[nfbmi-talk] Board Minutes June 3, 2017

[JohnC. Scott]

Thank You Linda for a great job!  It is wonderful to have such a detailed record of what was, and what will be. 



John
 
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Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Board Minutes June 3, 2017


NFB of Michigan
Quarterly Board Meeting Minutes
June 3, 2017
The Pizza House Restaurant - Lansing, MI

President Powell called the meeting to order at 11:08 a.m.

President Powell read the meeting agenda. The agenda was adopted.

Board Members Present: Michael Powell, J.J. Meddaugh, Fred Wurtzel, Linda Bloodsaw, Mark Eagle, Diana Mohnke, Derek Moore, Mary Wurtzel
Absent: Melinda Latham
Quorum: Yes

Introduction of visitors, guests and participating members.

Secretary’s Report, Linda Bloodsaw. The Secretary’s Report was adopted.

Treasurer’s Report, Mark Eagle. The General Fund has $27,032.35. The Newsline Account has $5,545.28. The Youth Account has $27,793.40. The PayPal Account has $43. change amount unknown. The Treasurer’s Report was adopted. . 

President’s Report, Michael Powell. Continues to receive phone calls from people looking for help and information. Help given includes directing people to local chapter meetings and having them contact the state agency for the blind to get training and assistance, and then follow-up with us to get any additional help or assistance. Bill Robinson, BSBP Director, and Gwen McNeal, East Region Manager, offered to look into inquiries personally if people who call are directed to them by President Powell.

Fred Wurtzel sent an email to President Powell in February regarding a blind man who was looking for an accessibility expert witness for his wrongful termination lawsuit. He was a 911 operator in Lansing whose equipment was upgraded and not made accessible, and he could not perform his job. He was placed on administrative leave without pay for several months, and subsequently terminated because of poor performance. His employer would not look into accessibility with the upgrade to their system. President Powell contacted the national office about providing an expert witness, but have not heard back from them yet, and do not know what happened. 

John Scott, President, Detroit Chapter, and Steve Handschu, Detroit Chapter member and Liaison between NFB and Detroit BSBP, arranged a meeting with Gwen McNeal concerning Detroit services. Bill Robinson and President Powell also attended that meeting. In March, Gwen McNeal attended the Detroit Chapter meeting and made remarks. 

Met via conference call with the national office regarding Uber and Lyft testing program. This involves ride share testing per the settlement agreement with NFB. They will implement new driver training regarding their obligation to transport riders with service animals. The testing program began May 8 to determine how successfully both companies implemented the changes. Help with this testing is critical. President Powell is the coordinator, but would like to turn this over to someone with a dog. We only need two monitors a month, and our affiliate stands to gain some recognition. Please see nfb.org/rideshare for more information. Derek Moore and Sharon Scott have offered to help. Get the word out through social media to service dog users so they can test and do two monitors a month for three years. 

Began participating in meetings on March 25 of the Low Vision Task Force which was put together by BSBP to study the low vision program in Michigan. We have met four times, and we need to make recommendations concerning this program and its future. 

President Powell and Fred Wurtzel spoke to Mr. Jonathan Klein of the FAA on March 29. Mr. Klein has been reviewing our complaints involving Detroit Metro Airport. We have the option of appealing the ruling of the FAA that supported the actions of the airport based on the Federal court judge’s ruling that the measures implemented at the airport to provide an alternative bus stop for people with disabilities is a reasonable accommodation. We can initiate a new complaint if we can show proof that the policies of the airport are not being enforced properly if the airport authority is unable to get public transportation providers to honor the new policies. 

Fred Wurtzel was a guest at the American Chemical Society in April, where he presented a paper at their conference in San Francisco. 

There has been some development on our national legislation. Our activities were reviewed by state leaders and legislative committee representatives from the affiliates on April 19. Both J.J. Meddaugh and President Powell were on the call.

 Received a press release from the national office entitled “Do You Dream in Color”. This film examines the lives of four blind teens going through school and the challenges they face. It shines a light on the social and institutional obstacles faced by blind people. For more information and to experience the film, visit do you dream in color dot com. Showing this film could be a good fundraising campaign and interest some donors to help finance the movement. Maybe we can arrange to have this shown at state convention. 

President Powell, Osman Koroma and Donna Posont attended the April 27 and 28 MAER conference to give out NFB literature, information about Science Camp and talk about the Federation and its programs. J.J. Meddaugh and Lillian Quickley also had exhibit tables at the conference. Fred Wurtzel joined them on Friday  and the group continued to speak to a number of teachers, educators and administrators of rehab programs. 

President Powell and John Scott went to the Penske Center in Detroit on May 1 to meet  up with a contractor and a community relations associate. We got into a truck and rode to each stop where we inspected the braille signage at all of the Q-Line stops in Detroit. Lisa Franklin, President of Warriors on Wheels, told the Q-Line Representatives to contact the NFB for information about blindness and no one else.

The national office put President Powell in touch with an attorney from Brown, Goldstein and Levy, attorneys for the NFB, because a blind man from Louisiana tried to apply for a Federal job in Grand Rapids using the website governmentjobs.com without being successful. The attorney helped President Powell draft a letter to the mayor of Grand Rapids under his name and signature as President of the NFB of Michigan. The national office has separately written to the operators of the website governmentjobs.com, Inc. and NeoGov.com with our desire to work with them to make their website accessible. They have not engaged us in discussion. 

President Powell handed a $2,500 check to Mark Eagle. It is from a foundation to be used for our BELL program. Patti Chang, NFB of Illinois was able to get this organization to give us a grant. 

BSBP Director, Bill Robinson, talked about what he is working on and meetings attended. RSA will do monitoring in Michigan. working with WIOA initiatives. The regulations were released August 2016 and became final on September 19, 2016. A surprise in the regulations was the elimination of the homemaker category from the VR system and will close by June 30, 2017. Figuring out how to serve that population that is under 55 and need the service. He had a meting regarding the Employment First initiative. There will be a video to advertise and promote the BEP program. Wants to make it more profitable for the BEP operators. New vending machines are being rolled out and that will reduce some of the maintenance on older machines. Received an invitation from the Department of Transportation to pick up two new routes for vending, but they will not spend any money for shelters. Working with Coke to sponsor us and build the shelters but we will have to advertise Coke for five years which is fine with him. Got invited to a DNR site and is working on that. Working heavily with the schools and promoting pre-employment transition services. Held a training session in Lansing for the TCVIs from across the state. braille literacy needs to increase.  He is having a hard time getting a Memorandum of Understanding from the Michigan Department of Education to work with them and he does not know why. This is an issue across the country and is not unique to Michigan. He was contacted by the Detroit Zoological Society and he provided a letter for grant funds to help make the zoo more accessible. When their grant comes through zoo will need a focus group regarding accessibility and what that means. Working with Mississippi State regarding older blind and best practices. He would like to be put on the agenda for state convention. Students attending the training center stay for ten weeks, which is renewable if more time is needed. 

Suggestions were made to Bill Robinson for training center improvements. Mr. Robinson made a donation to Science Camp.

Voting machine update, Mark Eagle. The Bureau of Elections has signed contracts with a number of counties, Wayne and Ingham, Saginaw are three  of them New machines will roll out in August. Contact your county clerk, city clerk or the Bureau of Elections if there are problems voting. They have a hotline that they answer on election day. In some jurisdictions, new machines will roll out in November 2017 and others in November 2018. 

National Convention. Nine people asked for assistance. There are three Jernigan Scholarship winners this year: Osman Koroma, Darryl Rice, and Rebecca Dooley who adopted two blind children from China. Sabrina Simmons will run the exhibit table this year. The affiliate plans to sell braille alphabet mugs, bags and raffle tickets. Donna Posont will bring Birding by Ear t-shirts to sell. She is also willing to order cherries to sell. Raffle tickets will be $5 each or five for $20. 

There are four affiliates hosting the convention this year: Arizona, D.C., Hawaii and Tennessee. They have requested a donation of $100 from each affiliate and individual donors to help with hosting costs. Motion made to send $100 from NFB Michigan to help with hosting costs and was adopted. 

During the Honor Roll of states we are called to donate to the Imagination Fund, Jernigan Fund, Sun Fund, tenBroek Fund and the White Cane Fund. Motion made to give $100 to each fund and was adopted.

Should we donate funds to NFB Camp and a scholarship breakfast. Motion made to donate $100 to each fund and was adopted. 

State Convention Update, J.J. Meddaugh. November 3 to 5 in Kalamazoo at the Four Points by Sheraton. Room rates are $95 which includes hot buffet breakfast for two people in the room. Now bookable. Go to nfbmi.ort/convention to book online or call the hotel by October 3. A shuttle will be available. Convention registration form will be online by August. Plan to bring exhibit hall back on Friday from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Haley Dare will have parent’s activities, so talk to her if you are interested in helping. There has been discussion about doing a field trip perhaps to the Sky Zone. Call J.J. if you have suggestions for Friday night entertainment or want to host something to make sure you have enough room to do said event. The scholarship form is online at nfbmi.org/scholarships and are due by September 30. Exhibitors pay $75 for profit company and non-profits pay $25. Door prizes and in-kind donations will be accepted. Sponsorship packages are $250, $500 and $1,000. Sponsors get premium exhibit hall space, banquet tickets, a mention in the program on the website  and for $1,000 a place on the agenda if their content suits our convention and President Powell approves. J.J. will put sponsorship letter on the list serve. 

Steve Handschu is working on becoming a One Touch Self Defense instructor. He is willing to do something at state convention if he becomes certified by that time.

BELL Academy: no report was provided from Haley Dare. Nine are ready to participate in the program. President Powell and other volunteers will provide assistance the week of July 23 to July 30 in Kalamazoo.

Science Camp: Donna Posont preparing for SASS blind teens ages 12 and up. Has 11 people signed up at this time. One international student from Belize will be returning this year. Meeting in Dearborn, and staying at the Comfort Inn. Partnering with the university of Michigan Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center. Staff training July 28 and 29. Students/scientists show up July 30. The week will be filled with weather information, gathering data, The weather station will be at Camp T and data will be retrieved daily. Will be using a computer so it will be auditory. Will attend Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum to learn about the Wright Brothers and why they went to Kitty Hawk because of the wind. Will be studying windmill energy. Jeff Crouch, counselor, mentor and former scientist, will be doing the emergency preparedness to determine aspects of the weather, such as the size of hail. Fred Wurtzel added that there was a planning session held and a discussion occurred about how students who do not read or write braille would record the data. We encourage students to learn Braille. Received grant funding for this year’s science camp. 

San Francisco: Fred Wurtzel spoke to science educators at the American Chemical Society convention. Gave three presentations about SASS; two at the conference and one at San Francisco Lighthouse for the staff. Spent one night at Enchanted Hills Camp and saw the woodworking and pottery facilities. Came in under budget for this trip; did not use $3,000 that was allocated.

Airport Update, Fred Wurtzel. We had high hopes that with the new executive director, Joe Nardone, there would be changes. Nothing has changed since he arrived in January. Fred Wurtzel recommends that we begin to return to the WCAA Board meetings and let them know we are not satisfied with status quo and we will not stop until they desegregate. Thanks to Warriors on Wheels supporting us. Lisa Franklin, President of WOW, is a great person and they are upset about the situation at the airport also. Transportation assistance will be provided so people can attend the meetings. Meetings are generally the third Wednesday of the month.Fred will post to list serve starting in July after national convention. Brian Sadek has relinquished his role. Fred has filed a Federal complaint. This has to do with SMART bus and Michigan Flyer not stopping where they are supposed to under the regulations, so we are filing a complaint about that. Michigan Flyer is stopping on request which is against the law. They are stopping at the McNamara terminal. SMART is not stopping at all.


Detroit Chapter, John Scott. Members participating in a Housing Fair hosted by Detroit City Councilman Game Leland. Warriors on Wheels and NFB Detroit will have a picnic on June 22 at Bell Isle.Received 50 tickets for a Detroit Tigers baseball game on June 28. 
Grand Rapids, Derek Moore. Changing the chapter name to West Southwest Chapter. The goal is to increase membership and will go to the Michigan border. Plan to have a Youth Picnic with Haley Dare in Kalamazoo. 
Lansing Chapter, Fred Wurtzel. The chapter is working on national issues There will be a convention banquet listening party at the Wurtzel home and all are welcome. 
Jackson chapter, Maryanne Robinson. Held a screening of the documentary “Bottom Dollars” and distributed information at the library on May 9. Emailed info to representatives in Jackson. The library included our issues regarding sub minimum wages in their newsletter that went to 8,000 people. Looking at doing something with the youth documentary. Ms. Robinson is on the Blind Task Force  National Association of Social Workers Met with the Department of Health ad Human Services of Michigan and brought attention the lack of accessibility for Social Workers. Will follow up with them and may be doing some training for the DHHS staff and let them know our needs.

The email blast for 211 is available to anyone. Call your county and askThere was a list of 10 or 12 regions around the state. J.J. Meddaugh will try to find this list.

Legislative Update, J.J. Meddaugh. Representative Walberg may have had a change of approach regarding the TIME Act. People are coming together from Disability Rights New York, MPAS, and Michigan Works and are making progress. Joana Brown is the legislative director and J.J. can provide contacts and will send email address for her.Marianne has gone to Representative Walberg’s office a couple times, but he will not speak with us. J.J. said he is notoriously hard to get hold of, but looks like we have an opening.  

Old Business: There was none.

New Business: MarcusSimmons asked if any chapters met on the second Saturday of the month, and if not, perhaps state board meetings could be held then so that chapter meetings would not be interrupted. President Powell explained that chapters should be flexible because board meetings depend on room availability and board member schedules.

Donna Posont reported that an urban bird celebration would be held on June 10 at the environmental center in Dearborn from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Revolving programs on birding by ear, pollination in the butterfly garden and pond ecology. Everyone welcome, adults, children, blind or sighted.

The summer board meeting will be August 26 in Kalamazoo at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. J.J. Meddaugh suggested starting the meeting at11:00 a.m. so that people traveling by train from Detroit and Lansing can arrive on time. President Powell thanked attendees for their support during his first year in office. Thanked his wife, Paulette, for driving him to the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

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