Report Out from the July 17, 2004 ASHI Board of Directors Meeting

The second Board meeting of ASHI’s fiscal year was held in conjunction with a Town Hall meeting in Atlanta, GA, where local ASHI Membership and prospective members met with national leadership. This is a report to the ASHI Membership of the actions taken during the Board meeting. The official minutes of this meeting will be presented for Board approval at their next meeting in October 2004. We encourage you to review this report in order to be fully informed of actions taken on your behalf by the ASHI Board.

I. ASHI Strategic Report

(Background Information)
Earlier this year, the ASHI Board approved a new Strategic Plan that defines our purpose, and identifies where we want to be as an organization and how we plan to get there. ASHI’s Strategic Plan has three main areas of importance. The first is focused on improving “Membership Value,” this includes such things as chapter relations, governance, communications, education, membership and support of ASHI leadership. The second area of importance in our plan is “Performing The ASHI Experience,” our Brand. This area includes all things needed to promote our brand and make it valuable to the membership, like public relations, advertising, customer service and technical training, and grassroots support from members and chapters. The third and final area of importance in our plan addresses our desire to represent the entire home inspection profession, to be its voice. We call this area “ASHI as Advocate,” and it includes activities in federal legislation, educating the public, building alliances, education on ethical behavior, and matters of compliance or oversight of the membership. These limited descriptions of what ASHI’s Strategic Plan includes are very brief; however, the plan itself is quite large and comprehensive as it guides our activities over the next three to five years. Each year, we create work plans for our committees and staff based on the Strategic Plan. At each Board meeting, the Board Agenda will center on the three areas within our Strategic Plan and the Board will hear updates on how we are progressing in the plan.

At the July Board meeting, the Board participated in a presentation on ASHI’s Strategic Plan, learning about the progress being made in the plan and recommendations for additional work in the year ahead. There were several decisions that the Board was asked to make in regard to funding work in each of these areas for the year ahead. ASHI’s normal Operations Budget does not include funding for these proposed activities, so the Board needed to determine how much additional funding should be obtained and where the funding should be spent. In addition, motions were presented to the Board from the Strategic Report itself for their consideration. Actions taken as a result of this presentation appear throughout this report.

Several motions presented to the Board during this report were sent back to the committee or task force from where they came for additional work requested by the Board. It is anticipated that each of these items will be addressed by the Board at their October meeting.

II. Consent Agenda

The Board of Directors approved items presented on a Consent Agenda. This includes the following:

a. To approve the establishment of the California Chapter of ASHI.

b. To approve the selection of Ahlbeck & Company to perform the 2003-2004 annual audit for $11,550 as outlined in the Engagement letter presented to the Board.

III. Approval of Minutes

Board meeting minutes were reviewed and approved by the Board. These included:

1. Minutes of the April 17, 2004, Board Meeting held in Chicago as presented.

IV. Strategic Work Area Status Updates

With the breakdown of ASHI’s Strategic Plan into three main work areas, the Board now receives “Status Updates” on how the Committees and Staff are progressing in their work within each area. These reports have taken the place of “Committee Reports for Review” and “Committee Reports with Motions.” All motions submitted by Committees must be linked to ASHI’s Strategic Plan. The following motions were approved by the Board:

Performing the ASHI Experience Work Area Motions

a. To approve the ASHI Experience Chapter Funding & Activities Guidebook and the Chapter Activities Funding Procedures as the requirements and procedures for ASHI Experience Chapter Funding. (The guidebook and procedures were written by the Chapter Relations Committee and Staff to be used by all chapters as they obtain their $50 share of the dues collected earlier this year to be used in the promotion of The ASHI Experience.)

Membership Value Work Area Motions

a. To approve assigning the Bylaws Committee the task of creating an Amendment proposal to allow C-2 Candidates the right to vote in all ASHI elections. (Currently, only full Members have the right to vote. This Bylaw Amendment will be presented to them later this year for a vote.)

b. To allow Certified California Real Estate Inspectors Association (CREIA) Inspector (CCI) Members full membership in ASHI with the following provisions: Must pass report verification, document 250 fee paid inspections and provide evidence of passing the CREIA membership examination. These membership requirements will be reviewed by the Membership Committee annually.

c. To allow members of the Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors (TAREI) who have earned the Professional Inspector classification through the sponsorship track be allowed to become a full Members of ASHI, after satisfactorily completing the standard ASHI report verification process. The TAREI membership requirements will be reviewed annually by the Membership Committee.

d. To submit to the Finance Committee for their review and consideration a proposal that multi–inspector firm’s dues rates be changed from full dues for each member and candidate to the first full member will pay full dues and the remaining members and candidates receive a $75.00 discount. This is for dues being paid from one location. (The committee will review to determine if this is feasible and appropriate and they will report to the Board their findings at a later date.)

(Note: ASHI Directors who are from Franchise companies abstained from voting on this motion.)

V. Reports

In the course of each Board meeting, there are various reports given. At this meeting, the following reports were provided to the Board: Council of Representatives; Headquarters, Executive Director, Membership and Legal. Actions were taken during the following reports:

Financial Report

a. A motion was made, seconded and approved that the ASHI Board of Directors approve the proposal to upgrade ASHI’s communications service and equipment in Headquarters through the acquisition of a high-speed T-1 communications line, the purchase of a new phone system, and the purchase of the additional hardware and software to coordinate all communications and run the new system.

b. A motion was made, seconded and approved that the ASHI Board of Directors approve the 2004-2005 Operating Budget as presented to them by the Finance Committee.
With the approval of the proposed Operating Budget, the Board approved a dues amount of $350 for all Members and C2 Candidates, and a dues amount of $325 for all C1 Candidates. Further, the Board agreed to continue funding The ASHI Experience, as well as the other areas of ASHI’s Strategic Plan, by approving an additional $150 dues amount for Members and C2 Candidates and $50 for C1 Candidates. The Board agreed that $50 of this additional amount will again be diverted back to the ASHI Chapters as support for their work to promote the Brand and help the membership. The specifics of what additional activities from the Strategic Plan will be undertaken will be researched by a sub-group of the Board and presented for final Board approval prior to their October meeting. Following are the totals for 2004-2005 Membership Dues:

Members and Candidates with Logo Use (C2s): $500

Candidates (C1s): $375

Retired Members: $105

Affiliates: $645

The 2004-2005 dues amounts will be billed at one time starting this August and ending in November. ASHI will not bill for additional dues or assessments during the remainder of the membership year. In addition, Members and Candidates will be offered the opportunity to pay their dues in two or three installments, with the addition of a small service charge.

VI. Executive Session

During the Board meeting, several matters needed to be addressed during Executive Sessions. During Executive Session, only the Board is allowed to be in the room. Unless requested otherwise, all guests and staff are asked to leave. After the Executive Session is completed, typically, the Secretary rises and reports certain actions taken during the session as appropriate. The following actions were reported following the Executive Session:

A motion was made, seconded and approved that the Board end their current search for Legal Counsel and retain the current Legal Counsel for another year.

A motion was made, seconded and approved to conclude the working contract with the four companies retained to assist in The ASHI Experience and Strategic Planning efforts. (The scope of work on the ASHI Brand had ended with the July Board meeting, this motion terminates the contract as well. The Board agreed that any of the four companies may be retained at a later date to assist us further, if necessary.)

A motion was made, seconded and approved that the Board directs staff to process with the Complaints Committee serious violations of ASHI’s Code of Ethics, Bylaws and other rules where states are not available for discipline; ASHI will not process matters where competitive business practices are involved.

With no additional business to address, the July 17th, 2004, ASHI Board of Directors meeting was adjourned.