May 12, 2013 Executive Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Executive Meeting, May 12, 2013

Participants:
Filly Sabally
MB Krubally
Wuyeh Yorro Sanyang
Mamadou Sellou Jallow
Maimuna Sey
Cherno B. Jallow
Amadou B. Jallow
Mamadou Salieu Jallow

Ag Chairman: Amadou B. Jallow
Ag Secretary: Cherno B. Jallow

Medium: Teleconference

Summary

Financial Updates
Chief Financial Officer Mamadou Salieu Jallow reported the following: $3611.05 in the US account and 180 pounds in the UK account. Deputy Financial Officer Filly Sabally reported a total of D16, 412 in The Gambia account. This includes a recent payment of D400 for membership dues for Hassan Touray and wife Jacob Krubally-Touray and others.

It was reported that as of the last general meeting, 100 euros were in the possession of Ousainou Krubally; the sum was to be deposited to the Holland account. MB Krubally disclosed that he had in his possession the sum of $40 as membership dues from one Sulayman Saidy in Texas. He was going to deposit it into the US account.

As at the time of meeting, Alh Sellou said he wasn't able to confirm Bubacarr Gobijo Jallow's reported deposit into the Holland account. He mentioned that the amount in the Holland account remained the same as of the last General Meeting (122 Euros).

Per Filly Sabally, a check for D2918 was drawn. This was a reimbursement for fuel expenses accrued by the Kombo-based executives for journeying to Basse for a recent executive meeting.

Handing Over/Dawda Sankareh
Former Project Manager Dawda Sankareh had been mostly unavailable to meet with FoB executives in Basse to surrender whatever he had in his possession for FoB. Amadou B. Jallow asked Cherno B. Jallow, one of the mailing lists managers, if Dawda was on the mailing lists. Cherno replied that Dawda was indeed on them - he had to have been receiving correspondences about handing-over matters and requests to meet with him in Basse.

Meeting participants expressed frustrations with Dawda's inaccessibility. He had been told to hand over FoB's possessions (monies and documents), but it was reported at the meeting that Dawda was insistent on FoB writing a formal letter and stipulating what was it that he needed to hand over to his successor and former colleagues.

Mamadou Sellou Jallow, too, expressed frustration, but he urged more efforts to resolve the issue; he, however, warned that this must be resolved otherwise it would set a bad precedent for the organization. It must not be allowed to linger on; a good example has to be set.

Sellou suggested further efforts to reach out to Dawda by way of Bakary Jallow, who was said to be on the ground.

Efforts to reach out to Dawda shall be continued and exhausted - in a bid to resolve this matter amicably. If all fails, other potential actions would be considered in the future.

FoB Office in Basse
Mamadou Sellou suggested using FoB Project Manager Kawsu Sillah's office in Basse for a make-shift office for now. Mamadou Salieu urged the meeting to check into any legal ramifications for the organization before moving into a personal property. Amadou suggested reaching out to the Basse Area Council and other local authorities for a space for a FoB office in town.

Sellou said the Basse Youth Center would be FoB's greatest investment if in fact we were able to secure it from the Basse Area Council. This view was shared by all. Mamadou Salieu said it would serve as FoB's office as well as a youth center. MB Krubally said the association could organize activities for the youths at the Youth Center every weekend. It was agreed that MB would work on this project with Abubacarr Krubally. Amadou advised MB to personally reach out to the responsible party(ies) on the ground (Basse Area Council).

Fundraising Activities
The meeting agreed on the idea of organizing football matches in Basse to raise funds for FoB. Wuyeh Sanyang cautioned that we reach out to the steering committee on the ground with a list of suggestions and allow them to choose the fundraising activities they think would be best in bringing income to the organization. MB promised to reach out to Kawsu Sillah to convene an emergency meeting for the steering committee on the ground to discuss this issue.

MB suggested reaching out to Cherno and Hassan Touray on plans to begin printing FoB  t-shirts for sale. Cherno said it was now long over due for the organization to project its image outside, through t-shirts and stickers with the organization's logo on them. He said FoB had mainly been operating online; its visibility to the public eye was far from satisfactory. MB suggested giving Cherno about $500 for t-shirts for his area, the mid-western part of America and Hassan Touray for The Gambia. This will serve as a fundraising activity for the association.

Amadou reminded the meeting that the executive needed to move swiftly in its project undertakings.

To make sure that every executive member is given the opportunity to vote on projects or issues pertaining to the association, Mamadou Salieu suggested that we sent e-mail ballots like we do in our executive elections.

MB and Cherno would work on the logistics of t-shirt printing (locating printing houses, checking costs, etc.)

Executive Duties
For portfolio responsibility, it was agreed that the Chief Financial Officer should be more aggressive in requesting financial information from responsible parties. Mamadou Salieu promised to be more proactive in reminding folks and beefing up the communication channels. MB promised to reach out to Alh. Saibo Drammeh and Ousainou Krubally and discuss their respective portfolios. Everyone should take full responsibility for his/her side to ensure the effective functioning of the association. Wuyeh suggested setting up a Budget Committee to come up with a workable budget. That is to enable the allocation of annual funds to various parts of the association.

This will be looked into as soon as possible.

The meeting was opened and ended with prayers by Cherno B. Jallow and MB Krubally respectively.

The End