[New-hampshire-students] nfb board meeting

[Ed Meskys]

    To let all know that the nfb of nh is moving on, I am publishing widely the minutes of the August board meeting. These are unofficial as they have not been vetted and voted on at a subsequent board meeting or convention. Ed Meskys, secretary

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The Board of the NFB of NH met in an upstairs dining room of the Common Man Restaurant in Concord, NH, on Saturday, Aug 21, 2010. The meeting was called to order about 11:15 AM by President McNabb. Present were Cassandra McNabb, president, Steve Yerardi; first vice president; Andrew Harmon, second vice president; Ed Meskys, secretary; untitled board members David Brownell, Carolyn Corrigan, and Deb Moore. Absent were Ron Fergason, treasurer, and untitled board members Wayne Harvey and Donald Little. 

 

President McNabb led us in the pledge to the flag and the Federation Pledge. 

 

We started on a fun note with everyone naming a place they would like to visit if expense were no concern, and why, interacting with and discussing each others' choices. 

 

President McNabb appointed a scholarship committee, chaired by Sandy Meskys, including Andrew Harmon and Deb Moore. The committee must be kept to a manageable size, but perhaps one not present could be added. People to be considered would include Chelsea duranleau, Louis Gosselin, Carol Holmes, and Gil Vickery, and others. Application forms should be distributed as quickly as possible, and returned to Sandy who would make them accessible to committee members. This would be done as they arrived. Deadline would be Feb. 1, and winners could be discussed by conference call, with the final decision at the February board meeting. Applications must be accompanied by a certification of legal blindness, and transcripts should be official ones sent by schools. 

 

The next board meeting will be back at the Common Man on Saturday, Dec 11, and we would start with a Yankee gift swap, $5 max value. We were very satisfied with the room and service at the Common Man and immediately reserved a room for our next meeting. 

 

On Sat Sept 18 top officers of the NFBs of ME, NH, and VT will hold a meeting at the at a location in Nashua to be announced to plan a joint convention Thursday April 14 thru Sat April 16 for Concord NH. Thursday night would be socialization and networking, and special meetings like students, resolutions, constitution, as might be called. Friday we would have reports from agencies, whose officials would not need to request comp time for a Saturday meeting. Saturday morning and early afternoon we would have additional presentations. Each state board would meet in a separate room for reports, resolutions, and elections. We would make a time and place available for exhibits. [By phone, Gil suggested, we might have an exhibit of accessible home appliances, perhaps working thru the National Center to access help from manufacturers.] [Ed Meskys suggests it might be a good idea to have a panel of the three heads of VR to discuss and compare their policies and progress, another panel of the three heads of the state Associations for the Blind.] [Would the joint banquet be Friday night?] Dave Brownell remembered a joint meeting (pointedly NOT called a convention tho it really was one) of all six New England states in the late 60s or early 70s. 

 

There will be a convention committee, with each member having specific tasks. One person trying to do all leads to burnout.  

 

Each chapter must do something to help state raise funds. We should go out and solicit donations. Also we should hold a joint bake sale Sat Oct 30, as part of Meet the Blind Month. We will have a conference call board meeting Tuesday, Aug 31, at 8:30 to discuss finances. 

 

We have applied to the Imagination Fund for a grant to help put on the joint convention. 

 

Cassie read a report from the treasurer, who could not attend. We have two bank accounts of $2,531.00 and 4,089.10, and two investments of $24,119.18 and 11,270.30. Our Magic Show account has 3,972.70, half of which will be our required donation to the White Cane Fund at National Convention. We will also donate to ten Broek fund as before, but also to Jernigan Fund and Imagination Fund. [SUN fund?] 

Our total worth is $42,010.

 

We have to outreach for members.

 

A committee will look at the constitution and make suggestions for amendments. We could read the proposed amendments at the convention on Friday and vote on Saturday. 

 

Steve Yerardi will maintain Newsline. 

 

Cassie will manage the relationships with the Magic Shows. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:15 PM, but most sat around for informal discussion until 2:45.

 

Ed Meskys, Secretary