by Katie Frederick
August 20, 2024
The post-convention board meeting lasted approximately five hours. The agenda was full and ample discussion took place on many topics by the board. Listen to the meeting at this link: https://pnc.st/s/acb-business/1fc0c916/20240820-acb-board-of-directors-meeting. As this was the first meeting following the ACB conference and convention, newly elected board members were present, and an important agenda item was the prioritization of the 2024 resolutions.
Cindy Hollis, ACB’s manager of membership engagement, asked the board to approve new guidelines for ACB Community. Effective Sept. 15, all ACB Community events and committee meetings will take place on ACB Zoom accounts. The change will decrease work for ACB staff and enable a more streamlined process for community event facilitators, committee chairs and members.
Members of the DKM Committee presented a proposal to the board. Following discussion of the process and proposed guidelines, the board voted to postpone this item until the November meeting.
President Deb Cook Lewis gave her report. The fall board meeting is Nov. 1-2 in Dallas, Tex. President Lewis then briefly spoke about her committee plans and roadmap for the upcoming year. This process will necessarily take some time. ACB needs to clean up its committee process, ensure all committee chairs and members are known (documented), and make sure we have a more streamlined process for our committees and the work they do. More updates about this initiative will follow throughout the year.
Members of the board next discussed a letter received by Blind Pride International (BPI) about holding a meeting for conversation following the events of the past year. President Lewis read the letter aloud, then called for discussion. The board voted not to meet with BPI. Some members expressed that they weren’t sure what such a meeting would accomplish.
ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill presented his report. He said since coming to ACB, he’s noticed some key areas where the organization can have an impact, including accessibility, healthcare and employment. He presented an outline to the board beginning to lay the groundwork for ACB to help organizations with accessibility initiatives. This could be a win-win for ACB and the companies assisted. Companies are reaching out to ACB, wanting to hear from individuals who are blind or low vision about products and services. ACB has access to many who fit that description. As a result of input on company surveys from ACB, the organization could then receive some monetary and/or in-kind support of our work from the organizations. Scott recognizes there is a lot of work to do in this space, and ACB needs to approach this work in a very strategic manner. He will keep the board updated as this work moves forward throughout the year. The board gave permission for Scott to move forward with this initiative. As budget or personnel needs come forward, Scott will bring those to the board.
The board considered and passed two 2024 budget requests during the meeting, one for Louisville Web Group for website work, and the other for ACB to contract with the parliamentarian for services throughout the year, including training.
The board elected Kenneth Semien, Terry Pacheco and David Trott to the 2025 budget committee. Given the hour, directors voted to elect the members of the executive committee at the November board meeting. The meeting then went into executive session.
September 23, 2024
ACB’s Board of Directors held a special meeting September 23 with one item on the agenda. Find the meeting podcast at https://pnc.st/s/acb-business/c881f8a5/20240923-acb-board-of-directors-meeting.
Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI), an ACB special-interest affiliate, reached out to the board and asked if ACB planned to send someone to a rally sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Following roll call and approval of the agenda, President Deb Cook Lewis read a letter the board received about supporting the rally in San Francisco October 15. Discussion ensued.
David Trott made a motion that ACB send a representative to the rally, with the caveat that the individual be recognized as part of the event program. Following the seconding of David’s motion, discussion followed. Some board members expressed concern that if ACB sent a representative, that individual would not be recognized as part of the event program. Some board members spoke against the motion because they did not feel ACB was invited to take part in the rally.
Jeff Thom proposed an amendment for allowing the official representative an opportunity to speak at the rally. The amendment passed. Following a roll call vote, David’s motion to send an ACB representative to the rally with an ask to speak, was unanimously approved. The board also moved to write a press release stating our concerns around Uber and Lyft guide dog denials and ACB’s support of the NFB rally, and the motion was unanimously approved.
Having concluded its one agenda item of business, the meeting adjourned.