[Cinci-nfb] National Federation of the Blind of Cincinnati, Meeting Minutes for June 2018

Thu Jul 12 06:17:48 UTC 2018

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Cincinnati Chapter

Meeting Minutes for June 2018

1.     The June 2018 meeting of the Cincinnati Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio was convened by President Sheri Albers at
approximately 2:01 P.M. on Saturday June 23 2018 at the Washington Platform
Restaurant in Downtown Cincinnati. In attendance were: Sheri Albers, Lisa
Hall, Lillie Pennington, Emily Pennington, Tammy Smith, Christopher Sabine,
Paul Dressell, Walter Mitchell, Jean Selvidge, Gloria Robinson, Annie
McEachirn Carson and Anthony King. 

2.     Walter Mitchell moved to approve the May minutes as emailed. Gloria
Robinson seconded, and the motion passed.

3.     Emily Pennington presented this month's Treasurer's Report. Walter
Mitchell moved to approve the Treasurer's Report. Christopher Sabine
seconded. The motion passed. 

4.     There was no Membership Committee report this month. Christopher
Sabine reported that a meeting has been scheduled for June 26 2018.

5.     Walter Mitchell gave a report from the Fundraising Committee. He
expressed that this month's $5 Italian Dinner held at Clovernook's Procter
Center on Saturday June 16 was a great success. The Chapter was able to
raise $371 from this event with additional contributions from Chapter
members. In Particular, Walter expressed thanks to Gloria Robinson and
Anthony King for their efforts.

6.     Annie McEachirn Carson gave an update on preparations for the Meet
the Blind Month event which is currently scheduled for Monday October 8
2018. She reported that 3CDC has granted the Chapter a permit to hold the
event on October 8, and the process of securing tables and chairs for the
event is still ongoing. She expressed that she needs to confirm that the
date will not conflict with the National Industries for the Blind conference
before sending out notices to the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and
Visually Impaired and the Clovernook Center and have the event added to the
Fountain Square Calendar. She also expressed that she needs to form a
committee to organize the event, as she is unable to participate due to her
current job. Annie requested that anyone interested in serving on this
committee should reach out to her directly. Lisa Hall expressed that she
believed the National Industries for the Blind Conference will be in
November this year and not present a conflict.

7.     Sheri Albers gave a legislative report. She expressed that the Ohio
Legislature has begun its summer recess, so there will be no further
hearings on Ohio's parental rights bill-H.B. 309--until the next legislative
session in the Fall. However, this also means that Ohio House Bill 271,
which would require people with disabilities to provide notice to a
potential defendant before filing a discrimination claim under the Americans
with Disabilities Act, has also been tabled. This-and the upcoming lame duck
sessions of the legislature at the end of Gov. John Kasich's term of
office-will allow the affiliate more than ample time to express its
opposition to this bill. Sheri also reported that S. B. 144, the bill to
establish a council to govern Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities
(OOD), has passed and is now law. The new law requires that OOD be governed
by a council of 15 members. Though an amendment requested by the Ohio
Affiliate reserving a sixteenth seat for a member of the National Federation
of the Blind was squashed, J. W. Smith, Professor of Communications at Ohio
University and Past President of the Ohio Affiliate, was nominated to a
three-year-term on the council beginning this month, according to a press
release from Gov. Kasich's office shared on the Ohio-Talk Listserv prior to
today's meeting. Matt Sauer, Accommodations Coordinator at the University of
Cincinnati's Disability Service Office, was also nominated for a three-year
term, according to the release.

8.     Sheri led a discussion for those attending National Convention, which
is set for July 3-8 2018 in Orlando, Florida. She gave a reminder that
attendance at the Ohio Caucus scheduled for July 4 is mandatory and required
to obtain a seat at the convention banquet. Information on the location of
Ohio's exhibit table and local transportation for eligible paratransit
(ACCESS) riders was also shared with a promise to post to the Ohio-Talk
Listserv. Sheri asked all convention attendees to review the new National
Code of Conduct, nondiscrimination and sexual harassment policies introduced
at the 2018 Washington Seminar and previously posted to the Ohio-Talk
listserv. The NFB National Office has set up a national hotline to report
allegations of sexual harassment, and all members are being asked to report
potential incidents of sexual harassment or other forms of discriminatory
conduct to National Office. Sheri expressed that she will post information
to the Ohio-Talk and Cinci-Talk Listservs prior to Convention.

9.     Walter Mitchell gave a report from the Diabetes Action Network (DAN)
concerning a policy change at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Research
(CMS) allowing Medicare reimbursement for users of Continuous Glucose
Monitoring Devices (CGM's) who use smartphones, ensuring accessibility for
Blind users of CGM's through smartphone apps. Walter expressed that
representatives from CMS and Dextro, a leading provider of CGM's, will be
speaking at National Convention. Information will also be available through
the DAN Listserv through monthly DAN conference calls announced on the
Ohio-Talk Listserv.

10.  Sheri announced that an 80th Birthday celebration for Paul Dressell has
been tentatively scheduled for Friday August 3 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M.
in the Third Floor Community Room of the Cincinnati Association for the
Blind and Visually Impaired, 2045 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

11.  Lisa Hall announced that the Clovernook Center will release Braille
schedules for all NCAA college football conferences in August. They will be
available for $10 from the Clovernook Center. The cost includes shipping.
Lisa will post further information to the Cinci-Talk and Ohio-Talk
Listservs.

12.  This month's blindness topic was, "At this point in your life, would
you undergo treatment to restore or get your sight?"

13.  The Chapter decided to hold its next meeting on Saturday July 28 2018
at 1:00 P.M. at the Washington Platform Restaurant in Downtown Cincinnati.

14.  The June 2018 meeting of the Cincinnati Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio was adjourned at approximately 3:21 P.M. on
Saturday June 23 2018.

Respectfully Submitted,

Christopher Sabine

Secretary

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Cincinnati Chapter.

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