The Program
At a Glance
14
VA GPD beds authorized, Building 1
$128.64
Approved per diem, per bed-day
~$526K
Annual revenue at 14 beds, 80% occupancy
Dec '26
Target: 6 beds activated
Mar 30 '27
All 14 beds activated (VA deadline)
10
Resolutions for vote tonight (6 deferred)
What tonight does
This is the first formal meeting of the NCGDI Board. Part A constitutes the board: confirms directors, elects officers, adopts bylaws and a conflict of interest policy, and ratifies everything done to date. Part B governs the program: adopts the policy library, approves the Clinical Director agreement, approves the lease on the building, and authorizes the filings needed to open.
Where Prosperity Commons stands
1242 W. Academy Street, Winston-Salem. A renovated triplex with two upstairs units at 3 beds each and an 8-bed accessible walk-out unit below. VA inspections opened October 1. The target is 6 beds activated in December 2026 and all 14 by March 30, 2027. Sprinklers are the gate for December; zoning and clinical contracts follow close behind.
Please bring: your signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure. Dr. Diakabanzila, please also bring the signed 38 C.F.R. § 61.80(e) attestation. Both forms are in the Documents section.
October 8, 2026
Meeting Agenda
| Time | Item | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | Call to order, roll call, quorum, approval of agenda | J. Powell |
| 7:03 | Part A as one block. Resolutions 01 to 06: confirm directors, elect officers, adopt Bylaws, conflict of interest policy and disclosures, ratify prior acts, fiscal year and Truist accounts. Chair presides from 02 forward | J. Powell, then Chair |
| 7:13 | ED report, short form. VA timeline, per diem, sprinklers, zoning, tomorrow's liaison meeting. Clinical Director joins | J. Powell |
| 7:21 | Resolution 07. Adopt the policy library. Clinical Director speaks to it | Chair |
| 7:26 | Resolution 08. Clinical Director agreement and compensation. Clinical Director steps out. Treasurer reads Schedule 8-A ED abstains | Chair |
| 7:36 | Resolutions 12, 13, 14 as one block. Per diem refile, zoning filings, § 61.80(e) composition | Chair |
| 7:41 | Set Meeting 2 date. Adjourn by 7:45 | Chair |
Deferred to Meeting 2 (within two weeks): Resolution 09, Lease A, voted with the comparability data in hand; the Finvy decision; and the Executive Director agreement. By written consent tomorrow morning (Bylaws § 4.7): Resolutions 10, 11, 15, 16, unless any director asks for a meeting.
Directors and Officers
The Board and what each person brings
| Director | Role | Proposed office | Disclosed interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| James W. Powell Jr. | Executive Director (ex officio) | Executive Director | Principal of CGH (landlord); Trustee of the Powell Family Trust. Recused: Lease A Abstains: Res. 08 |
| Rena Bunns | Nonprofit governance | Chair | Real estate client of Carolina Growth Realty, unrelated matter |
| Ronald Buchanan | Financial oversight | Treasurer | Owner of Finvy (financial literacy platform). Finvy adoption deferred |
| Kiyara Strange | Nursing student | Secretary | None |
| Kelly Stillson | Operations | Possible future CGH investment; would recuse from CGH matters from that date | |
| Owen Burney | General contractor, 35 years public projects | Burney & Burney; NC RENEW partner. Recuses from any NCGDI contract with his firm | |
| Nathaniel Davis | Housing developer | Davis Construction; NC RENEW partner. Recuses from any NCGDI contract with his firm | |
| Trina Diakabanzila, Ed.D. | Veteran with lived experience of homelessness | None. Satisfies 38 C.F.R. § 61.80(e) |
Quorum: 5 of 8. For Lease A, all seven non-ED directors are disinterested as of tonight and may vote.
For Vote Tonight
Sixteen Resolutions ten tonight, six deferred
Part A: Organizational
| No. | Resolution | Voting |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Confirmation of eight directors | All vote |
| 02 | Election of officers: Chair Rena Bunns, Treasurer Ronald Buchanan, Secretary Kiyara Strange | All vote |
| 03 | Adoption of Bylaws (new; none existed) | All vote |
| 04 | Conflict of interest policy, receipt of disclosures, Finvy adoption deferred to next meeting | All vote |
| 05 | Ratification of the Executive Director's prior acts (GPD application, award acceptance, eGMS, contractors, website). Excludes CGH transactions | All vote |
| 06 | Calendar fiscal year; Truist Bank accounts; ED and Treasurer as signers; dual approval above $10,000 | All vote |
Part B: Program
| No. | Resolution | Voting |
|---|---|---|
| 07 | Adopt the nine-document policy and procedure library as official NCGDI policy | All vote |
| 08 | Clinical Director Agreement and compensation, Orrin A. Bynes, LCSW. $100/hr as needed, converting to $80,000 base at full activation, bonus up to $20,000 tied to inspection, compliance, and placements | ED abstains |
| 09 | Lease A, CGH to NCGDI. $3,000/month base plus $300 per occupied bed. Voted with comparability data in hand. Chair signs | Meeting 2 ED out of room |
| 10 | ED contracting authority within budget, up to $50,000 per contract, no related parties. Approves Dr. Brown-Ramseur agreement | Written consent |
| 11 | ED as Interim Program Director; Clinical Director co-signs every discharge | Written consent |
| 12 | Accept $128.64 per diem; refile on 14 beds; request 6-bed partial activation | All vote |
| 13 | Zoning filings: Family Group Home A permit (6 beds), Family Group Home C site plan (14 beds) | All vote |
| 14 | Board composition under 38 C.F.R. § 61.80(e); file Dr. Diakabanzila's attestation | All vote |
| 15 | Continue Self-Help Credit Union discussions; no commitment without a further vote | Written consent |
| 16 | Donations only through NCGDI channels; complete separation from any CGH investment activity | Written consent |
Full text with WHEREAS clauses and motion lines is in the Board Packet (Documents).
Executive Director Report
Where We Are
VA Grant and Per Diem
| Award | FAIN NCGD063-7665-659-PD-27, Salisbury VAMC |
| Status | Conditionally selected; final award anticipated on inspection |
| Beds | 14 (reduced from 16 on liaison guidance). Rate refile needed |
| Per diem | $128.64 ($128.21 base + $0.43 HMIS) |
| Liaison | Monique Reynolds, MSW, LCSW. TEAMS meeting Fri Oct 9, 11:00 AM. Board members welcome |
| Payment | Monthly in arrears, assume ~60 days |
Building 1
| Layout | Upper: two units, 3 beds each. Lower: 8-bed accessible walk-out. Basement: offices |
| Sprinklers | NFPA 13D required by § 61.80(a). One quote in hand (2 of 3 units, water service excluded, expires 10/31). Five additional installers being contacted |
| Fire Marshal | Michael Morton, R-4 Condition 1 classification |
| Zoning | RM-18. FGH A (6 beds) by zoning permit; FGH C (14 beds) by Planning Board site plan, target December |
| Licensure | VA GPD supportive housing; onsite clinical services under review with DHSR and counsel |
Clinical Team
| Clinical Director | Orrin A. Bynes, LCSW, LCAS-A, EMDR Trained Therapist. Agreement for approval tonight |
| Specialty clinician | Dr. Wanda Brown-Ramseur, LCAS, CCS. Per-session, capped at $1,500/mo rising to $3,000. Terms sent |
| Peer support | Paris Morison, certification October 2026 |
| MAT prescriber | PMHNP candidates in screening |
| Policy library | Nine documents complete, published to staff portal, sent to VA liaison |
Money
| Revenue, 14 beds | ~$526,000/yr at 80% occupancy |
| Budget, 14 beds | ~$709,500/yr. Gap ~$183,500 to be closed by fundraising, grants, and phasing |
| Minimum 6-bed plan | ~$349,000/yr against ~$225,000 revenue |
| Cash trough | ~$100,000 to $168,000 before per diem catches up |
| Donations | Google Ad Grant campaign live; ncgrowth.org/donate |
| Self-Help | Up to $10M indicated for later phases. Deferred until after activation |
Resolution 08 Support
Compensation Comparability Schedule 8-A
| Source | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Healthstar Community Care, Clinical Director (LCSW/LCMHC), Charlotte NC, 2026 posting | $90,000 to $105,000 | Community behavioral health, adults with SMI and co-occurring SUD |
| Advocates, Inc., Clinical Director, residential SUD services, MA, 2026 posting | $88,000 to $92,000 | Nonprofit, state-funded residential program |
| Embark Behavioral Health, Clinical Director, residential treatment, VA, 2026 posting | $90,000 to $100,000 | Residential, independent license plus supervisor status |
| Payscale, Clinical Director, Greensboro NC | $68,400 average | Six profiles, 2023. Local floor |
| BLS OEWS May 2025, NC, Social and Community Service Managers (11-9151) | Median $79,590; mean $85,690; 75th pct $99,770 | Management comparator |
| BLS OEWS May 2025, NC, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (21-1023) | Median $58,210; mean $59,880; 90th pct $79,720 | Practitioner comparator |
| NCGDI proposal | $80,000 base; up to $100,000 with full bonus | Base at BLS manager median; below posted range. Full bonus total at 75th percentile. Bonus never tied to occupancy or billing |
The record supports a finding of reasonableness. The Treasurer reads the BLS figures into the minutes; the Secretary records the vote and the Executive Director's abstention.
Resolution 09 and Related-Party Procedure
Lease A Meeting 2, with the comparability data in hand
Terms before the Board
| Landlord | Carolina Growth Holdings, LLC (owned by the Powell Family Trust) |
| Tenant | NCGDI |
| Rent | $3,000/month base plus $300 per occupied bed per month |
| Term | Not less than 20 years |
| Conditions | Comparability data: three comparable group care or supportive housing leases, Treasurer's 2 CFR 200.465 cost-of-ownership calculation, and as-is residential comps. Lender's refinance appraisal added to the record on receipt, with a downward-only rent true-up if it concludes a lower market rent. Counsel review; lease permits full VA compliance |
| Signer for NCGDI | Chair |
Procedure, step by step
- Mr. Powell states his interest on the record and leaves the room. Secretary notes the time.
- Chair presides. Board reviews the lease summary and the three comparability exhibits.
- Directors discuss whether terms are fair, reasonable, and no worse than an unrelated landlord would offer. Reasons go in the minutes.
- Motion, second, vote. Seven eligible voters.
- Mr. Powell returns. Secretary notes the time and informs him of the result.
This documentation is what makes the IRS rebuttable presumption of reasonableness available under Treas. Reg. § 53.4958-6. Skipping any step weakens it.
October 2026 to March 2027
From Tonight to Activation
| When | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 8 | Board constituted; policies and Clinical Director approved; per diem, zoning, § 61.80(e) authorized | Tonight |
| Oct 9 | VA liaison meeting, 11:00 AM TEAMS | Tomorrow |
| Oct 9 to 16 | Written consent on Res. 10, 11, 15, 16; sprinkler bids in; comparable leases and cost-of-ownership calculation gathered | In motion |
| Oct 17 | Sprinkler installer selected and signed, with a committed completion date | Target |
| Oct 24 | FGH A zoning permit; clinical agreements signed; Meeting 2 (Lease A, Finvy, ED agreement) | Target |
| Nov 14 | Upper-unit sprinklers complete, flow test passed, fire marshal sign-off. The gate for December | Critical |
| Nov 21 | CO on upper units; beds, rated curtains, lockable storage in; 24/7 staffing roster; HMIS live. Request VA inspection | Target |
| Dec 1 to 5 | VA inspection of Building 1 upper units | Target |
| Dec 8 to 19 | 6-bed partial activation; first admissions. Planning Board hearing on FGH C site plan | Goal |
| Jan to Feb 2027 | Per diem refiled at 14 beds; lower unit sprinklers and finish; packet to local VA leadership (late Feb) | Target |
| Mar 30, 2027 | All 14 beds activated | Hard deadline |
After Tonight
Next Steps. Who Does What.
Chair (Rena)
- Sign Lease A once the comparability data and counsel review are in
- Approve minutes with the Secretary within 7 days
- Set the November meeting date
Treasurer (Ron)
- Open the Truist account with the ED; set dual approval
- Prepare the 2 CFR 200.465 cost-of-ownership calculation for Lease A
- Stand up the Finance Committee
- Finvy: gift letter with FMV, or two comparables, for November
Secretary (Kiyara)
- File signed disclosures, § 61.80(e) attestation, and Bylaws certificate
- Draft minutes with recusal times and comparability data referenced
- Maintain the board roster
Executive Director (James)
- Sign Orrin's and Dr. Brown-Ramseur's agreements
- Send adopted policies to the VA liaison with the resolution date
- File FGH A permit; request use determination; collect sprinkler bids
- Gather three comparable group care or supportive housing leases (Kelly to assist); add the lender's appraisal to the record when it arrives
- Bring an ED agreement to the November meeting
Resource Library
Board Documents
Read before the meeting
Lease A summary and the comparability exhibits will be added here before the Chair signs.