Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes

Conference Call
February 22, 2005

Present

• Jim Abraham
• Maureen Amos
• Larry Behnkendorf
• Adrienne Bell-Stampley
• Bob Broniarczyk
• Paul Duquette
• Dick Greenberg
• Donna Hafer
• Steve Hoffman
• Joseph Meissner
• Don Miller
• Lovella Richardson
• Ferd Schneider
• Teresa Smedley, Chair

Absent

• Delford Jones
• Mary Ann Lawler
• Leslie Malcolmson
• F. Patrick Matthews

Staff Present

• Mary Ann Delzer, Program Analyst
• Sandy McQuin, TAP Manager
• Richard Morris, DFO
• Patti Robb, Note taker

Welcome / Review Agenda
Smedley welcomed everyone.

Roll Call
Quorum met.

Chair Report

• Joint Committee Report — There was some concern about the lack of response from the IRS to elevated issues. Committees are to review their issues and responses received. Schneider expressed frustration at the lack of progress in the committee. Abraham said a lack of issues is part of the problem.
  
  The Joint Committee also discussed the meeting satisfaction survey and how to use them. A discussion followed and it was decided it was valuable feedback. Delzer will consolidate all responses and share it with the whole committee.
  
  ACTION:
  1. If anyone would like to volunteer to work on a team to identify ways to measure TAP, please let Delzer know. She will forward your name to TAP Director Coston.
  
  2. Everyone needs to identify recipients for the TAP annual report. We will compile a master list and will use the list for recruitment too. Email your list to Delzer.
  
  3. National Office is looking for feedback on the recruitment process from last year. Also comment on whether a telephone interview would work. Please send your comments to Delzer. She will consolidate and forward.
  
  Abraham designed a form to use when elevating legislative issues to NTA Nina Olson. He said he presented it to the Joint Committee during the last conference call. He is going to make a minor revision and will present the final version to the Joint Committee during their next conference call.
  
• Face-to-Face Meeting Planning — Robb did a cost evaluation for a face-to-face meeting in Memphis. Delzer is working on setting up a visit to the Memphis Campus (service center). One option discussed was to travel in Sunday afternoon or evening, meet all day on Monday and until noon on Tuesday, then visit the Campus on Tuesday afternoon and travel home that evening.
  
  ACTION: Delzer will work on setting up a visit to the Memphis Campus. Meeting dates are April 25-26, 2005. Travel to Memphis on Sunday, April 24.

Public Input
None

Discussion of Elevated Issues

• Lien Processing — waiting for response
• Married Filing Separate Income Reporting — IRS response accepted by consensus
• Innocent/Injured Spouse — waiting for response

ACTION: Delzer will send list of subcommittee and members.

Discussion of Current Issues

Area 4 Subcommittee Assignments

• Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL)
  Joe Meissner, Chair
  Maureen Amos
  Jim Abraham
  Leslie Malcolmson
  Robert Broniarczyk
  Delford Jones
• Customer Service Training / Record of Contact
  Larry Behnkendorf, Chair
  Donna Hafer
  Lovella Richardson
  Donald Miller
  Paul Duquette
  Adrienne Bell-Stampley
• Penalty and Interest
  Pat Matthews, Chair
  Dick Greenberg
  Ferd Schneider
  Steve Hoffman
  Teresa Smedley

New Issues

1. Taxpayer stopped in the Milwaukee TAC office. Needed several forms and out of those, five were not available. He was told to go home and download the forms. This issue was assigned to the Customer Service subcommittee.
2. Taxpayer from Illinois upset that he has not received his 1040 package in the mail. They were mailed out to Missouri, why not Illinois? Delzer said the IRS sent the forms to the Post Office to mail out. It was up to them to get them delivered. You may not get the forms in the mail depending on how you filed last year.
   
   ACTION: Delzer will contact the taxpayer (#2 issues) to see if he has received his 1040 package in the mail.

Outreach
Please remember to submit outreach reports for each outreach done. They will be added to the minutes after each meeting.

Meeting Adjourned

ACTION ITEMS:

Members:

1. If anyone would like to volunteer to work on a team to identify ways to measure TAP, please let Delzer know. She will forward your name to TAP Director Coston.
2. Everyone needs to identify recipients for the TAP annual report. We will compile a master list and will use the list for recruitment too. Email your list to Delzer.
3. National Office is looking for feedback on the recruitment process from last year. Also comment on whether a telephone interview would work. Please send your comments to Delzer. She will consolidate and forward.

Delzer:

1. Delzer will work on setting up a visit to the Memphis Campus. Meeting dates are April 25-26, 2005. Travel to Memphis on Sunday, April 24.
2. Delzer will contact the taxpayer (#2 issues) to see if he has received his 1040 package in the mail.
3. Delzer will send list of subcommittee and members.