[CT-NFB] Agenda for July 31st Board Meeting

Thu Jul 22 15:33:55 UTC 2021

I will bring this up at the Board meeting. I will not send out another
agenda. 

Best Regards,

Maryanne Melley

President

National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut

860-212-5549

maryanne.melley at gmail.com

“Live the Life You Want; Blindness is Not What Holds You Back”

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Subject: Re: [CT-NFB] Agenda for July 31st Board Meeting

Yes it should be. Beth 

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Subject: Re: [CT-NFB] Agenda for July 31st Board Meeting

Maryanne,

Question: Should the $6000 from the bequest car sale be on the agenda? Or,
doesn’t the board need to vote to send ½ to NFB?

Lucia

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Subject: [CT-NFB] Agenda for July 31st Board Meeting

Please share this information with chapter members and anyone you know who
is not on the list serve. I will be sending out Zoom information next week.

July 31, 2021, 11:00am-3:00pm Board Meeting Agenda

Meeting will be held using Zoom

National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut

Roll Call

NFB Pledge

Reports:

Treasurer’s Report-Nathanael Wales

Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS)

Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB)

– (Minutes only)

Advisory Board for Persons who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Draft Minutes

June 17, 2021

Ms. Akers asked for clarification as to how BESB collaborates with the
long-term care ombudsman program and the Unit on Aging for services.  Mr.
Sigman responded that he is in close contact with the two Bureau directors
when services for BESB clients are needed. He further said that staff from
both bureaus also collaborate to coordinate services for clients who are
mutually served.  

New Business

Blind Americans Equality Day 

Chairman Sylvestre reminded the members that at the last Advisory Board
meeting, he offered the opportunity to consider serving on a work group with
the possibility of partnering with other groups to connect Blind Americans
Equality Day with other relevant topics such as pedestrian safety and
employment events.  As of this date, he has not heard from any board members
and stressed the importance of making the voices of the blind community
heard.  Chairman Sylvestre will reach out directly to members to ask for
assistance and participation.  Ms. Flaherty-Vaughn, who represents the
Deafblind Association of Connecticut was very excited to hear about Blind
Americans Equality Day and emphasized that she would like to make sure that
the deafblind community is involved.  

Bureau Update

Mr. Sampson provided an update on the Business Enterprise Program (BEP).  To
date, BEP has 7 businesses operating. Conversations have begun with the
community colleges to whom BEP provides food services in regard to the Fall
semester. To ensure a successful Fall semester reopening, an on-campus
enrollment count will be needed to ensure that the Vending Facility Manager
provides a service in-line with the population of the location. Discussions
are also underway with Department of Administrative Services (DAS)
Facilities Management regarding the cafeteria locations in state buildings
that are run by Vending Facility Managers to assess when the number of
building occupants would be sufficient to sustain a reopened food service
operation.  With Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) locations utilizing a
wide range of virtual customer services, it is unlikely that building
occupancy would allow for the resumption of the pre-pandemic food service
model. 

During the time that the vending facility locations have been closed, many
Vending Facility Managers received various financial offsets to make up for
their financial losses. Options such as Unemployment Insurance, Paycheck
Protection Program, Restaurant Relief grant funds and CT small business
grant monies have been utilized. In addition, Congress has approved funding
to provide a one-time payment to Vending Facility Managers within the
Randolph Sheppard program to offset losses to their businesses that occurred
during calendar year 2020 if those losses were not otherwise compensated.
ADS-BESB received approximately $317,000.00 to distribute to the Vending
Facility Managers. BEP is nearing the one-year mark with the transition of
the statewide vending machine contract to Pepsi. The transition has been
progressing successfully. 

Vocational Rehabilitation

Ms. Burgard reported that the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program hired a
new Rehabilitation Technologist who started in March. Christiana Rufino will
be serving the southern part of the state.  Barry Rita has retired, and
efforts are underway to refill his position as the Program’s Transition
Coordinator along with the VR Counselor position for the south-central
region.  The VR Program has been purchasing voice and large print adapted
computers for clients to participate in virtual training programs and to
enable clients to accept virtual employment opportunities.  Clients have
been participating in online training programs, many from the American Job
Centers. Clients are also participating in virtual and residential training
programs this summer. The VR Program has worked closely with the Vermont
Services for the Blind’s virtual transition camp, making it possible for
many of BESB’s transition age student to have virtual work experiences and
mentoring opportunities. On June 29th BESB-VR is sponsoring a virtual
program by the UCONN Extension Financial Education Program on the topic of
how to identify and avoid scammers. 

Reopen Plan and COVID-19 UPDATES

Mr. Sigman affirmed that as of June 1st per the Governor’s instructions,
that ADS has resumed forward facing services allowing staff to go into the
field with greater frequency.  As of July 1st, the building will re-open for
occupancy of staff with some restrictions.  Building occupancy will be
reduced. Visitors can come to the building for meetings, but to the extent
that a meeting can be successfully accomplished virtually, that method will
continue.  Masking will be a requirement when people come to the building.
For any visitors who are unable to wear a mask, staff can meet with them
outdoors or in the lobby with social distancing employed. The in-person
services protocols are in the process of being updated to reflect updated
protocols issued by the Department of Administrative Services for state
buildings and also taking into account updated guidelines from the Center
for Disease Control.  

Budget Update

Mr. Sigman reported that BEP staff are gathering the information necessary
to document Vending Facility Manager losses in 2020 to move forward with
distribution of the Randolph Shepherd Relief and Restoration Payment funds.
Subsequent to receiving affirmation from the Deafblind Advisory Committee
for service provision levels in FY 2022, contracts have been developed and
are in the process of being finalized. In the VR Program, with the pandemic
causing so many of the providers to be either closed completely or offering
only virtual services, there have been far fewer options for purchasing
services. BESB will reach the end of the one-year carry forward period for
the FFY 2020 funds on September 30th. While it is hoped that Congress will
pass legislation to allow for another year of carry-forward, should that not
occur, these funds would need to revert back to the federal government.    

BESB VR has joined a multi-state consortium that includes the Vocational
Rehabilitation Programs for the Blind in Michigan, Vermont, New Jersey, and
Maine to apply for a federal Disability Innovation Fund grant. The grant
application is for $18 million and if the consortium is awarded a grant, it
will be used to coordinate a multi-state approach to employer outreach,
technology solutions to job opportunities and increasing the accessibility
of vocational training programs and apprenticeships.

Mr. Sigman was pleased to announce that through a collaboration with the
Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), they have secured funding to
make the AIRA navigation system available on a pilot basis to clients of
BESB.  The AIRA technology would be provided to clients at no cost, and they
would use this technology to assess their experiences in utilizing public
transportation and community access, sharing their experiences with DOT.   

Mr. Norton reported on the State budget.  The budget that has passed
appropriates about $30.8 million for FY 2022 and $31.5 million FY 2023 to
ADS. The Children's Services funding will be $4.4 million in FY 2022 and a
little over $4.5 million in FY 2023.  The budget for the Vocational
Rehabilitation Programs (BRS and BESB) was funded at $7.7 million.
Community inclusion funding for individuals who are deafblind was allocated
$240,000.  CRIS Radio was allocated about $70,000 each year of the two-year
budget.

The State will be moving the Library for the Blind from Rocky Hill to
Hartford.  In regard to the implementer bill, Mr. Norton has recently been
informed that there is an additional $2 million allocated to ADS for
community support for individuals who are deaf or blind.     

Points to the Good and Welfare

Mr. Sigman announced he is retiring on October 1, 2021.  Advisory Board
members thanked Mr. Sigman for his leadership over the years.   

Ms. Akers reported that BCAC (BESB Consumer Advisory Committee) will be
holding a meeting on June 21st to discuss the future of their Committee.    

MOTION: On a motion by Mr. Pride, seconded by Ms. Akers, the meeting
adjourned at 11:40 a.m.

Next meeting – 30 September 2021, 10:00 a.m.     

SRC (State Rehabilitation Council)-Deb Reed

PAC (Planned Authorized Contribution) Plan-Len Schlenk

BCAC (BESB Consumer Advisory Committee) -Barbara Blejewski

The Federationist-Brianna Rigsbee

BELL Academy-Kristen Dockendorff

Birdies for Charity-Mary Silverberg

New Business:

Amendments to NFB of CT Constitution: Maryanne Melley the Board of Directors
voted that in article IX (9) of our Constitution the paragraph stating that
the name National Federation of the Blind or any derivative of that name be
added back into to the Constitution. It was removed back in 1971. Second
amendment is to Article XI (11) Dues the Board of Directors voted that this
language be struck from our Constitution at the advice of National
Federation of the Blind Membership Practices Overview. 

Article IX:  AFFILIATION 

Remove this portion: (NOTE:  An amendment to the Constitution of the
National Federation of the Blind was passed in July 1971, restricting the
use of the name only to organizations so affiliated.  However, we did not
pass this amendment with the Constitution of the Connecticut Federation, and
your President feels it should not be part of this State Constitution.  This
note is for reminder to us that such a restriction exists in the National
Constitution.)

Add this: The name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the
Blind, or any variant thereof is the property of the National Federation of
the Blind; and this Chapter, if it ceases to be a part of the National
Federation of the Blind, (for whatever reason) shall forfeit the right to
use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or
any variant thereof.

Article XI: Dues

Remove this portion: A life-time membership may be secured for a fee of
$100.00.  A person must be a paid member at least fifteen (15) days in
advance of a state convention to be able to vote at said convention.

State Convention Update: Maryanne Melley

The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is Moving: LBPH will
remain in operation out of the Middletown Library Service Center  

Chapter News

Business Meeting: October 31s at our State Convention

Best Regards,

Maryanne Melley

President

National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut

860-212-5549

maryanne.melley at gmail.com <mailto:maryanne.melley at gmail.com> 

“Live the Life You Want; Blindness is Not What Holds You Back”

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