Quadco board members reorganized to fulfill requirements necessary to operate as a private non profit organization, learned that the number of people getting jobs in the community has grown dramatically, praised their executive director and recognized an outgoing member during their monthly board meeting at Quadco Rehabilitation Center (QRC) on Tuesday (Jan. 26).
During the organizational meeting of the board, three of the board members chose to serve on the center’s Non-Profit Board in 2016 and elected officers. Jean Jackman of Defiance was elected as the Non-Profit Board president, Tootie Bockelman from Napoleon is board vice president and Barb Heer of Stryker is the secretary.
Three board members chose to serve on the center’s Administrative Board during the year. The members elected Ruth Ann Osborne of Bryan as president, Linda Woodall of Stryker as vice president and Barbara Grant of Sherwood as secretary.
QRC Executive Director Bruce Abell noted that the business of the center will now be done through the Non-Profit Board as the center privatizes to meet new Medicaid rule changes. He noted that many county boards across the state have had to privatize services to satisfy the new rules as well.
Even so, people can continue to expect that the center will be a training organization and provide employment services to, as their mission statement says, “help people achieve their goals in life.”
Mr. Abell said the board will hold their 2016 planning session at the monthly meeting in March to consider the priorities for the board and review changes that are happening in the field.
The board members heard about a dramatic increase in the number of people getting new jobs in the community. Rachel Lange, manager of QRC’s Northwest Employment Service, said they are now doing job coaching for five people who they have helped get new jobs in the last couple of months.
She told the board members they also have seen an increase of people in job development. She said they are now serving eight people in job development along with another person doing a career exploration experience. They have eleven people in follow-along and they just received another two referrals.
The board members took time to offer words of praise for the executive director following a review of his annual evaluation. Non-Profit Board President Jean Jackman told Mr. Abell, “You have been a wonderful executive director. We are all in favor of you continuing as you have been. Thank you for a great performance.”
“I feel that your leadership, Bruce, is commendable,” Tootie Bockelman added, “and your staff are right up there with you.”
Gary Burr of Bryan completed ten years of service as a board member at the meeting. Burr was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Mr. Abell and the board members added their thanks for his valuable service.
During the organizational meeting, the board members affirmed the board EEO and affirmative action policy, reviewed the mission statement, the accessibility plan and the board by-laws.
They decided to continue to hold their monthly meetings at noon on the fourth Thursday of the month.
The next regular meeting of the board members will be held on February 23 at the Stryker conference room.
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