COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Mr. Earl Steenstra, Chairperson
Dr. Velma Allen
Mr. Emile Najm

COMMISSIONERS ABSENT
Mr. Steve Handschu
Ms. Peeti Greene

MCB STAFF PRESENT
Mr. Patrick Cannon
Ms. Connie Kreiner
Mr. Larry Best
Mr. Jim Buscetta
Ms. Melody Lindsey
Mr. Bernard Kramer
Ms. Michelle Visscher
Ms. Nancy Ladley
Ms. Joan Smith
Ms. Mary Ippel

GUESTS
Mr. Donald Schichtel
Ms. Louise Schichtel
Ms. Donna Leach
Ms. Sandy Hoenecke
Ms. Charis Austin
Ms. Melissa Stopyak
Mr. Larry Wanger
Mr. Dave Bulkowski
Ms Beth Harvey
Ms. Kathy Anderson
Ms. Kathy Higgins

Chairperson Steenstra Called the Committee of the Whole meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

The Commissioners discussed Workforce Investment Act training by the Regional Services Administration for Commissioners. Mr. Cannon said that there were WIA Training audiocassette tapes which might be sufficient for the Commissioner Board’s purpose and then if the Commissioners felt need for further information, RSA could be contacted to provide more training.

Sections C, D, and G of the proposed CIC By-laws were read and Mr. Cannon explained the proposed composition of the Consumer Involvement Council. He noted that the redundant section was unnecessary and needed to be deleted.

The Commissioners next discussed the proposed revision to the MCB Policy Manual. Mr. Buscetta highlighted the changes. Mr. Cannon explained also that under the new law, the State Plan had to be submitted by April 1, 2000 and, as such, it would be helpful if the policy changes were approved at this time.

Mr. Najm said that he wanted to go on record to indicate that more of the Commission’s resources were needed in the area of technology.

CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DETERMINATION OF QUORUM Chairperson Steenstra called the regular meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Roll call was taken and a quorum was present.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 13, 1999 MEETING AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mr. Don Schichtel said that he was a client of the agency and a former counselor with the agency. He wondered what criteria the agency used to select the sites for the Commission meetings. He also wondered why the Grand Rapids area had not had an Independent Living component until recently and he was also concerned about the services provided by the local office. Further, he stated that his main concern was the services he had not received since his case was opened as a homemaker.

Mr. David Bulkowski, Director, Grand Rapids Center for Independent Living, expressed his agency’s commitment to independent living services in the Grand Rapids area and said that he hoped the ties between MCB and his agency would continue to grow.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Mr. Cannon said that he was the U.S. Access Board’s liaison to a special advisory committee whose charge is to help draft proposed rules that would govern pedestrian crossings and other public rights of way issues. The first meeting of the advisory committee was held in December in Washington, D.C. and the next meeting will be in Austin, Texas in February.

Mr. Cannon reported that an in-service training for MCB counselors and teachers had been held at the Training Center on December 14-16. Training topics included entrepreneurship, pharmacology, skills of blindness, crafts, adaptive kitchen skills, industrial arts, diseases of the eye and also a presentation by the Executive Director of the Michigan Works! Association, Ms. Kay Penner, on the Workforce Investment Act and its relationship to rehabilitation agencies and their clients. He said that more of these workshops will be held.

Mr. Cannon also reported that the first of six Mini-Adjustment Workshops was held in Lansing the first week of January. He said that he attempts to attend all of the workshops and becomes more convinced at each one of their value and that it is an expeditious way of providing services to clients. The Lansing workshop had about fifty participants.

Mr. Cannon informed the Board that he had recently attended the quarterly meeting of the state board of the Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired (MCBVI) in Lansing. He said that he learned of some of the bold steps MCBVI is taking with Ameritech to provide accessible billing format. They are also strongly advocating with the Public Service Commission and state government particularly in the area of accessible billing formats.

Finally, Mr. Cannon reported that the Vision 2020 Design Team members had been selected and that they would be holding their first meeting in Lansing on February 8 and 9.

MR. NAJM MOVED, SUPPORTED BY DR. ALLEN, TO ACCEPT THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES REPORT

Mr. Best reported that three MCB staff positions had been successfully converted from limited term positions to full-time permanent positions. He credited Ursula Coleman from the Office of Affirmative Action for the ease with which this process was managed.

Mr. Best provided the Commissioners with copies of the internal operating budget for FY 2000. He said that the agency was fortunate to carry forward almost one million dollars in Title I and Social Security funds from last year and that this year’s budget increased by almost the same amount. The additional funds would be spread across most of MCB’s programs. The budget total is $16,106,513.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Mr. Best next informed the Board of three important issues for the Board’s consideration. The first issue was one that Mr. Best felt he may be able to solve internally with the FIA Budget Office having to do with the agency’s authority to accept the amount of federal funding available to the agency.

Mr. Best said that the second issue had to do with cash match. He said that the Title I grant has increased by $734,000 from FY 97 (the first year the agency came to FIA). Usable cash match has decreased by $12,600 and would be worse if Independent Living got a full amount of general funds. The cash match needed to fund the increase of $734,000 is $198,000. The net effect of the shortage is $210,000 plus in four years. Also, the shortage puts additional pressure on “soft” match sources. Without the capitol outlay match from MCBTC last year, the agency would have lost funds to other states. For FY 99, 2000 and 2001, between $300,000 and $500,000 of additional GF/GP funds were requested for match. All three requests were turned down by the Department of Management and Budget along with requests for additional GF/GP funds for three additional IL positions and a technology position. Mr. Best suggested that either FIA or DMB find additional GF/GP for the agency or tell the agency which one of it’s programs should be eliminated.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, THAT THE COMMISSION CHAIR SEND A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR, WITH APPROPRIATE NOTIFICATION TO OTHERS, WHICH WOULD NOTIFY HIM OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CASH MATCH SHORTAGE ISSUE. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Mr. Best said that the final issue had to do with staffing. When in the Department of Labor, the agency had appropriated authority for 118 permanent positions. When MCB was put in FIA, authorized FTE’s were reduced to 108 but the agency is currently allocated only 98 permanent positions due to an “approved permanent headcount allocation.” Currently, 97 of the 98 positions are filled, eight limited term positions are being utilized and there are two vacancies. Additional positions are needed for a counselor and secretary in Detroit, an IL specialist in Grand Rapids and a technology specialist in the Central Office. Mr. Best said that it is clear that the agency cannot function with 98 positions and that it is not fair to limited term employees to not expect to transition to permanent positions after two years. Further, he said that, as with the match issue, if the FIA or DMB can’t get the allocated permanent FTE total increased, they need to tell us which of our programs need to be eliminated.

Dr. Allen suggested working internally to resolve the issue. Mr. Best said that he would investigate two issues: 1) clarifying the limited term appointment issue and 2) whether FIA is in the position to raise the FTE count. He will report back to the Commissioners at the next meeting.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ACCEPT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

CONSUMER SERVICES REPORT

Mr. Buscetta had discussed with Commissioners the Policy Manual and the conflict resolution issue in the Committee of the Whole meeting. Mr. Buscetta highlighted the other changes to the manual. One of the changes would replace the wording of “staff person” to “counselor/teacher.” Other changes to the manual would add a procedure for planning and implementing mini-adjustment programs and a procedure for purchasing hearing aids. These procedures were identified as a need by a staff member in the Grand Rapids office.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE POLICY MANUAL AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND TRAINING CENTER REPORT

Ms. Lindsey reported that the Center was working to increase the census number to thirty. She also said that in the near future she will be meeting with all regional offices to enhance communication between the Center and field staff. She said she would also be meeting with the Independent Living staff in April.

She further reported that future plans include upgrades to the interior of the Center and she has asked for volunteers for an “Interior Upgrades Task Force.”

Another issue which the Center will be working on is a project to enhance Braille proficiency. Ms. Lindsey said this will be a very extensive project for the year and the goal will be to enable students to know how to read Grade 2 Braille when they leave the Center.

She said that at the last meeting she was asked to bring a “wish list” to the Commissioners for their consideration. She said that she had four items on the list: 1) A technology department which would emphasize individual attention and the opportunity for students to become competent in the use of equipment that would enhance their independence at home and at work; 2) A strategy that would allow the Center to equip the students with the ability to read and write Grade 2 Braille proficiently; 3) Support to hire qualified staff for identified positions; 4) A Braille library with an extensive collection. She indicated that this was only a beginning and that she would be adding items to the list in the future.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ACCEPT THE TRAINING CENTER REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL REPORT

Ms. Beth Harvey said that she was starting her third week as the Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC). The Council has eighteen members appointed by the Governor and works in partnership with the Commission for the Blind and the Department of Career Development to set a State Plan for the State of Michigan on Independent Living Services. She said that the SILC was at the end of the third year of the current plan and were looking at a new three year plan. She announced that Charis Austin had been appointed by the Governor to the SILC and said that Ms. Austin was a very strong advocate for services to the blind.

She said that she came to the meeting to renew and strengthen the commitment of partnership to the Commission and offered the Council’s assistance on the cash match issue.

MR. NAJM MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. STEENSTRA, TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

The meeting was adjourned for lunch at 11:50 a.m.

The meeting was called back to order at 1:05 p.m.

Mr. Steenstra noted a change in the afternoon agenda. He said that Ms. Kathy Anderson, Vocational Services Coordinator, from Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids would report first because she had another appointment.

Ms. Anderson said that she wanted to talk specifically about the Work First program at Goodwill. She said that Goodwill works with two other contributing agencies for the Work First program. She said that Home Network provides the placement component and the Women’s Resource Center provides a lot of the workshops that clients attend. She said that her particular area is to provide the component entitled “Paid Work Experience” whereby the client receives experience working for Goodwill.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT COUNCIL

Ms. Charis Austin, Chairperson of the Consumer Involvement Council (CIC), and Mr. Michael Ellis, MCB Liaison to the CIC, were in attendance to present the Consumer Involvement Council report. Ms. Austin said that she wanted to thank Mr. Cannon for getting the Council moving again, for his leadership, and for encouraging staff to attend meetings. She also said that if there are issues that consumers need assistance with, to please come to the Council and let them know.

She said that the Council had been working on an agency report card which Council members will complete during the month of January. The information will be shared with the Commission Board. The Council has also been working on recommendations for an agency handout and, in conjunction with the Transportation Committee, they are working on strengthening the White Cane Law. A subcommittee has been formed.

Mr. Ellis explained that the by-laws which were provided to the Commissioners would stand with the exception of the items which were noted in the Committee of the Whole meeting.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ADOPT THE CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT COUNCIL BY-LAWS WITH THE NOTED CHANGES. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

The next meeting of the CIC will be on January 31 and they will be discussing the future direction of the Council. Mr. Cannon said that with the official passage of the by-laws, he was announcing Ms. Elza Bryant to fill the position representing IL and older blind clients and that Ms. Joanne Pilarski will fill the slot for VR clients.

NORTHWEST REGION REPORT

Mr. Buscetta said that he would be introducing the staff from the Northwest Region for Mr. Kramer who left the meeting due to illness. Mr. Buscetta first introduced Ms. Nancy Ladley. Ms. Ladley explained that the reason for her large caseload was due to a VIP group in Holland. She said that Geri and Jim Smith put forth a lot of effort as coordinators of the group. She said they were deserving of a “volunteer of the year” award from the Commission.

Ms. Michelle Visscher said that last March she had moved from the IL program to the VR program. She said that she is working with the Employment Assistance Group which was resurrected with the aid of the Association of the Blind. The group meets on a monthly basis and the purpose of the group is to encourage and support persons who are employed and wish more upward mobility and also persons who are looking for a job or have recently been laid off. She said that a new group is planned for Muskegon County.

Ms. Visscher further reported that she was able to get a student intern from the Blind Rehabilitation Program at Western Michigan University. She introduced Ms. Melissa Stopyak. Ms. Stopyak is also working with Nancy Ladley and Karyn Hill.

Ms. Karyn Hill reported that most recently she has been developing a working relationship with Munson Medical Center in Traverse City where one consumer has been employed. She is continuing to look at other employment opportunities at Munson for clients.

Mr. Buscetta introduced the Administrative Support staff from the Grand Rapids Office. Ms. Joan Smith said that she has been with the Commission twenty-two years and spends a lot of time doing casework entries and financial and statistical reporting. She said that she also spends a lot of time contacting vendors, eye doctors, colleges and universities and rehabilitation facilities.

Ms. Mary Ippel said that she has been with the Commission for four years and does a lot of the same work that Ms. Smith mentioned. She assists Karyn Hill and Nancy Ladley and sees how far-reaching their work is with clients.

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AS PRESENTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment at this time.

ADJOURNMENT

DR. ALLEN MOVED, SUPPORTED BY MR. NAJM, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.