16102: Hermantin: Sun-Sentinel-Haitian aid agency's board in disarray, files show (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Sun Sentinel

Haitian aid agency's board in disarray, files show


By Leon Fooksman
Staff Writer

July 9, 2003

Until last week, three current or former Haitian American Community Council
board members had no idea they belonged to the group.

They were appointed between 1997 and 2000, state records show. Yet that came
as a surprise to the trio, who said they never attended a board meeting or
knew they were chosen.

"I don't know why I was put on there," said Dr. Eddy Louissaint, a Delray
Beach physician who was listed as a board member in 1998 and 1999. "I didn't
know anything about this. I never participated in it."

Since 1996, the Haitian council registered at least 18 board members with
the Florida Department of State. They should have been attending meetings,
setting policy and controlling the Delray Beach social services agency,
according to the council's bylaws.

Eight current or former board members tell a different story: Two left out
of frustration with the Haitian council's management. Another ex-member said
she attended only one meeting, vowing never to return because there was too
much disorganization. Two other ex-members said they knew they were members,
but they either attended few meetings or none at all. Three others didn't
know they were members until told by a reporter.

"I never heard of them," said Caleb Buisson, a Fort Lauderdale businessman
who was listed as a board member in 1997 and 1998. "Maybe they intended to
invite me, but they never did."

Minutes from six board meetings in the past two years show there weren't
always enough members present to conduct official business. Yet the meetings
went on anyway, according to records and board members.

The board rarely took formal votes on the agency's policies and personnel
matters, preferring to just talk about them, according to meeting minutes
and some board members.

Haitian council board President Carolyn Zimmerman said she has always had
trouble getting board members to attend meetings. She said she was unaware
the meetings weren't conducted using Robert's Rules of Order and minutes
weren't recorded properly. She said she has read the council's meeting rules
but admits they weren't always followed.

"When you have people waiting for you at the front of the office, you don't
worry about the bylaws," Zimmerman said.

Government oversight

Two government agencies last month found management flaws at the Haitian
council. They required Haitian council director Daniella Henry and board
members to affirm they have no conflicts of interest with the agency's
business. The agencies determined that Henry and former Haitian council
supervisor Gethro Louis Jean owned a house together in West Palm Beach while
they were co-workers.

The county Department of Community Services and the Children Services
Council of Palm Beach County also told the Haitian council last month that
it has a weak board that needs reform. The county wants additional board
members who specialize in fund-raising, finances and program development.
The department also has ordered the organization to provide more information
in its board meeting minutes.

"The board's involvement has been an issue," said Marlene Passell, CSC's
spokeswoman. "The role of the board is unclear."

Passell said the fact the agency has registered so many members in seven
years is an "indication of the instability that we've seen." The Haitian
council's bylaws require five to nine board members. County officials have
said a stronger board is needed to ensure there are no conflicts of interest
or financial problems.

Zimmerman said she intends to resolve the agencies' concerns by introducing
a new board next week. Zimmerman said she will work with Henry to recruit
new board members. A call to Henry was referred to Willie Jones, a board
member and attorney. Jones could not be reached for comment, despite
attempts by phone at his law offices and a message left through the Haitian
council.

Two former board members -- state Rep. Anne Gannon, D-Delray Beach, and
Delray Beach redevelopment official Rosalind Murray -- said they left in the
mid-1990s amid concerns the board wasn't in control of the organization.
Murray said there were no budgets, personnel evaluations or salary
information provided during the board meetings she attended.

"We were only there in name," Murray said.

Zimmerman dismissed Murray's charges as a political attack, but she wouldn't
elaborate.

`there was no order'

Boca Raton attorney Barry Silver quit the board last month after three
years, saying he no longer had time for the group. Silver said Tuesday he
attended a few board meetings. Silver is listed in the minutes as attending
meetings in October 2001 and January 2002, although he said he can't recall
if they were official meetings. The CSC only had records of a half-dozen
board meetings. Haitian council officials have not responded to a request
from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for meeting minutes.

Marie Clerger has been listed as a board member since 2001, even though she
said she attended only one meeting in that time.

"There was no order at the meeting. Everyone was talking. No one was taking
notes. I didn't know who the secretary was," said Clerger, a former Haitian
council volunteer. "I knew then that I didn't want to be involved anymore."

Haitian activist Nellie Delva, registered as a board member in 1997 and
1998, said she knew she was a board member, but she never attended meetings
and had "no real participation." She said her main connection to the
organization was being introduced to Henry.

Potential conflicts

Mathias Honore, listed as a board member since 1999, said he never went to
meetings or knew he was a board member.

"I never did anything," Honore said when told by a reporter he was listed in
state records as a current board member. "I can't believe this. I will ask
them to explain this to me."

Zimmerman said she didn't know Honore, Buisson or Delva or who appointed
them. She also couldn't explain why Honore and Buisson were listed as board
members without their knowledge.

>From the half-dozen meeting minutes provided by the CSC, it isn't clear who
the Haitian council considers its current board members. The Jan. 18, 2002,
minutes list board members Zimmerman, Jones, Silver, Honore and Darlarnde
Jean in attendance. Jean was not listed in state records as a member of the
board.

Meeting records also reveal potential conflicts with the group's bylaws.
Minutes for a July 10, 2002, board meeting show three members attended. The
agency's rules require five members in order to conduct business. A Sept.
30, 2002, "emergency" meeting dealing with budget revisions also had only
three board members present. Records of a Jan. 5, 2001, meeting don't list
which board members attended.

Zimmerman said she thought the council required a majority of the board to
be present in order to do business. She said a Haitian council secretary
usually kept the minutes. That job is supposed to be done by the board
secretary, according to the agency's rules.

Leon Fooksman can be reached at lfooksman@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6647.


Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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