[Nfbmt] Board Minutes from NFBMt Convention 2014 and a few more
Bruce&Joy Breslauer
breslauerj at gmail.com
Thu Oct 22 16:01:00 UTC 2015
I guess this wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but we sure did make a
great start. I'll keep searching for the 2014 convention minutes. This
reminds me that I should put all the board minutes in one place. Joy
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
October 11, 2014
Jorgenson's Hotel 8:30 -9:30AM
Agenda
Call to Order, President James Aldrich
Roll Call
Treasurer's Report
Chapter affairs, (75 days)
voting Rights and voting in general
voting Rights Coordinator
2015 Montana Legislature
Bid for Equality Auction, our contribution?
Meet The Blind Month
Washington Seminar
A Bequest Letter
State Newsletter or Blog
NFB Newsline State coordinator
NFB Live, becoming a sponsor and having our own NFB Montana Room on that
site!
our NFBOFMT Website
Assistance with convention expenses.
fundraising, coordinator?
Student Scholarship Are we going to establish one?
Membership coordinator, (white cane notices, etc.)
Fair wages status & report
Free White cane program of NFB
Free slate & stylus program of NFB
Vehicle donation coordinator for NFB of MT
Weekly or Bi weekly notice from the President of programs status
List serve protocol
e-mail messaging & protocol
Camp Eureka
Parents Division
Student Division
Board Members Present
Jim Aldrich, President
Rick James, 1st Vice President
Donna Harris, Secretary
Edward Ted Robbins, Treasurer
Joy Breslauer, Board Member
Jeff Haworth, Board Member
Stacie Huff, Board member
Treasurer's Report
Ted reported on the following figures.
NFB OF MT
FINANCIAL RECAP & REPORT
2012 thru Sep 2014
INCOME
DESCRIPTION TOTALS 2012 2013 2014
Interest on deposits $11.82 $0.96 $6.99 $3.87
contributions received/MBRS $15,097.73 $4,129.00 $9,968.73
$1,000.00
Dues received $471.00 $154.00 $252.00 $65.00
fund raising/beef stix $3,558.10 $0.00 $2,225.00
$1,333.10
convention registrations $1,740.00 $0.00 $1,740.00 $0.00
50-50 raffle&auction $733.00 $565.00 $168.00 $0.00
National assistance $10,100.00 $7,500.00 $2,600.00 $0.00
Totals $31,711.65 $12,348.96 $16,960.72 $2,401.97
EXPENSES
DESCRIPTION TOTALS 2012 2013 2014
Fund raising cost/Beef stix $2,502.37 $0.00 $1,260.29
$1,242.08
Travel reimbursements $16,941.25 $1,073.47 $8,950.93
$6,916.85
contributions $2,333.38 $0.00 $1,152.56 $1,180.82
Web site $30.00 $0.00 $30.00 $0.00
Convention expense $1,567.13 $0.00 $1,567.13 $0.00
Bank & IRS fees $495.79 $17.00 $478.79 $0.00
Newsline $1,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00
TOTALS $24,869.92 $1,090.47 $13,439.70 $10,339.75
BALANCE & TOTALS $6,841.73 $11,258.49 $3,521.02
-$7,937.78
BEQUEST LETTER
Jeff Haworth and Jim Marks are going to work together to draft a letter to be
sent out to encourage people with no beneficiaries to bequest their estates
to the NFB of Montana.
WASHINGTON SEMINAR
The Washington Seminar is the last week of January 2015. We need to be
thinking about who will be attending and how the trip will be funded.
STATE NEWS LETTER OR BLOG
Dan suggested that the NFB develop a blog. It can be packed with current
information and quick to read encouraging people to take advantage of it.
The Braille Monitor and the Blitz are examples of newsletters that can be
used to develop a blog or newsletter specific to Montana.
NEWSLINE
Rick James volunteered to be the coordinator for Newsline. Everyone feels it
is important for the NFB to be involved since we advocated for funding to
keep Newsline going.
2015 legislature
Everyone is encouraged to call or write their senator or representative to
encourage the passing of the TEACH Act. TEACH stands for technology
education accessibility for college and higher education. The legislation
calls upon the Congress Access Board to develop information for colleges to
ensure all students can access their information. If the college complies it
will protect them from any law suits regarding disability access.
The board meeting was adjourned at 9:30AM.
Board Minutes October 17, 2014
The meeting was called to order by President Joy Breslauer on October 17,
2014, at 6:00 P.M. In attendance were Joy Breslauer, President; Sheila
Leigland, First vice President; Ted Robbins, Treasurer; Jeff Haworth, Board
Member; Jim Aldrich, Board Member; Becca Stuart, Board Member. Also in
attendance was past board member and former First Vice President Rik James.
President Breslauer had asked that spouses or significant others be present
at the board meeting as well, so that she could thank the past officers for
their service, and welcomed the new officers to the Board.
Becca, who had not been to this year's convention, asked about it, and Jim
Aldrich gave her a synopsis. In the process, we noted that Newsline for
Montana is now being funded by Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services.
We had passed a resolution at our convention thanking them for this. We also
mentioned that there had been a technology forum hosted by Montana Vocational
Rehabilitation and Blind Services (VRBS) and facilitated by Beverly Berg. We
hope there will be more.
Some discussion was held about how to get our message out. It was suggested
that we could write up a blurb about us and send it to as many newspapers as
we could find online. We could also post it on the state's informational
channel on Newsline. President Breslauer will look into those possibilities
and report at the next board meeting. We will also investigate getting the
web site up and running, or possibly putting something up on WordPress.
A motion was made and seconded that the NFBMT state Treasurer be authorized
to reimburse the At Large chapter $250.00 for expenses incurred for the
convention we held last week end at Jorgensen's in Helena. Motion carried.
Some correspondence was read.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Joy Breslauer, President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
Meeting Minutes
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
Board of Directors
Thursday, October 23, 2014
President Joy Breslauer called the telephone conference meeting to order
shortly after 6:00 PM. All board members were present except for Sheila
Leigland, who is temporarily out-of-state. Guests present were Karen and Rik
James and Dan Burke.
Jim Marks moved that the October 17 board minutes be approved. Ted Robbins
seconded. The motion passed unanimously with no discussion.
Ted Robbins moved to dispense with approval of the October 11 board minutes,
the meeting that occurred as part of the 2014 Convention of NFB-MT. Jim
Aldrich seconded. Motion passed unanimously after a brief discussion.
Brochure: Karen and Rik James reported on the development of an NFB-MT
brochure. Jeff Haworth serves with Karen and Rik on a committee developing
the brochure. The in-depth report and discussion included particulars such
as NFB branding, the process for creating and authorizing the design and
content of the brochure, print and online formats for the brochure, etc. The
brochure targets people who do not know about NFB-MT. The NFB motto, "Live
the Life You Want," figures prominently in the brochure.
NFB-MT Telephone: Rik suggested that the NFB-MT arrange for a telephone
number that can be relayed or forwarded to a designated board member. Joy
Breslauer described how her husband's church uses an online telephone service
that would serve this purpose. Dan Burke suggested Google Voice. Jim
Aldrich volunteered to look into Google Voice. Joy Breslauer will follow up
on securing a telephone.
NFB-MT Website: Joy Breslauer reported on the NFB-MT website. She said she
and Dan are updating its content. The address is http://www.nfbofmt.org.
NFB-MT PO Box: Ted Robbins reported that a PO Box in Great Falls for the
NFB-MT will cost $92 per year. He said that he prefers using his own home
address to avoid transportation issues to the post office for the PO Box.
However, he said, he would use the PO Box if that's what the Board prefers.
Jim Marks moved to purchase the PO Box in Great Falls. Jeff Haworth
seconded. Motion passed unanimously with brief discussion. Ted Robbins will
follow up.
Joy Breslauer said she would work with NFB Newsline to advertise NFB-MT
meetings and other information of the affiliate and its chapters.
Bid for Equality: Joy Breslauer called for a volunteer to coordinate this
year's Bid for Equality. Bid for Equality is a fund raising event benefiting
the NFB in which affiliates provide auction items for an auction to be held
after Thanksgiving. No one volunteered. Jim Aldrich moved to table this
year's participation in the Bid for Equality and to begin coordinating next
year's event. Rebecca Strom seconded. The motion passed unanimously
following a brief discussion. Jim Aldrich volunteered to lead committee for
next year's auction. Jeff Haworth and Stacie Huff also volunteered.
Washington Seminar: Joy Breslauer said she will attend the Washington
Seminar contingent on being able to take time off from work. Jim Aldrich
plans to attend as well. Joy mentioned that Sheila Leigland may go as well.
Ted Robbins said he will not be going because the walking required is growing
beyond his abilities.
2014 Legislature: Joy Breslauer mentioned some ideas for possible
legislation. She also pointed out that two resolutions from the NFB-MT
Convention may require legislative action. Joy said she will coordinate
legislative efforts. Ted Robbins moved that the travel expenses of members
who testify or lobby for legislation be reimbursed by the NFB-MT. Donna
Harris seconded. Motion passed unanimously following a brief discussion.
Fund Raising: Joy Breslauer called on board members and others to help raise
funds for NFB-MT. Everyone agreed that we need to replenish funds in order
to conduct the business of the affiliate. Dan Burke mentioned that most
affiliates require their chapters to donate 25 percent of their fund raising
to the affiliate. Jim Marks said that our brochure and website should ask
for donations. Dan said he would look into using Pay Pal for immediate
donations online. Dan then described the Bell program, the steps for which
are available from the national office. Jim Marks volunteered to serve on
the fund raising committee of the board. He said Kathy Marks, his wife,
would help out as well. Kathy worked as a fund raiser for the University of
Montana Foundation for twenty years.
Jeff Haworth invited everyone to a Billings Chapter fund raiser. He said he
would send the details to Joy Breslauer so that she can share with others.
Contact Jeff directly for details.
Jim Aldrich moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:20 PM. Ted Robbins seconded.
Motion passed unanimously.
Meeting minutes respectfully submitted by Secretary Jim Marks.
Joy Breslauer, President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403
Phone: (406) 454-3096
Email: president at nfbofmt.org
Web Site: www.nfbofmt.org
Live the life you want
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
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