[nfbmi-talk] MCBVI Response to NFB Newsline funding request

Larry Posont president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
Tue Oct 5 00:12:30 UTC 2010


I wrote a response to this letter from Joe Sibley concerning Newsline Funding. My response letter went out on the list serve 
yesterday.

 September 23, 2010



To: Larry Posant - President, National Federation of the Blind of Michigan



From: Joe Sibley - President, Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired



Hello Larry!



It was a pleasure to speak with you today. As I said before, there will no doubt be many issues where our two organizations will be 
able to speak in a united voice. I also appreciate the fact that you and I can speak frankly with each other, even in matters where 
we disagree.



Regarding the request by the NFB of Michigan that the Michigan Commission for the Blind fund NFB Newsline service in Michigan with 
rehab funding, I have discussed this with several people both in and out of our organization, and we can not support this proposal 
as it stands. I am responding to you in writing so that there will be no misunderstanding, and will share this message with others 
as well to make sure our position is understood. I make the following points:



1. NFB Newsline is an excellent program and is used by many people in both organizations, and even more who belong to neither group. 
However, it is an excellent marketing tool for the National Federation of the Blind, promoting philosophies that we can not agree 
with.



2. It is my understanding that there has never been a clear breakdown of the budget of NFB Newsline which would be necessary to 
approve financial support at this level. I have also spoken with individuals more learned than I that the budget you propose seems 
excessive for the actual cost of operating NFB Newsline.



3. I am concerned that the NFB of Michigan is asking the Michigan Commission for the Blind to support one of it's programs at the 
same time the organization has a lawsuit pending against the commission.



4. I am troubled by the action at the recent Consumer Involvement Council meeting where the council was pressured to support this 
action. I am also concerned that the chair of the CIC allowed NFB members who are not on the council to speak to this issue at times 
other than public comment, adding additional pressure to the other council members.



To sum up Larry, I hope you do find a funding source for NFB Newsline, but in it's present form, MCBVI can not support rehab funds 
from the Commission for the Blind to be used to support it, especially without a clear understanding of how the budget breaks down 
to the actual expenses. We will have to agree to disagree on this one unless some changes are made. I do support Newsline as a 
valuable service to the blind community and hope that other funding sources are found.



Thanks Larry,



Joe Sibley



President
Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
(616)724-1650
Joe.sibley at comcast.net






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