Minutes

Oklahoma Council of the Blind

November 15, 2008

President Doudna called the meeting to order at the Five Star BBQ Conference Center in Stroud, after which a quorum was established, with Jeri Cooper and Sandi Webster absent. David Bailey and Jean Jones were also present.

President Doudna began the meeting with a moment of silence to recognize those in the blind community who recently passed. Several people shared their experiences with Ernest Simpson, who was a friend of blind and visually impaired people and a long-time advocate. Mr. Simpson played a huge part in the Department of Rehabilitation Services becoming an independent agency.

With the addition of the minutes, using NEWSLINE and chapter reports, the agenda was adopted.

President Doudna said he anticipates the Board working as a team during the next year and he knows we serve on the OCB Board because we care about OCB and its goals. He also feels that everyone needs to be responsible and accountable when they say they will assume a responsibility.

The minutes were filed as distributed.

The Treasurer’s Report was filed as presented. The budget, which was an agenda item, will be acted upon at a future meeting.

There will be a conference call in January to discuss the 2009 convention, approve the budget and handle other issues as they arise.

Tommy Robertson moved, with second by LeRoy Saunders, that OCB’s fiscal year will be from January 1-December 31. The motion carried.

OCB’s standing committees are a membership committee, an awards committee, a constitution and bylaws committee (chaired this year by Vicky Golightly), a fundraising committee, a legislative/advocacy committee, a convention planning committee, a public relations committee and a resolutions committee. President Doudna hopes the OCB membership will assume lead roles in all committees. The President will discuss these committees in the newsletter and Jeanne Meyer will list these committees on OCB’s website.

Vicky Golightly will make the constitutional changes approved by the 2008 OCB Convention and Jeanne Meyer will put the revised constitution on the website. Jeanne Meyer and Vicky Golightly will read past Annual Meeting Minutes to determine when the 2008 Convention assembled amended the constitution to allow the Treasurer and Secretary to serve for six consecutive years.

Jean Jones reported that the Workforce Investment Act and the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act will be on a fast-track in the legislature. There is talk that this legislation could be attached to the economic stimulus package. One concern is that transition-age youth might be a first priority. Another source of concern is the possibility that the current 18-month limit on supported employment might be suspended and replaced by a lifetime supported employment system. Services to blind and visually impaired people as well as other people with disabilities could potentially be impacted if these two issues become a reality.

Ms. Jones also reported on Interim Study 95 concerning services to blind and visually impaired Oklahomans in the areas of education, transportation, rehabilitation and aging. The Human Services Committee conducted four meetings relative to these services. Ron Peters from Tulsa chairs the study. The interim study appears to have been generated by the Oklahoma League for the Blind and Representative Anastasia Pitman. Representative Pitman’s goal is to listen to blindness service providers and then compile a one page of issues and another page of solutions. There are also two shell bills available in regard to the education of blind and visually impaired students. During these meetings many people addressed services to the blind and they include representatives from DRS, the Oklahoma School for the Blind, Visual Services, the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, the Oklahoma League for the Blind, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Human Services Aging Unit, the Human Rights Commission and other entities. No professional and/or consumer organizations were invited to the table. It is extremely important that the OCB leadership meet with Representative Peters to give him an overview of the OCB and outline key issues regarding quality services to blind and visually impaired Oklahomans of all ages. President Doudna plans to arrange a meeting with Representative Peters next Friday. One of the issues brought to the table concerned end of instruction English two tests given to students beginning in the ninth grade, which a student must pass in order to graduate. The problem is the tests are only available in regular print, large print and in Braille. Students who are audio learners are unable to take the test because these tests cannot be read aloud. OCB plans to draft a letter to Representative Peters explaining OCB’s support of quality services to the blind and visually impaired by trained professionals and further stating that the OCB has a long-standing understanding of issues and services that are crucial to blind and visually impaired Oklahomans. Jean Jones will draft the letter. It was suggested that a sample letter could be provided to each OCB chapter and letter writing campaigns could be implemented at chapter meetings.

President Doudna says that public transportation is an issue that blind and visually impaired Oklahomans can relate to and rally around. Plans are to appoint specific people to work on transportation issues. The American Public Transportation Association adopted the 100 bus coalition and there is a possibility Oklahoma might see more federal money.

The 2009 Convention site has not been chosen yet. Jay Doudna and LeRoy Saunders are investigating hotels in the Oklahoma City area.

The next item on the agenda concerned resolutions passed at the convention and what action should be taken.

Resolution pertaining to public transportation. OCB needs to continue to monitor state, federal and local transportation modalities. We must keep on top of transportation providers, transportation funding mechanisms and transportation legislation. Vicky Golightly represents OCB on the Governor’s United We Ride Council. OCB has a history of advocating for more accessible and usable public transportation. It is imperative that OCB coordinate with other transportation providers and organizations of transportation consumers in its advocacy efforts.

Resolution on blindness statistics. OCB needs to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the U.S. census lists blindness and visually impaired persons in a separate category.

Resolution on advocacy Training. Transportation seems to be one of the main advocacy issues. Joe Fallin suggested either a one-day workshop in Oklahoma City and Tulsa or a weekend state-wide advocacy training workshop with the goal of teaching people how government works and how to become more effective advocates.

Resolution on specialized services to blind and visually impaired Oklahomans. This resolution is in place in case it is needed.

Resolution on end of the year instruction tests for high school students. OCB needs to do a letter to Sandy Garrett, the chairman of the State Board of Education and others indicating that current testing procedures for the English 2 tests make it impossible audio learners who are blind or visually impaired from taking the test, which is needed in order to graduate. Jean Jones, Jeanne Meyer, Vicky Golightly and a representative from OAER (possibly Nancy Cothran) were charged with investigating this issue. The Committee will research what other states are doing relative to the EOI tests.

President Doudna said OCB’s relationship with the Oklahoma School for the Blind will be discussed at the next meeting.

President Doudna asked everyone to think about ways to retain members and how to recruit for additional members. He also asked us to think about mentoring members. There is a group in Stillwater and another in Lawton who might be potential members.

President Doudna asked the group to think about fundraising ideas.

OCB must reach all segments of the visually impaired society. Perhaps a low vision special interest group should be formed or OCB could sponsor specific seminars related to low vision, people who have become recently blind, etc.

Joe Fallin agreed to chair OCB’s advocacy efforts, such as conducting mini-seminars on advocacy at the convention or at other times.

The meeting adjourned at 1:30 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lynn (Vicky) Golightly, Secretary

Back to the OCB Minutes Page

Back to the OCB Home Page