[Iabs-talk] December 2015 board meeting minutes

[Denise Avant]

Hello all,
pasted in and attached are the December 2015 board meeting minutes. The next NFBI board meeting will be held on February 10, 2016 at 7 pm. All are welcome. Please call 641-715-3273, and enter code 6324.
2015.12.10 STATE BOARD MINUTES

 

       TO DO (alphabetical by person)

       ??

Draft application for scholarship winners’ assistance to national including terms of $800 limit, and requirements to attend whole convention).

       ??-fundraising committee

Setup instant-raffle and regular raffle (website registration, flyer etc).

       ?? Avant, Stein?

Inform scholarship winners that they have a choice of iPad air or victor.

       ALL:

Think of and work on ways to increase national scholarship applications from IL.

In advance of next meeting, consider ways to advance PAC (as well as other innovative state fundraisers)

Promote:

Raffle when we have a flyer and registration

Sorry Try again when we have flyer

Promote smile (including with the flyer that has been periodically sent out)

       Avant:

Designate a BLAST committee to plan reception.

Complete Spring seminar flyer, and have Byron setup website info/app.

Include PAC on next agenda (as it was tabled)

       Avant, Chang:

Work with John Gordon about disseminating scholarship/internship info within BBS to customers

       Brayfield: 4 rivers chapter report

       Chang:

Put in Washington hotel arrangements by Dec 21

Resend amended budget

In monthly mail outs, Include state and Nat’l scholarship/internship apps

       Meyer:

plan first of 2 annual certificate orders (Glenn has offered to help in whatever way needed).

       Moore:

Have minutes with to-do’s to Denise by Monday, or no later than 2 weeks from meeting.

Resend August minutes as amended.

Before next meeting, recruit someone to make a backup recording.

Help Dave with certificates

Join membership meetings

       Moore and Rogers

Contact Patti to work out scholarship/internship PR

Work on PR for BRAL, WS, scholarships and internships

Present PR report to Avant before next meeting.

       Randall:

Note, $6000 for Spring Seminar and 17 for BELL

       Special Events Committee:

Continue negotiations between Midway and Naperville Marriott’s for State Convention.

       Stein:

arrange January scholarship meeting and let Patti know when.

Start mailing scholarship/internship apps to students and colleges

Arrange to get current College DSS office contacts (NABS may have a list)

 

       7:03:       call to order and roll call of board present:

Debbie Stein (first VP)

Glenn Moore (secretary)

Patti Chang (treasurer)

Dave Meyer

Bill Reif

Debbie Pittman

Mary Grunwald

       Three board members notified in advance they would not be present:

Adrienne Falconer

Leslie Hamric (second VP)

Brian Sumner

       Guests present:

Cathy Randall

Linda Hendle

Tori Clark

Melissa Fuller

Charlene Elder

John Brayfield

Jemal Powell

Haris Singer

Bob Widman

Gina Falvo

 

              AUGUST SECRETARY’S MINUTES.

       Avant: addition, Michael Nowicki, was the Michael mentioned.

       Reif moves to approve with addition; Pittman seconds; motion carries.

      

       3rd Quarter treasurer’s report (emailed Nov. 27].

       Chang: a brief summary update; we have about $176,000 in treasury, so after a pending $9,000 convention hotel payment and scholarships, I expect about 160 thousand. If anyone anytime wants to see statements, reports etc. I’d be happy, just email me.

       Reif: I review all records also.

       Pittman moved to approve; Moore seconds; motion carries.

 

       2016 BUDGET (emailed Dec 3):

       Chang: One update; I now have a suggested Spring Seminar budget from Stein, of an additional $1000, which would be to send additional people to seminar.

       Chang: moves to amend an additional $1000 to Spring Seminar.

       Avant: Patti and I also would like to see if the board wants a budget provision to send scholars to national convention. We had 4 state scholars this year. This would be assistance after Jernigan and/or Chappel-Dennis. Is the board interested?

       Chang: We have $20,000 from Advance Group plus $1700+ Community Foundation and Kristen Crobert Grant (22k total), which is totally unrestricted funds. Costs: In the past, we have covered hotel ($180 a person, based on 3 per room split x 6 nights) plus airfare around $400, so 6-700 per person. As per custom, we wouldn’t cover all expenses (such as registration, banquet, meals, independence market, etc.).  We can’t send all 4 winners, but assuming 3 people [e.g., one room] at $800 each is roughly $2500 total. We should specify that this is a cap of $800 per person, which is including Jernigan and Chappell-Dennis assistance which will be counted first.

       We’re talking about 2015 scholarship winners, who met all the requirements (including stayed throughout IL convention), but we have the money to include 2016 finalists.

       Chang Moves we allocate up to $5000 to assist 2015 scholarship winners and 2016 finalists to attend National convention, with no more than $400 for travel plus room, given they agree to be placed up to 3 per room. $800 limit per person, to be counted after Jernigan and Chappell-Dennis.

       Reif seconds

       Pittman moves to amend that those selected are given requirements as National Scholarship Winners (including to attend entire convention).

       Chang and Reif accept.

       The motion carries.

 

       Reif moves to renew the motion to pass the budget with 2 amendments (1) to add $1000 to the spring seminar budget in order to send additional people, and (2) the motion passed, to allocate $5000 to send scholars to National.

       Chang seconds

       The motion carries; the budget (as amended) is now in effect.

       Chang is thanked for sparing the need for a separate budget meeting, and she reminds any committee who wants to exceed the budget has to request so from board.

 

       UNSPENT GRANT MONEY.

       Chang: After finalizing the convention hotel bill, we will have 4-5 thousand of Vollintine as well as Linden (which is far from being spent down, plus she already paid for 2016).

       Avant: we can do similar to National, giving tech to scholarship winners. IL winners expressed some interest. So that we direct what we will do, we need to settle on a choice, name what we will give, and the winner may choose whether to take it—as national does. The iPad mini 4 (64 gigabyte storage) is $499 and the iPad air 2 $ is $599 (its main benefit being ergonomic or usability with its larger touch screen).

       Glenn: what about content

       Avant: Consider they already got $2500 or $3k, so I’m assuming they used it in the way they want including classes or books.

       Chang: National policy asks that states not exceed national’s package, if we give computers it may exceed Nat’l. If we add other items, we should contain it to a shortlist of options.

       Meyer: moves that we offer scholarship winners their choice of iPad air, or victor stream (a little under $400).

       Pittman seconds.

       Motion carries

 

       2016 BLAST

       Reif: BLAST (Business Leadership and Superior Training) is a national conference open to people in the business enterprise program (BEP), including merchants. Raven Pulliam was able to secure with the committee to have blast in Chicago. Dates are May 17 – 20. DORS is contributing funding and resources, there will be numerous exhibitors and it will showcase Chicago to vendors, and showcase the program to people in the BEP. What participation the committee has planned for NFBI is not yet known.

       Chang: moves to cosponsor a BLAST reception with IABM of $2500 each.

       Reif: seconds

       Chang: We need to be greeters. IL vendors will come; we’ve done good getting them involved. We should do a quick presentation (with Denise, Bill, Mary or whomever Denise designates); say we believe in blind vendors etc. Also, we need to support vendors who’ve supported us (like upping Oktoberfest $2500 annually). Though they usually support anonymously, the reciprocity works. I think we’ll get it back 2-3 fold in following year.

       Avant: BLAST is equivalent to convention for vendors, and I’d like us to be present and support them, as they do for the affilliate.

       Reif: vendors say, our programs, like transitions clubs, do capture their imagination.

       The motion carries.

 

       COMMITTEE REPORTS SENT OUT.

Federal legislative

Membership

State Legislative

Freedom-Link

Scholarship

Membership

Development

Special events

       Moore moves to approve as a group

       Pittman seconds

       Meyer compliments Randall on the development report and work fundraising.

       Reports are approved unanimously.

 

       FUNDRAISING:

              APPEAL LETTERS:

       Avant: we’re getting little return in recent times.

       Meyer: I’m in favor of discontinuing for now. There’s only so many people I know, whom I’ve asked multiple times.

       Bill moves we suspend the program for 2016

       Chang seconds

       Randall thanks people for helping appeal in the past.

       Motion to suspend appeal for a year carries.

 

              RAFFLE:

       Chang: We brought in $1500 (about $1200 in hand, but more to come). I’m concerned a net of $400 is not as good as other fundraisers.

       Avant: I asked every board member to solicit $200. That would have grossed over $2000. If we’re asking others for funds, we have to participate in the activity of fundraising.

       Stein: would like to reprise raffle.

       Glenn: if we continue, I think it would be easier to sell tickets with more, but smaller prizes (as buyers feel a greater chance to win and it’s easier to sell tickets during early months when a chance to win isn’t so far don’t wait months to know if they win).

       Pittman agrees.

       Patti: Reality check, this hasn’t worked, I’d like to see Amazon Smile and certificates emphasized more.

       Avant: Smile is now very competitive (other chapters etc use it).

       Stein: and we get double rewards if we purchase on Amazon Smile with certificates (the return from the certificate then the return from Smile).

       Pittman moves we do both Sorry, Try Again earlier in the year, then a raffle later.

       Reif seconds

       Chang: To clarify, if we change raffle prizes, we are not exceeding the same $1000 total (we won’t have enough time between now and Nat’l, with Washington Seminar, Dick’s fundraiser, Picnic in the Park and National itself). On raffle Debbie and I are top 5. If we do both we shouldn’t stop raffle half-year.

       Pittman accepts amendment.

       Motion carries to do both a raffle and instant raffle simultaneously.

 

       AT LARGE CHAPTER REPORT:

       Avant: Leslie couldn’t be on the call, so Linda is here for chapter report.

       Hendle: it has been a great year for At-Large and we’re still going strong. We have 10-17 people per call and at least 7 new members. We do programs with thought provokers then discussion or question and answer including topics such as financial planning, Washington Seminar, convention, etc. We had 13 at our At-Large Dinner, which was the largest yet, and this is an easy way to get to know eachother. The easiest way to go to meetings is just pick up the phone and call, regularly the first January of the month, 641-715-3273 code NFBI.

       Chang moves to approve. To brag on Linda, while filling in to run the at large dinner at State, Linda managed superbly.

       Avant, et al, reflect sentiment.

       Pittman seconds motion to approve

       The At-Large report is approved unanimously.

 

       CERTIFICATES:

       Meyer: We had 3 orders this year (Mar, Sep, Dec.) but this Christmas was down a lot from past years (gross 4300, net 300). One year we brought in 8700.

       Chang: Top year was $11,000; Christmas was over $1000 net.

       Avant: One reason for the sluggishness may be because buyers have to front the money, which may be helped if we set times of when we do orders and remind people early so they can anticipate and budget for certificates. Also, gift cards now seem so readily available people can get them anytime elsewhere.

       Others have encountered this also.

       Pittman moves we do 2 orders per year.

       Reif seconds—note Christmas order need to accommodate vendors (suffered w vendors order prior), that said we’d talk spring order 6mo apart.

       Moore offers to help Meyer handle orders.

       Motion passes (with 2 descents).

       Meyer requests people order more than a week before the order placement deadline.

 

       LOL SQUARED BRAL CONTEST

       Stein: We have 17 kids registered, maybe slightly ahead of last year, most are the same kids, none from MN. I might contact MN parents directly. MN has a listserv for publicizing, but it can only be used for limited announcements like meetings.

       Avant: we’ve gotten inquiries from states whether to join or do their own, which depends on feedback from MN of their interest. Kids can register up to the end of reading period, so we may find out there are participants in MN. Ohio had asked about how we do the program, Gary Wunder from MO said they’re thinking they might join. In spring we want to see if we will reprise this singularly or with other states. Though National is considering whether to reprise the nationwide program, our board has to decide by spring if and how we’ll do this again next year.

 

       BELL

       Chang: we have dates for both BELL’s. Chicago will not be immediately after Chicago schools scheduled to close, but the last week of July to the first week of Aug. In Springfield, we have reserved hotels for teachers and the facility and dates are before Chicago. Without overlapping, we can use the same teachers, Sam Voll, and Amy Lund. We’re ahead from planning last year (partly because some of us will be out of the country during 2016). The Next BELL meeting is Dec. 14, join us if you’re interested.

       Pittman: can we allocate unspent 2015 money towards BELL?

       Chang: The issue is if we don’t use money now, but save it for later, then donors may reduce future grants, so Vollintine or Linden, would not be well directed into BELL, but Advance group money, could.

       Pittman: Should we buy supplies now?

       Chang: fortunately, we already have a lot (including leftover), and we can only buy so much ahead.

 

       STATE SCHOLARSHIPS

       Stein: Scholarship and internship apps are up and running. I need to start mailing to students and colleges. We need current names at college DSS offices. Scholarship committee has work to do ahead of us. We should have a January scholarship meeting.

       Chang: with new rotating deadlines, internships now need to be promoted year round.

 

       NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

       Chang: the National application is at nfb.org/scholarships. Qualifications are the same as last year; we considered revising requirement to functional blindness, but found that unworkable, so still legal blindness. With the scholarship chair in IL, we should really have more IL applicants. I can send state apps to the contact list (as I do mail outs typically monthly), though national is not an app. It would be good to get John Gordon to get each rehab counselor to share this with customers.

       Avant: I talked with him in Nov. and he said he received maybe the internship info and it was forwarded within BBS.

 

       SPRING SEMINARS

       Stein: We’ve had 2 planning meetings; the hotel is arranged (same hotel, Midway Marriott). Dates are April 15 for TVI seminar, and 16th for Parents and Students. Keynote is Carlton walker (a parent and TVI, attorney and works at Jernigan Institute, and teachers requested she return). We have a yoga instructor, tech segment, equip for equality lawyer. Flyer should be out next week.

       Moore: Student Seminar, as said, will be that Saturday concurrent with Parents’. We’ve had one planning meeting, and have about 15 topics for segments, which we’ll bring to the IABS board Sunday to narrow and settle on; these include a panel about transitions (HS to college, grad school, transfers, etc.), a yoga instruction also. We also would like Carlton to present (since she is Keynote for the series, but maybe a free form Q & A, so we don’t ask her to prepare a complex presentation). 3 of 5 bordering states have responded to invitations about planning meetings.

       Avant: also got responses from affiliate presidents who forwarded info to students. To sign up, we’ll have the application on our website and let people know through our listserv and other channels. The flyer will have this info as well as funding options.

 

       WASHINGTON SEMINAR.

       Avant: Dates are Jan. 25—27; we ask delegates to arrive Sunday, the 24th, and stay until Thursday the 28th. Rooms are expensive, so we need 3 people to a room. There will be a state presidents’ and state legislative chairs’ meting as well. The delegation training teleconference is Dec. 28.

The committee was able to select all 8 applicants:

Syed Yousufuddin, attending the Legislative Directors seminar before WS,

Steve Hastalis,

Jemal Powell,

Melissa Fuller (instrumental getting Danny Davis on HR 188),

Annette Grove (federal legislative chair),

James Dickman,

Zachary Griego-Dreicer (student coming into the state and representing IABS).

The eighth applicant has a complication that won’t allow them to be in a room w 3 people, but said they want to be involved in the affiliate and when better may apply next year.

Chang: I honestly think people don’t always read all the application.  We may have to rethink 3 person policy, but these are the most expensive rooms we spend on all year, and every person stays 4 nights. 2 per room would have added $2500 to costs.

       Patti: The legislative agenda are HR188-TIME and senate companion bill, SMART (formerly TEACH), Space Available, and social security. I will handle the hotel arrangements.

 

       STATE CONVENTION HOTEL OPTIONS:

       Chang: I would like to make a selection tonight to make arrangements in time. Here are the viable bids. The Naperville Marriott is 104/night, easier to arrange convention, many like the service, except for billing, but some don’t like the same hotel every year. The Niles Hyatt is about $2 less, but they’re not as good for food or service as Naperville Marriott. Schaumburg won’t give a bid for an event our size. Midway Marriott is 109/night. Northfield Suites (Springfield) bid 94/night and claim they have all we need, but we never make a contract until we’ve done a visit, plus the dates they gave are the weekend before Thanksgiving (so I’ve asked for a 2017 bid further from Thanksgiving).

Bill: we’ve done this hotel before, it’s a long building, and a long way from the train station.

       Chang: will people leave early so far from the train?

       Powell: made a visit to the Doubletree Alsip, and the lady emailed to me she would send a bid.

       Chang and Avant were not copied by the Doubletree rep.

       Chang: that slowness and her not following directions to cc the email indicate future problems from a hotel.

       Randall: If we go to Naperville we get 10k from Lions, and might not elsewhere; though Springfield would be great.

       Chang: I’m sure they’re tied to Chicago, not sure Naperville specifically, yet surely not tied to Springfield. We also need a Springfield site visit.

       Chang: moves we authorize special events to continue to negotiate between Naperville and Lisle.

       Moore seconds

       The motion carries.

 

       NATIONAL CONVENTION [nfb.org/convention]

       Avant: Convention dates are June 30—July 5 at Rosen Shingle Creek. Braille Monitor has the hotel phone number, singles/doubles are $83, triples and quads are $89. I’ll keep the IL date for Chappell-Dennis assistance as May 1, while the Jernigan convention assistance scholarship deadline is likely mid April, as in the past, which I’ll announce when known.

 

       CHAPTER REPORTS:

              CHICAGO CHAPTER:

       Stein: We have our Christmas Auction this week. Monthly meetings each second Saturday at Exchequer in Chicago average 30-35 attendees. For fundraising, we have Games night Jan 9 after the chapter meeting, Dick’s Last Resort in March, Beggars Pizza around April, plus Read-a-Thon for Meet the Blind Month, which turns out as our biggest of the year at $1300. We are assisting four of our members to WS.

 

       4 RIVERS (postponed)

 

       BLACKHAWK CHAPTER.

       Avant: congratulates Tori Clark, for taking up leading the chapter as a new member.

       Clark: Last month we had elections, we have 4 new officers and 2 new board members. We have an upcoming Christmas party and freaky 5050 raffle. We meet every second Saturday of the month and in 2016 I’d like to bring some ideas from VA, including an audible Easter egg hunt, and going to schools to talk about the NFB and blindness.

 

       FERRIS WHEEL CHAPTER

       Reif: We’re continuing outreach. I have 15 on a mailing list, and Amy Lund passes along meeting dates. We’ve had a couple meetings, though people I’ve hoped to bring back in haven’t come—Jess has yet to come to his first meeting. We had our Christmas party a week ago Wednesday.

 

       BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL CHAPTER

       Reif: Modesto is now in Jacksonville and still interested in continuing as president, but treasurer Janet, and secretary Chuck Smith are now in MO, which leaves me, Courtney Hummel and a friend of hers. We’ll meet next Saturday and map out where we go from here.

 

       ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS

       Avant: the students have a largely new board, Katie Leinum, who has been involved for years stepped up in a whole new way starting as VP, acting president, and now president elect. IABS meets regularly, planning seminar, and has a lot of younger but enthusiastic board members.

 

       BBC (BUREAU OF BLIND SERVICES)

       Avant: We now have an official chief, John Gordon, whom we supported.  He and director Christine Smith have said they want to continue bimonthly meetings with us (which is a small group of the bureau chief, us, and a few others invited). He has to pick his deputy bureau chief, and the closing deadline is the end Oct. or beginning of Nov. We want an assistant bureau chief receptive to the blind community.

 

       PAC (PRE-AUTHORIZED CHECK/CHARGE NATIONAL FUNDRAISER)

       Patti: IL has to increase our PAC plan contributions.

we were at or below 32nd in rank, below Puerto Rico. We need to get more people involved, or contribute more.     We have committed members not on PAC (less than 10% of active members are on). We should have programs in chapter meetings etc. 

       Moore: I know it’s not totally on topic or an immediate fix, but I think it comes to membership numbers, that we should focus on gaining more of the 200,000 blind in Illinois to become members and active as a bigger pool to solicit contributions.

       Avant: I’ll appoint you to the committee.

       Moore will call into the teleconferences to help boost membership.

       Moore moves to table PAC for next meeting.

       Chang seconds

       I’s have it.

 

       NEW BUSINESS (NONE)

       Reif moves to adjourn

       Chang seconds

       Motion carries.

 

       9:45: adjournment.



Denise R. Avant
President, National Federation Of The Blind Of Illinois
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