Paul Edwards opened the meeting by welcoming all board members and guests. He announced that Kim Charlson will be serving as the board of publications’ designated ex-officio member on the ACB board of directors for one year and will conclude her service following the pre-convention board of directors meeting in 2001.
Regarding the American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services, Pat Beattie announced that LeRoy Saunders has stepped down as chair of ACBES. Pat Beattie is now the ACBES chair. Michael Garrett from Houston, Texas has joined the ACBES board. ACBES corporate elections will be held in the fall. Efforts are under way to fill the ACBES executive director position.
Resolution 2000-47 regarding distribution of braille materials from the ACB national office was referred by the convention to the board for action. A committee was established consisting of Kim Charlson, Penny Reeder, Terry Pacheco, Dawn Christensen and a representative from the Braille Revival League. The committee’s charge is to research implications of expanded braille document distribution from the ACB national office including financial and staffing ramifications, and to recommend a plan and timeline for more effective handling of braille document distribution. A report was scheduled to be made to the board at the September meeting.
Resolution 2000-23, which was also referred to the board for action, deals with the establishment of a committee to assist in the mid-year meeting planning process, to include board members and designated state and special-interest affiliate presidents. Committee members responsible for implementation of this resolution are Pat Beattie, Paul Edwards and Alan Beatty. A report will be submitted to the board with implementation strategies and a suggested time frame.
Resolution 2000-43 relating to leadership training was adopted by the membership and forwarded to the board for action. A committee consisting of Paul Edwards, Pat Beattie, Charlie Crawford, Mitch Pomerantz and Alan Beatty will work on a report for the board on possible directions for ACB leadership development training.
Sanford Alexander reported on the resolution prioritization process which is conducted to assist staff in handling implementation of those resolutions that are time sensitive, as opposed to those that can wait for later action. Alexander explained that the advocacy services committee had met during the convention and made the following recommendations to the board:
(1) After analyzing the circumstances surrounding the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) suit involving the Randolph-Sheppard vending program, it was believed that it was appropriate for ACB to become more involved and remain involved with the NISH appeal. Funding for the appeal could come from the small surplus left over from the initial funds set aside for the case. The appeal process should be less expensive than participating with the defense against the suit, Alexander reported, and ACB can contribute other resources and not necessarily expend a great deal of money to be involved. The amount of $5,000 for ongoing pursuit of the NISH appeal was suggested and authorized.
(2) ACB has been asked to enter into the filing of an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief on the Garrett v. Alabama case. This will be an extremely important ADA case that will be coming up before the Supreme Court for argument in October 2000. Melanie Brunson, ACB’s director of governmental affairs, was directed to research possible avenues that ACB could pursue to join other organizations in support of this case. A motion affirming ACB’s involvement in the Garrett case was adopted.
(3) Melanie Brunson participated in a negotiating meeting in Portland, Ore., to assist in the development of terms for settlement on a significant employment discrimination case involving an employee who is blind and a major national bank. ACB believes that this is a strong blindness-related employment discrimination case and was pleased to be involved in its settlement.
Much discussion ensued regarding the labor issue between the unionized narrators at the American Printing House for the Blind and APH management regarding salary issues, working conditions and medical benefits. The role of the board with respect to outside labor concerns was discussed. A motion was approved directing the executive director to conduct fact-finding and when more details have been determined, to send a transmittal letter from ACB conveying our understanding of the facts in the situation and encouraging both sides to move forward in good faith negotiations to settle the labor dispute. A further recommendation that negotiations should take place to ensure no interruption in the production of recorded materials for the Library of Congress talking book program was made.
Board members selected Sanford Alexander and Ed Bradley to represent them on the executive committee, and officers chose LeRoy Saunders and Cynthia Towers as their representatives to the executive committee.
Finally, under housekeeping activities, the board dissolved the ad hoc committee on selling of merchandise and the initial task force on affiliate rights and responsibilities.