Marine Park passed unanimously, as did his motion to cancel September meeting to allow members to attend the City’s Strategic Planning Open House, as did his amended motion to adopt revisions to the bylaws.

The meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m.

Revisions Adopted by the Board of Directors

August 15, 2017

BYLAWS OF CENTRAL AREA NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (CAN-DO) (CANDO)

August 2017

ARTICLE I NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Central Area Neighborhood

Development Organization (CAN-DO) (CANDO).

ARTICLE II AREA

Section 1  The Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization shall be bounded on the west by the Willamette Slough and River; from the Willamette River, easterly along the extended center line of Market Street NE to one-half block east of Broadway Street NE; thence southward to D Street NE; thence eastward to the center line of Capitol Street NE; thence southward to Mill Creek; thence eastward along Mill Creek to the center line of 12th Street NE; thence southward to the center line of Mission Street SE; thence westerly on Mission to Pringle Creek, and northwesterly on Pringle Creek to the centerline of Liberty Street NE; thence south on Liberty Street to the centerline of Mission Street SE; and thence westerly to Willamette River except to retain the hospital property (tax lot 073W27DB00100) in the Central Area.

Section 2 (CAN-DO) (CANDO) shall share Minto-Brown Island Park as an area of common concern with Croisan-Illahe Neighborhood Association, South Central Association of Neighbors, South Salem Neighborhood Association, and West Salem Neighborhood Association. The area encompassing Minto-Brown Island Park shall be defined as the current boundaries established by the Regional Park and Recreation Agency.

ARTICLE III PURPOSE

The Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization will be advisory to shall advise the Planning Commission, the City Council, or any other planning department on matters affecting the growth and development of the area described in Article II, Section 1. The Organization will  CANDO may develop neighborhood plans or proposals with respect to land use, zoning, parks, open space and recreation, housing, school and community facilities, transportation and traffic, and other factors affecting the livability, social and economic aspects of the above-described area that are compatible with the goals of the overall plan already adopted for the Central Salem Development Program area, and consistent with its duties and obligations under SRC 64.250 et seq.

This organization will also be responsible for efforts that will help to implement, modify, or eliminate plans or proposals affecting the growth and development of its area.

ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 The general membership shall be open to consist of those persons 18 or over who are residents, property owners, employees, or persons engaged in business in this area who are interested in contributing their time, resources, money, and effort to the objectives of this organization.  CANDO.

Section 2 There shall be no voting by proxy. Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote.  A member is in good standing who meets the requirements of Section 1 of this Article at the time  the vote is taken.

Section 3 The annual meeting of the members of the Organization CANDO shall be held at such place as the Board of Directors may designate, on a date to be selected by the Board of Directors. At this meeting, Directors shall be elected to replace those whose terms expire, and there shall be transacted any other proper business which may be brought before the meeting. Ten days prior to the annual meeting, there shall be a notice published in an electronic or print media.

Section 4 Meetings of the members for any purpose may be called at any time by the Chairperson or the Board of Directors, or by 25 members; notice of such meetings to be given in the same manner as notice for annual meetings is given. In addition thereto, such notices shall specify the place, day, and hour of such meetings and the general nature of the business to be transacted.

Section 5 A quorum at a meeting of the members of the Organization CANDO shall consist of those members present. A simple majority of those present shall be sufficient to carry an action.

Section 6 At all meetings of the members, every member entitled to vote in good standing shall vote in person.  Such vote may be by voice or by ballot; provided, however, that all elections for Directors must be by ballot upon demand of a member made at any election and before the voting begins.  If, before voting begins, a member calls for the election to be by ballot, the election shall be by ballot.  Otherwise, election may be by any generally accepted method, e.g., voice vote or unanimous consent.  The candidates receiving the highest number of votes up to the number of Directors to be elected shall be elected.

Section 7 All meetings of the Board and of General Membership shall be governed by Roberts' Rules of Order, excepting as these bylaws may dictate otherwise.

Section 8 7 Members present at regular Board of Directors= Directors’ meetings may vote, provided that the meeting agenda adopted by the Board of Directors so stated.

ARTICLE V THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1 The affairs of the Organization CANDO’s affairs shall be directed by the Board of Directors who are to the extent practicable geographically representative of the neighborhood. The number of Directors of the Organization shall be at least six (6).

Section 2 Each Director shall hold office for a two year term or until his/her successor is elected or appointed and qualified. In the event a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall promptly fill such office for the unexpired term thereof.  The immediate past chairperson of the organization, unless re-elected a member of the Board, shall be an ex officio member of the Board, with powers to vote on all matters except the election of officers, as long as s/he remains a member in good standing as defined in Article IV, Section 2.

Section 3 The Board of Directors shall hold regular meetings and conduct such business and take such action as may be necessary to accomplish the purpose of the Organization CANDO’s purpose.  The members of the Board shall be notified at least three days prior to a Board meeting.  Directors have a duty to attend meetings and to notify the Chair when unable to do so.  Three consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings, including Board and annual general membership meetings, will be construed as a resignation from the Board of Directors.  An excused absence constitutes a phone call to the Chair.  A phone call or email to the Chair prior to the meeting constitutes an excused absence.

Section 4 Special meetings of the Board of Directors, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by the Chairperson, or if he/she is absent, by the Vice Chairperson or by the and Secretary/Treasurer. Notice of the time and place of any special Board meeting shall be given to each Board member, either personally or by email, at least three days prior to such meeting. Notice shall state the purpose of the meeting.

Section 5 A quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of those directors present.  However, a majority vote of Directors in good standing is required to take any action.

Section 6 In the event of special circumstances, the Board of Directors may submit for vote by email, telephone or fax to decide on an action, with action to be decided within 24 hours of notice. A majority vote received by email, telephone or fax shall constitute approval of a motion, as long as all members of the Board of Directors have an opportunity to participate in the vote. Action taken in this manner shall be as effective as action taken at a scheduled meeting, but shall be ratified at the next meeting and such decision reflected in the minutes.   The Board of Directors may, under limited circumstances, take action by email, recognizing that email is not suited for the conduct of a deliberative, open, and public process.  Email motions may be made by any member.  The email motion must be straightforward and concise, i.e., call for an up or down vote.  The subject line of the email motion shall begin with the word “Motion.”  The first line of the body of the email motion shall begin with the words “I move that the board”, followed by “approve, authorize, recommend” or other appropriate verb, and a concise description of the proposed action.  Email motions do not require a second and may not be amended.  The maker of the motion may withdraw it at any time prior to approval.  To be counted as a vote, any responding email must clearly indicate support or opposition.  The motion fails if, within 2 days, or at the start of the next board or membership meeting – whichever comes first, a majority of board members in good standing have failed to vote in favor of the motion.  The maker of the motion shall be deemed to have voted in favor of the motion.  Action taken by email vote shall be as effective as an action taken at a regular meeting.  The Secretary is responsible for tallying the votes, informing the board of the outcome, reporting the outcome at the next board meeting, and at that time, moving that the board ratify the outcome.  

ARTICLE VI OFFICERS

Section 1 The officers shall consist of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 2 The officers shall be elected by a majority of the membership of the Board of Directors at a regular meeting of the Board held subsequent to the annual membership meeting.

Section 3 Officers shall serve for a one-year term or until their successors are elected or appointed and qualified.

Section 4 In the event of vacancy in any office, the Board of Directors shall promptly fill such office for the unexpired term thereof.

ARTICLE VII DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

Section 1 Chairperson. The Chairperson shall have general supervisory and directional power of the activities of the Board and the Organization. He/She The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board and general membership and shall be ex-officio on all committees.

Section 2 Vice Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall execute all the powers of the Chairperson.

Section 3 Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer shall record the minutes of all membership and Board of Directors' meetings, and provide the Board with and the Neighborhood Enhancement Division of the City of Salem an electronic copies copy of said minutes. and shall make available upon request copies of said minutes to any member and shall file a copy with the Department of Community Services of the City of Salem. The Secretary/Treasurer shall also receive and distribute Organization funds at the direction of the Board of Directors, and keep an accounting thereof.

ARTICLE VIII COMMITTEES

Section 1 The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members or among the members of the Organization CANDO such committees as in its judgment may be desirable to carry on the functions of the Organization fulfill CANDO’s purpose.

Section 2 The Chairperson of the Board of Directors shall designate committee chairpeople from the CANDO membership of the Organization.

Section 3 The Chairperson of the Board of Directors shall appoint any member of the Organization CANDO wishing to serve on a committee.

Section 4 Minutes shall be taken at each committee meeting and filed with the Department of Community Services of the City of Salem.

ARTICLE IX TRUST AND AGENCY ACCOUNT

This Bylaw concerns Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization use and management of funds provided through the City of Salem’s Trust and Agency Account.

Section 1 The Neighborhood Association (“Association”) has access to a Trust and Agency Account (“Account”) provided and maintained by the City of Salem where donations made to the benefit of the Association may be deposited.  The use of these funds is outlined in the Grant Agreement which was approved and executed by the Association’s Board of Directors.  The Agreement is attached hereto, and by this reference incorporated herein.  

Section 2 a. No later than August 1st of each year, the Association shall provide to the City of Salem a roster of the current Board Members, including their contact information, and minutes from the Association meeting where the election of the Board Members occurred.

b. To request funds from the Account, the Association must submit a written request to the City, specifying the use of the funds and how the proposed use complies with the Agreement and the Salem Revised Code as applicable to Neighborhood Associations.

c. The written request must be approved by a resolution of the Board, and signed by an authorized representative of the Association. The Board may designate the authorized representative in the resolution, or otherwise provided in these bylaws. Proof of the authorized representative’s authority to sign the request must be provided to the City at the same time the request is submitted.

d. All receipts must be provided to the City of Salem to account for the expenditure at the time of request or within 30 days after the check is processed. Checks issued by the City of Salem will be made payable to the designee listed on the written request.

Section 1 The Grant Agreement (Agreement), attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein outlines the use of any funds held for the benefit of CANDO in the City’s Trust and Agency Account (Account).      

Section 2 The Board of Directors may, by resolution duly adopted and signed by their authorized representative, request disbursement of funds held in the account for CANDO’s benefit.  The resolution shall designate the amount requested, the proposed use, the person authorized to sign the resolution and receive the funds, and demonstrate that the proposed use complies with the terms and conditions of the Agreement and SRC 65.250 et seq.  

Section 3. Funds shall be disbursed to the person authorized to sign the resolution and receive the funds, which person shall provide the City of Salem receipts accounting for the expenditure of all funds within 30 days.  

Section 4. The Secretary/Treasurer or other authorized representative of the Board of Directors shall provide to the City of Salem a current roster of Board Members, their addresses and telephone numbers, and the minutes of meeting at which they were elected, within 30 days after the meeting, or August 1, whichever is earlier.

ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS

Section 1 These Bylaws may be amended or replaced by a vote of a majority of the quorum action taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any meeting of the Organization called for that purpose; provided, however, that the action of the Board of Directors adopting, repealing, or amending the Bylaws must be approved by a majority of the members of the organization CANDO voting at the meeting held after such action has been taken by said Board of Directors.

Section 2 If amendments of the Bylaws are to be considered at a general meeting, notice of  such consideration shall be included in the meeting notice as specified in Article IV, Section 3.

ARTICLE X RULES OF PROCEDURE

CANDO shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, excepting as these bylaws may dictate otherwise.