Area 5 Committee Meeting Minutes

September 13, 2004

Present:

• Linda Bader
• Lydia Brasch
• Patrick Castleberry
• Laura DeMarais
• Maria Hermann-Pariente
• John Hollingsworth
• Nan Wilson
• Lillian Woo, Chair

Absent:

• Steve Landauer
• Tom Seuntjens
• R. Jeana Warren

Staff:

• Sandy McQuin, TAP Manager
• Dianne Glass, Designated Federal Official (DFO)
• Mary Ann Delzer, Program Analyst
• Audrey Jenkins, Program Analyst
• Patti Robb, Note Taker

Guests:

• Bill Sonnack, Houston LTA

Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Woo called the meeting to order. She reminded everyone that this is the last meeting until the November Annual Meeting.

Roll Call
8 members present. Quorum Met.

Review/Approve Minutes
The minutes from the face-to-face meeting in Minneapolis were not completed yet so could not be approved.

Agenda Items

• Mike McDermitt’s Response – Sonnack
  Bill Sonnack spoke to Mike McDermitt regarding his email response to TAP 04-036, Revisions to Offer in Compromise (OIC) Form 656, sent forward in March 2004. McDermitt viewed the input as a duplicate of the information Sonnack submitted to him. A number of the recommendations were similar to other’s recommendations. He felt some of the TAP recommendations included (but not implemented) were very good but will be held for the next revision later in the year.
  
  Woo – one of the members thought McDermitt might have confused TAP with TAS, so we wanted to send a letter to explain the difference.
  
  Sonnack – he knows the difference. He just took the information to be a duplicate of what I had sent him earlier.
  
  Woo – review our response to McDermitt’s email. Would our response appropriate or was it redundant?
  
  Sonnack – it is not necessary. The information is cataloged for the next go around. He did not view your information as separate input. We will look for more input in the future on Form 656. We will get our requests out earlier in the process next time. I really don’t think clarification is necessary now. An article in the TAS Newsletter acknowledges that TAP Area 5 contributed to this project.
  
  ACTION: Glass will forward the TAS Newsletter article.
  
  Woo – made a motion that the issue has been clarified and that no further response is needed. Seconded. Motion passed – no objections.
  
• E-File Committee Report – Hollingsworth
  Hollingsworth - received a response from Bert Dumars but wants the sub committee review it before sharing it with the whole committee.
  
  DeMarais – got the response too and he seemed to answer all but one of the questions.
  
  Hollingsworth – could suggest a different marketing strategy. If they are trying to achieve numbers, they need a marketing push. Not everyone is eligible for free-file.
  
  Woo – you may want to meet as a sub committee before we contact Dumars or one of his staff again.
  
• Parking Lot Clean-up – Woo
  Woo – said that Warren’s elevated issue, Copies of Returns/Transcripts, was approved as elevated by the Joint Committee.
  
  The issue on Personnel/Training failed. The general thought was that this is not a TAP issue. It is more of a union issue. But if he feels strongly about it, we can always resubmit it in the future.
  
  The issue on Address Change Procedures was approved as elevated to the Joint Committee.
  

Outreach Report
Bader – am discontinuing as a member but plan several outreaches. I will be speaking to a college on Wednesday, September 15. Will also be speaking to about 200 women the second week in October.

Wilson – attended the New Orleans Tax Forum.

Castleberry – this is officially my last TAP call but please call me if you need me.

Woo – asked Castleberry if the first “Fraud” fest was well attended.

Castleberry – reasonably. The IRS sponsored it and got a lot of bank and other community organizations involved.

Hermann-Pariente – attended the San Antonio Tax Forum.

Brasch – got a call and spoke at length to a taxpayer this summer.

Office Report – McQuin
One more time, thanks to all of you, especially those who won’t be with us in November. I am in awe of your time commitment, zest, passion and recommendations.

Public Input
Ken Eichner – I’m still not getting the meeting information before the call. I would like to see TAS give taxpayers a directory for IRS employees so you can contact them when you need to.

ACTION: Jenkins will send meeting information to Eichner and Bankler before each meeting.

Closing/Assessment
Woo – please forward any information you have that is to be added to the Area 5 report for the TAP Annual Report. I have to submit the report to the Joint Committee. I will send a draft out to you all when it is done.

Action Items

• Glass will forward the TAS Newsletter article.
• Jenkins will send meeting information to Eichner and Bankler before each meeting.