Common Ground Board of Directors Meeting Minutes: Meeting August 25, 2025

August 25, 2025

Board of Directors Minutes 

Microsoft Teams Link

Microsoft Teams Recording

Present: Alexis Smith, Brian Kelahan, Carly Osborne, Jameson Davis, Jeff Carter, Kathi Torres, Ky Andersson, Kymani Chapman, Lauren Caplan, Liz Cox, Sarah Field, Yexandra Diaz.

Staff: Amanda Byam, Ana Rosa, Arianna Alamo, Deborah Greig, Evan Green, Gammy Moses, Genevive Walker, Jeremy Stone, Jess Weimann, Joel Tolman, Kathleen Bergman, Marisa Misbach, Michell Brito, Monique Frasier, Nuria Miller, Paul Clare, Rachel Sharnick, Rebecca Holcombe.

Public: Chelsea Farrell, Margaret Randle, Robin Green.

Welcome 

The meeting was called to order at 5:36 PM.

Public Comment: 

Chelsea Farrell from Local 2110 UAW, Jessica Weimann and Jeremy Stone, both CGHS Educators, made comments and expressed their concerns about union negotiations.

Introduction of New Board Members: 

Alexis facilitated introductions for new board members including Jameson, Kymani, Kathi, Yexandra, and Lauren, allowing them to share their backgrounds and roles with the group.

• Alexis invited new board members to introduce themselves.
• Jameson Davis shared their background in environmental justice and law.
• Kymani Chapman introduced themselves as a student representative.
• Kathi Torres discussed their administrative experience and introduced themselves as a parent of a student at Common Ground.
• Yexandra highlighted their layered relationship with Common Ground, including their history as a former environmental educator and a parent of two CGHS alum.
• Lauren Caplan mentioned their legal and sustainability background, and their son’s participation in the children’s programs.

Business Requiring Approval 

• Minutes of the June 30th Board Meeting

Approval of June Meeting Minutes: Alexis, Brian, Ky, and other board members discussed approving the June meeting minutes, encountered quorum challenges due to abstentions by new members, and decided to table the approval for further review.

• Brian moved to approve the June minutes with an addendum to clarify that the board unanimously passed a motion celebrating Audrey Nefores, and Ky explained the process for new members to abstain from voting on minutes for meetings they did not attend.
• Quorum Calculation & Roll Call – Ky and Alexis led a roll call to determine the number of votes and abstentions, ultimately finding that the board lacked the necessary quorum to approve the minutes due to multiple abstentions from new members.

• Decision to Table Minutes – After confirming the absence of a quorum and recognizing that some previous board members were no longer present, Alexis and Ky agreed to table the approval of the June minutes and revisit the issue after the meeting.

Motion for Certified Resolution: N/A

Invoices Needing Approval

Hanover Commercial Package  $17,877.60 total for the year/budgeted. Request approval for the year  

• Approval of Hanover Commercial Insurance Invoice – Jeff presented the Hanover Commercial Insurance package invoice for approval, clarified details with Ky, and the board unanimously approved monthly payments for the package.
• Invoice Presentation and Clarification – Jeff explained the Hanover commercial insurance package invoice amount and requested board approval for the business office to pay it monthly, clarifying with Ky that only the commercial package policy required board approval.
• Motion and Approval – Ky moved to approve the invoice, Brian seconded, and Alexis confirmed that the motion carried with no opposition or abstentions, noting that new board members could fully participate in this vote.

Executive Director Report: 

Genevive provided updates on union negotiations, key staff vacancies, strategic planning, and upcoming all-staff meetings, with additional personnel and program updates from Ana, Joel, Deborah, and Rebecca.

• Union Negotiations and Staff Vacancies – Genevive reported ongoing union negotiations, the continued vacancy of the Director of Development and Communications, the hiring of a staff accountant starting September 2nd, and the sharing of accounting duties among staff until the new hire begins.
• Strategic Planning Progress – Genevive described ongoing strategic planning efforts, including small group sessions with Timothy Throckbeck, and announced an upcoming six-hour in-person session to synthesize feedback and address organizational challenges.
• All-Staff Meeting and Morale – Genevive announced an all-staff meeting on September 3rd focused on morale and team-building rather than budget issues, aiming to start the year with a positive organizational tone.
• Personnel Updates – Ana reported the hiring of a new health teacher, a new science teacher, and a staff accountant, while noting ongoing searches for a Director of Development, a SPED teacher, and a part-time facilities position.
• Green Jobs Corps and Community Engagement – Joel highlighted the launch of the fall Green Jobs Corps application, anticipated hiring of 25-30 students, and the program’s adaptation to funding changes, as well as ongoing student enrollment opportunities.
• Farm and Children’s Program Updates – Deb shared the conclusion of the summer youth farming program and ongoing farm share and mobile market activities, while Rebecca reported on extended summer camp operations, upcoming staff training, and the start of school-year programs.
• Discussion of Morale Initiatives and Challenges – Kathi and Genevive discussed staff morale challenges, primarily related to budget constraints. Kathi inquired about morale-boosting efforts beyond budgetary solutions, to which Genevive responded that while financial constraints are a major factor, the organization is open to additional ideas. Monique addressed concerns about student attendance, particularly for students from immigrant families.

• Student Handbook and Staff Morale and Attendance Concerns – Monique discussed the student handbook and described efforts such as community-building activities and staff gatherings.

Committee Reports

Minutes of all Committee Meetings will be posted on the Board of Directors Webpage by the end of each month.

Finance Committee (Jeff + Margaret)

The finance committee met on August 21.

The meeting agenda and minutes from the Finance Committee can be found HERE.

• Review of the monthly financial report:
  • June Finance Report can be found HERE.

Jeff, Ky, and Margaret provided an overview of the organization’s financial status, including last year’s deficit, current budget stabilization, the impact of a new state grant, and ongoing audit and reporting processes.

• Last Year’s Deficit and Causes – Jeff and Margaret explained that the organization closed the previous year with a $339,000 deficit, driven by budget cuts, unexpected expenses, and a structurally planned deficit, but noted that significant efforts have been made to stabilize finances.
• Current Budget and Grant Impact – Margaret reported that the current budget is balanced, aided by a $250,000 state grant over two years, which provides some financial breathing room, though the timing and disbursement of the grant funds remain uncertain.
• Cash Flow and Financial Statements – Margaret described the organization’s cash flow patterns, the use of a line of credit, and the presentation of standalone financial statements for Common Ground and New Haven to illustrate their interdependence.
• Audit Committee and Reporting – Ky and Jeff discussed the role of the Finance Committee as the audit committee, ongoing audit processes, and the importance of regular EFS reporting and financial oversight.
• Orientation for New Members – Jameson requested that the upcoming board orientation include a detailed review of the sources of the budget deficit and the measures taken to address financial challenges, which Ky confirmed would be included.

Governance Committee Report (Kyeen)

The governance committee met on August 19th. 

Minutes from the Governance Committee Meetings can be found HERE.

Ky provided updates on board member orientation, committee assignments, website updates, and the nomination process for a second parent representative, with additional discussion on required board forms.

• Orientation and Committee Assignments – Ky announced that the new board member orientation would be scheduled before the next meeting, committee assignments had been distributed, and all members would be asked to submit updated bios for the website.
• Parent Representative Nomination – Ky explained the nomination of a second parent representative, the need to recirculate the candidate’s CV, and the plan to vote on the nomination at the next board meeting.
• Board Forms and Compliance – Brian inquired about conflict of interest forms, and Ky confirmed that both new and returning board members would receive the necessary forms as part of the orientation process.

Development Committee Report (Brian)

The Development Committee met on August 14th.

Minutes from the Development Committee Meetings can be found HERE.

Brian reported on the search for a new Development Director, plans for board member financial pledges, and ongoing efforts to maintain fundraising momentum despite the vacancy, with input from Sarah.

• Director Search and Board Pledges – Brian stated that the committee is actively seeking a new Development and Communications Director and will soon distribute board pledge forms for annual financial commitments.
• Maintaining Fundraising Momentum – In response to Sarah’s question about sustaining fundraising efforts, Brian explained that the committee is identifying top contributors and new donors for outreach and will not wait for the new director to begin these activities.

School Committee Report (Liz + Monique) 

The School Committee met on August 20th.

Minutes from the School Committee Meetings can be found HERE.

To be approved by the Board: DRAFT 2025-2026 Student Handbook

• School Committee Report and Upcoming School Year Plans – Liz and Monique provided updates on student enrollment, the student handbook, School Board policy manual revisions, and the School Improvement Plan – with a focus on absenteeism, credit earning, and school climate.

• Enrollment and Handbook Updates – Liz reported ongoing enrollment for 10th and 11th graders, and Genevive emphasized the need for board approval of the updated student handbook at the September meeting and the distribution of a new handbook link due to significant revisions.
• Attendance and Immigration Concerns – Jameson raised concerns about the impact of immigration issues on student attendance, and Monique explained that the school addressed these concerns through communication with students and families, ensuring campus safety and openness to ongoing dialogue about making students feel secure.

New Business

N/A

Executive Session

Motion to move into executive session was moved by Jeff and seconded by Jameson. The board entered executive session at 7:08 PM.

Adjourn

Motion to adjourn the meeting was moved by Liz and seconded by Ky. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM.

Next Meeting: Monday, September 29th in person at 358 Springside Avenue, New Haven, CT 06515.

Public Comment: 

In order to comply with Connecticut Open Meeting laws, any member of the public wishing to participate in the meeting must sign up on the Public Participation Sign-up Document. Sign-ups for Public Participation will open at 5 pm on the last business day before the meeting (Friday, September 26th) and will close at 5:00 pm on the day of the meeting (Monday, September 29th) Public Participation is limited to 2 minutes per person up to 30 total minutes. Anyone wishing to make a statement to the board can also submit testimony in writing to Alexis.Smith@nhep.com  by 5:00 pm on the day of the meeting. All submitted documents will be included in the publicly shared meeting minutes.