2020-09

Meeting Minutes – 05 September 2020
Date: 09/05/2020 Time: 11:00 AM-1:30PM
Agenda items

1. Meeting starts with the name of Allah – Chairman 11:00-11:02

2. July & August meeting minutes approval – all 11:02-11:05

The July meeting minutes was not approved due to lack of member participation.
Decision: Approved
3. Financial update – Br. Shafiq, Br. Abedin 11:05-11:20

• Income Update: Br. Shafiq presented Financial Status showing net balance on all 4 AMDA bank
  accounts.
• Expenditure Update: Br. Abedin presented AMDA Expense update for the month of August 2020.

4. Construction for the new project – Br. Moin and Br. Sadique 11:20-11:30

• The first payment of $10,000 paid to Chester in August. There will be total 6 payments.
• Br. Moin informed the Board about the latest update as stated below –
  • Architecture design firm Chester will start surveying and design work after the labor day
    long weekend in September
  • Cold Room and Body washing room will be separate and will not be part of rest room.
  • An initial plan layout will be developed before the upcoming AMDA Fund Raising event on
  • November 21st, 2020, so that this plan can be shared with the community in this event.
  • Target for City Approval of this plan – Jan-Feb 2021
  • Target Ground Breaking – Mar-Apr 2021
  • Parking lot increase target for 100 space with deviation retention wall
  • Br. Moin informed that he exhausted all attempts to get the land from neighboring Senior Citizen apartment complex for the purpose of extending AMDA parking lot but they are not responding anymore on this request. Meaning they are not interested on selling or leasing that vacant land due to some legal constraint.

5. On-going COVID-19 Pandemic Condition and Masjid Event Update – All 11:30-11:40

• AMDA Masjid Prayer Hall management for Five time praying, Friday Jummah prayer Capacity
  • Discussion on how to increase prayer space for brothers in the Friday 1st Jummah to let in additional brothers who does not want to come in the later Jummah prayer time.
    • One proposal was discussed if some space from sisters area can be free up for brothers. It has been observed that less than 5 sisters show up in the Jummah prayer leaving the remaining space vacant in sister side
      • It was decided that the sub-committee on COVID-19 AMDA prayer arrangement along with Sister Marina Azim will work/investigate to find if any opportunity to free up some space from sisters side for the use up by brothers during Friday Jummah prayer time maintaining CDC guideline.
    • Friday Jummah prayer volunteering to maintain CDC Guideline – It is hard to get volunteer for three Jummah prayers on Friday
      • It has been observed that two persons needed in each Jummah prayer arrangement – one person inside and the other person outside at the front door.
      • AMDA Maintenance Contractor Brother Mwafak and his son Abdul both work on Friday for all three Jummah prayer time as hourly paid persons. Board decided that these task will be performed by Br. Mwafak and his son. If there are any volunteers than that will be additional.
    • Board observed that the time claimed by both Br. Mwafak and his son Br. Abdul specifically on Friday i.e. 5 hour each, need to be scrutinized/investigated. Their time sheet format also needs to be updated with adding a column for comment to add brief description on the work they performed for each line/day. Br. Abedin will work on this.
• Friday evening event “Stories of the Prophets” – Hosting Volunteer
  • Brother Abul Hashem Molla, who has been doing this hosting, agreed to volunteer himself for continuing this hosting.
  • Start Timing of this program needs to be reviewed. Current start time at 7:15PM seems to be too early. It will be better to start at 8:30PM
• Friday Sermon – Volunteer for organizing the live-streaming
  • Brother Amer Sufi has been volunteering this responsibility. Board agreed Br. Sufi to continue this responsibility.
• Pile up donation bags outside of Donation Container, Trash Removal issue
  • City of Sterling Hts issued notice of non-compliance on this matter. People leave some of their donated items in big bags outside of this donation box that are too big to be dropped through the small opening door of this container box.
  • Br. Moin will arrange to make a big sign placard to be posted on the wall of Trash container nearby the donation box so that people will be aware not leave any such big bags of donation items outside this box. Otherwise those bags will be trashed.

6. Upcoming AMDA Event – Virtual Fund Raising in November 21st, 2020 11:40-12:00

• It was early to discuss on the detail plan of this event in this meeting 2 ½ months away from
  scheduled event date.
• Board members will suggest names of speakers for this event in the next October Board meeting.
• Detail plan of this event will be discussed in next board meeting

7. Need assessment to keep Verizon Phone and Text service – Br. Moin 12:00 – 12:10

• Verizon wireless phone was subscribed for the purpose of sending donation through zelle or venmo money transfer to TCF bank. However these services are only applicable for person to person money transfer through banks and these services do not allow this transfer between organization/person. As a result donors will not be able to donate AMDA through venmo using this wireless phone number.
  • Decision: Board decided to cancel this Verizon Wireless service immediately and save monthly payment of ~$45. Br. Moin Asjad will execute this Board decision.

8. Quran tafseer program for 30 mins on weekday nights by Sheikh Ifdhal Khan-Br. Moin 12:10 – 12:20

• Decision: Approved. Frequency Once per week (Day TBD); after Maghrib prayer. Cost will be $25-$30 per sermon. – Br. Moin

9. Lesson learned from Eid al Adha – all 12:20-12:30

• Not discussed, old item, no need to discuss any more.

10. AMDA constitution amendment update – all 12:30 – 12:35

• Due to Covid-19 constitution amendment will be postponed until Covid-19 situation become normal.
  • Not discussed – No change in on-going COVID-19 Pandemic condition.

11. How we can involve and engage our children to participate different activities of AMDA from Sunday school and beyond (i.e. food drive & distribution, community work, cleaning, gardening, decorating the mosque, exposure to other areas, etc.)? – all 12:35 – 12:45

Board gave the responsibly to Br. Sadique, Br. Ferdous, Br. Jami and Br. Anam to come up with some good ideas.

Several suggestions came up in the meeting.

• Sister Marina suggested the we can encourage the children to volunteer lunch program at
  Detroit Muslim Center. The children will get volunteer credit doing this activities.
• Children can participate in the road cleaning program. Br. Anam will explore this program.

12. Standard Operating Process (SOP) for the general community emails. How effectively and professionally this can be managed and who should be given the responsibility. Open discussion to all (Br. Ashraf has sent an email from past board meeting and he can lead us in this discussion). – all 12:45 – 12:50

• Not discussed due to original owner of this item Br. Sadique on excused leave in this meeting. This Item will be brought in for discussion in the next board meeting in presence of Br. Sadique.

13. Update zakat fund (breakdown by the organizations what we have paid in 2019 and YTD 2020 and who are the AMDA person(s) involved for these nominated organizations) – Br. Hafiz, Sr. Marina 12:50 – 1:00

• Sister Marina Azim/Br. Hafiz presented Zakat Fund disbursement for YTD 2020.
• The Zakat fund balance report shows Balance forward/roll over money from year 2019 to 2020. Br. M. Ali questioned if Zakat fund can be rolled over from previous year to current year. Br. Moin expressed that Zakat money can not be rolled over to the next year for personal level. However this Zakat fund can be rolled over year to year for organization.
  • Board suggested to get expert opinion on this Zakat Fund roll over issue. – Zakat Fund Sub- Committee

14. Policy for providing financial assistance to independent contractors who are only supporting AMDA day to day activities – Br. Moin 1:00 – 1:10

• Not Discussed due to time constraint. This item will be brought back in the next Board Meeting.

15. Nomination for Board of Advisor (1 open position). Please bring proposal – all 1:10-1:15

• The board proposed 3 individuals. Past Chairman Brother Hashem contacted with board suggested individuals and Br. Moudud accepted the offer to fill this advisor position.
• Decision: Board Approved Br. Moudud Rahman as new member of AMDA Board of Advisor. On behalf of Board, the chairman will send a formal appointment letter via email to Br. Moudud Rahman as new member of AMDA Board of Advisor.

16. Walk in / Info to the Board 1:15-1:25

• AMDA Academy Update – due to on-going COVID-19 Pandemic situation Virtual class program offered with concise schedule and time, Very low number of student registration this year, Class to begin on Sep 13th, 2020.
• Imam Dr. Munawar Vacation Sep 7th to 18th. Arrangement to fill in Imam to conduct prayer and other responsibilities listed below –
  • The Fajr, Dhuhr, and Asr prayers that I lead everyday will be lead by one of the congregants (as in the past)
  • The Maghrib and Isha prayers that I lead on Wednesdays and Thursdays will be lead by Br Rumman (Assistant Imam).
  • The list of khateebs for Sept, 2020 (along with their phone numbers) has been put up in my office.
  • The ‘Stories of the Prophets’ series will be presented as usual during my absence on Fridays (Sept 11 & 18) as they would have been pre-recorded before I go on vacation.
• New upcoming AMDA-sponsored book called a collection of khutbahs given by Dr. Munawar Haque at the American Muslim Diversity Association masjid in Michigan
  • “Muslim Friday Prayer: A Collection of 100 Khutbahs & Fiqh of Jumu’ah” is a treasury of timeless advice and information to help Muslims experience the beauty of Islam through the Friday prayer. Once a week, believers gather in the masjid to be reminded of all that Islam offers them; spiritual peace, intellectual enlightenment, and social dignity.
  • On Friday, September 4th, the Amazon Kindle Ebook will be released, insha’Allah, and on Friday, October 2nd, the hard copy of the book will be released.

Meeting adjourned
Action items Owner(s) Deadline Status

September Meeting Minutes Current Chair. Sep 30, 2020 Approved

Attendees are: Date: 09/05/2020

Name Signature
Board of Trustees (Term):
1. Br. Hafizur Rahman (2017-2022) P______________________
2. Br. Abul Hashem Molla (2017-2022) P______________________
3. Br. Shafiq Islam (2017-2022) P______________________
4. Br. Abu Ashraf (2017-2022) P______________________
5. Sr. Marina Azim – Women Representation (2017-2022) P______________________
6. Br. Javid Khatri (2018-2023) P______________________
7. Br. Moin Asjad – Heritage Representation (2020-2025) P______________________
Board of Representatives (Term):
1. Br. Noor Alam (2018-2021) A Excused______________________
2. Br. Abul Bashar Patwary (2019-2022) A______________________
3. Br. Mohammad Ali (2019-2022) P______________________
4. Br. Mohammad Kamrul Hasan (2019-2022) P______________________
5. Br. Saria Sadique (2019-2022) A Excused_____________
6. Br. Zainul Abedin (2020-2023) P______________________
Standing Committee (Term):
1. Br. Mazdee Masud (2019-2021) A______________________
2. Br. Shahid Iqbal (2019-2021) P______________________
3. Br. Toufique A Bhuiyan (2019-2021) A______________________
4. Br. Mohammad Ashabul Anam (2019-2021) P______________________
5. Br. Rokonuzzaman (2019-2021) A______________________
6. Br. Masud Hossain (2019-2021) A Excused_____________
7. Br. Mustafa Chmeiseh (2020-2022) A______________________
8. Br. Tony Tweed (2020-2022) A______________________
9. Br. Saad Farooqi (2020-2022) P______________________
10. Br. Tanvir Rahman (2020-2022) A______________________
11. Br. Zia Ul Haq (2020-2022) A______________________