The American Council of the Blind (ACB) Board of Directors met by conference call on Tuesday, December 17, 2013. President Kim Charlson called the meeting to order at 7:06 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: Melanie Brunson, ACB Executive Director and Lane Waters, ACB Controller.
President Charlson reviewed the agenda. Lieberg moved and McCann seconded adoption of the agenda as presented, the motion carried.
The minutes of the September 28, 2013 and October 30, 2013 Board of Directors meetings were presented by ACB Secretary Ray Campbell. Lieberg moved and Thom seconded adoption of both sets of minutes, the motion carried.
An election was held to fill an unexpired term on the ACB Board of Publications. The name of Richard Rueda was the only nominee brought forward to fill this position. Campbell moved and McCann seconded closing nominations and electing Mr. Rueda to the Board of Publications by acclamation, the motion carried.
ACB Treasurer Carla Ruschival presented the proposed 2014 ACB Budget as submitted by the Budget Committee. The following motions were made during discussion of the revenue side of the budget:
- Thom moved and Pomerantz seconded decreasing the budgeted line item for Combined Federal Campaign/United Way from $4,800 to $3,600. The motion carried.
- Thom moved and Pomerantz seconded increasing the budgeted line item for Vehicle Donations from $3,000 to $4,000, that motion was defeated.
The board agreed by consensus to changes in several other line items. Lieberg moved and Trott seconded recessing the meeting until Thursday, December 19 at 7 p.m. Central time, the motion carried and the meeting recessed at 10:05 p.m. central time.
President Charlson reconvened the meeting on Thursday, December 19 at 7:05 p.m. central time. At the call of the roll, the following board members were present: Kim Charlson, Jeff Thom, Marlaina Lieberg, Ray Campbell, Carla Ruschival, Mitch Pomerantz, Berl Colley, Sara Conrad, Janet Dickelman, Michael Garrett, John McCann, Allan Peterson, Patrick Sheehan, Dan Spoone, and David Trott. George Holliday joined the call during the meeting. Board of Publications Representative Denise Colley was present. Staff present: Melanie Brunson, ACB Executive Director and Lane Waters, ACB Controller.
ACB Treasurer Carla Ruschival continued her 2014 budget presentation by discussing the expense side of the budget. During this discussion, the following motions were made:
- It became necessary for the board to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter. McCann moved and Ruschival seconded going into Executive Session. The motion carried and the board went into Executive Session at 7:20 p.m. central time.
- The board returned to open session at 8:16 p.m. central time. President Charlson reported that during executive session, one motion was passed to change a recommendation in the 2014 ACB Budget relating to a personnel matter.
- Pomerantz moved and Lieberg seconded that the board determine that no conflict of interest exists by having the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library Studio handle recording of the ACB Braille Forum, despite the fact that President Charlson is an employee of the Perkins School for the Blind as Director of the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library. President Charlson stated for the record that the fees generated for services from the Perkins studio go into a fund which rolls back to fund the studio, and that she in no way benefits personally from that. McCann offered an amendment which was accepted as friendly to strike the language of the original motion and substitute the following language: “that based on president Kim Charlson's representation that all compensation arrangements existing between her and the Perkins Braille and Talkingbook Library are solely for services rendered in her capacity as an employee of said entity, thereby having fully complied with her duty to disclose a possible conflict of interest to this board as required by paragraph IV.A of ACB's conflict of interest policy, this board finds, consistent with paragraph II.B.2 of said policy, that no conflict of interest arises from ACB's entering into a contract with the Perkins Braille and Talkingbook Library for production of the cassette version of the Braille Forum.” The motion as amended carried.
By consensus, the board agreed to changes in several other line items. Pomerantz moved and Lieberg seconded adoption of the revenue side of the 2014 ACB Budget, that motion carried. Projected actual Support and Revenue for 2013 is $753,849, budgeted support and revenue for 2014 is $772,669.
Campbell moved and Thom seconded adoption of the expense side of the 2014 ACB Budget, with the proviso that it be reviewed by no later than February 28, 2014, paying special attention to the Employee Benefits and ACB Braille Forum line items. The motion carried. Projected actual expenses for 2013 are $1,108,927; budgeted expenses for 2014 are $1,109,746.
Pomerantz moved and Lieberg seconded adoption of the 2014 ACB Budget in Aggregate, with the proviso that it be reviewed by no later than February 28, 2014, paying special attention to the Employee Benefits and ACB Braille Forum line items. That motion carried with Trott voting no.
Peterson moved and Lieberg seconded that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 11:10 p.m. Central time.
Ray Campbell,
Secretary
Date submitted: December 20, 2013
Date approved: January 30, 2014