BOARD MEETING October 21, 2011
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, October 21, 2011
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 21,
2011, at the Library of the 19th Judicial District Court for the Parish of East Baton
Rouge, 300 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
PRESENT:
Judge Paul A. Bonin, Chairman David A. Marcello, Board Counsel
May F. Dunn, CCR, Secretary
John H. Andressen, CCR Tonya R. Armentor, Administrator
Vincent P. Borrello, Jr., CCR
Milton Donegan, Jr., CCR
Phillip Kaufman, CCR
Suzette M. Magee, CCR
Laura Putnam, Attorney
E. Dion Young, Attorney
CALL TO ORDER AND PRELIMINARIES
● Judge Bonin, Chairman, welcomed all members and guests and called the
meeting to order. He then asked Ms. Dunn, Secretary, to lead the Pledge of
Allegiance. The Administrator called the roll.
● Motion was made by Mr. Borrello to accept the Minutes of the Meeting of August
26, 2011 as submitted by Ms. Dunn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Young
and the motion passed without opposition.
RULE-MAKING
● Motion was made by Ms. Putnam to publish the Rule changes made at the last
Board Meeting in the December Louisiana Register. Motion was seconded by
Ms. Magee and the motion passed without opposition.
LICENSING
● Motion was made by Mr. Young to refer the applicant and equipment issues to
the Ethics Committee for determintion. Mr. Donegan seconded the motion and
the motion passed without opposition.
● Motion was made by Mr. Borrello to accept the National licensing applications
through reciprocity for Ms. Yolanda Nunnery and Ms. Sammantha Morgan. The
motion was seconded by Ms. Magee and the motion passed without opposition.
CONTRACT RENEWALS, EXTENSIONS OR APPROVALS
● Motion was made by Mr. Donegon to accept the contract renewals with Eve S.
Kazik for Stenotype Grading Services and with Killingsworth Court Reporting,
LLC, for Stenomask Grading Services. Motion was seconded by Ms. Magee and
the motion passed without opposition.
● Motion was made by Mr. Andressen to accept the contract renewal with George
F. Delaune for Professional Accounting Services. Motion was seconded by Ms.
Magee and the motion passed without opposition.
● Motion was made by Mr. Donegan to approve in concept the contract extension
for 90 days with NEXUS World Media, LLC, for Website Services. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Kaufman and the motion passed without opposition.
DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION ITEMS
● Motion was made by Mr. Kaufman to approve a one year Board membership
for $240, includes all members, in CLEAR (Council on Licensure, Enforcement,
And Regulation) and for each member to participate during the year in CLEAR's
Webinar. The motion was seconded by Mr. Borrello and the motion passed
without opposition.
● Motion was made by Mr. Kaufman to post the "Secretary's Draft" of the Board
Minutes onto the website. The "Secretary's Draft" will then be replaced once the
Minutes have been approved by the Board. The motion was seconded by Ms.
Magee and the motion passed without opposition.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
● Motion was made by Mr. Borrello requesting the Board accept the Education
Committee reports as presented to the Board. The motion was seconded by Mr.
Kaufman and the motion passed without opposition.
● Motion was made by Mr. Kaufman requesting the Board to authorize Mr.
Kaufman to make the changes to the website as requested immediately prior to
the Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Ms. Putnam and the motion
passed without opposition.
ADJOURNMENT
● A motion was made by Mr. Young to adjourn the meeting. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Borrello and the motion passed without opposition. The
Meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m..
BOARD MEETING August 26, 2011
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, August 26, 2011
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m., Friday, August 26, 2011, at the office of the Louisiana Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters, 9422 Florida Boulevard, Suite A-1, Walker, Louisiana 70785
PRESENT:
Judge Paul A. Bonin, Chairman David A. Marcello, Board Counsel
May F. Dunn, Secretary
John Andressen Tonya R. Armentor, Administrator
Vincent Borrello, Jr.,
Milton Donegan, Jr.
Phillip Kaufman
Suzette Magee
Laura Putnam
Dion Young
CALL TO ORDER:
● Judge Bonin called the meeting to order and asked for a motion to nominate a chairman. A motion was made by Ms. Putnam to nominate Judge Bonin, which was seconded by Mr. Borrello. The motion passed without opposition.
● The Chairman asked for a motion to nominate a secretary. The motion was made by Mr. Borrello to nominate May Dunn as Secretary which was seconded by Mrs. Magee. The motion passed without opposition.
● The Chairman asked for a motion to approve the Minutes of the June 17, 2011 Board meeting. A motion to approve was made by Mrs. Magee and was seconded by Mr. Borrello. The motion passed without opposition.
RULE MAKING
Discussion was opened by David Marcello, Counsel to the CSR Board, who had been asked to look at the earlier draft of the Notice of Intent adopted June 17, 2011, Title 46, 317, regarding the reciprocity feature of a long- standing process and found that the authority for reciprocity in 2554(A) was not altered by recent legislation. On redraft the reciprocity rule was left undisturbed. The goal of the revised version was to make as few revisions as possible while conforming to the recent legislation. That approach was followed and distributed for comment and discussion by members of the Board.
Mr. Borrello made a motion which was seconded by Ms. Putnam to rescind the previous Notice of Intent. The motion passed without opposition.
Mr. Marcelo stated that the only changes in the Notice of Intent was to accommodate ACT 700.
Mrs. Magee asked if the only changes to the current Notice of Intent would be adding paragraph (G). Mr. Marcello agreed.
Discussion was opened to reciprocity and whether it applied to reporters from other states.
Discussion was opened for public comment:
● A question arose from Ms. Barado, from the public, as to whether a Nationally Certified Court Reporter can become a Louisiana Certified Court Reporter. The Chairman replied that we're not going to make the changes we said we would make. Instead we'll make a different set and fewer changes, but it will not affect the outcome of national reporters being recognized by the State of Louisiana.
● A question arose from Ms. Simmers, from the public, inquiring whether there were problems with the NCRA exam that the Education Committee felt revisions had to be made. It was stated by Mr. Borrello and Mr. Kaufman that it was a miscommunication.
● A question arose as to whether there was anything in place to insure that this would not happen again. Mr. Borrello responded that the Notice of Intent is back to where it was before with the reciprocity agreement. The Chairman replied that no one wanted to or meant to change the rules in mid-stream. The Chairman also encouraged the schools to check in on the website and sign up to be notified of any changes. Mr. Kaufman also suggested that the schools have a representative at the Board meetings. Mrs. Simmers responded that there is a meeting scheduled to explore school liaisons.
● A question arose from Mrs. Simmers as to the untimely updating of the website and whether or not that was going to change. The Chairman responded that Ms. Putnam and the Ad Hoc Committee are going to revisit the website to try to make it more user friendly.
● A question arose from Mrs. Krutz, from the public, as to whether the reciprocal agreement that was previously on the website, then removed, would be placed back on the website. The Chairman stated that Ms. Putnam and the Ad Hoc Committee would address that.
● Discussion was initiated by Mr. Marcello as to whether the testing for CDR should be changed to encompass passing different segments and given the same amount of time as CSRs. Mr. Andressen felt that it is good the way it is; that they should pass all phases of their testing at one time.
● Mr. Marcello stated that the italicized writing will be removed and it will stay as it is written.
● Ms. Putnam requested under Section 309(A) where "audio recording" had been added, it should be written as "digital, electronic, or audio recording" under R.S. 37:2555(F).
● A motion was made by Mr. Kaufman and was seconded by Mrs. Magee to accept the Notice of Intent proposal as changed. The motion passed without opposition.
LICENSING
● Mr. Borrello made a motion to approve the application of Ms. Grijalva according to our reciprocity rules for state licensing and was seconded by Mrs. Dunn. The motion passed without opposition.
● Following an open hearing, as agreed upon by Ms. Walker, a motion was made by Mr. Donegan and seconded by Mr. Borrello that Ms. Walker obtain two CE credits, reapply for reinstatement of her license and upon Board approval she will then be allowed to practice after January 1, 2012. The motion passed without opposition.
ACTION ITEMS
● A motion was made by Ms. Putnam and was seconded by Mr. Borrello that we accept the proposed Professional Legal Services Contract for Mr. Marcello. The motion passed without opposition.
● A motion was made by Mr. Kaufman and seconded by Mr. Borrello that the Request for Proposals for Contract for Court Reporting Services be amended to give authority to the Finance Committee to make arrangements for the next meeting in the interim and to delegate the Proposal to the Finance Committee so that they can make on-going arrangements necessary for a Certified Reporter, and to research and report back to the Board the viability or possibility for having a Certified Reporter taking verbatim records of our future Board meetings. The motion passed without opposition.
● The Chairman requested that the Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation be referred to Ms. Putnam and the Ad Hoc Committee.
● A motion was made by Mr. Kaufman and was seconded by Mr. Borrello under the rule that when an association's request comes in that they be provided a specialized list with Court Reporter's names and addresses.
● A discussion was held among Ms. Escude', and Ms. Markel, from the public, and Mr. Marcello, Board Counsel, as to the distribution of such a list. The motion passed without opposition.
● A motion was made by Mrs. Dunn and seconded by Mrs. Magee to schedule the next meeting at 1 pm Friday, October 21, 2011. The motion passed without opposition. Ms. Putnam and the Ad Hoc Committee will decide where the October meeting will be held.
● A motion was made by Mr. Borrello and seconded by Mrs. Magee to delegate authority to the Finance Committee to approve or disapprove the travel reimbursement for Mr. Kaufman who was representing the Board in Florida at the City Clerk's meeting. The motion passed without opposition.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
FINANCE COMMITTEE
● A report of the finances was submitted by Mr. Donegan. He further reported the Annual Audit Report was available for review.
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
● Mr. Borrello reported the following individual seminars were approved: Dragon Naturally Speaking 11, NVRA 2011 Convention, and the Court Reporting Seminar in New Jersey. A few sessions were excluded.
● Mrs. Magee and Mr. Kaufman were awarded 6 CE credits for giving the Ethics seminar to the City Clerks Association.
ETHICS COMMITTEE
● Mr. Young reported that the only complaint received this year was on Ms. Walker. The committee had recommended a one-year suspension.
AD HOC COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY
● Ms. Putnam reported that there has been no committee meeting since the last Board meeting and that she has been heavily involved with the reciprocity issue.
GENERAL DISCUSSION ON TRANSCRIPT FORMATTING
● The issue of transcript format requirements, as reported by Mr. Donegan, was that formatting requirements in some cases have not been adhered to. A discussion was held and it was determined that this issue will be referred to the Ad Hoc Committee.
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
Administrator's Report
● Oaths and Disclosure Reports. The chairman reported that these reports are to be submitted to the Board of Ethics in a timely manner.
● A new form has been sent to each Board member to secure over night travel authorization since the State requires all arrangements be pre-approved. Contact needs to be made through the Board office.
● Mr. Borrello asked if an association can reimburse some travel expenses to Board members. The chairman asked Mr. Marcello to check on the reimbursement of a Board member's travel and room.
Counsel's Report
● Mr. Marcello asked that the Annual Audit Report be filed timely.
Chair's Report
● The Chairman reported that Mr. Borrello and Ms. Putnam have been asked to be presenters at the Judges' Conference in New Orleans in October, 2011.
● The Chairman discussed the possibility of having the December Board meeting in New Orleans at the Supreme Court's conference room and having the Chief Justice, if available, to address this meeting and give a sense of where their interests lie, from the Court's perspective.
NEW BUSINESS
● Mr. Kaufman made a motion and was seconded by Mrs. Magee that we discuss the letter submitted by Tonya. The motion passed without opposition. Mr. Kaufman discussed that most court reporters and attorneys are not aware FAQ 17 is on the website. He would like a notice sent out to all court reporters directing them to FAQ 17 on the website. A discussion was held by the Board members. The chairman suggested that this also be included with the previous discussion about transcript formatting when it is addressed by the Ad Hoc Committee.
● Mr. Kaufman suggested that closing comments be included on the agenda of future Board meetings.
● The chairman stated that next week an e-mail will go out asking Board members to list their preference on serving on various committees.
ADJOURNMENT
● A motion was made to adjourn by Mr. Young and seconded by Mr. Borrello. Meeting adjourned at 3:59 p.m.
BOARD MEETING June 17, 2011
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, June 17, 2011
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 17, 2011, at the Office
of the Louisiana Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters, 9422 Florida Boulevard,
Suite A-1, Walker, Louisiana, with a quorum present.
PRESENT:
Judge Robert Murphy, Chairman Tonya R. Armentor, Administrator
Vincent Borrello, Jr., Secretary
Milton Donegan, Jr.
May Dunn
Gail Freese
Suzette Magee
Phillip Kaufman
Laura Putnam
Dion Young
CALL TO ORDER:
Judge Murphy Called the meeting to order and asked for a motion to approve the Minutes of the
April 1, 2011 Board Meeting. Mr. Donegan moved to approve, which was seconded by Mr.
Borrello. The motion passed without opposition.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE:
The Minutes of the Finance Committee, which was previously distributed for the Board's review,
was reported by Mr. Donegan, Committee Chair. No motion was necessary.
REPORT OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE:
Mr. Young, Committee Chair, reported that Ms. Shelia Walker is currently suspended and that this
matter would be deferred until the next meeting. No motion was necessary.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE:
The Minutes of the Education Committee, which was previously distributed for the Board's review,
was reported by Mr. Borrello, Committee Chair.
- As to the Provider & Individual Continuing Education Approvals, Mr. Borrello moved to
approve, which was seconded by Ms. Putnam. The motion passed without opposition.
- As to the Examination Rules/Notice of Intent, Mr. Borrello moved to approve, which was
seconded by Ms. Magee. The motion passed without opposition.
- Mr. Borrello reported he was recently advised that the Claiborne Building, which is the
testing facility for the CSR Examination, will no longer be a viable location for testing in the
future. The exam date and the location will be deferred until we are able to obtain a new
testing facility. Once advised, Ms. Armentor will post information of the Board's website.
- Mr. Borrello further reported of the Nuts-n-Bolts Seminar in Destin, Florida, in which he was
a speaker, as did Mr. Kaufman and Ms. Magee at the Louisiana City Clerk's Association, in
which they were speakers.
REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE:The Minutes of the Ad Hoc Committee, which was previously distributed for the Board's review,
was reported by Ms. Putnam, Committee Chair. Ms. Putnam further reported that the Ad Hoc
Committee would be meeting in July to further discuss drafting rules for Read & Sign Depositions
and the interpretation of Maintenance of Record, 607C. No motion was necessary.
NEW BUSINESS:
- Ms. Armentor reported on the list she presented as it related to Reinstatement Requests since
the last Board Meeting. Mr. Kaufman moved to approve, which was seconded by Mr.
Donegan. The motion passed without opposition.
- Sharon Hamilton appeared before the Board requesting reinstatement. Mr. Borrello moved
to approve, which was seconded by Ms. Putnam, pending Continuing Education Credits and
fees up to date. The motion passed without opposition.
- Evangeline Langston appeared before the Board requesting reinstatement. Mr. Borrello
moved to approve, which was seconded by Ms. Freese, pending Continuing Education
Credits and fees up to date. The motion passed without opposition.
- Rhonda Baiamonte appeared before the Board requesting reinstatement. Mr. Borrello moved
to approve, which was seconded by Ms. Dunn, pending Continuing Education Credits and
fees up to date. The motion passed without opposition.
- Rebecca Daher appeared before the Board requesting reinstatement. Mr. Borrello moved to
approve, which was seconded by Ms. Dunn, pending Continuing Education Credits and fees
up to date. The motion passed without opposition.
- The LCRA request by Mr. Peter Gilberti was deferred until the next meeting.
REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN:
Judge Murphy reported that we now have 1,383 Certified Court Reporters, with some overlapping
certifications. It was also reported that the Board's cash on hand is $126,000 as of now, with a yearend
projection of $172,000. It was further reported that the new Board Chairman, who was
appointed by the Supreme Court, is the Hon. Paul Bonin, Judge, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, in
New Orleans.
Mr. Borrello made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Ms. Putnam. The motion passed
without opposition. The Board Meeting was adjourned at 2:25 p.m.
BOARD MEETING April 1, 2011
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, April 1, 2011
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2011, at the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, 200 Derbigny Street, Division D-5th Floor, Suite 5600, in Gretna, Louisiana with a quorum present.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS: ABSENT:
Judge Robert Murphy - Chairman Philip Kaufman
Vincent Borrello, Jr., Secretary Suzette Magee
Milton Donegan, Jr.
May Dunn
Gail Freese
Laura Putnam
Dion Young
Tonya R. Armentor – Administrator
CALL TO ORDER: Judge Murphy called the meeting to order and asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the December 10, 2010 board meeting. Milton Donegan, Jr. made a motion to accept the minutes as written. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously. Judge Murphy asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the February 11, 2011 board meeting. Milton Donegan, Jr. made a motion to accept the minutes as written. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE: No report.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Vincent Borrello, Jr., Chairman asked, if the report could be deferred for a few minutes? Judge Murphy called for the Ad Hoc Committee Report at this time.
REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Laura Putnam. The Ad Hoc Committee to Promote Efficiency in Court and General Reporting met on February 24, 2011.
Ms. Putnam reported that the committee has agreed on 9 questions and answers to revise the current “read and sign” question and answer on our website. Ms. Putnam made a motion that the new FAQ’s be approved for posting. The motion received a second, and a discussion took place. The Board agreed to make 2 changes. The first change requested was to add the words “such as” after the word “trail,” in the second paragraph under number 3. The second change requested was to take out the word “signed” before the word “delivery” under number 9 in the first paragraph. Mr. Donegan made a motion to approve the amendments as stated. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Vincent Borrello, Jr. at 12:20 p.m. Mr. Borrello reported that The Education Committee met on March 7, 2011.
Mr. Borrello reported that the first item of business was the approval of the Court Reporters CE Retreat Seminar in Tampa, Florida. The committee voted to approve all sessions except, “Basics of Social Networking Sites”.
The next item of business was that of M. H. Gaudet. Mr. Gaudet appeared before the committee and requested that additional time be acknowledged for the hours spent preparing his session for the NCRA Convention. Mr. Borrello made a motion that Mr. Gaudet’s request be granted as per the March 7, 2011 committee meeting. The motion received a second, and a discussion took place. After a lengthy discussion, the Ad Hoc Committee was requested to review the language under section 607.C. to clear up any ambiguities. The committee shall report its findings at the next board meeting. Ms. Putnam made a motion to uphold the education committee’s recommendation from its March 7, 2011 committee meeting of granting the additional preparation time to Mr. Gaudet. The motion received a second, and passed without opposition.
Mr. Borrello reported that the committee was made aware of an AAERT testing that was to take place in Alexandria, Louisiana and directed Ms. Armentor to place this information on the website. However, the test has been canceled due to a lack of interest.
Judge Murphy asked the committee, if anything else was necessary for the Board to be able to give a State CDR exam? Mr. Borrello stated that the rules will have to be amended to include a State CDR exam to be given by the board. Mr. Borrello made a motion that the education committee be allowed to administer a certified digital reporter examination to be comprised of the same written knowledge exam and dictation as is being used for the certified court reporter examinations. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously. Judge Murphy directed the committee to draft and or amend the rules needed to promulgate the certified digital reporter examination. A formal rule must be in place for the board to carry out its mission of giving a State certified digital reporter examination. Once the committee is satisfied with the rules, it will be sent to all Board Members and the Board’s attorney for legal purposes. Once the committee is satisfied with the language, then it will be sent to all board members and placed on the agenda of the next board meeting for approval. Once the rules are approved by the board, it will begin the promulgation process to be published as a rule.
The committee voted unanimously to add two additional seminar requests to the agenda. The first seminar was that of “Shop Talk, Deception Detection and Humor” by Jeff Justice. The committee approved the sessions of Shop Talk (Ethics) and Your Best Transcripts. The second seminar was that of the NCRA Midyear Conference. The committee approved the conference with the exception of the following sessions: Learning Social Media for Business and Using Smart Phones and Other Cool Technology to Run Your Business. Mr. Borrello made a motion to accept the report of the Education Committee. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Mr. Borrello requested that items C. Stenograph provider request and D. Nuts & Bolts provider request be deferred to the next Education Committee meeting to be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Mr. Borello made a motion that he, Milton Donegan, Jr., and Tonya Armentor be approved by the Board to participate in the LCRA Seminar to be held in June. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously. Ms. Dunn made a motion to approve the participation of Vincent Borrello, Jr. in the 20th Annual Nuts & Bolts Judicial Seminar and Warm-Up to be held June 5-7, 2011. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Milton Donegan, Jr. The committee has not met since the last meeting.
A copy of the Financial Report since the last meeting was given to all board members along with the Monthly Operating Statements and Banking Transactions from February 11, 2011 through March 31, 2011. With all assets and liabilities on an accrual basis, the following was reported: There was income of $5,928.00; total disbursements of $15,458.00; the checking account balance as of March 31, 2011 was $127,368.05; interest account #****36410 - $40,702.35 (Interest Rate .40%). The grand total assets were $168,070.40.
Mr. Donegan reported that the Board needs to approve the option to renew the current lease if it is agreeable. The option to renew must be given to the lessor at least 60 days prior to the termination date of the lease. Mr. Donegan made a motion to renew the current lease. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Mr. Donegan reported that he, Laura Putnam, and Tonya Armentor appeared before the House Subcommittee on February 24, 2011 to give the requested information of the LA CSR Board. Ms. Armentor gave a brief presentation and answered their questions. They did ask if we had considered changing our name. Ms. Armentor replied, yes. The Board had discussed this in the past but never pursued it.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to accept the report of the Finance Committee. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
Ms. Armentor presented a list of those who have fully complied with the reinstatement requirements since the last meeting. Mr. Gaudet will be added to the list as previously approved for reinstatement. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to accept the reinstatement list including Mr. Gaudet. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor presented a list of those who have been suspended since January 1, 2011 for either non-payment of license fees and/or not obtaining the required continuing education credits. Ms. Armentor reported that the suspended list may be voted on for either revocation or to remain under suspension. Ms. Armentor recommends that 4 of the reporters listed on the suspended list remain as suspended because they are working to clear up their license. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to place all current suspended CCR’s under revocation with the exception of the 4 recommended by the Board Office to stay under the suspended status. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Judge Murphy stated that the next Board meeting would be held at the CSR Board Office in Walker, Louisiana, on June 17, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to adjourn, there was a second and the meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p. m.
BOARD MEETING February 11, 2011
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, February 11, 2011
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2011, at the Board Office located at 9422 Florida Blvd., Ste. A-1, Walker, Louisiana.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS: ABSENT:
Judge Robert Murphy - Chairman Gail Freese, Secretary
Vincent Borrello, Jr.
Milton Donegan, Jr.
May Dunn
Philip Kaufman
Suzette Magee
Laura Putnam
Dion Young
Tonya R. Armentor – Administrator
CALL TO ORDER: Judge Murphy called the meeting to order. Judge Murphy requested and Ms. Armentor proceeded with roll call. With Gail Freese, Secretary absent, Judge Murphy declared a quorum and the meeting proceeded.
Judge Murphy then asked, do we have the minutes from the December 10, 2010 board meeting? Ms. Armentor stated that they have not been completed at this time due to the hectic schedule of grandfathering CDR’s, renewals, reinstatements, and suspensions. Judge Murphy stated that the minutes will be presented at the next meeting.
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Judge Murphy reported that he had spoken to Gail Freese at length and that she wished to convey how much she appreciated the Board having her as the Secretary this past year. However, Ms. Freese does not wish to stand for re-election. Judge Murphy reported that the two offices to be filled are Chairman and Secretary.
Nominations of Chairman:
Judge Robert M. Murphy was nominated for Chairman. No other nominations were made. Judge Robert M. Murphy was re-elected as Chairman by acclimation and without opposition.
Nominations of Secretary:
Vincent Borrello, Jr. was nominated for Secretary. No other nominations were made. Vincent Borrello, Jr. was elected Secretary by acclimation and without opposition.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Milton Donegan, Jr. The committee met on February 11, 2010.
A copy of the Financial Report since the last meeting was given to all board members along with the Monthly Operating Statements and Banking Transactions from December 1, 2010 through February 10, 2011. With all assets and liabilities on an accrual basis, the following was reported: There was income of $72,919.02; total disbursements of $35,292.54; the checking account balance as of November 30, 2010 was $143,256.08; interest account #****36410 - $40,690.53 (Interest Rate .40%). The grand total assets were $183,946.61.
Judge Murphy asked Mr. Donegan to go over the estimated annual income from licensing for 2011. Mr. Donegan reported that 405 grandfathering CDR applications have been received by the board office. However, we have no idea how many are also licensed as CCRs at this time. The overall estimated annual income from licensing for 2011 is $171,000.00.
Mr. Donegan referred to the presentation created by Ms. Armentor for our meeting with the House Subcommittee on February 24, 2011 to discuss the revised budget.
Mr. Donegan reported that the committee discussed billing of legal services and copies of communications or opinions provided to a committee or committee chair to be kept in the board office. Mr. Donegan made a motion to send a letter to the board’s legal counsel requesting that services are billed within 30 days of occurrence and to request that copies of all communications or opinions to a committee or committee chair be sent to the board office.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to accept the report of the Finance Committee. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE: No report.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Vincent Borrello, Jr. The Education Committee on both January 13, 2011 and February 11, 2011.
Mr. Borrello read the committee meeting minutes of January 13, 2011. Mr. Borrello made a motion to approve all recommended actions of the committee. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously. The Education Committee meeting minutes of January 13, 2011 are made a part of these minutes. See attached.
Mr. Borrello reported that the committee met prior to the board meeting today. The first matter before the committee was that of M. H. “Buddy” Gaudet, Jr. Mr. Gaudet has requested an extension to complete the required 12 continuing education credits needed for the 2009-2010 two-year cycle. Mr. Gaudet presented a session at the NCRA midyear convention in New Orleans, Louisiana held April 17-19, 2009. Mr. Gaudet stated that the National Court Reporters Association had advised him that he would earn enough credits to satisfy his c. e. requirement for the State of Louisiana. However, it did not. The board was advised by legal counsel in 2009 that the board does not have the authority to grant a c. e. extension. Therefore this request was denied.
The next matter discussed was that of the provider approval. Johnna Barron has submitted an application requesting board approval for her Reporter Rescue seminar. This seminar does meet the requirements of the board rules and the committee voted to approve.
The next matter discussed was that of board testing of certified digital reporters. The committee came to the conclusion that when the board receives an application requesting a CDR test that one of the members of the committee will go to the court to administer the test. This way the examinee is tested on the equipment they utilize. The committee recommends this procedure for the CDR Board testing. Mr. Borrello made a motion that this item be sent back to the committee for further research and discussion. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Mr. Borrello made a motion that the actions and recommendations of the committee be approved. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Laura Putnam. The Ad Hoc Committee to Promote Efficiency in Court and General Reporting has not met since the last board meeting.
Ms. Putnam reported that she has asked the board’s legal council to expand upon the FAQ that is already on the board’s website regarding reading and signing. The current FAQ is specifically regarding CCP, Article 1445. Mr. Marcello provided a comprehensive break down of both Article 1445 and 1446 however, it was not in a question and answer format. Ms. Putnam asked Mr. Marcello to take a second look and to respond in a question and answer format that could be placed on the board’s website. The committee presented two questions and two answers to Mr. Marcello and he responded with 7 questions and 7 answers. The committee is not fully satisfied with this information. Ms. Putnam made a motion to send this matter back to the committee for additional changes and to present them to Mr. Marcello. Once the committee is satisfied with the information we will bring before the board. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
Ben Fulkerson, II has asked: Can the fees paid by my Dad, who passed away just after the first of the year, be used to pay my license fee? A discussion took place and Dion Young explained that this is not allowed with State funds. Mr. Young made a motion to deny the request. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor reported that Mr. Ben Fulkerson deceased on January 4, 2011.
Marsha Cazes applied for a reciprocal license. Ms. Armentor stated that all paperwork is in order and request the board’s approval. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to accept.
The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Judy Wooters, Charlene Faucheaux, Cristy Burnett, Lynn Mestayer, and Michelle Escobar requested that their status be changed from suspended to retired as of January 1, 2011.
Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to grant the change in status as requested and to remove them from the suspended list. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor presented a list of all those who have requested the Inactive status on or before December 31, 2010. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to accept the Inactive status list as presented. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor presented a list of all those who have been suspended as of January 1, 2011 for either non-payment of license fees and/or not obtaining the required continuing education credits. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to accept as presented, minus the five CCR’s who were granted the retirement status. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor presented a list of all those who have requested the retirement status on or before December 31, 2010. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to include the five CCR’s that have been granted a change in status and to approve. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously.
Vincent Borrello, Jr. reported that a letter from the Louisiana City Court Clerks Association was received at the board office. The LCCCA is requesting that the board allow Mr. Borrello and Ms. Armentor or any other board member it deems appropriate to present a session at its annual conference on June 5th or 8th of 2011. Mr. Borrello stated that he is unable to participate because of a scheduling conflict with the Nuts & Bolts seminar. The suggested topics are Louisiana Ethics, transcript preparation, laws governing court reporters, and rules covering certified digital reporters. Phillip Kaufman and Suzette Magee volunteered to present requested information. Mr. Kaufman made a motion that he and Suzette Magee be allowed to participate and be reimbursed for travel expenses as per state travel regulations. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Judge Murphy stated that the next Board meeting would be held at the CSR Board Office in Walker, Louisiana, with the date to be announced.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to adjourn, there was a second and the meeting was adjourned at 2:16 p.m.
BOARD MEETING December 10, 2010
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, December 10, 2010
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 1:12 p.m. on Friday, December 10, 2010, at the Board Office located at 9422 Florida Blvd., Ste. A-1, Walker, Louisiana.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS: ABSENT:
Judge Robert Murphy - Chairman Vincent Borrello, Jr.
Gail Freese, Secretary (arrived at 2:10 p.m.) Suzette Magee
Milton Donegan, Jr.
May Dunn
Philip Kaufman
Laura Putnam
Dion Young
Tonya R. Armentor – Administrator
CALL TO ORDER: Judge Murphy called the meeting to order. Judge Murphy requested and Ms. Armentor proceeded with roll call. With Gail Freese, Secretary absent, Judge Murphy declared a quorum and the meeting proceeded.
Judge Murphy then asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, October 15, 2010. That motion was made by Dion Young and seconded. There was no discussion, the motion passed and the minutes were adopted as written.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Milton Donegan, Jr. The committee met on December 8, 2010.
A copy of the Financial Report since the last meeting was given to all board members along with the Monthly Operating Statements and Banking Transactions from October 16, 2010 through November 30, 2010. With all assets and liabilities on an accrual basis, the following was reported: There was income of $67,728; total disbursements of $26,709; the checking account balance as of November 30, 2010 was $102,721.79; interest account #****36410 - $40,662.78 (Interest Rate .75%). As of December 1, 2010 new interest rate is .40%. The grand total assets were $143,384.57. The budget was presented and discussed. Mr. Donegan made a motion to accept the financial report and budget. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
The next matter discussed by the committee was that of furniture and equipment for the board office. Milton Donegan made a motion to approve $8,000.00 for necessary furniture and $3,000 for computers. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Dion Young. The Ethics Committee met on December 8, 2010.
The committee did discuss the matter of Alliance Reporting and Deposition Source. Karen Greenbaum, CEO/Owner of Alliance Reporting Inc. and Suzanne L. Torres, CCR and President/Owner of Alliance Reporting Inc. were both present. Ms. Greenbaum provided written documentation and reported on the events that have taken place between Alliance Reporting Inc. and Deposition Source. Milton Donegan made a motion to send a letter to Suzanne Torres, CCR, and President/Owner of Alliance Reporting Inc. stating that she breached confidentiality and that the board will not take any further action. A copy of the letter is to be maintained in her CCR file. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
The next matter was the complaint of State vs. Burch. Dion Young reported that there is no finding on Lillie Burch. Ms. Burch’s daughter Jennifer Burchfield was sent a cease and desist letter on February 24, 2010. Ms. Burchfield has complied with our request, to the best of our knowledge. Milton Donegan requested that a letter be placed in the file of Ms. Burch cautioning her to watch where her CCR stamp is at all times. Phillip Kaufman made the motion as stated by Mr. Donegan. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Laura Putnam made a motion to add Jennifer Burchfield to the agenda. The motion was second, and passed unanimously. Ms. Jennifer Burchfield is added to the agenda. Milton Donegan made a motion that a letter be sent to Ms. Burchfield stating that attorneys have been notified of her activities and that a permanent record will be maintained in the board office. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
The next matter the committee discussed was that of Geraldine Englade. Dion Young reported that this matter has been withdrawn. Mr. Young made a motion that no action be taken. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
The next matter the committee discussed was that of Glenn Ayo. Dion Young reported that this complaint was concerning the actions of the attorney not being placed in the record by the CCR. This is not a valid complaint. Mr. Young made a motion to dismiss. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: No report was given by the Education Committee.
Ms. Armentor asked the board to approve the Realtime Voice Writing Accuracy-Building Techniques Seminar as requested by Bettye Keyes and to grant the prescribed amount of continuing education credits for teaching. Mr. Donegan made a motion to approve and to grant the prescribed amount of continuing education credits as stated in the rules for someone who teaches a course. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Milton Donegan made a motion to add Janita Anderson to the agenda. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Ms. Anderson is requesting reinstatement of her license. Ms. Anderson’s license was suspended as of January 1, 2007 for non-payment and not obtaining the required continuing education credits for the previous 2 years. Ms. Anderson’s license was revoked as of October 5, 2007 for not obtaining the required continuing education credits. Ms. Anderson has recently attended 2 pre-approved seminars to make up the continuing education credits that caused her license to become revoked. Milton Donegan made a motion to grant reinstatement based upon the submission of all fees and continuing education credits for the 2009-2010 two-year cycle which must be completed within the next 60 days. If Ms. Anderson fails to comply, she must come back before the board for a new request. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Laura Putnam. The Ad Hoc Committee to Promote Efficiency in Court and General Reporting met on December 3, 2010.
Ms. Putnam reported that the first item on the agenda was the business of “reading and signing.” Milton Donegan and Phillip Kaufman have learned that some freelance reporters have received correspondence from attorneys dictating how the reporter should comply with “reading and signing” a deposition. This has caused uncertainty among the freelance reporters. Ms. Putnam made a motion to allow the committee chair to consult with the board’s council in order to draft some additional language to the current “reading and signing” FAQ on our website. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
The next matter the committee discussed was the Board’s position regarding whether digital signatures should be used as a method of certifying and signing deposition transcripts. The committee received correspondence from Melissa Landeche, President of the Louisiana Court Reporters Association. The LCRA’s position as outlined in her letter is that digital signatures should be allowed for transcripts in two instances. The first is when a transcript is sent directly from a reporter to an attorney. The second is when a transcript is sent directly to a firm who in turn sends the transcript to the attorney. The LCRA makes clear that a court reporting firm should be prohibited from producing and printing the transcript if this limited use were allowed; it would constitute a violation of Title 46 of the La. Administrative Code, Section 1103 B.
Judge Murphy reported that he would like the committee to not take any action at this time but to allow Phillip Kaufman time to put together a white paper report. The committee will continue to look into this matter.
NEW BUSINESS:
Lori Holmes has been under retirement status since January 1, 2003 and has requested reinstatement of license. All requirements have been met and license reinstated as of November 1, 2010. Milton Donegan made a motion to accept as presented. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
Three CCR’s have requested retirement status. Four CCR’s have requested Inactive Status and 772 CCR’s have been renewed for 2011. All requirements have been met for the previous requests. Milton Donegan made a motion to accept the lists as presented. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Armentor asked on behalf of Judge Harris, if a Certified Digital Reporter retires as an Official Court Reporter can they serve on an interim basis? Yes, they can be appointed as a Deputy Official Court Reporter.
Ms. Armentor reported that 249 Certified Digital Reporter grandfathering applications have been received. May Dunn made a motion to send another letter to the courts urging them to get their applications in by December 31, 2010. The motion received a second, and the motion passed unanimously.
Judge Murphy stated that the next Board meeting would be held at the CSR Board Office in Walker, Louisiana, with the date to be announced.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to adjourn, there was a second and the meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
BOARD MEETING October 15, 2010
PRINT COPY click here
THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS
BOARD MEETING
Friday, October 15, 2010
Pursuant to notice, the meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 2010, at the Board Office located at 9422 Florida Blvd., Ste. A-1, Walker, Louisiana.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS: ABSENT:
Judge Robert Murphy - Chairman Gail Freese
Vincent Borrello
Milton Donegan
May Dunn
Philip Kaufman
Suzette Magee
Laura Putnam g
Dion Young
Tonya R. Armentor - Administrator
CALL TO ORDER: Judge Murphy called the meeting to order. Judge Murphy requested and Ms. Armentor proceeded with roll call. With Gail Freese absent, Judge Murphy declared a quorum and the meeting proceeded.
Judge Murphy then asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, August 6, 2010. That motion was made by Vincent Borrello, Jr. and seconded. There was no discussion, the motion passed and the minutes were adopted as written.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Milton Donegan, Jr. The committee met on October 15, 2010.
A copy of the Financial Report since the last meeting was given to all board members along with the Monthly Operating Statements and Banking Transactions from August 6, 2010 through October 3, 2010. With all assets and liabilities on an accrual basis, the following was reported: There was income of $54,871.19; total disbursements of $40,669.35; the checking account balance as of October 3, 2010 was $41,771.02; interest account #****36410 - $40,611.84 (Interest Rate .75%). The grand total assets were $82,382.86. Mr. Donegan reported that C.C.R. renewals are starting to come in and this will give us an estimated $87,000.00 by December 31st.
The next item of business is that of the accounting contract. The board agreed to increase the contract up to $3,700 which included the annual financial report. George DeLaune, CPA is no longer eligible to complete the annual financial report. Mr. DeLaune has asked Thomas, Wilson, Ragusa, Uffman & Co. to complete the annual financial report and the board is currently awaiting the engagement letter to be signed. Mr. Donegan will report back on this matter at the next board meeting.
The next item of business is that of the website contract. No changes are requested. Mr. Donegan made a motion to renew the website contract with no changes. The motion received a second, the motion carried.
The next item of business was that of possible new office space in the building next door as well as moving expenses. The new lease would be a cost of $1,500.00 per month and would be based on a 5 year lease with a 5 year renewal option at the same rate. Dion Young made a motion to accept the proposal as stated. The motion received a second and the vote was 5 yeah and 2 nays, the motion carries. The finance committee will report on necessary furniture and equipment expenses at the next meeting.
REPORT OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Dion Young. The Ethics Committee met on September 30, 2010.
The first item of business was the complaint of Williams vs. Ortego and LeBlanc. The complaint is that Ms. LeBlanc is not a certified court reporter and therefore the trial should be thrown out. A letter was received from their attorney and the committee is satisfied with the process explanation. Mr. Young made a motion that no disciplinary action be taken in this matter. The motion was seconded and a discussion took place. Mr. Young amended his motion to include sending a copy of the official transcript format guidelines to Ms. Ortego and to point out that her transcript is failing according to those guidelines. The motion received a second, and passed without opposition.
The next item of business was the complaint of State vs. Burch. The complaint is that Ms. Burch allowed her daughter to use her certified court reporter seal. Mr. Young made a motion that no disciplinary action be taken in this matter. The motion was seconded. A discussion took place and this matter is to be referred back to the committee for further investigation.
The committee did discuss the matter of Alliance Reporting and Deposition Source. Milton Donegan made a motion to schedule a full board hearing and to send a 30 day notice of the next meeting. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Vincent Borrello, Jr. The Education Committee met on October 15, 2010.
The first item of business was that of Ms. Cynthia Miranda. Ms. Miranda requested that the board overlook her lapse in testing and allow her to remain qualified without having to take a new qualifying exam because she thought the exam would be in October. The committee recommends that this request be denied.
The next item of business was that of Ms. Kelly Hanna. Ms. Hanna has requested that her testing fee from the August exam be used for the April, 2011 exam because she was unable to attend the August, 2010 exam due to work load. The committee recommends that this request be denied.
The committee discussed the procedure for approving continuing education credits and recommends that the Administrator, Tonya Armentor be able to pre-approve items that are specifically stated in the rules. A list of all the pre-approved seminars will be presented at the next committee meeting and the committee will approve. If any questionable items are received, then the committee will review more extensively and determine if they meet the rules. Mr. Borrello made a motion to accept the requested change in the procedure of approving continuing education credits. The motion was seconded, and passed without opposition.
The next item of business was that of a request made by the Louisiana City Court Clerks Association. The association is requesting that 2 board members be appointed to conduct a Panel Discussion for their seminar to be held on November 5, 2010 as well as, to allow Tonya Armentor, Administrator to conduct a round table discussion on board rules. A brief discussion took place.
The next item of business was a request made by Ms. Paintin for obtaining continuing education credits due to a disability. Mr. Borrello made a motion to give Ms. Paintin the old continuing education tests that had been discontinued several years back, in order for her to obtain the necessary continuing education credits needed for the current 2 year cycle.
The next item of business was that of the Ethics Board opinion on seminars. Mr. Borrello stated that a letter from the Louisiana Board of Ethics has been received by the board office. The letter shows that the Board of Examiners requires certified court reporters to complete 6 hours of continuing education every other year and also approves the courses for credit. The Board of Ethics has instructed us that no violation of the Code of Governmental Ethics is presented by this board in providing continuing education courses for payment. The letter further states, members of the board or employees may be prohibited from providing these services and should request an opinion from the Board of Ethics if they wish to provide these services to persons individually rather than on behalf of the Board of Examiners of C.S.R.
The next item of business was that of several requests for individual approval of continuing education seminars and they are as follows: HCRA Seminar, BACRAT 2010 Seminar, STAR and TCRA Seminars. The committee recommends that the seminars requested by individual court reporters be approved as presented. A University transcript from Linda James was reviewed and the committee recommends approval of courses taken in Sign Language upon board office receiving the official University transcript. Connie Crumhorn requested that her certificate for 18 hours of Speaking Spanish I from Delgado Community College be accepted. The committee recommends that additional documentation be requested on this course. The committee also reviewed one provider request for the Court Reporting Seminars of Texas by Lyenda Johnston. The committee recommends approval of this seminar.
The last item of business visited was that of the grading contracts. Both contracts are recommended for approval with no changes from previous contracts.
Mr. Borrello made a motion to accept all recommended items presented by the committee. The motion received a second, and passed unanimously.
REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE: The report was given by the committee chair, Laura Putnam. The Ad Hoc Committee to Promote Efficiency in Court and General Reporting met on October 7, 2010.
Ms. Putnam reported that the first item on the agenda was the digital signature issue and that the committee has heard from 3 of the 7 recipients’ from our letter sent out in August. We have heard from Verbatim Reporters of Louisiana who are in favor of promoting digital signatures. We have heard from the Louisiana Association of Defense Council who are neutral at this point, but would want to review any draft that the Board or anyone else would come up with before the next legislative session. The committee also heard from Tina Lemaire. Ms. Lemaire had questions about the pros and cons of digital signatures as it might apply to the 15th JDC in regard to court filings and appeals. Phillip Kaufman proposed coming up with a fact based explanation regarding digital signatures for Ms. Lemaire or anyone else who may have questions on how they are obtained, how they work, what it looks like, or what it looks like if the document is altered. A discussion took place and one question is, would we have the negatives we need available to this Board so we can make a decision. The next question is, do we need to address courts now and the use of depositions in courts or can we leave the courts alone and talk about using for freelance only. When a deposition gets to a court setting, then it is going to have to be on paper in a traditional format. This matter is referred back to the committee for their recommendation as soon as possible.
The next item of business was that of “reading and signing.” This came from a complaint from an attorney that was upset that his client had to drive to read and sign the deposition transcript and that the transcript was being held hostage. We also had another situation coming out of the 15th JDC where a defense lawyer cross examined a court reporter based on their deposition transcript. The court reporter could not prove that they had in fact, sent the transcript within the 30 day limit. The Judge did not allow the defense attorney to cross examine the plaintiff based on her deposition testimony. The Judge based his decision on article 1445 and 1446 of the civil code. The committee recommends that the board prepare an advisory opinion in connection with the board’s attorney to clarify and offer what we would suggest to be proper methodology. Judge Murphy reminded the committee that the board had discussed at its last meeting that we could not get into that business. However, the Attorney General’s office can. This matter is referred back to the committee for further review.
The last item of business taken up was that of the official reporting in city courts. They have to either be a certified court reporter using the method by which they were licensed by when they obtained their license or a certified digital reporter who is currently being grandfathered in between now and until December 31, 2010. The certified digital reporter will be responsible for the transcripts.
NEW BUSINESS:
Exam grading: Vincent Borrello made a request to take up this matter at the end of the agenda.
Inactive Status Requested by Lauren McCarty and Lisa Miculek: Ms. Armentor
presented information and stated that the required documents have been received in the board office. Milton Donegan, Jr. made a motion to accept as presented. The motion received a second, the motion carried.
Reciprocal application approval for Christine Oertling: Ms. Armentor presented all
information and stated that the required documents have been received in the board office. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to approve for licensing under current rules. The motion received a second, the motion carried.
New C.C.R.’s approval: Ms. Armentor presented a list of all those who passed the last examination and are eligible for licensing. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to approve all 13 new licensees. The motion received a second, the motion carried.
2011 Renewals to be approved: Ms. Armentor presented a list of those who have met all the renewal requirements for licensing. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to accept as presented. The motion received a second and carried.
Item A. Exam grading under New Business was deferred to the end of the agenda and will be taken up at this time. Vincent Borrello, Jr. made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss this matter. This matter concerns Ms. Cheryl Caskey. Ms. Caskey was asked if she would prefer to have this discussion in either Executive Session or in the open public meeting. Ms. Caskey did not wish to go into Executive Session and this matter was held in the open public meeting. Mr. Borrello explained the steps that have taken place with the grading of this exam and his review of the exam. Ms. Caskey was present and answered questions. Mr. Borrello made a motion to give Ms. Caskey an out of time test for the Q & A portion needed. The motion received a second, the motion carried. The board directed Ms. Caskey to contact the board office with a few dates of availability to take the exam. Mr. Borrello stated that he will make himself available for one of the dates requested.
Judge Murphy stated that the next Board meeting would be held at the CSR Board Office in Walker, Louisiana, with the date to be announced.
Mr. Donegan made a motion to adjourn, there was a second and the meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
|
