American Council of the Blind
Post Convention Board Meeting
July 12, 2003
The meeting was called to order by President Chris Gray at 4:00pm Eastern Daylight Time.
President Gray asked the secretary to read a motion that was passed during the Executive Session prior to this meeting. “Mr. Paul Edwards moved that partly based on the findings of the committee on personnel matters and partly based on the need of the organization to develop priorities for next year, that this board agree to hold its September meeting in Washington DC and devote part of its time to working jointly with the professional staff of ACB to develop goals for next year.”
Roll call was taken by Secretary Donna Seliger. All Officers and Board members were present. Guests were asked to introduced themselves.
An agenda was set by the members present:
1. Roll call
2. Convention report
3. Resolution Prioritization
4. Budget Committee Report
5. ACBES Meeting
6. BOP Report
7. Public Relations Committee Report
8. Board Of Publications appointment
9. Date for September Meeting
Motion 1: Mr. Edwards moved that we postpone and ask those to continue to serve on the Budget Committee and on the Executive Committee until our September Board meeting. The motion carried.
Motion 2: Mr. Edwards moved to adopt the agenda as prepared by the Board. The motion carried.
Item 2 - Ms. Cynthia Towers, Convention Coordinator reported that the post convention committee meeting will be via conference call in about two weeks. The Convention information services and the Registration Offices need to be in close proximity in the future. An exchange among those present of what went wrong and what went right during the convention.
Item 4 - Mr. Charlson gave the second half of the Budget Committee Report. The motion was made that we recommended two cuts to the budget at the pre-convention board meeting.
Motion 3: Mr. Charlson stated the budget committee moves that all non-essential expenditure items be frozen. The motion carried.
Motion 4: Mr. Charlson stated that the budget committee recommends a committee be established by the Board that will oversee the process to keep down our expenditures as much as possible. And that the committee consist of the President, the Treasurer, the Executive Director, the chief Financial Officer and the Chair of the Budget Committee, that they meet on a regular basis to review requests for expenditures. The motion carried.
Motion 5: Ms. Ruschival moved to recess the ACB Board meeting so that the ACBES meeting could be held.
Mr. Paul Edwards, chair of American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services, opened the meeting at 4:40pm. Following an explanation of ACBES, he asked for a motion to accept his report given at the pre-convention board meeting.
Motion 1: Mr. Annunzio moved to accept the ACBES report from the pre-convention board meeting. The motion carried.
Mr. Edwards stated that all members of the Board were present except Mr. LeRoy Saunders met early on Wednesday, July 8. President Gray and the Chair of the Budget Committee were also present.
Mr. Edwards also stated that he, Mr. Michael Keoghan and President Chris Gray met later that day to discuss a number of issues which he may report on in the future.
Mr. Oral Miller and Mr. Michael Garrett constituted the nominating committee for ACBES.
The committee reported that they would ask that Mr. Paul Edwards and Ms. Dawn Christensen be re-elected to the ACBES Board.
Motion 2: Mr. Charlson moved that we elect the nominating committee’s report as a slate. The motion carried.
Motion 3: Mr. Edwards asked that the report filed with the State of Minnesota be approved by the corporation. The motion carried.
Mr. Charlson questioned the document just voted on. Mr. Edwards responded by stating he would get a print copy, scan it and send to members of the corporation.
Motion 4: Ms. Christensen moved the adjournment of the ACBES meeting. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 4:50pm
Motion 6: Mr. Edwards moved to reconvene the ACB board meeting. The motion carried.
Mr. Charlson asked that the ACB audit be distributed to the board in accessible format.
Motion 7: Mr. Charlson moved that the ACB Board approve the Minnesota Charitable filing. The motion carried.
Item 6 - Mr. Charlie Hodge reported from the Board Of Publications. He stated the BOP has limited the page count of the remaining issues in order to print a convention issue. The webmaster asked Mr. Hodge to convey to this Board that in the Braille Forum Editor Report about the counter on the website does not have capability to count people reviewing the Braille Forum on line.
He also reported that Ms. Billie Jean Keith gave up her responsibility of the “Here and There” column. Ms. Sarah J. Blake will be the new editor of the column beginning in September.
Motion 8: Mr. Pomerantz moved to accept BOP report from Mr. Hodge. The motion carried.
Motion 9: Mr. Edwards moved that the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind express our deep appreciation to Mr. Jonathan Mosen for his years of service to this organization and wish him luck in his new proceedings. The motion carried.
Item 8 - The appointment of liaison from the Board of Directors to the Public Relations Committee.
Mr. Miller nominated Mr. Pomerantz and Mr. Edwards nominated Ms. Bazyn.
Motion 10: Ms. Christensen moved nominations cease. The motion carried. On a roll call vote, the results were 10 for Mr. Pomerantz, 4 for Ms. Bazyn and 1 for Ms. Keith. Those voting for Mr. Pomerantz were: Mr. Annunzio, Mr. Beatty, Dr. Bradley, Ms. Christensen, Ms. Keith, Mr. Miller, Mr. Pomerantz, Ms. Ruschival, Ms. Seliger and Mr. Speicher. Those voting for Ms. Bazyn were: Ms. Bazyn, Mr. Edwards, Ms. Schmitt and Mr. Sheehan. Ms. Keith received one vote from Mr. Charlson.
Item 3 - Resolution prioritization one status:
Resolution 06 – Guide Dog Support Letter
Resolution 08, 09 and 10 – Thank You Letters
Resolution 12 – Disability Treaty
Resolution 13 – National Defense, Randolph-Sheppard Priority
Resolution 18 – Transportation, TEA-21
Resolution 22 – Video Description
Resolution 23 – Kennelly Amendment
Resolution 29 – HAVA
Resolution 31 – Key stations, TEA-21
Motion 11: Mr. Edwards moved the adoption of the priority one resolutions report. The motion carried.
Item 9 - Motion 12: Mr. Edwards moved that the Board of Directors meet September 19, 20 and 21, 2003. The motion carried.
President Gray gave an informal update from the Public Relations Committee. He talked about the Willard Scott PR spots and the ones that were made by Jonathan Mosen. Copies will be sent to board members.
Motion 13: Mr. Sheehan moved that the letter of support for GDUI be placed in the Braille Forum and on the leadership list so the membership will have the chance to look at it and understand what the Board of Directors has agreed to do and that this situation be brought to a close. The motion carried.
President Gray announced that the BOP appointment will be postponed until Monday or Tuesday following convention. The President will make the announcement on the ACB Board list.
Motion 14: Ms. Christensen moved to adjourn. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 5:35pm EDT.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna Seliger, Secretary