[NFBF-Tampa] Minutes for Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting 20191123

[Dan Hicks]

Minutes of Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting

November 23, 2019

 

 

The meeting was held at Beef ‘O’Brady’s Restaurant, 8810 North Himes Avenue,
Tampa, Florida. 

 

The meeting was called to order at 12:30 PM by the President, Miranda Kilby.

 

All present introduced themselves. About 21 persons were in attendance,
including NFBF President Denise Valkema. The NFB Pledge was led by Vice
President Merry Schoch. 

 

Treasurer Dan Hicks gave the Treasurer’s Report. We have a balance of
$2015.10 in our chapter treasury. 

 

The minutes from the previous meeting were approved as emailed. Motion made
by Board Member Marion Gwizdala. Seconded by Paul Martinez. 

 

I her President’s Report, Miranda thanked the chapter for the flowers the
chapter had sent to her and for all of our concern during her absence from
the past few of meetings due to complications of her pregnancy. She knows
that her baby is a girl and said she and Paul are going to name her Isabella
Michelle Martinez. Her due date is February 1. 

 

Raquel Pancho, Accessibility Coordinator of the City of Tampa, gave a
presentation about projects in the City of Tampa. One project involved
making tandem bicycles or tricycles available to citizens. Bicycles allowed
on Tampa’s Riverwalk, but not electric scooters. 

 

Merry mentioned rental scooters that are sometimes left on sidewalks around
the city. 

 

Board Member Marion Gwizdala mentioned an article that had been in the
Braille Monitor about rental scooters left in the middle of sidewalks and
how they are a hazard to blind pedestrians. He said he would forward the
article to Raquel. 

 

Raquel asked for further concerns and suggestions to be emailed to her. 

 

There followed a discussion of a couple of proposed amendments to the
chapter constitution. One of them dealt with changing the percentage of
members needed to expel a member. The proposal would allow expulsion upon a
vote greater than one-half of the membership rather then the present
two-thirds.  The second proposed amendment would change our current system
of electing the entire Board of Directors every two years, to a staggered
vote: In even-numbered years the President and Secretary and teo board
member would be elected. In odd-numbered years, the Vice President and
Treasurer and one board member would be elected. It was also noted that the
National Organization is working on changing the pronouns in its
constitution to be gender more gender neutral. 

 

Board Member Gloria Mills Hicks said that the reason for staggering the
elections is that it virtually eliminates the possibility that an entire
board could be replaced with all new members, with no board experience. 

 

There was some discussion of the wording of the proposed amendments, which
will be read at the January meeting and voted on in the Februrary meetings. 

 

Dan suggested that the NFBF Board might want to update its Model
Construction and allow chapters to adopt it if they are willing. He said he
would volunteer to be on any committee assigned to work on such a proposed
model. 

 

Miranda said she would bring that idea up with the state board of directors.


 

Miranda said that our next meeting would be our Holiday Party at the home of
Barbara Gaw. She asked members to submit what they were bringing to the
party via the email list, to help avoid duplication. 

 

Marion reminded us that our next meeting will be at the courthouse. We will
be using some of the facilities of Crystal Bay Café, owned by Debbie
Hietala, to hold our meetings. The café is located at the Hillsborough
County Courthouse. 

 

Gloria asked if there would be someone to help us find the café in the
courthouse after we go through security. 

 

Merry said that there definitely would be assistance. 

 

The rest of the meeting was a baby shower for Miranda and Paul. 

 

The winner of the 50/50 drawing was Noe Villeda. He won $27.00.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM. 

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

Dan Hicks

Treasurer

Tampa Bay Chapter

National Federation of the Blind of Florida

 

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