Board Orientation
ECC’s Mission The Eastern Carolina Council’s mission is to improve the region’s quality of life by providing human, planning and economic development services to local governments and area residents by leveraging resources and collaborating regionally.
ECC Background Established in 1967 by North Carolina state legislature as Region P Began as the Neuse River Council of Governments D/B/A Eastern Carolina Council since 1998 Nine counties 62 incorporated municipalities 5,710 square miles in region One of 16 Council of Governments (COGs) in the state
Duties and Power of Council The Council within the limitation of funds and personnel provided by the participating governmental units and others shall have the following powers, duties and responsibilities: a. To study problems and develop multi-jurisdictional plans for Region “P” b. To promote cooperative arrangements and coordinated action among local governmental units
Duties - Continued c. To make recommendations for review and action to the member governments and other public agencies which perform functions within the Region d. To serve as the Region “P” Regional Clearinghouse for intergovernmental review
Duties - Continued e. To apply for, accept, receive, and dispense funds and grants made available to it by the State of North Carolina or any agency thereof, the United States of America or any agency thereof, any unit of local governments (whether or not a member of the Council) and any private, public or civic agency.
Duties - Continued f. To employ personnel, purchase equipment, rent office space and enter into contracts for new programs to the extent that such activities are authorized by budgets or by specific resolutions duly adopted by a majority of the participating governmental units and are within the limits of funds appropriated to the Council by the participating governmental units and others for such purposes.
Executive Committee and General Membership Board ● Executive Committee o County commissioners appointed to serve by member counties (maximum of nine) o Member municipalities caucus to select one representative for each county (maximum of nine) o Officers are members of the Executive Committee ● General Membership Board o Includes members of Executive Committee o Each member county may appoint one private sector individual if needed to satisfy funder requirements o Each member municipality appoints one representative
Board Officers President: Shane Turney Mayor Pro Tem of Trent Woods First Vice-President: Jay Bender Mayor of Pollocksville Second Vice-President: Robin Comer Carteret County Commissioner Treasurer: Edward Riggs, Jr. Town of Alliance
Organizational Chart Board of Directors Executive Director Judy Hills Finance Director Human Services Director Planning Director Jenny Miller Tonya Cedars Patrick Flanagan Human Services Planner – Family Human Services Deputy Director Administrative Assistant Caregiver Resource Specialist David Rosado Community Planner Leighann Morgan January Brown Lauren Tuttle Regional Lead Regional Long Term Ombudsman Care Ombudsman Renee Kea Angelia Pridgen Community Planner Robin Bloss Human Services Planner – Aging Specialist Andi Reese
Administration
Type of Organization Because of the way ECC is funded: We are not like a local government. We are not directly supported by tax dollars. We have more flexibility and opportunities for funding streams. We are not like a for-profit business. We cannot make a profit which is distributed to owners or shareholders. We are a hybrid of a: Nonprofit —we have “members” and we seek/receive grant funding to support projects/programs Consulting firm — we perform services for others for a fee We are considered a “unit of local government” by the state (the state chartered the COGs) and we describe our organization as a quasi-governmental organization.
Funding • Federal grants — block grants — passed thru the state a. Non-competitive: AAA — received each year – allocations b. Competitive: 205j Water Quality grant — COGs in the state compete for these each year • Federal grants — received directly from Federal agency a. Non-competitive: Economic Development Administration (EDA) — just awarded a three-year planning grant b. Competitive: Spatial Data grant from Geological Survey, Department of the Interior c. Other: Joint Land Use Study and Implementation (MCAS Cherry Point)
Funding - Continued State grants Non-competitive — RPO funding Technical Assistance Projects (TA) Projects or services for which we charge a fee Attempt to bring TA project in under budget — adds to fund balance at end of the year Must have sufficient staff time and capabilities to propose and conduct TA projects
Important Points about Funding • 94% of ECC’s funding is from grants Funds are reimbursable---must spend in order to receive • Funds not spent can’t be rolled into the new year— they revert back to • the funding agency. There are exceptions for multi-year awards like EDA • Funds support staff within those programs (salaries, benefits, travel, training) so increases in those items are incorporated into the budget for those funds • Reimbursement has taken as long as six months (RPO) • Funders expect grantee to spend all the funds and produce outcomes as per the agreement/contract Most grant award amounts are known going into the new budget year, • but some are not
Matching Requirements There are two types of matches — depending on what grant allows: Cash and In-Kind ECC has limited opportunity for in-kind — most require a cash match Member dues are assessed to help make the required match for various grants: Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and EDA Fees are assessed separately by the RPOs for those required matches Member dues allow ECC the flexibility to secure additional funding that may require a match (e.g., PEV study)
Cash Flow and Fund Balance ECC needs to maintain a sufficient fund balance not only to satisfy the auditors, but also to meet cash flow requirements — currently over $500,000 Cash flow is disrupted when an agency delays reimbursement. The biggest problem has been the RPO reimbursements which have run four to six months behind Since ECC runs two RPOs, that amount is double Member dues are needed to ensure adequate fund balance/cash flow If counties only pay the AAA portion of the dues, the EDA match might be in jeopardy and ECC is under a contract which will not conclude until December 31, 2017
Budgeting Challenges Projected allocations may change Programs may be eliminated mid-stream Federal and State budgets may call for unpredicted reductions in funding after budget is developed EDA funding is on the calendar year and not on our fiscal year Projects and programs may span one or more fiscal year (grant and TA) Have to budget for uncertainty of TA projects — cannot send Reduction-in-Force (RIF) letters to staff prematurely
Finance Overview
ECC Funding Stream Member Dues- 3.6% Grants – 92.7% Technical Assistance – 3.7%
Indirect - Administrative Expense Current Rate 43% (Salary & Fringe) 100 % Finance Director Office Supplies 50% Administrative Asst Salary Legal Fees 5% Ex. Director Salary Board Meeting Expenses Travel /Training for Administrative 10% of Audit Cost Purposes Local Match for Aging & EDA (72%) Space Rent, Utilities IT Support Building Maintenance Payroll administration Workman’s Comp. Liability Ins. System Administration Various Membership Dues
Membership Dues Member Dues 3.6% of total revenue 95% of the dues are use to provide the local match to the various programs Remaining balance is used to cover administrative expense Remaining balance at year-end builds fund balance
Technical Assistance Projects T/A projects provides 3.7% of ECC total revenue Aging Trainings Community Development GIS/ Planning projects Builds fund balance Provide services to community at reasonable cost
Misconceptions Under spending grants adds to ECC fund balance Grant funds can be spent on anything Grants provide up-front funding ECC can survive without full payment of member dues
Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
Purpose of Area Agencies on Aging Develop area plans for comprehensive and coordinated system of care for home and community services for nine county region (updated every 4 years) Monitor all programs funded by the Older Americans Act Advocate on behalf of older adults and their caregivers Establish network of strong advocates including; Senior Tar Heel Delegates, Community Advisory Committees, Regional Aging Advisory Committees, Service Providers, and other advocates
Purpose of AAA - Continued Administer Long-Term Care Ombudsman program Administer Family Caregiver Program Designated as the Local Contact Agency for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Serve as information brokerage for communities throughout the region Designated Transition Coordinators for the Money Follows the Person program Serve as the County Coordinator for the Senior’s Health Insurance Information program
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