The board of Emerge Family Advocates, Inc, has agreed to resign after ensuring that essential services would be maintained through a group of Upper Valley nonprofits, the Vermont Attorney General announced Monday. Sara Kobylenski, executive director of Upper Valley Haven, will coordinate with other local organizations, in consultation with Emerge staff, to provide court-ordered supervised visitation and supervised exchanges of children between parents until Emerge can resume operations.
“Difficult though the situation at Emerge has been,” Attorney General Bill Sorrell said, “we were able to reach this agreement in part because of the strength and commitment of the Upper Valley nonprofit community and its dedication to the services Emerge provides.”
Along with arranging interim services, the settlement agreement between the Attorney General’s Office and Emerge’s board provides for a transition to a new board as soon as possible. The Attorney General will appoint the new board from a list of candidates prepared by a nominating committee formed by members of the local nonprofit community. Additionally, the settlement agreement provides for a comprehensive review of Emerge’s finances by an independent third party. This independent review will consider how Emerge may continue with its charitable mission given its financial position. In exchange for this settlement agreement, the Attorney General dismissed its recently filed petition seeking judicial removal of the board.
Published: Oct 20, 2014