Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council"Creating the future of Independent Living through guidance and direction from people with disabilities"
April 9th, 2009
Meeting Location: Minneapolis Gateway Hotel
Members Present: Jeffrey Nurick, Roberta Cich, Vicki Dalle Molle, Larry Lura, Hulet Sherry, Barbara Chromy, Judy Sanders, Connie Lee Berg, Ann Roscoe, and Ann Zick.
Members Absent: Jim Oneill.
Staff Present: Brad Westerlund, Gail Lundeen, and Linda Lingen.
Guests: JoLynn Blaeser, DEED-VRS.
Approval of March 2009 Minutes and April 2009 Agenda
Roberta Cich asked if there were any revisions to the March 12th, 2009 minutes. There were no revisions. Larry moved to accept the minutes as mailed, Ann Zick seconded. The motion carried, with Connie Lee Berg abstaining.
Roberta asked if there were any changes or additions to the April agenda. Brad Westerlund asked to add a brief discussion regarding Part B carryover funds. Roberta recommended that we include that discussion to the stimulus discussion. Jeffrey Nurick moved to accept the revised April 9 agenda. Connie seconded, and the motion carried with all in favor.
Part B Stimulus Funds Update
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will provide $242,913 Part B dollars to Minnesota. Westerlund provided notes from the April phone conference with Rehabilitation Services Administrative staff (Attachment A) and a summary sheet of the RSA Guidance materials (Attachment B.) RSA guidance materials are available upon request. Rehabilitation Services Administration will sponsor a webinar on April 16th to further discuss Part B dollars. If SILC members cannot attend the webinar, it will be archived and available the next day on the RSA website. Vicki Dalle Molle commented that there are many parts of the SPIL, for example emergency preparedness, that could be expanded upon.
The Council proposed that the May 14 & 15 SILC meeting, which will be held in Mankato, be dedicated to a discussion on how the part B stimulus funds could be used. MACIL directors will be invited to the May meeting and given time to discuss their interests and ideas. It should be stressed to all that the focus of the Part B dollars should be for unmet need and regional and statewide service gaps. Costs for center directors to travel to Mankato will be covered by the SILC. Dalle Molle and Cich will write a letter inviting center directors to this meeting.
Jolynn Blaeser, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, was introduced. Blaeser is available to facilitate a discussion on possible uses of Part B dollars at the May meeting. The council provided basic rules they would like for this discussion.
- One person speaks at a time
- Assure that everyone gets to talk
- Require the group to stay on track.
Annual Report Committee Update
The annual report is close to completion. The graphics will be completed by the DEED communications department. The following comments were made:
- It should be kept to eight pages. Links can be provided to more detailed information.
- Focus will be on the SPIL and the SILC mission
- It should be posted on the web, with pdf and WORD versions.
- Provide a state map with numbers served by county
Conference Committee Report
The request for proposal for the conference planner has been approved by Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Department of Administration. It will be posted by the end of this week. After it is posted, conference planners can be invited to review at the Department of Administration site. Questions will be taken until April 28. Proposals are due on May 1.
The full council gave the following advice:
- Charge a registration fee. A registration fee helps to assure attendance. $50.00 to $100.00 was suggested.
- The afternoon of the second day should be used for a public hearing for the next State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). This SPIL will cover 2010 – 2012. The final draft of the SPIL is due to RSA by June 30 of 2010. Consensus of the Council was that planning for this hearing is not the responsibility of the conference committee.
- Zick has sent emails to CIL directors asking for input. She has received responses from some centers. There is need for MACIL representation on the committee.
A discussion of mission and audience of the conference ensued. After referencing the SPIL for the original intent of the conference, Zick made the following motion: The SILC shall offer sixteen scholarships, two per center, to Center for Independent Living board members. Conference registration, hotel costs, transportation, and food costs shall be covered. Berg seconded the motion. Motion passed with Chromy and Zick opposed and Dalle Molle abstaining.
Dalle Molle moved that all current seated SILC members, who may be past members at the time of the conference, will be able to attend the conference at no charge. Judy seconded the motion. The motion passed with one abstention, Zick.
The request for proposal for the hotel has been drafted and review by DEED staff. The conference committee will review and comment on the draft at this afternoon’s committee meeting.
Issues, Announcements and Correspondence
Westerlund reported that the SILC has $29,000 in FY 2008 carry over dollars. Westerlund discussed the current budget for Bob Zimmerman and the outstate IL/VR counselors. There is currently a need for additional dollars both in the metro and outstate. Discussion followed. Connie Lee Berg moved that $20,000 be placed in the state IL/VR pool for approved Part B uses. These dollars would use the present formula to divide the dollars between the metro area and Greater Minnesota. Larry Lura seconded and the motion carried with all in favor.
Ann Roscoe mentioned that the disability and aging summit efforts continue, and minutes of the meetings are posted on the website. Teams will begin meeting again soon.
The DD council recently completed a survey on assistive technology. 372 households were surveyed. The survey included homes with people with disabilities. Ann will email Brad a copy of the survey.
Amazon.com has engaged in an agreement to make all books downloadable and accessible to non print readers. The Authors Guild has objected to this. Coalitions of groups are protesting this in New York. A petition is available online. Judy Sanders will send members a link to the petition.
Red Lake 121 project is applying for a grant renewal. There will be 15 awards. 30 tribes, 14 of which are up for refunding, are applying.
Sanders announced that each year the U.S. mint puts out two commemorative coins. This year the two coins will commemorate Abraham Lincoln and Louis Braille. This will be the first coin to use Braille. The proceeds will go to support the national Braille literacy campaign, through NFB. These funds will assist children with visual impairments.
The Council discussed sending a SILC representative to the 2009 NCIL Conference this year. Judy moved to send Roberta, SILC Chair to the NCIL Conference. Hulet seconded. Discussion followed regarding the value and/or necessity of sending someone to the conference, and whether or not it needs to be the chair. Judy suggested an amendment to her motion, that the SILC send one member to the conference, and not indicate that it be the chair. Hulet agreed with the friendly amendment. The motioned carried, with Ann and Barb abstaining.
A paper ballot was taken to determine who would attend the NCIL conference. The SILC voted to send Roberta Cich to the 2009 NCIL conference.
Lundeen announced that the SRC is planning a forum for councils on June 24. The focus of the forum would be for other councils to discuss with the SRC any needs assessment that they have conducted, particularly in the area of employment. Further information will become available as the SRC works out details.
Adjournment
The April 9th, 2009 meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the SILC, will be held on May 14th and 15th, 2009 at the Best Western in Mankato, MN.
