Minutes of the

North Carolina State Board of Optometry

February 12- 13, 2010

Jane McKimmon Center

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

 

 

The North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry met at the Jane McKimmon Center on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13, 2010 to conduct the Board’s Winter 2010 examinations and for other purposes.  Present were Dr. Joel Banks, President, Mr. Roger Mitchell, Secretary-Treasurer, and Drs. David Anderson, Michael Clark, and William Rafferty  and Ms. Mary Richardson, Members of the Board.   Dr. David Baxter, a former Member of the Board was present to fill the role of ‘Board Member’ at the examinations in the absence of Dr. Andrew Cook.  Also present were Dr. John Robinson, the Board’s Executive Director, Ms. Janice Peterson, the Administrative Secretary, and Ms. Sara Roberts, the Administrative Assistant.  Present on Friday  was Mr. Johnny Loper, the Board’s Attorney.   Present as Clinical Examiners were Drs. Jill Bryant, Jamie Casper, Tom Bull, Kenneth Bumgarner, Ania Hamp, Magda Metwalli,  John Miller, Sandra Moore,  Brett Munn, and Robert Rosenstein.  Present as observers were Drs. Harold Herring and James Williams.

 

Before calling the meeting to order 4:35 P. M. the President read from the ‘conflict of interest statement’ as required by the State Board of Ethics following which offered an opening prayer.  He then called the meeting to order.

 

Approval of Minutes.  On a motion by Dr. Clark seconded by Ms. Richardson and carried unanimously the minutes of the November 12 – 15, 2009 in Asheville were approved.

 

Meeting with Board Attorney.   Mr. Loper joined the meeting as the President was calling it to order.  Out of respect for his time the President welcomed Mr. Loper before going on with further business on the Agenda.  Mr. Loper responded to a question from the Board concerning the nature of an optometrist’s obligation, if any, to provide a patient’s records to the patient or a subsequent health care provider upon request of the patient.  Mr. Loper described his understanding of such requirements and responded to further questions. If requested to do so he would prepare a memorandum on applicable laws, regulations and best practices. When there were no further questions from the Members of the Board, the President thanked Mr. Loper for taking time on a Friday afternoon to meet with the Board.   

 

Report of the President.    Dr. Banks stated that he had no report to give at this time. 

 

Report of the Secretary/Treasurer.  The Secretary/Treasurer reviewed the Budget Report dated 07/01/09 thru 02/10/10.   Income is somewhat under budget with four months left in the fiscal year.   To date the only budgeted expense that is over budget is the ‘computer/software’; however, given the income and expense budgeted for examinations it is likely that the examination expense will likely be over budget when the expenses of the Winter 2010 examinations are  paid.   These expenses notwithstanding and with four months remaining in the fiscal year, it is anticipated that the budgeted income should equal or even exceed the budgeted expense.  However, as was the case last fiscal year meeting the budgeted income in the current economy is  largely dependent on the interest income.  That figure will not be available until the annual audit is completed in August 2010.   On a motion by Ms. Richardson seconded by Dr. Rafferty and carried unanimously the report of the Secretary/Treasurer was accepted.

 

Report of the Executive Director.     The Executive Director did not have a formal report; however, he brought  a number of issues to the Board’s attention, including:

·        Proposed signage on a building into which Dr. James Fanelli will be moving his practice.

·        A course being offered by the South Carolina Optometric Association on injections, minor surgical procedures and lasers.

·        The Board’s letter to the President of the North Carolina Optometric Society referencing the role of the Board and its continuing education requirements in the assurance of continuing competence.

·        The need to revise a number of the forms currently in use by the Board including the license renewal forms, the examination application forms, the branch office application forms, professional corporation forms, etc.

 

After brief discussions and the answering of  questions by the Executive Director, on a motion by Mr. Mitchell seconded by Dr. Anderson and carried unanimously the report of the Executive Director was accepted.

 

Following brief discussion and without dissent;

§         The Executive Director was instructed to inform Dr. Fanelli that each of the two signs he proposed placing on building at his new practice location must conform to the Board Rules.

§         The Executive Director and the Board Staff are to design new forms recommended for use by the Boards for submission to the Board for its approval.  Initial drafts should be prepared by the time of the June 2010 meeting.

§         The Executive Director will be available at the March meeting of the North Carolina Optometric Society’s Executive Council to answer questions from its Members concerning the Board’s continuing education requirements.

 

Clinical Examiners Honorarium.  On a motion by Dr. Clark  seconded by Mr. Mitchell and carried unanimously the  Board approved an honorarium in the amount of $ 200 for each of the Clinical Examiners in addition to their hotel, meal and travel expenses.

 

Clinical Practicum Examinations.   On Friday the weather forecast was for a winter storm to spread across the southeastern part of the United States beginning late Thursday evening continuing into Friday and Saturday.  By the time the Staff left for Raleigh it was snowing in Atlanta and the Atlanta airport was said to be shutting down.  At least two calls came to the Staff’s cell phones asking if the examinations might be cancelled.  At the Friday afternoon meeting the weather remained a concern; however there was no way of knowing if all of the applicants, most of whom would be flying into the Raleigh/Durham airport, would be able to get to Raleigh (especially if they were scheduled to fly through Atlanta) in time for their scheduled appearance.  There was 2 to 3 inches of snow overnight in the Raleigh area on Friday but on Saturday every applicant appeared as scheduled.  The first examination session began promptly as scheduled on Saturday morning, February 13th at 7:45 A.M. Thirteen candidates, their applications having been previously approved, appeared for examination over the one day period. 

 

At the conclusion of the last examination session, there being no further business on a motion by Dr. Clark, seconded by Dr. Rafferty and carried unanimously the meeting was adjourned at 6:20 o’clock P.M. on Saturday,  February 13, 2010.

           

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board to review the results of the Winter 2010 Examinations and for other purposes will be held at the offices of the Board in Wallace, North Carolina beginning at 6:30 P.M. on Friday, March 26, 2010 ending no later than 2:00 PM Saturday, March 27, 2009.

 

The Examination Review Committee is scheduled to meet in the Board office on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 to review the Winter 2010 examination results with any candidate making a request in writing to the Board to review their results.

 

 

 

                                                                                    Approved Wallace, NC

        03/27/10