[DSM-Iowa] Fwd: Important IDB Updates

Thu Jan 26 02:58:03 UTC 2023

Good Evening Everyone:

Cindy and Enrique are on point with their comments. I want to thank Cindy for sending this out on my behalf since I unfortunately was unable to make the director’s forum or get this information until I was off work today. It is extremely vital that we all do our part to keep things as they are with the agency, particularly with respect to the Commission board. We all need to do our part, and I will be calling on everyone to pitch in as needed once this bill gets going. You can definitely right to your representatives and senators in the state house before the bill drops, and I think it would be wise to do so. When I return from Washington, I will be working on some sort of position statement with ICUB so that we can present a united front on this issue. The future of services to blind Iowans is definitely hanging in the balance here, and we must do what we can to protect what we have come to know over the years.  

Scott Van Gorp, President
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa
Phone: 515-720-5282
 <mailto:svangorp at nfbi.org> Email

 <http://www.nfbi.org/> Website 
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Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

From: DSM-Iowa <dsm-iowa-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Enrique Mejia via DSM-Iowa
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 8:46 PM
To: Des Moines Chapter List, NFB of Iowa <dsm-iowa at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Enrique Mejia <emejia083 at gmail.com>; tall-corn at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [DSM-Iowa] Fwd: Important IDB Updates

Good evening everyone.

This is a time where we must all take action, and contact our legislators. If we do not do this, we could lose the agency that many blind people built over the better part of the last 100 years. 

I could not agree more with Cindy and her assertion, that if we get a political appointee, we could get somebody who doesn’t care about quality blindness training, quality staff, and/or belief in the capacity of blind people.

Enrique 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 25, 2023, at 16:51, Cindy Ray via DSM-Iowa <dsm-iowa at nfbnet.org <mailto:dsm-iowa at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Below is a message from IDB Director Emily Wharton concerning upcoming legislation. If we can, as many of us as possible should be there to show support. There have been political appointments before. They don’t have the heart for appointing a person who is familiar with or even cares about a right director.

The rest of the email contains valuable information as well.

Cindy Lou Ray

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Emily Wharton <Emily.Wharton at blind.state.ia.us <mailto:Emily.Wharton at blind.state.ia.us> >
Date: January 25, 2023 at 4:04:12 PM CST
Subject: Important IDB Updates

Hello, you are receiving this email as you have shown interest in the  Iowa Commission for the Blind and related issues. If you no longer wish to be on this list, please let me know.

Education Appropriation Subcommittee Meeting 2/6, 3:30p, Room 304

Director Emily Wharton and Library Director Sarah Willeford will be presenting to the Education Appropriation Subcommittee at 3:30 on Monday, 2/6 in room 304 of the Capitol. We will give a 20 minute presentation. The special schools will be presenting at the same committee session. This is an open meeting that the public is free to attend though there is generally no public comment allowed. 

Realignment Bill

Last Friday evening (1/20/23), I received a call from the Education Liason for the Governor’s Office, Jane Dufoe, confirming that the forthcoming realignment bill will contain the following items pertaining to IDB. She stated that the approximately 900 page bill had been sent to the legislature on Thursday, but as of this writing it has not yet been introduced. I will share the bill number and specific text once it is introduced.

1. IDB will remain an independent agency. It will be considered a non-cabinet agency.
2. There will be language modifying Iowa Code 216(B) to change how the IDB Director is appointed. Currently the Director is hired and fired by the Iowa Commission for the Blind. This language would have the IDB Director hired and fired by the Governor.

Item 1 means that IDB will continue to operate as we are now with no changes. Being “cabinet” or “non-cabinet” is largely symbolic. Theoretically non-cabinet agencies will have less access to the Governor, but our access has already been reduced so there should be very little practical difference.
Item 2 would substantially decrease the authority of the Commission and by extension, blind consumers. Having the IDB Director appointed by the Commission Board has allowed the Director to act in the best interest of blind Iowans rather than the political party of the Governor’s office. It has also allowed for stable leadership that continued through several administrations.

The Iowa Commission for the Blind currently has two vacancies. The first vacancy came in August 2022 as Commissioner Jacobsen resigned to continue her education. In October, Commission Chair Sandra Ryan, who was battling liver cancer and concerned about her ability to continue to serve, contacted the Governor’s Office and asked to speak to the Governor regarding making an appointment. She was not given a meeting with the Governor, but met with two of the Governor’s staff. She was told that the Governor was very busy before the election but they should have candidates in front of her after the election. After informing the Governor’s office that Commissioner Ryan had entered hospice, I was told on November 12th that they would try to get an appointment before the Commission’s December 6th meeting to ensure that we had quorum. More than six qualified applicants have reported that they have applied for the two vacant positions. Commission Board applicants have been told by the Governor’s office that there would be an appointment soon, but as of this writing, no appointments have been made and the Iowa Commission for the Blind is unable to conduct business.

Sincerely,

Emily Wharton MFA CPM

Director, Iowa Department for the Blind

515.802.7313

 <mailto:Emily.wharton at blind.state.ia.us> Emily.wharton at blind.state.ia.us

Web:  <https://blind.iowa.gov> https://blind.iowa.gov

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