North Carolina Interpreter/ Transliterator Licensing Board Meeting
DHHS,  1100 Navaho Dr.
Raleigh, NC      
9:00am  
DATE:  04-08-11

Board Members Present:
Valerie McMillan - Chair 
Danette Steelman-Bridges – Secretary
Jane Dolan – Vice-Chair / Treasurer  
Ashley Benton
Robert Taylor
Jan Withers
Keith Cagle
Connie Jo Lewis
Wayne Giese

Board Members Absent:  none
Staff Present:
Jim Wellons – Attorney
Laurie Shaw – Executive Secretary

Interpreters:
Jennifer Johnson
Liz Belk
Lee Williamson
Karen Magoon

Visitors:
Tina Walker,  WPCC ITP
Misty Chapman,   WPCC ITP
Josh Pennise

Call to Order:  10:12am

Conflict of Interest Statement: “Does any member have any known conflict of interest or appearance of conflict with respect to any matters listed on this agenda?”   None stated.

Welcome/Announcements:
•	Introduction of visitors
•	Replacement on Board for Robert Taylor’s position (He has already served the allowed 2 terms.)
According to NCGS90-D, this is a person from the public who cannot have a deaf or hard-of-hearing immediate family member and cannot be a licensed interpreter.
•	Danette and Valerie have contacted Rep. Tillis via email to let him know that they are interested in serving a 2nd term.   No word back yet from Rep. Tillis.
•	Introduction of Board members and interpreters

Previous Meeting Minutes:

Jan:  Motion made to amend the minutes with the suggested corrections.
Jane:  Seconded
PASSED	

Action Items:  
•	Jane reported if licensure fees are reduced by $50 per licensee, then the Board would have a $9,700 reduction in annual revenue.  If the fees are reduced by $25, then the Board would have a $4,900 reduction in annual revenue.
•	Jim:  Would suggest that the Board not  recommend to the General Assembly that the licensure law regarding the set fees, but the Board may consider changes in the RULES.

Financial Report:
Jane reported that the current balance is:  
Jim added information related to the NC Tort claims act.  If the Board is sued, then the Board is liable for first $150,000 entered against the Board….Maybe the Board wants to consider purchasing Liability Insurance…?  If individual Board members have their own professional liability insurance, those members need to check with their insurance carriers to see if this insurance covers service on the Board. 

Licensing Review Committee Report: Danette Steelman-Bridges, Committee Chair 
•	Only one pending complaint remaining to be resolved.  All other complaints/ investigations have been completed.
•	Connie Jo:  Suggested that the LRC share statistics related to complaints with the full Board. How many consumers have complained?   How many licensees have complained?    Are there clusters of complaints from specific areas of the state?
     Types of complaints? 
•	Jim:  Licensing Review Committee should not reveal any identifying information via these statistical reports.

Central Office Report:    Laurie Shaw

•	Central Office has not yet purchased the locking filing cabinets, but will do that now that the office has moved into its new location
•	Revised the “20-day form” for out-of-state interpreters
•	Newsletter for renewals mailed on 3-26-11.
•	Requirement of the notary seal on the application (p.5) was removed b/c we were told that having the seal on the photo was unnecessary
•	Sent letter to SBI regarding Robert Taylor as the new member on the Licensing Review Committee.
•	Webmaster – 4 bid requests sent out.  Shirley Cox would charge $500 but no real changes from what we have now.  Ben Marchbanks’ quote is approx $11,000 and the website would be secured through his company and compliant with sight-impaired ; would use MCI host and secure server.  
•	# of Provisonal Licensees that have changed to Full status:  72.   3 new Full licenses and 7 Provisional licenses granted from 1/28/11 to present time.   2 new applications  still pending.

Chair Report:    None

Attorney Report:  Jim Wellons

Old Business:
•	Ethics Commission Report Forms.   You must have the updated Adobe version in order to print off the SEI forms.

•	Education Requirements under Licensure.  Jan: This can be a barrier for Deaf individuals  becoming licensed in NC and for interpreters with experience who move into this state.   

MOTION as amended.  Jan Withers: I move that the Board make as its top agenda item at the August 2011 meeting  “Educational Requirements under Licensure”  and appoint an Ad Hoc Committee to study the issue and make a recommendation to the board at the August meeting.
Keith: Second
Vote: PASSED	

Jim:  Must provide written notice of time and place, the phone number of the teleconference and the broad purpose of the meeting.  Must limit discussion to what is advertised as the purpose of the meeting.
Ad Hoc Committee members are: Jan Withers, Connie Jo Lewis, and Danette Steelman-Bridges

•	Development of By-Laws
Jan explained the rationale for development of by-laws.   Full discussion tabled until the August meeting.

•	Orientation Materials for New Board Member .  Keith complimented Laurie’s development of the Board member handbook.  Keith presented new information to be added to the handbook.  Board members are expected to respond to Keith by May 31 with any feedback on his proposal.

•	NCITLB Survey.   Connie Jo contacted Jennifer Johnson, president of NCRID, regarding the survey information.  This information can also go to the Educational Requirement ad hoc committee.  Board discussed adding identifying information to a licensee’s license showing the licensee’s communication modality/skill set(s).   

•	Information from Representative Martha Alexander.  Connie Jo sent her our amendment and a draft was then sent to Connie Jo on 4-4-11 and Connie Jo said it looked great. Connie Jo and Rep Alexander were unable to meet this week.  Connie Jo informed Rep Alexander that there needs to be a discussion regarding the terms “certification” and “classification”.   Section 2 (3)(e) needs to read “classification”, not “certification” (per the Board’s vote in Nov 2010).  Connie Jo will inform Rep Alexander about this change.

New Business: 
•	The RFP Committee has met 3 times since Jan 2011 and it needs to meet again to discuss the final details.  The RFP Committee, on Jim’s recommendation, proposes to give MCI a contract for a year’s contract.  The monthly management fee will continue at 55% rate.

•	The RFP process will continue and the RFP should be ready in the spring of 2012.

MOTION:  Jane Dolan: I move that we authorize Valerie McMillan to sign the contract for management services with MCI (extension for 1 year) dated 6-1-11.
    Second:  Jan Withers.           Vote: PASSED	

•	Board went into closed session to discuss the RFP process.

Adjourned:
 1:30 pm for a break for the Licensing Review Committee to meet for 15 minutes.  
Resumed again at 1:45pm for a closed session on the RFP discussion (separate minutes for the closed session)

Meetings for 2011:   (at DHHS @ 9:00am - 2:00pm)
Aug 5
Nov 4