DNC Board Meeting minutes: August 5th, 2014

Minutes for DNC Board Meeting:  August 5^th, 2014

Attendees:  11 board members

X reads constitution

AGENDA

AGM

Aboriginal Committee Update

Housing/Oppenhiemer Park

Legal Committee Update

AGM

Poster must go up 14 days prior to AGM. X says any amendments have to be voted on at AGM. Nomination form includes constitution. Copies of bylaws and constitution need to be available at AGM. Natural community members are appointed by the board. Date for pre-AGM is Tuesday, August 19^th. Nomination forms available at Street Market as well as by contacting members via phone numbers listed on Poster. Nomination forms also available at August 12^th DNC board meeting. People need to receive nomination forms in time to submit to the nominating committee at the pre-AGM by August 19^th.  Nomination committee must be prepared to interview nominees on August 19^th.

Motion:  X motions that members cannot be more than 15 minutes late for a meeting to receive a stipend. Also, members must stay at DNC board meeting in attendance for 1 hour and 30 minutes to receive a stipend. Motion passes unanimously.

Aboriginal Committee

X is doing outreach with Gen 7/WAHRS to be involved. X will bring report to the board at next DNC meeting.

Housing/Oppenhiemer Park

Discussion ensues about Oppenhiemer Park. People who use drugs are being excluded from the park. X says this causes a problem for harm reduction, there is a need for a safe injection tent. There appears to be zero tolerance for service to assist people to avoid preventable deaths.  Camp inspections may be a way to do an illegal warrant and this puts people at risk.

Legal Committee

The legal committee has found there is a possible way to submit the argument regarding offensive policy to a court.  Committee is doing more research to find a way forward.

There is a discussion among group about ongoing community group consultation with VCH and agencies. There is a consultation process taking place. X says disproportionate number of people never attend after first appointment. Complex patients feel unwelcome. X says was told that X must be clean and sober before receiving necessary service.  X says if you are in a shelter you are not considered a resident so you cannot attend the clinic. X says poor people are treated without respect in waiting rooms. X says there should be more community control of clinics. X says these problems occur even in community controlled clinics. There is a general consensus that there should be more accountability.

Moment of Silence.

Adjourn.