[nfbmi-talk] Minutes, National Federation of the Blind of Michigan Quarterly Board Meeting May 17, 2014

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    Minutes, National Federation of the Blind of Michigan Quarterly Board Meeting May 17, 2014
Quorum, yes, Larry Posont, Mike Powell, Joe Sontag, Terri Wilcox, Mark Eagle, Dave Robinson and Mary Wurtzel who came late.
Secretary's Report, Terri Wilcox Dave Robinson moved to adopt the February 22 Quarterly Board Meeting Minutes. Mike Powell seconded 
the motion. The Minutes were approved.
 Treasurer's Report, Mark Eagle $930 was sent as a deposit for the Leadership Seminar. The National Office requested extensions for 
Michigan's 990's. The grant for $20,000 for summer youth programming is agreed and in process.
Introduction of Participating Members
President's Report, Larry Posont Leadership Seminar will occur on September 5-7. Anil Lewis has agreed to come to Leadership 
Seminar.  Lydia Schuck and Fred Wurtzel are creating the program. Sighted people are running vending locations. The Advisory Board 
Agenda came out two days before the meeting. Students are only getting ten weeks at the Training Center. The Training Center is only 
being used for training during forty weeks per year! Ed Rodgers got two copies of emails concerning the Anderson Building from Larry 
Posont. We must go to the streets. Narrow the story down for the public. It may concern personal discrimination of clients. A picket 
may occur next week. People notify the National Federation of the Blind about lack of services. Someone is looking for a blind 
golfing league.
Donation to Kids Camp at National Convention? Terri Wilcox moved to allocate $50 for kid's camp and the Scholarship Breakfast at 
National Convention. Mike Powell seconded the motion. The motion was adopted.
Dave Robinson moved to allocate $100 to each of the five funds, TenBroek, Imagination, Sun, Jernigan, and White Cane.  Chapters 
should donate to this important cause. Mike Powell seconded the motion. The motion was adopted.
Item to sell at National Convention, Braille Mug? A mug with Braille and print letters will be sold at National Convention. 
Remaining tote bags and balloons will also be sold. Terri Wilcox moved to sell Braille mugs for $15. Joe Sontag seconded the motion. 
The motion passed.
Volunteers to run Exhibit Table? Send Dave Robinson the date and time that you would like to work the exhibit table. Dave Robinson 
volunteers to assist in scheduling workers for the exhibit table with the help of Mike Powell, Karen Evans and Terri Wilcox.
Caucus/Support from the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan Larry Posont suggested that we give 16 people $250 in 
assistance for National Convention. We will request July 1 in the evening for the Michigan caucus no later than June 1. Kimberly 
Mohnke will conduct banquet exchange. Give Kim Mohnke your tickets, with your name, and the names of the people you wish to sit with 
listed in Braille on the tickets no later than the first day of General Session.
Leadership Retreat, Fred Wurtzel, Dave Robinson. September 5-7. The Leadership Seminar will be held at Pretty Lake vacation Camp in 
Mattawan.  The main lodge sleeps forty and has a main room for meetings. It costs $50 per person plus $12 for linens, for a total of 
$62. Meals are catered through Western Michigan. We can check in any time after 3:00 Friday. Two or four bunks are in a room. The 
plan is to have dinner Friday, all meals Saturday, plus breakfast Sunday. Breakfast is 8.50 to 9.50, lunch is $10 and dinner is $12. 
The contract deposit is half of the expected number of people and it has been sent. Anil Lewis will come from the National Office. 
Leaders will be invited including the state board plus Presidents and Vice Presidents of divisions and chapters. Joe Sontag moved to 
ask a donation of $25 per person from each leader who attends the Seminar. Terri Wilcox seconded the motion. A chapter can be 
approached. The motion passed.
Future Funding for Newsline? Newsline funding is up in September.  Larry Posont suggests seeking help from Scott White. Larry Posont 
wrote him last time and can do it again. Members should write letters to the state Agency. It is suggested that someone ask Pat 
Cannon to write a letter. Place the announcement that letters are needed on Newsline with an email address to send them. Chapter 
Presidents should write a letter.  Lydia Schuck will write the top ten or fifteen users of Newsline. Use these letters to influence 
the Legislature.
State Convention, October 10-12, Flint. It is suggested that we use part of the new brand for the theme. Mike Powell moved to make 
the theme, "Don't let Blindness hold you back". Dave Robinson seconded the motion. The motion passed. A Friday event will involve 
teaching blind people skills of blindness. Registration costs $15-20 and the Banquet is $35-40.  September 30 is the cut off for 
Preregistration. Sign up before this date to get lower prices for the Banquet and Registration. September 27 is the deadline to make 
reservations at the hotel. Mike Powell and Mark Eagle will handle Preregistration.
List Serve Report, Joe Sontag the list serve is all right. There is a marked improvement in quality of list serve posts.
Fund Raising is crucial. Fund raising could involve dividends which yield seven percent per year. The Affiliate could give one of 
three companies $10,000 per year. The money would be held for 52 weeks. Marcus Simmons will send a report to each board member. 
Encourage chapters to donate to the state Affiliate. The fund raising committee consists of Dave Robinson, Larry Posont, and Mike 
Powell.
Flint Chapter, Dave Robinson the Flint Chapter was organized. A copy of the bylaws has been presented.  $50 was given by the 
Affiliate to start the treasury. Everyone must make an effort to attend meetings of new chapters. A new chapter is needed in 
Oakland/Macomb County.
Bureau of Services to Blind Persons/Business Enterprise Program/Anderson Building, Larry Posont A picket will occur next week, one 
week from Tuesday. Keep issues narrow. Emphasize issues like jobs being given away to sighted people through civil service. These 
jobs are federally mandated for blind people. Focus on the lack of jobs and the work to welfare pipeline. The Anderson building is 
being run by sighted people.  Federal money is being used to allow sighted people to run facilities that should be run by blind 
people. Fred Wurtzel, Joe Sontag and Terry Eagle will organize the protest that will occur one week from Tuesday.  It is necessary 
to identify one person who wants to work but is being deprived of a job.
Braillers for Bell Program, Terri Wilcox Bell is August 4-15. Each student needs access to a borrowed Brailler for Bell. Braillers 
can be fixed by a person in Lansing. Larry Posont says there will be enough working Braillers.
Summer Science Spectacular, July 28, August 1. Fred Wurtzel. The Summer Science Spectacular will be held in Dearborn at the 
Environmental Interpretive Center. J.J. Meddaugh will conduct a session on Science and Music. University of Michigan naturalists are 
participating. Students will go tandem biking. Students will attend a Detroit baseball game. The Science Spectacular includes room 
and board at the Doubletree Hotel.
Liability Insurance, Larry Posont Dave Robinson moved that the Affiliate pays for general liability plus liability for other events. 
Mike Powell seconded the motion. The motion passed. This will cost approximately $250 for general liability plus varied costs for 
other events.
State Scholarships Terri Wilcox made a motion to allocate $1,000 plus room, board and transportation for up to two students to 
attend State Convention. The Scholarship amounts will be determined by the committee at Convention. Joe Sontag seconded the motion. 
The motion was adopted. Fred Wurtzel will provide certificates.
Division Reports The Detroit Chapter had 28 people attend their last chapter meeting. The Lansing Chapter meets Monday, May 19.
The Michigan Association of Education and Rehabilitation had teachers who were surprised that Braille was being taught and learned 
on time. Members of the National Federation of the Blind need to teach and learn high expectations. Members will go talk to school 
kids about blindness. After taking names for canes, and slates and participation in chapters and Newsline at Visions 2014, it was 
discovered that all fields must be filled out to get canes and slates from the National Office.
It is necessary for each of us to be an ambassador for the National Federation of the Blind and to build membership. The scholarship 
list came out this week.
Mike Powell moved to adjourn at 12:50. Joe Sontag seconded the motion.  The motion passed.