Board Meeting on December 2-4, 2022
Board Resolutions
Resolution Nr. 1
The ALA board agrees to help Linda Zalīte, the new Information Office Director, decide the future of the ALA publication Latvian Dimensions. L. Zālīte will ask the ALA Board members to join a new task force that will meet in the month of December to begin addressing the situation.
Resolution Nr. 2
The ALA board decides that an English translation is required for both of the new marketing videos.
Resolution Nr. 3
The ALA board approves the IRS 990 form submitted by Clifton Larsen Allen for December 31, 2021.
Resolution Nr. 4
The ALA Board accepts the financial report dated October 2022.
Resolution Nr. 5
The ALA board decides to approve the new auditing firm, SnyderCohn, recommended by the Treasurer.
Resolution Nr. 6
The ALA decides to adopt the following policies with the changes recommended by the Willis Law firm: 1B Revenue – Donations and 1B Revenue – Gift Agreement MOU.
Resolution Nr. 7
The ALA board decides to adopt the statute amendments recommended by the Willis Law firm and present these statute changes at the 72nd ALA Congress for approval.
Resolution Nr. 8
The ALA board approves the Maryland law firm, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston L.L.P to represent the American Latvian Association with a court application under UPMIFA for approval to release certain restrictions on the Association’s funds.
Resolution Nr. 9
The ALA board decides to initiate planning the ALA 72nd Congress in Indianapolis in October 2023, if that works for the Indianapolis Latvians.
Resolution Nr. 10
The ALA board decides to limit the ALA Recognition Award nomination process to allow only two candidates to be nominated from each organization.
Resolution Nr. 11
The ALA board decides to hold the next strategic planning session virtually on January 19, 2023, at 6:00 pm ET. The meeting should last 2-3 hours.
Resolution Nr. 12
The ALA board decides to initiate a new board communication plaftorm utilizing Google Classroom. Elisa Freimane will hold training sessions on Wednesday, December 7th and Wednesday. December 14th from 7-9 pm. The first meeting is simply a verification that all board members have access. The second meeting will offer user training. Board members not able to attend these evening sessions need to make other arrangements with E. Freimane to complete these steps in December.
Resolution Nr. 13
The ALA Board resolves to raise the salaries of the full-time ALA office staff by 3 percent, as well as provide a Christmas bonus ($4,000 to M. Gudrais and $3,000 to B. Dolinsky, after taxes). Part-time employee L. Ejupe will receive a $300 bonus. M. Andersons will notify the staff in December 2022.
Resolution Nr. 14
The ALA board decides to adopt a formal performance review process for the ALA office employees effective January 1, 2023. The process will include goal setting, an annual job description review, as well as an annual org chart review. M. Andersons will notify the staff of this change in December 2022, with goal setting and job description review to occur in January 2023.
Resolution Nr. 15
The ALA Board allows the treasurer to transfer up to $500,000 from the Raymond James Temporary Restricted portfolio to the unrestricted portfolio to cover future expenses.
Resolution Nr. 16
The ALA Board decides to explore a new group calendar option that will be compatible with the newly adopted Google Classroom platform. Elisa Freimane will take on this task.
Resolution Nr. 17
The ALA Board plans to hold the next board meetings: March 18th in Cleveland (alternate date February 25th), in May via Zoom (asking all to read the office reports in advance), in August at the Catskills Camp (to coincide with the Black Bear fundraising event), in October after the 72nd ALA Congress.
Resolution Nr. 18
The ALA board decides to host the ALA 72nd Congress in Indianapolis on October 12- 15th, 2023. ALA Vice President Andrejs Kancs will participate in the organizing committee.
Resolution Nr. 19
The ALA Staff Communications Committee approves a 3 percent salary increase for L. Ejupe.
Resolution Nr. 20
The ALA board supports dedicating $10,000 to the 2023 Spotlight Latvia event from the ALA Spotlight/Economics Fund as a sponsorship, of which $6,000 would be designated for Klavs Rudzītis to develop a new visual identity for the event and revise the event’s website.
Resolution Nr. 21
The ALA board plans to hold the next board meeting on March 24-26th, 2023, in Milwaukee, beginning Friday afternoon at 3 pm. The friday agenda will offer items that do not require the attendance of the entire board.
Resolution Nr. 22
The ALA board plans to hold the August board meeting on the weekend of August 26th at the Catskill camp. Board member Valda Grinbergs is helping secure housing accommodations.
Resolution Nr. 23
As part of the ALA board’s ongoing strategic planning, the board has chosen the following priorities.
Member involvement:
The ALA board has set up a membership database working group. The group’s goal is to clean up existing data and add additional items to accommodate future marketing requirements. The group will also begin developing a job description for an internship to help update the membership database. The participants are M. Andersons, M. Gudrā, K. Giga, M. Giga, D. Kārkliņa, un A. Grīviņa.
ALA board members are each committed to contacting 8-10 member organizations ahead of the March meeting to update the organization’s status, contact names and interests for upcoming congress planning.
Changes to Congress structure:
The ALA board has decided to launch ALA 72. Congressional planning earlier than usual, gathering ideas from member organizations.
The congressional planning committee (M. Andersons, M. Gudrā, L. Zālīte) will take into account the comments made by the board regarding the need to offer the opportunity for ALA member organizations to report on their activities at the congress meeting, as well as to focus on the needs and current affairs of member organizations, thus establishing mutual dialogue and cooperation.
The ALA board has decided to look at the possibility of broadcasting part of the congressional program to ensure wider participation.
The ALA board has decided to prepare resolutions to be submitted to delegates for approval, allowing for additional resolutions during the course of the congress meeting.
Resolution Nr. 24
The ALA board approves a $5,000 donation for humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees in Latvia as an acknowledgment of the one-year mark of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.