[Ohio-talk] fyi

Wed Dec 18 02:08:44 UTC 2013

We all have our opinions. Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aleeha
Dudley
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 5:59 PM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] fyi

Hello Richard and All,

     As someone who was on the board meeting last Tuesday evening, I feel I
must weigh in on this conversation. I must respectfully disagree with you,
Richard, on the points you make. I truly and firmly believe that the board
of directors, chosen, I might add, by our state Federation membership, I
might add, has the best interests of the affiliate at heart. As you know,
the affiliate is in dire financial straits right now and cannot afford to
keep having the convention in a location where it will take massive
expenditures to get members of the board there. If we keep having to spend
this much money on the board alone, how can we expect to get new people to
the convention?
     I also must say that, having heard exactly what happened at the board
meeting, there was consideration given to your idea of exploring different
locations for the hotel since we had such issues with the Wyndham Garden. We
were all advised, however, that the money just wasn't there to fund such a
committee, because, after all, this will still cost the state.
     As for the statement that the board cares not for our membership,
again, I must disagree. Eric openly invited members and discussion to this
meeting. He has always been transparent with the affairs of this affiliate,
and I would think that you would know that, working hand in hand with him.
     As for this "team player" bit, I must wholeheartedly agree with Eric. A
team player is just that: he works to support the team and does not flay the
head of such team on an open forum such as this. A team player brings these
concerns directly to the head of the team, as well as the rest of the board.
A team player fully and wholeheartedly supports the Federation.
     As for Cheryl's comments, Eric had his reasons, I am sure, for not
holding a BELL program in Cleveland, on top of the one planned in Columbus.
It was the first year of the program, so naturally we needed to start small.
It was difficult to know how well the program was going to go, if it would
go at all, so naturally, our efforts needed to be centrally located and
focused on one common goal. There was also not enough money for Ohio to
support a second program. Chinelle got, as I did, an email from Eric,
expressing his sincere gratitude for her assistance with the BELL program.

These are just my thoughts and I will continue to work my tail off for this
Federation because I consider them a better family than my own right now.
Issues will arise in every family, but they should be properly addressed, so
as not to undermine the strong foundation of the family.

Just my humble opinion,
Aleeha Dudley

On 12/17/13, Eric Duffy <eduffy at deltav.org> wrote:
> Richard,
>
> Although these are not the kinds of emails I would like to see on a 
> public listserv, I am compelled to respond to this one since you have 
> publically thrown down the gauntlet.
>
> I agree with you that we need to include and involve our membership. I 
> too believe that the board should be responsive to the membership as 
> much as possible while performing the role it was elected to carry 
> out. Those two things are not one in the same. You say, "I think that 
> the call last week was in part designed to limit the input on some of 
> the things we spoke about.  When the information was put out, it made 
> it seem that only the board would need to be present and maybe this is 
> why several members did not
> participate.    I think some members of our leadership make others feel
> left
> out and do not open   the doors until money or work is needed. "
>
> In the Buckeye Update dated December 6, 2013 I said, "I have called a 
> meeting of the board of directors of the National Federation of the 
> Blind of Ohio for Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM. We had a December 
> meeting last year at which time I appointed the committees that will 
> do much of the work of the organization. I plan to appoint committees 
> on Tuesday. We will also discuss the 2014 convention and our next 
> scholarship program. We will also set the date for our January 
> meeting. Other business might arise, but only if it absolutely must be 
> discussed before our January meeting.
> 	You do not have to be a member of the board to participate in these 
> meetings. I encourage you to join us. Shortly before 8:00 PM.  On 
> Tuesday call (605) 475-4875. When prompted, use access code 201909 
> followed by the pound sign."
>
> Kyle Conley, Paul Dressell, Aleeha Dudley, and Colleen Roth 
> participated in the call but are not on the board. Aleeha and Kyle are 
> two of our younger members, and I'm glad they were there.
>
> You say, "I am a team player and serve for all Federationists." When I 
> think of a team player, I think of one who's head and heart are in the 
> game at all times. I think of one who supports the team even when 
> there is disagreement among team members. This type of email going to 
> a public list does not seem to me to be what a "team player" would 
> send. A team player would not have led his chapter out of the banquet 
> before the fundraising period, particularly after having received an 
> award from that organization. We have had the Scrip program for two 
> years now, and, though you have made noises about joining it, you have 
> still not done so. Is that being a team player?
>
> In the January 2013 board meeting you publically accused me of 
> intimidating the board. To this day I know of no one who supported 
> your position. That to my mind does not represent a team player.
>
> At the Sunday morning session of this years convention you publically 
> accused me of reading amendments  to the constitution that had not 
> been brought to the board. You might say that you were just asking a 
> question, but your question was really an accusation. As vice 
> president I would never have asked Barbara or JW such a question on 
> the convention floor. If I were concerned that something was being 
> slid past the membership, I would have quietly come to the head table 
> and raised the question with a recommendation that things be made 
> absolutely clear.
>
> Those who are intelligent do not need to tell the rest of the world 
> how bright they are. It shows! Those who are wealthy don't need to 
> tell the world how rich they are. Again, it shows!  Yet I often hear 
> you refer to yourself as a "team player." The instances I have sighted 
> above I fear speak louder than words. We are members of the 
> administration, and we must find a way of getting along and working 
> for the same goals. Blind Ohioans deserve no less. I suggest that we 
> pursue this discussion off list in the hope that we can agree to work 
> together. We have a lot of years of doing so. Surely we can find some 
> trust and common ground.
>
> Eric
>
>
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