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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;color:#002060'>Minutes of Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;color:#002060'>November 23, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The meeting was held at Beef ‘O’Brady’s Restaurant, 8810 North Himes Avenue, Tampa, Florida. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The meeting was called to order at 12:30 PM by the President, Miranda Kilby.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Treasurer Dan Hicks gave the Treasurer’s Report. We have a balance of $2015.10 in our chapter treasury. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The minutes from the previous meeting were approved as emailed. Motion made by Board Member Marion Gwizdala. Seconded by Paul Martinez. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Merry mentioned rental scooters that are sometimes left on sidewalks around the city. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Board Member Marion Gwizdala mentioned an article that had been in the <i>Braille Monitor</i> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Raquel asked for further concerns and suggestions to be emailed to her. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Miranda said she would bring that idea up with the state board of directors. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Gloria asked if there would be someone to help us find the café in the courthouse after we go through security. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Merry said that there definitely would be assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The rest of the meeting was a baby shower for Miranda and Paul. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The winner of the 50/50 drawing was Noe Villeda. He won $27.00.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Respectfully Submitted<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Dan Hicks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Treasurer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Tampa Bay Chapter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>