Policy Council Minutes
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Members Present: Rita Hunter (vice chair), Maisha Delph (secretary), Carl Powe, Carl Telford (chair), Joyce Smith, Cathy Breazeale, Angela Brown, Teneie Mathis, Chekeia Hunt, Bryon Martinez, Eric McCullough,
Members Absent: Jesla Hendrix, Terail Dorn, Diamond Neal, Thomasina Watson, Z'Quoia Blassingame, Harriett Hunt, Neco Hester, Mikya Cowan, Cheyenne Beasley, Jordan Machen, Bobby Allison, Tomeika Bennett, Tajae Smith, Rosalind Moss
Mini Training: Head Start By-laws and Head Start Act Requirements
The mini training focused on strengthening understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Policy Council and Governing Board as outlined in the Head Start Bylaws, the Head Start Act, and Performance Standards. Emphasis was placed on maintaining compliance with federal requirements, particularly in the area of personnel matters.
Participants reviewed the distinct roles of each governing body. It was clarified that the Governing Board holds the authority for hiring and termination decisions for key leadership positions, including the Executive Director, Head Start Director, Human Resources Director, and Chief Financial Officer. The Policy Council’s role is to approve or disapprove hiring and termination criteria for program staff, rather than making individual personnel decisions.
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the Personnel Committee. The group explored its historical purpose, current relevance, and the challenges associated with maintaining confidentiality in personnel matters. While the committee is not a federally mandated requirement, it has been part of the program’s structure for many years. Due to limited participation and ongoing confidentiality concerns, members discussed whether the committee should continue or be revised within the bylaws.
As a result, a motion was made and supported to re-establish the Personnel Committee for the remainder of the program year, with identified members and a plan for additional recruitment. It was also discussed that a Human Resources representative would support or chair the committee to ensure compliance with confidentiality and legal requirements. Participants acknowledged that even with a committee in place, access to sensitive personnel information would remain limited.
Ms. Pamela Sims, President & CEO joined the training. She discussed the importance of following proper policies and procedures, particularly regarding personnel matters and confidentiality. She clarified that the Policy Council's responsibilities do not include hiring or firing staff, as this falls under the governing body's responsibilities. She addressed concerns about a former employee's situation, emphasizing the need to follow established protocols and avoid potential litigation. The discussion highlighted the importance of referring employee concerns back to the agency and using appropriate channels like the EEOC for grievances.
Overall, the session provided clarity on governance structure, reinforced compliance expectations, and encouraged informed decision-making aligned with the Head Start Act. The discussion concluded with asking council members that were in attendance if they would be willing to serve on the personnel committee. Two members in attendance expressed that their time would not allow for them to serve on the committee. Ms. Angela Brown made a motion to have Patrice Hawthorne send out a personnel recruitment e-mail to Policy Council members seeking volunteers to serve on the committee. Interested members will be asked to respond by a specified deadline indicating their willingness to serve. If no responses from the council, the personnel committee will be dissolved. Teneie Mathis seconded. Motion carried.
The meeting was called to order by Carl Telford, Chair. A quorum was met.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from last month's meeting were reviewed by the Policy Council (See Attachment). After discussion, Carl Powe made a motion to accept the minutes as presented. Teneie Mathis seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Approval of Personnel Report:
The personnel report was then presented by Tara Cannon, Director of Human Resources. There are no recommendations for hire this month. There are 2 terminations, one for February and one in March. Ms. Botsoe informed the council that we will stop hiring for teachers, classroom aides and substitutes for our program due to our Head Start program ending May 29th. We will continue hiring for EHS because the program ends July 10th. Mrs. Cannon emphasized that the personnel report shows the employee’s date of separation and reason for separation which is Just Cause. We cannot breach confidentiality. This is one way that our agency can be sued. Ms. Botsoe informed the council that we will be changing the format of the personnel report beginning next month. There will be less details on the report. After discussion, Teneie Mathis made a motion to approve the termination report as presented. Carl Powe seconded. Motion carried.
|
April 2026 Policy Council Termination Report Month |
Date of Separation |
Reason for Separation |
|
February 1 employee |
2/24/26 |
Just Cause |
|
March 1 employee |
3/2/26 |
Just Cause |
Director’s Report:
The Director’s Report was provided by Ms. Vaughn. She highlighted that the 10% disability requirement for Head Start enrollment had been met, with 10.2% for Head Start and 11.3% for early programs. Patrice informed the council of upcoming events, including a Kitchen Challenge and Battle of the Dads on April 25th, and a governance training on April 23rd presented by Mabel Jones. The Annual Parent and Policy Council Recognition Luncheon is scheduled for May 22nd at Long Branch Church. Policy Council members will be recognized for their dedication and commitment and are encouraged to attend the event. The conversation ended with discussions about self-assessment team participation, where Patrice requested volunteers and emphasized the importance of following through on commitments, noting past issues with participants who agreed but didn't attend. Teneie' inquired about dates and times for the self-assessment, which Patrice confirmed were available in the schedule.
Budget Review:
The Budget Review was provided by Doris Pitchford, Director of Business & Finance. She reported that 75% of the fiscal year budget had been expended, with Head Start at 79% and Early Head Start at 66%. Ms. Pitchford reviewed and discussed the credit card expenditure reports. The discussion concluded with details about in-kind donations tracking and the potential implementation of an app to streamline this process, though concerns were raised about maintaining proper documentation for auditing purposes.
After discussion, Angela Brown made a motion to approve the budget report as presented. Teneie Mathis seconded the motion. Motion carried.
No further business, Chekeia Hunt made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Bryon Martinez seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Recorded by. Maisha Delph, Secretary
Carl Telford, Chair
