MINUTES
2017-2018 BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING
January 12, 2018 - 2:00 p.m.
Conference Call
Members present:
Morry S. Cole, President
Raymond E. Williams, President-Elect
Thomas V. Bender, Vice-President
Dana Tippin Cutler, Immediate Past President
Sebrina A. Barrett, Secretary
Amy Bender-Levy
W. Perry Brandt
Michael J. Colona
Mark W. Comley
Hon. Charles Curless
Hon. Joseph Dandurand
Athena M. Dickson
Deborah K. Dodge
Michael Downey
Shelly Dreyer
J. Brent Dulle
Joel R. Elmer
John W. Grimm
John R. Gunn
Patricia Hageman
Robert E. Jones
Amanda Ketchum
Hon. J. B. Lasater
Andrew Lyskowski
Karen McCarthy
Lauren Tucker McCubbin
Mira Mdivani
Max E. Mitchell
Joseph A. Morrey
Douglass F. Noland
Jason Paulsmeyer
Megan Phillips
John E. Price
Jason Rew
Scott Robbins
Tricia M. Scaglia
Hon. Jason M. Sengheiser
Joan M. Swartz
Jerri J. Zhang
Maria Zschoche
Members absent:
Alexandra Alpough
Robert J. Buckley
James McConnell
Deanna K. Scott
Hon. W. Douglas Thomson
Eric J. Wulff
1. Legislative Resolutions:
The three attached legislative resolutions were introduced and discussed. A motion was made and seconded to approve the three resolutions. The motion passed. Gov. Jones requested that the minutes reflect that he voted “no” on the resolution related to court costs, and “yes” on the remaining resolutions.
2. Report of the Public Defender Committee:
President Cole noted that the ongoing concerns and issues facing the state public defender system were discussed at length at the Board’s 2017 Strategic Planning meeting, with the resulting consensus that The Missouri Bar should work to find practical and realistic means to assist. As a result, the Public Defender Committee was formed, with Gov. Colona serving as chair. President Cole then introduced Gov. Colona to give the report of the committee.
Governor Colona provided an overview of the report and then moved that the Board adopt the report as presented, with an amendment to section D, adding paragraph 7 to read that the subcommittee should investigate the issue of maximum caseload standards for the Missouri State Public Defender System and deliver that recommendation to the Board.
Gov. Elmer stated that he appreciated the work of the committee, including Governor Colona’s amendment, but would nevertheless oppose the motion because the resolution just adopted by the Board is sufficient to stand on its own and provide the executive committee authority needed to move forward. Following additional robust discussion, a motion was made to table the report, with the understanding that the committee would continue its work as set forth in the amendment to the report that was included in Governor Colona’s original motion, i.e., that the committee would investigate maximum caseload standards and report back to the Board. Governor Comley inquired whether the Board could receive the report as a resource document that would serve as a guide. President Cole responded that it was implicit in the motion that the report could serve as a resource. The motion passed unanimously.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
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Sebrina A. Barrett, Secretary