[il-talk] Chicago chapter april 13 minutes

[David Meyer]

NFB of Illinois Chicago Chapter
April 13, 2013
Exchequer Pub and Restaurant
226 S. Wabash
Chicago, IL

CALL TO ORDER

Chicago Chapter President David Meyer called the meeting to order at 1:00
PM. Thirty-nine people were in attendance, including out-of-state guests
Carla and Lucas McQuillan, Bob Barberi, and Chris Danielsen. Jemal Powell
announced that his grandfather passed away at the end of March at the age of
ninety-six. Rob Kaiser has gone back to California for additional treatment.

PROGRAM

Syed Ali from Olive Harvey University spoke about training cab drivers to
deal with passengers with disabilities. Cab drivers undergo two weeks of
training at the school. The last two days of the program train them about
passengers with disabilities. Many drivers are very reluctant to pick up
passengers who use service animals. A driver gets a twenty-nine-day
suspension for the first offense of discrimination against a disabled
passenger, and is suspended if it happens again. If you have any concerns,
call 311 and give the cab number. Mr. Ali would like to find a blind person,
especially someone with a service dog, to give short presentations to the
cab drivers' classes once a week. Debbie Pittman expressed her interest.

SECRETARY's MINUTES

The minutes of the March 9, 2013, meeting were approved.

TREASURER's REPORT

Treasurer Steve Hastalis presented the first-quarter report, covering
January, February, and March, 2013. On January 1 the treasury had an opening
balance of $4,327. Income totaled $910.30. Expenses amounted to $1,142.30. 
The ending balance on March 31, 2013, was $4,095.00.  The treasurer's report
was approved. Steve also reviewed the list of members who paid their dues in
March.

STATE REPORT

NFBI President Patti Chang reported that Illinoisians need to make
reservations for national convention. Applications for assistance through
the Chappell Fund must reach Patti by May 1. The Teacher/Parent Seminar will
be held on May 10 and 11, and there will not be a regular May chapter
meeting. Debbie Stein encouraged everyone to spread the word to teachers and
parents. State convention will take place at the Park Hotel and Conference
Center in Bloomington, October 25-27.

NATIONAL REPORT

NFB President Marc Maurer reported that Crystal Guillory will coordinate the
Braille Book Fair at national convention. She can be reached at
kguillory at lcb-ruston.com or (318) 255-8955. Braille readers are encouraged
to send gently used books that can be enjoyed by children and beginning
adult readers. Volunteers are needed to help during the event, which will
take place on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 3. We are still working to
phase out the special wage certificates that allow employers to pay workers
with disabilities less than the minimum wage. The Fair Wages for Workers
with Disabilities Act of 2013, HR 813, would repeal Section 14C of the Fair
Labor Standards Act. A national petition has been created at
www.nfb.org/fair-wages-petition. Encourage friends and relations to sign as
well. The NFB has started a vehicle donation program and needs cooperation
from all of the affiliates. Vehicles for Charity will accept donations of
vans, motorcycles, RV's, tractors, and even airplanes. NFB STEM-X is a
science program for blind high school students that will be held on the
campus of Towson State University from July 29 to August 3. Fifty students
will be accepted. Applications must be received by May 15. The NFB is
administering the 2013 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest on behalf of the North
America-Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union. This year's topics are
the way one gains knowledge and independence through Braille or world peace
from the perspective of a disabled person. Submissions must be received by
April 30. A Help America Vote Act grant from the Department of Health and
Human Services is developing a training assistance program for appointees in
each of our state affiliates. Lou Ann Blake at the national office is in
charge of this program. Reservations for national convention must be made by
June 1. The convention agenda closes by the end of April, so ideas must be
sent in right away.

ELECTIONS

The following officers were elected for the 2013-2014 year: President, David
Meyer; first vice president, Denise Avant; second vice president, Jemal
Powell; secretary, Debbie Stein; treasurer, Steve Hastalis; and board
members Mary Grunwald, Debbie Pittman, Patti Chang, and Gina Falvo. All were
elected unanimously by the acclamation thing.

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

Rose Sloan spoke about bills in Congress championed by the NFB. Individual
members should contact their representatives in Congress regarding the Fair
Wages and Space Available Bills. She read a list of representatives who have
already signed on. We should thank those who signed on and ask for the
support of the others. Reps. Duckworth, Edwards, Lupinski, Quigley, and Rush
have signed onto the Space Available Bill. Enright, Quigley, and Rush have
signed onto the Fair Wages Bill. If you have questions, contact Rose at
rosesloan920 at gmail.com or (224) 456-6790.

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Committee Chair Ken Staley announced that by May 1 we have to
know how many tickets we need for the White Sox game on August 10. We have
so far sold fifty-six of the seventy-five we need. We must order thirty-two
cases of candy, four packs to a case, by May 15 if we are to have a spring
candy sale. We will have a Beggars Pizza fundraiser on April 24. The event
will take place from 11 AM to 11 PM.

NEW BUSINESS

There will not be a May chapter meeting due to the teacher/parent seminar. 
There will be a board meeting and a chapter meeting in June. There will be a
picnic at the Landmark Café at the Lincoln Park Zoo on July 13 in lieu of a
July meeting. The White Sox fundraiser will take the place of the August
meeting. Debbie Pittman announced that Anthony Thomas is looking for people
to act as jurors for a mock trial in one of his classes. Steve Hastalis
reported from the CTA Advisory Committee. On the new subway cars, beeps will
sound when the doors open and chimes will sound when they close. 
Announcements will be played while the train is in the station. Dave Meyer,
Jemal Powell, Howard Wilson, and Bruce Paul will take part in the disability
fair at Chicago State University on April 23.

MEAL APPEAL AUCTION

Pam Gillmore brought several items for the Meal Appeal Auction, and she
served as auctioneer.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 3:07 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Stein, Secretary