FLORIDA REHABILITATION COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND (FRCB)
QUARTERLY MEETING MINUTES

Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville
1714 S.W. 34th Street
Gainesville, FL  32607

Friday, July 25, 2014

Meeting called to order at 8:45 AM with the pledge of allegiance following roll call.

Council Members Present:  (15)

Bruce Miles, Dan O’Connor, Robert Kelly, Donté Mickens, Sandra Martin, Gloria Mills, Sheryl Brown, Leanne Grillot, Lenora Marten, Sylvia Stinson-Perez, Paul Kaminsky, Paul Edwards, Christopher White, Joe Minichiello and Robert Doyle, Director. 

Council Members Present via Teleconference: (4) Dwight Sayer, Patricia Lipovsky, and Jesus Garcia, Ben Grzesik

Council Members Absent: (1) Vicky Magliocchino
 
Council Staff: (1) Alise Fields

Attendees: (1)

John Henry Douglas (FRC) (FILC Liaison)

A motion to adopt the Agenda received followed by a second and passed.

Council Business

Approval of April Minutes -

• A motion to approve the April minutes received a second and passed.

Location and dates of July 2015 meeting -

• A motion to have the July 2015 meeting in Orlando, FL received a second and passed.
• Proposed date for Council travel is 7/27, Council Meeting and Public Forum is 7/28, Council Meeting 7/29.
• A proposal to hold the February 2015 meeting at the DBS office in the Turlington Building was offered.
• Transportation would be provided.
• Paul Edwards proposed the Carriage House as an option. 

Expired Terms/New Appointments

August 31, 2014 four terms expire – Two are eligible for reappointment, two are not eligible and new appointments are required.

Not eligible for reappointment

Advocacy Group - Florida Council of the Blind (FCB)

Paul Edwards – Second term

Advocacy Group - Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)

Paul Kaminsky – Second term

Eligible for reappointment

Advocacy Group - LIONS

Sandra Martin - First Term

Advocacy Group – National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

Gloria Mills – First term

• Terms can continue for members whose terms have expired if there is not an incumbent at the time of gubernatorial appointments.

Agenda Items for October 2014 meeting

• WIOA
• Children’s Programs 6-14 years old
• Bruce will check for further information on National Camps for Blind Children
• Grant funding can be applied to fund children’s programs FY 2015
• Lenora suggested a subcommittee be developed to initiate a conference call to talk about the development of camps for blind children.
• The Committee is as follows:
• Lenora Marten-Chair
• Sandy Martin-Liaison for the Florida Lions club
• Bruce Miles
• Sylvia Perez
• Paul Edwards
• LeAnn Grillot
• Dwight Sayer
• Donte Mickens
• Lenora will coordinate with Alise Fields to begin scheduling of the subcommittee meeting.
• Dan O’Connor asked for possible focus and funding to explore Sports Camps.
• VR Goals
• Rehab Center Program Updates
• New Member Orientation
• Needs Assessments

Previous/New Business/Open Discussion

• Tour the centers on the Daytona campus, Conklin Center and arrange lunch Braille Literacy
• By-Law Change Discussion
• The Council will conduct at least two (2) public forums per year.
• The decision to hold a public forum in conjunction with a quarterly meeting will be made by majority vote of members in attendance when the meeting location has been decided.
• The public forum will be advertised as a 1 ½ hour meeting with the date and time decided by the Council during the preceding meeting.
• A motion to advertise the public forum as a 1 ½ hour received a second.
• Motion was removed
• A motion to advertise the public forum as 1 hour with the option to extend ½ hour received a second and passed.
• A legal opinion will be sought to determine the purview of the Council to extend.  
• Invoke a time limit on comments to 2-3 minutes.
• Christopher White proposed that the public forum be opened to the state via teleconference.
• Ensure that the participants know that this is a forum not to discuss individual cases and public grievances, but ways to identify larger issues statewide that are impacting the community, which the FRCB can do to find solutions to the issues.
• Radio reading service
• Christopher White has had discussion with the radio reading service in Gainesville, FL.
• Since April 2014 there have been some personnel issues and technical failures at the stations that volunteer for coordinated efforts.
• The online streaming system has been restored.
• Christopher White will continue to reach out for more information
• Regional Braille Challenge
• To take place in Jacksonville, FL January 22, 2015 at the main library downtown.
• Outreach has taken place to bring more awareness to the event.

Motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 AM received a second and passed.