[NFBMT] Treasure State At Large Chapter Minutes for June 8, 2017

Tue Aug 8 03:09:53 UTC 2017

At Large Chapter Minutes 

June 8, 2017 

Those In Attendance: 

Bruce and Joy Breslauer, Great Falls 

Ted and anna Robbins, Great Falls

Denise Moses, Corvallis 

Rik and Karen James, Bozeman

Robert Jaquiss, new, from Missoula 

Jim and dar Aldrich, Billings 

Lauretta Merchant, Kalispell

Marjorie Greg, Ennis 

The meeting was called to order by President Rik James on June 8, 2017, at
6:06 p.m., with twelve in attendance.  the May 11 meeting minutes were
approved as previously distributed to the chapter membership.

The Treasurer's Report is assumed to be the same.  Treasurer Linda Hurlock
was not able to join us for this meeting.

We discussed fundraising.  The need for it is obvious.  Some suggestions were
to pursue grants, or to solicit bequests.  Joy said she would ask the
National office while in Orlando how to solicit bequests.  Rik asked whether
the state affiliate has received any income this year; Ted said that the only
income we have received so far is from dues and donations from members, and
from a couple of Amazon smile donations of five dollars each.  Jim mentioned
that we have a vehicle donation program.  Ted said we need a PR person to let
people know that we have such a program.  Joy said we should put something on
Facebook and Twitter.  We could also put notices in newspapers and do PSA
announcements.  Working on public relations and fundraising could do nothing
but help us.  We should have a person or committee dedicated to doing that. 

There is a concern about the funding cuts to the Talking Book Library.  The
Library Commissioners will meet on June 14 to vote on proposed funding cuts
to the library, which will eliminate one reader advisor position and the
supervisor position.  If taxes don't fill a funding gap in August, there will
be another round of additional cuts.  Joy said that on Tuesday, June 6, there
was a public comment meeting before the Library Commissioners to voice our
opinions about the proposed funding cuts that the Legislature passed.  She
posted a notice about it on the listserv, but nobody from our group showed up
or wrote in.  Eighteen members of the SOP showed up.  The cuts which will
take effect July 1, will eliminate one reader advisor position out of three,
and one supervisor position, currently held by Christie Briggs.  Two
positions in the digital library service division will also be cut.  We have
been assured that there should be no cuts in services, just cuts in staff.
We aren't sure what the digital library is.  Karen read a Facebook post from
Joy regarding this round of budget cuts.  On the same day as the Library
Commission meeting, the Library will hold a celebration for a second
recording room that has been built entirely with donated funds.  So they will
be able to record talking books twice as fast.  We all lament the loss of
Christie Briggs, and the personal touch we have had with the Talking Book
Library.  Even though many of us use BARD now instead of calling the library,
we still feel the personal pain of the people whose lives these budget cuts
will impact.  Ted mentioned that the library is not the only agency facing
budget cuts; DPHHs is facing deep cuts as well.  Rik encouraged us to contact
the legislators and the Governor to let them know what our opinions are
concerning these budget cuts.  

Robert Jaquiss, a licensed assistive technology specialist who recently moved
to Missoula from Oregon, said that in some states they raise tens or hundreds
of thousands of dollars from patrons and other interested parties for the
support of the library.  In Oregon, the Friends of the Library Committee met
quarterly in the library, and the head of the Talking Book Library would
attend the meetings and answer questions.  They had demonstrations of
descriptive DVDs.  He said he would be glad to offer suggestions.  Marjorie
wondered how many people use the Talking Book Library Service.  Most of us
said we do, and according to their web site, they serve over $3,900 people in
Montana.  Ted mentioned that we might want to look into the legality of a
nonprofit organization raising funds for a state program, and how to
coordinate that between the entities involved.  

If anyone wants to contact the Montana Talking Book Library, their phone
number is 800-232-3400, and their web site is www.msl.tbl.mt.gov
<http://www.msl.tbl.mt.gov> .  To contact the legislators, go to
http://leg.mt.gov/cff. 

Joy mentioned that she would like to see an NFB of Montana  chapter started
in Missoula.

Robert asked what kind of treasury we have.  Ted Robbins, our affiliate
treasurer, said we have about $8 thousand in our checking account, and about
$75 thousand in our savings account.  The at large chapter has about $120.00
in their treasury, the Electric City Chapter has about $500.00 in their
treasury, and the Yellowstone County chapter has about $8,000 in their
treasury. Ted said that most of us are used to austere conditions, so we know
how to scrimp.

Robert introduced himself and we were very glad to have him at our meeting.

We then discussed bus and train transportation in Montana, what it is, and
what it used to be.

We briefly discussed FaceBook, and how to use it.  

We have a statewide convention coming up in Bozeman on September 22-23.
Information is available on our web site, and will be coming soon to a
mailbox near you.   

Because the National convention is in mid July, our next Treasure State at
large chapter meeting will be August 10, 2017.  The code to listen to the
June chapter meeting is 712-432-6190, access code 41010893 followed by the
pound sign, date code 1706 followed by the pound sign.  It is available up
until thirty days after June 8, the date the original recording was made.

The meeting was adjourned around 7:15 p.m. by Rik James.  His contact
information is phone: 406-586-4123, or d28rik at msn.com <mailto:d28rik at msn.com>
, or montanarikster at gmail.com <mailto:montanarikster at gmail.com> .

Respectfully submitted,

Joy Breslauer, Secretary 

Treasure State At Large chapter 

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

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.