[Tall-Corn] Saving our agency

Sat Feb 4 21:39:49 UTC 2023

For many of the years I have been blind, Iowa has held a special place in my
heart and I have always  sought out the tremendous  history here, especially
from mentors and friends such as Peggy Elliott and Dick Davis. I know some
won't consider me a blind Iowan since I was not born here, but I have now
lived here nine years and I consider myself a blind Iowan. As blind Iowans,
we have an amazing and complicated history. With this history, you have to
admit that  Dr. Jernigan left blind Iowans with a gift that those who live
in other parts of the country can't  really understand - the gift of a
codified right to a voice in the services that can make or break your career
and dreams. The way that the Iowa Commission for the Blind is set up  -  was
the model for New Mexico and Nebraska,  as well as other states, along with
the center model that was replicated at our NFB centers and guided other
state-run centers-  gives blind people the opportunity and responsibility to
ensure that the person running the agency knows about  blindness, cares
about service to blind people, and  will be duty-bound standing up for the
interest of this very small group of people despite whatever political
pressures are applied. If HSB 126 and SSB1123 are passed with   Division 13
as is, this will all be gone. The governor will get rid of the current
Director  who has refused to comply with the administrations alignment plans
and refused to remain silent when blind children were being endangered by
the Department of Education's failure to care about the safety of blind
children.     

If this bill is passed as is, the first step will be to replace Emily  with
someone who will follow orders regardless of the impact to IDB.    If blind
people don't demand Commission Board appointments who are blind and who are
knowledgeable and care about services, there will be a Iowa Commission for
the Blind Board   made up of optometrists and other friends of the
Governor's staff who will get rid of Emily and put in someone whose job is
to convince you that going under the Iowa Workforce  Development agency
(IWD) is a good thing for blind people and Beth Townsend and others at IWD
care about services to blind people. The last step will be to combine IDB
with the general agency.

We cannot  just have  Division 13 removed, but simultaneously we need to get
the language to the commission board members revised.  Previously, the
governor would appoint a commissioner from a list of those who applied to be
on the board and the Senate needed to approve this appointment. Last session
legislation was passed to changed this to remove senate approval. So when I
said earlier in this message that the board would be comprised of people who
knew nothing about blindness and be willing to move and combine IDB, this
will be even easier because we will not even be able to appeal to the Senate
to stop any specific appointments. We have already had a scheduled board
meeting that could not be valid because there was only one board member, Mr.
Brems. Mr. Brems  term is also scheduled to end this year. Below and before
my signature, I will paste some proposed language that  may need revised   a
little, however, I hope it may start more discussion and give people some
wording to include in emails and calls to the members of the state
government committee.  

When IDB was put under another department in the past the current director
of IDB agreed to this and was also promised a promotion in the
reorganization. We were able to get it out and make it independent again
because of our activism and the fact that there was a Sunshine clause in the
legislation that made it easier for this to happen. This time there is no
Sunshine clause and the IDB director is not agreeing to the merger. 

You can like Emily Wharton or hate her, you can think it would be a great
thing for her to lose her job, but if you take even the tiniest step back,
you see that letting this bill pass with  Section 13 in it is the beginning
of the end of quality blindness services for blind people. And if you don't
think it matters because IDB's services aren't that good or they didn't give
you the new computer you wanted, talk to a blind person in Illinois or
Texas. This is really serious and while I do have a personal stake in this,
the truth is, we all do.

I have several articles and a research paper on why a stand alone agency is
better that I may post to the listserv or people can contact me directly to
have me send you them if you would like them. 

I am more than happy to help anyone write a letter or email or discuss what
to say on a call to these individuals if anyone needs help with that. I will
include my phone and email below my signature. Even if you do not live in
the district, we need them all contacted. But if you do live in the district
of any of these individuals, I think it would be helpful to know. I, and I
am sure others, would be more than happy to  try to set up a face-to-face
meeting with you and your legislator. 

Amendment to 216B.2  COMMISSION CREATED. 

Commission membership:

1.	All three commissioners shall be blind.
2.	The commission shall be comprised of a member from each of the
following groups:

a.	: president  of the Iowa Council of the United Blind or his/her
designee

President of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa or his/her
designee

b.	A former client of the Iowa Department/Commission for the blind who
is not currently receiving services.

Explanation: Following the approach of Nebraska chapter 71-8604  subsection
1 Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired governing board members
(text below), this amendment provides for  representation of the two major
consumer organizations on the Iowa Commission for the Blind. The purpose is
to   focus the Iowa Commission for the Blind on serving  the public interest
without interference from forces outside the purview of its mission.
Ensuring that all Commissioners possess knowledge of IDB services and the
lived experiences of blind Iowans, the Commission can  make certain that the
administration of the Iowa Department for the Blind is competent,
non-partisan , and dedicated to the best interests  of blind Iowans. 

Nebraska chapter 71

71-8604.

Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; created; per diem; expenses.

(1) The Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired is created. The
governing board of the commission shall consist of five members appointed by
the Governor with the approval of a majority of the members of the
Legislature. All board members shall have reasonable knowledge or experience
in issues related to blindness which may include, but is not limited to,
reasonable knowledge or experience acquired through membership in consumer
organizations of the blind. No board member or his or her immediate family
shall be a current employee of the commission. At least three board members
shall be blind persons: One member shall be a member or designee of the
National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska; one member shall be a member
or designee of the American Council of the Blind of Nebraska; and one member
may be a member of another consumer organization of the blind.

Best,

Shawn

shawnmmayo at gmail.com <mailto:shawnmmayo at gmail.com> 

612-810-5904

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