[nfbmi-talk] updated NFB of Michigan Board Meeting Minutes March 25, 2010

[trising]

NFB of Michigan Board Meeting Minutes March 25, 2010



 Attendees:



 Larry Posont, John Scott, Michael Powell, Peter Zaremba, Marcus Simmons, 
David Robinson, Elizabeth Mohnke, Kimberly Mohnke, Dianna Mohnke, Mary Ann 
Rojek

Secretaries Report:



 a.. The minutes from the last meeting were approved as sent out on the list 
serve.



 Treasurer's Report:



 a.. The Treasury has approximately $1,800.00.



 Reflection on Commission Meeting and Bep Meeting, March 19 and 20:



 a.. There were approximately 70 people in attendance at the MCB board 
meeting.

 a.. The group felt that the NFB presentation went well. We received a lot 
of positive feedback on our position papers from members of the community.

 b.. There were security guards present throughout the MCB board meeting. We 
have submitted a FOI request into the reasons for the security guards and 
the cost to the taxpayer for the guards.

 c.. The BEP report was given and the MCB board decided to table any action 
on the administrative law judge opinion until the board can review the facts 
of the case.

 d.. The minutes from the January and December MCB board meetings have been 
placed online. The draft minutes from the 3/19/10 meeting are not online. 
The MCB is making the minutes available for public review in hardcopy at 
their main office in Lansing.

 e.. The meeting between the elected operators committee and the MCB took 
place on 3/20. The meeting used a question and answer format between 
operators and the agency. Issues that were discussed included lack of 
communication between MCB and operators, operators scared to complain about 
services for fear of retribution from the agency, overall a lack of trust 
between the operators and the agency. The operators are still considering a 
class action suit against the agency. The operators are realizing that their 
problems will not be solved through the EOC.

 a.. The next MCB board meeting is three months away. We have to keep the 
Boone and Robinson firings plus the other issues we've highlighted in the 
spotlight.

 a.. Velma Allen resigned from the MCB board. She has moved to Georgia. Fred 
will place the MCB board commissioner candidate application on the NFBMI 
list serve. We encourage anyone interested in serving on the board to 
complete the application.



Update on College policy. Elizabeth Mohnke, Fred Wurtzel:



 a.. At the 3/19 board meeting Director Cannon and Leamon Jones spoke in 
support of the college policy. The policy was voted down by the board. The 
board will be soliciting input for a new college policy. A request will be 
sent out asking consumers to submit their ideas for a new college policy in 
writing to an email address. The ideas will be compiled and presented at a 
special meeting in June.

 b.. This meeting will be facilitated by a neutral party in the college 
policy discussion. Anyone interested in contributing to the development of a 
new college policy is invited to submit ideas and attend the meeting 
tentatively scheduled for June. We will submit a draft from NFBMI. We should 
write a policy that is consumer friendly and blind friendly. We can bring in 
ideas from experts like Mark Riccobono and Dr. Schroeder and others in the 
country.



Summer Camp Program at Camp T:



 a.. OUB currently does not have enough funding to run programming at Camp T 
this summer.

 b.. NFBMI has received a pledge to cover the costs to hold three weekend 
events at Camp T this summer. We are looking at approximately three long 
weekends of activities for kids. One camp session would be held in each of 
the summer months. A culinary camp, a Braille camp and a science camp. 
Jackie Palding has been hired by OUB to act as camp director and coordinate 
activities this summer.

 c.. Larry requested the board support the plan to move forward with the NFB 
of MI sponsoring three weekend camps this summer. NFBMI would be responsible 
for all costs and logistics.

 d.. David Robinson made a motion authorizing Larry to move forward with 
developing a budget and plan for holding these camps. The plan is to be 
brought back to the NFBMI board for approval before any commitments are 
made. Michael Powell seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 e.. We need to clarify several issues including liability insurance 
requirements.



May NFB of MI board meeting:



 a.. Next in-person state board meeting is scheduled to take place on 
Saturday 5/22/10, from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, at the Kalamazoo downtown public 
library.

 b.. The cost of the meeting room is only $20.00. We can bring in food.

Transportation to National Convention 2010 in Dallas via bus was discussed.

The next NFBMI conference call is scheduled for Thursday April 8th, 2010 at 
8:30 pm. Please call 605-475-4333 to join the conference call. Use access 
code 902-855 pound.