[IABS-Talk] Chicago Chapter Minutes, April 1, 2023

[Deborah Kent Stein]

NFBI CHICAGO CHAPTER

Exchequer Pub and Restaurant

April 1, 2023

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

NFBI Chicago Chapter President Denise Avant called the meeting to order at
1:02 PM. She reminded everyone attending in person that we are wearing masks
unless actively eating or drinking. She called for a moment of silence in
memory of longtime member Teresa Meyer.

 

Members present in person were Marilyn Green; Steve Hastalis; Marco
Giannotti; Mary Grunwald; Teresa Fabre and her husband, David; Emma Meyer
with her new guide dog, Sally; Bill Reif; David Meyer; Kira O'Bradovich;
Chris Milsap; Dan Tevelde; Sergio Gonzales,; Ken Borst; Ellen Bartelt;
Debbie Stein; Dustin Cather; and Michelle Ault. On Zoom were Sara Luna,
Alicia Green, Bart Hickey, Melissa Fuller, Greg Rosenburg, Katrina Hanson,
first-time attendee Abbelrahman Osman, Robert Hansen, and Bob Widman. Dave
Meyer expressed his heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been such a
support. Denise congratulated Sara Luna on all her work with the Midwest
Student Seminar, which was attended by seventy people. 

 

PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE

 

The chapter listened to Presidential Release 525, which was recorded on
March 1 at the NFB Jernigan Institute. NFB President Mark Riccobono
announced that National Convention is just four months away. 

 

The in-person Washington Seminar went extremely well. The Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act will require that all Class 2 and Class 3
medical devices with a digital interface must be made accessible for blind
people. The bill will go into effect three years after it becomes law. The
bill was reintroduced on March 1 by Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. It
already has thirty-two cosponsors, which is unprecedented. 

 

We also have some activity on the Transformation to Competitive Employment
Act. It has been introduced to the Senate by Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.
The bill number is S 5333. Yesterday it was introduced to the House by Cathy
McMorris Rogers of Washington as SB 1683.

 

Joe Orozco has had problems securing equal access to necessary technology on
his job as an analyst with the FBI under  Section  508 of the Rehabilitation
Act. On February  17 the NFB won a major victory for Joe in the US Court of
Appeals, overruling a lower court ruling that dismissed his case. This is a
huge victory for blind federal employees! We will keep the pressure on, and
other parts of the government are paying attention. We will continue to push
the Department of Justice and other government agencies to make their
websites fully accessible. This will impact all of us who use public-facing
technology. Last month the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report
about the accessibility of electronic and information technologies. One in
ten outward-facing sites and 60 percent of internal sites are inaccessible. 

 

Registration for the 2023 national convention, July 1 to July 6, soon will
be available online. Applications for the Kenneth Jernigan Convention
Scholarships are due by April 15. 

 

President Riccobono shared that Teresa Meyer passed away on February 26.
Carl Jacobsen passed away on February 8. He served as president of the New
York affiliate for more than twenty years, beginning in 1997.  

 

STATE PROGRAMS

 

Illinois BELL Academies: BELL Coordinator Debbie Stein reported that Chicago
BELL will be held at the Chicago Lighthouse July 17-28. Springfield BELL
will be held July 31 to August 4. We now have hired our two teachers, who
attended teacher training the weekend of March 9. We have five students
signed up so far.

 

Scholarships: National Scholarship applications were due on March 31, but
applications for NFBI Scholarships are open until May 31. The application is
on our NFBI website. For questions contact Debbie Stein or Patti Chang. 

 

State Legislation: Denise announced that SB 282 would allow blind and
disabled  voters to return our ballots electronically. The bill was
introduced by Sen. Julie Morrison. A change in the bill will allow overseas
military personnel to return their ballots electronically as well. We need
people to contact state senators and representatives to urge passage of the
bill. This legislative term is scheduled to end on May 19. Dave Meyer will
list members of the General Assembly on Newsline, with all of their contact
information. Dave or Bill Reif can help people look up their legislators.
Dave's phone is 708-606-7091 and email is datemeyer at mysero.com. Reach Bill
at billreif at ameritech.net, 217-801-2996. 

 

STATE CONVENTION 

 

Marilyn Green reminded everyone that NFBI Convention will be held on October
13 and 14 at the Naperville Marriott Hotel. Rooms will be $119 a night plus
tax. If you have any trouble making reservations, contact Patti Chang at
pattischang at gmail.com. The face-to-face board meeting will take place on
Saturday, August 19, also at the Naperville Marriott. People can attend the
board meeting via Zoom if necessary.

 

MIDWEST STUDENT SEMINAR

 

Marilyn congratulated Sara Luna for all her work on the student seminar.
They had to change hotels just three weeks before the event, but everything
fell into place. Seventy students were in attendance.

 

CHICAGO CHAPTER ELECTIONS 

 

The Chicago Chapter Board had a nominating committee that put forth
candidates for each elected office. Dave Meyer chaired the committee. Denise
thanked Dave and Jemal Powell for their many years of service on the chapter
board. She also thanked Steve Hastalis for his many years of dedicated
service as chapter treasurer.

 

The following officers were elected to serve a one-year term: Denise Avant,
president; Patti Chang, first vice president; Dustin Cather, second vice
president; Deborah Kent Stein, secretary; Kira O'Bradovich, treasurer; and
Marilyn Green, Steve Hastalis, 

Michele Ault, and Ken Borst, board members. All were elected by the Chicago
Chapter's famous acclamation thing. Denise announced that the first board
meeting will take place in June.

 

FEBRUARY SECRETARY'S MINUTES 

 

Jemal moved and Marilyn seconded approval of the chapter minutes, which were
posted on Newsline  and on the Illinois listservs. Ken Borst made two minor
corrections. The minutes were unanimously approved as corrected.

 

TREASURER'S REPORT 

 

Steve Hastalis reported that he will work with Kira to transfer the
treasury. For the first-quarter treasurer's report there was an opening
balance of $5131.45. Income: Games Night, $630, and $162 in additional
donations, for a total of $792; monthly collections, $114.50; mini auction:
$30. Dues: $30; donations: $240. Total income came to $1,206.50. Expenses
were PAC, $150; Games Night expenses: $698.40; NFB Museum contribution:
$500; other national contributions: $2,000; total expenses, $3348.40. Ending
Balance  is $2,989.55. Mary moved and Jemal seconded acceptance of the
report. The first quarter treasurer's report was approved unanimously.
Contributions at the meeting amounted to $50.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Fundraising Report: Dave Meyer reported that the committee is working on a
bowling fundraiser. There will be a mini auction at the May chapter meeting;
it will be up to Pam Gillmore.

 

The Advocacy Committee has discussed working with CTA to ensure that
announcements are made on buses and train platforms. 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Melissa Fuller asked if we can get an audio announcement made when no
attendant is on duty in the CTA stations. Sara represents the Chicago
Chapter with the CTA Advisory Committee and the Mayor's Office of People
with Disabilities. Steve also pointed out that there is a customer
assistance call line at the attendant's booth. 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting adjourned at 2:45.

Respectfully submitted,

Debbie  Stein, Secretary

 

 

 

 



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