Minutes

 

Chris Gowell, Mike Lynch, Pastor Jeff Johnson, Lt Brendan Weeks, Ofcr Derek Salamone, Cnclr Susan Nicastro, Emma Reardon, Mike McKenna, Alex Callahan, and Karla Rogers

N/A

·          Emma Reardon- City of Brockton Mayor’s office

·          Lunch was provided by Sodade Restaurant located at 1145 Main St specializing in Cape Verdean specialties

New Business

-           2025 Officer Election- Pastor Jeff made a motion to elect all, Councilor Nicastro seconded

-           The CBA Board of Directors have decided it is time to have our by-laws reviewed and would appreciate any feedback from our members before moving forward with legal. Please review the attached and send along to feedback to cbasecretary@outlook.com

 

-           New Roles for members Ed Williams and Pastor Jeff Johnson

o    We are thrilled to announce that Ed Williams has joined us as our new Social Media Communications Specialist. Ed brings a wealth of experience previously managing our social media page(s) and with community engagement, making him a perfect fit for our team.

In this role, he will be responsible for managing our social media channels, crafting compelling content, and enhancing our online presence including our website. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow and connect with our audience in meaningful ways.

 

o    In addition to expressing interest as a member of the board of directions, Pastor Jeff Johnson will be joining us as our new Community and Business Engagement Specialist. Pastor Jeff comes with experience in building strong community relationships and fostering business partnerships, making him an excellent addition to our team.

In this role, Pastor Jeff will be responsible for developing and maintaining connections with our community partners, identifying new business members, and enhancing our engagement strategies. His skills and insights will be crucial as we strive to strengthen our community presence and expand our association.

 

Please join us in welcoming them to their new roles and thanking them for stepping up. We are excited to see the positive impact they will have and look forward to the innovative ideas they will bring.

-           Membership Involvement Initiative

o    Listed below are 2024 members who have yet to pay their dues. We are encouraging members who may have relationships with them to follow up & remind them of the benefits of our group.

-           Reminder that our first Newsletter is available, with the next one coming out in May. If anyone has anything they would like featured or any changes they would suggest- please reach out to Karla at CBASecretary@outlook.com

 

·          Beginning balance $35927.31

·          Receipt of $636.56

·          Debit of $292.17

·          Ending balance $36271.70

Motion to accept report accepted.

-           A conversation was held regarding investing some of the funds available into a CD with a local bank. Pastor Jeff will discuss further with Karl.

-           2 groups have approached the Association with donation requests:

o    Champions Fighting Cancer Walk on May 4 ^th (Signature Healthcare affiliation) with suggested donations/sponsorships beginning at $100-$10,000

o    The Charity Guild (previous donation recipient) with suggested donations beginning at $25-$100

-           Pastor Jeff also noted that the BHS Marching band is in need of new hats, which could cost up to $30k. In addition, they are always accepting donations for a food drive.

All will be discussed with President Jamoulis and the board will vote and bring forward if necessary.

 

Emma Reardon- Constituent Services Liaison / Media Associate

Emma is a proud lifelong resident of Brockton and a graduate of Brockton High School. With a deep passion for media and storytelling, Emma first made an impact as the Production Coordinator at Brockton Community Access, helping local voices reach a wider audience on cable television. Emma is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications at Southern New Hampshire University, where she continues to expand her expertise in media and communication. Emma is our direct connection to the Mayor’s office and is available as the first line of communication for any questions or concerns our association may have. She can be reached at ereardon@cobma.us or (508)580-7123 ext 681

 

Officer Derek Salamone & Lieutenant Brendan Weeks

-           The Police and Fire Departments are focusing on the unhoused population with the warmer weather coming. They continue to work with Jazmine Bradsher and the City’s Social Services office.

-           3 days a week they focus on cleaning up under the bridges which has resulted in a few arrests.

-           Both confirmed that the St Margaret’s Rectory project for transitional housing is not moving forward and that it is empty and boarded up.

-           Both were excited about new cadets coming joining and graduating from their academies but struggle to replace positions as many are moving and/or retiring.

-           An animated conversation was held regarding the issues Lynch & Conboy Insurance employees have with people breaking into their cars. They feel uneasy coming to work. They caught the person doing it but claim to be a patient at Highpoint/Meadowbrook which is considered private property, so the police are unable to pursue complaints.

-           Reminder all issues can be reported through the SeeClickFix- > https://seeclickfix.com/brockton

Councilor Susan Nicastro

-           City Council and Ward 4 are busier than ever! Currently focusing on city budget which is due by the end of June, monitoring spending by city dept.

-           The Zoning, Planning, and Licensing board all met with several Campello properties listed for discussion. Please use the link below to access the minutes/agendas:

o    https://brockton.ma.us/government/boards-commissions-20/

-           She was happy to report that the Council on Aging has re-opened as well as the Brockton Hospital with 165 beds, an ER treating over 200 people per day, & hired over 500 people!

-           Susan did announce that she will be running for reelection for an 8 ^th year!

 

 

 

 

Tom Thibeault (in absentia) sent a reminder that there will be a mayoral election this year & perhaps we should invite the candidates to speak at a meeting. If so - we should prepare questions to address common concerns our group may have.

 

6/24, 12 noon Location: TBD

Motion to adjourn was made at 1:05p.m. and was passed unanimously.