American Council of the Blind
Post-Convention Board Meeting
July 10, 2004
The meeting was brought to order by President Chris Gray at 2:10pm Central Daylight Time in Birmingham, Alabama.
All officers and directors responded to the roll call taken by the secretary. President Gray welcomed Ms. Naomi Soule to the Board.
Several guests were in the room who introduced themselves.
President Gray reviewed the agenda for the meeting.
1. Call to order
2. Roll Call
3. Self-introductions
4. Sleep Study – Ms. Melanie Brunson
5. ACB Radio Report – Mr. Dave Williams
6. Convention Report – Ms. Cynthia Towers and Ms. Carla Ruschival
7. Prioritization of resolutions
8. NTI
9. Resource Development Committee
10. ACBES Report – Mr. Paul Edwards
11. Internet Committee election
12. Road Map Outcome
13. Fall Board Meeting
14. Board pictures
15. Adjourn
Motion 1: Mr. Edwards moved to accept the agenda as presented and enhanced. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Ms. Brunson reported on the sleep study. The study is looking for visually impaired women to participate. They have asked that ACB endorse and promote the study.
Motion 2: Mr. Edwards moved that the American Council of the Blind through its Board of Directors endorse and participate in the study and that we find a confidential way of communicating with a sufficient number of our members for them to acquire the 8,000 subjects that they need. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
Mr. Edwards, Chair, gave a very brief ACBES report. He stated he would defer the ACBES Board meeting until the fall Board meeting with permission from the ACB Board.
Motion 3: Ms. Towers moved to defer the ACBES meeting until September. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Mr. Dave Williams, ACB Radio Executive Director, reported on his activities during the convention. He had requested computers with Windows XP, which would have expedited streaming of the convention. During a half hour period on Thursday the system was down, which meant that time slot was not taped or streamed. He reported the FIA Showcase was streamed and was very popular. The Candidates Forum was also streamed.
Motion 4: Mr. Edwards moved to accept ACB Radio report. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Ms. Towers, Convention Coordinator, reported on the 2004 convention activities. She said the ACB Café, which served breakfast, lunch and dinner was very successful. The walkie-talkie radios the Convention Committee and others used were donated by NexTel Corporation. Ms. Ruschival, Convention Site Selection Chair, offered information also. Several questions were asked concerning the convention.
Motion 5: Mr. Edwards moved to accept the convention coordinators’ report. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
Next, President Gray entertained nominations for the representative from the ACB Board to sit on the Internet Oversight Committee. Mr. Charlson and Ms. Ruschival were nominated. On a roll call vote, Ms. Ruschival received eight votes and Mr. Charlson received seven. Those voting for Ms. Ruschival were: Mr. Beatty, Dr. Bradley, Mr. Miller, Ms. Ruschival, Ms. Schmitt, Ms. Seliger, Ms. Towers and Mr. Trott. Those voting for Mr. Charlson were: Ms. Bazyn, Mr. Charlson, Mr. Edwards, Ms. Keith, Mr. Pomerantz, Mr. Sheehan and Ms. Soule.
Ms. Naomi Soule was elected to sit on the Board Of Publications as the ACB Board representative.
President Gray stated he would send a report to the Board concerning the road map sessions. He asked if anyone would be willing to give a report on the future place sessions. Ms. Keith will acquire a report for the Board.
Mr. Beatty reported that the Resource Development Committee had met on Wednesday. They put together some guidelines. The former chair, Mr. Jerry Annunzio, presented a review to the group on previous activities. Mr. Beatty said the committee is looking into a mailing program.
Motion 6: Ms. Towers moved to accept the report from Mr. Beatty, Resource Development Committee chair. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
Motion 7: Mr. Edwards moved that the Resource Development Committee, National Office and the President be asked to jointly prepare a list of all proposed revenue items that they plan to incorporate into fund raising initiatives over the next year for presentation to this Board at our September meeting. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Motion 8: Mr. Pomerantz moved that the fall board meeting be held the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of October at the facility where the Old Dominion Council of the Blind Convention will be taking place. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Mr. Pomerantz reported that the National Telecommunicating Institute which advertised for people with disabilities apparently is having problems with NTI to provide software from the IRS to be used by a blind person. He felt they had not thought out how to work out the situation. The software was not compatible to the screen reader software. President Gray suggested drafting a letter to the company.
Motion 9: Mr. Edwards moved that this Board request that Mr. Pomerantz, Mr. Sheehan, Ms. Brunson and Ms. Pat Beattie work together on this issue with the intention of providing the Board with recommendations for action at our October Board meeting. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Mr. Ralph Sanders gave a brief Public Relations Committee report. Mr. Miller asked if there was any coordination between the PR committee and the special interest affiliate that went to the Birmingham mayor for a proclamation. There was a great deal of media coverage of the convention both locally and nationally.
Motion 10: Dr. Bradley moved to accept the report from the PR committee. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Mr. Pomerantz reported from the Resolutions Committee about the prioritization of the resolutions.
1. 04-01 – Helen Keller Quarter; 2
2. 04-02 – Remove phone numbers; 1
3. 04-03 – Law School Admissions council; 2
4. 04-04 – Recall (Defeated)
5. 04-05 – Free Matter Anniversary; 2+
6. 04-06 – Civil Rights; 3
7. 04-07 – Secret Ballot (Defeated)
8. 04-11 – HAVA; 1
9. 04-12 – Naturalization Standards; 2+
10. 04-13 – Listserv (Defeated)
11. 04-14 – Title 7, Chapter 2 Funding; 2
12. 04-15 – Unified English Braille code;2
13. 04-16 – Hall of Fame; 3
14. 04-17 – Greyhound;1
15. 04-18 – Transportation Advocacy; 3
16. 04-19 – IDEA; 2
17. 04-20 – DOT adopt ADA; 2
18. 04-21 – Radio Reading Services; 2
19. 04-22 – Accessible Design of appliances; 2
20. 04-23 – Accessible Shuttle; 2
21. 04-24 – Audio Described Movies for XM; 2
22. 04-25 – Definition of Blindness; 3
23. 04-26 – State Vendor Committee; 2
24. 04-27 – Vending Contracts (Withdrawn)
25. 04-28 – cost of Living Allowance; 1
26. 04-29 – Educational Testing (Withdrawn)
27. 04-30 – Currency; 1
Motion 11: Mr. Edwards moved to accept the prioritization of the resolutions. On a voice vote the motion carried.
28. 04-08, 04-09 and 04-10, courtesy resolutions.
Motion 12: Mr. Charlson moved the adoption of Resolutions 08, 09, and 10 from the Board. The motion carried on a voice vote.
29. 04-28 – cost of living adjustment; 1
Motion 13: President Gray entertained a motion to move to the executive session. On a voice vote, the motion carried and the meeting recessed at 5:30pm.
President Gray resumed the open meeting at 6:25pm.
President Gray announced that the Board passed a motion to refer Resolution 04-28 to the Budget Committee and come back to the board the first week in August with their recommendation. The Budget Committee is also to confer with the Executive Director.
Mr. Miller inquired about the parliamentarian’s expenses for the convention. The Board was told the expense to ACB will be around $1,500, however, RSVA will also be paying Mr. Stevens.
Motion 14: President Gray entertained a motion to adjourn. The motion carried and the meeting ended at 6:35pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna Seliger, Secretary