The American Council of the Blind (ACB) Board of Directors met by conference call on Wednesday, October 30, 2013. President Kim Charlson called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. central time. At the call of the roll, all board members were present: Kim Charlson, Jeff Thom, Marlaina Lieberg, Ray Campbell, Carla Ruschival, Mitch Pomerantz, Berl Colley, Sara Conrad, Janet Dickelman, Michael Garrett, George Holliday, John McCann, Allan Peterson, Patrick Sheehan, Dan Spoone, and David Trott. Board of Publications Representative Denise Colley was present. Staff present: Lane Waters, ACB Controller.
President Charlson next reviewed the agenda. A request was made by Pomerantz to add one item, an update on the ACB Advisory Board. McCann moved and Trott seconded adoption of the agenda as amended, the motion carried.
Next, Convention Coordinator Janet Dickelman presented a report on a possible location for the 2017 ACB Conference and Convention. She indicated that the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Denver came back offering a bid with a $93 room rate per night, and she would like permission to pursue a multi-year contract with Hyatt. Ruschival moved and Campbell seconded that the Convention Coordinator be instructed to pursue a contract for the 2016 and 2017 Conference and conventions, with room rates not to exceed $89 per night and food and beverage minimums not to exceed $25,000 for the Hyatt Hotels in Minneapolis, MN (2016) and Denver, CO (2017). Thom offered a friendly amendment which was accepted to allow the convention coordinator to pursue something similar for 2018 as part of a multi-year contract. The motion carried.
Next, Treasurer Carla Ruschival presented two recommendations from the ACB Investment Committee regarding scholarship and reserve fund dividends and cash flow. Ruschival moved and McCann seconded that dividends from ACB’s scholarship endowments be accumulated in a cash account as received, to be used to pay out scholarships, with the difference between the total dividends received and the amount needed to pay out the scholarships being used to assist with scholarship winners’ travel expenses. The motion carried.
Ruschival moved and McCan seconded that dividends from ACB’s reserve funds be accumulated in a cash account as they are received. The motion carried.
Finally, President Charlson updated us on the ACB Advisory Board. Strategic Plan Goal Group 2 has been discussing the advisory board, and recommended that an ad-hoc committee be formed to strategize ways to engage the members of the advisory board and identify what we want them to do. By consensus, the board agreed that board members Peterson, Pomerantz, Sheehan, Spoone and Thom will serve on this committee to help President Charlson with engagement of the advisory board.
There being no further business, Campbell moved and Lieberg seconded that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. central time.
Ray Campbell,
Secretary
Date submitted: December 3, 2013
Date approved: December 17, 2013