July 9, 2016 Membership Meeting Minutes
Westchester Council of the Blind
Started 7:10pm
Welcome and Introduction
Roll call: Annie Chiappetta, President; Becky Davidson, Vice-President; Jim Pulsoni, Treasurer; Directors: Ron Davidson, Maria Samuels; Members: Barry Wood, Louise Wood, Rita Pulsoni.
Quorum met.
Directors not present: Cathy Beider, Eric Brinkman
Approval of Minutes: Minutes from June 11, 2016 special meeting passed. No questions or comments
Officer’s Report:
President –
- Working with webmaster and Maria to identify/tag and upload pizza party, convention and APSC photos onto website.
- Should be done in the next month or two.
- New member is Chris Wright.
- Will be using the State’s number on the postcard. Lori will refer callers to WCBNY.
- Finance Committee needed to help Ann and Jim create budget for 2017. This committee will meet in between regular meetings. Projected date to complete is this November. Anyone interested can call Ann to volunteer and review present budget.
Vice President –
- Nothing to report
Treasurer –
- Balance is $5757.78
- $100 deduction for webmaster
- $146, bill submitted by Cathy Beider’s sister in law for some materials she submitted for APSC materials. This will come from grant Annie set aside totaling $250.00
- $45 deposit in there
- Only outstanding check is $20 written for new member that Bob White, the State treasurer, hasn’t deposited yet
(President clarified that the $146 was for the APSC. $250 was budgeted. Rich Sweeney renewed membership. $20 sent to the State for Sweeney who renewed and Wright who is new)
Motion from Becky Davidson to accept Treasurer’s report. Rita Pulsoni seconded motion. Vote: Motion carried.
Secretary by Appointment :
President requested a volunteer for secretary by appointment. Becky said that Eric is willing to try it. She recommended that we reach out to Eric.
Committee Reports:
NYVRA – Becky Davidson: Licensure bill is back to square one until the next session of the legislature. After Governor vetoed it, it had to be reintroduced and now got caught up in higher education committee.
Transportation Advisory Committee – Ann Chiappetta: Need to report to Evan if Paratransit is getting picked up or dropped too early. At present computer default is being accepted and the manifest is not being reviewed to see if things could be moved around. Ron mentioned that part of the cause could be the software glitches on the online reservation. Fare increase takes effect Monday.
Accessible Pedestrian Signal Coalition: Becky D. was the moderator at the ACB National convention transportation seminar and said what was done in Yonkers and White Plains event received positive feedback. People are looking at them to use as models for their areas. Our APSC, Long Island’s and NYC’s are models for getting things done.
Ann: APSC on hiatus for summer, starting back in September. May push for White Cane Day in October. Spring event in New Rochelle, Greenburgh in the fall. Would like to do a short video on the intersections, the successful ones vs. the not so successful ones. To get people to understand best practices
Rita P still hasn’t heard yet about her APS in Sleepy Hollow intersections.
DAFN (Advisory committee on Disability): Hasn’t met yet. Becky will have a report after they meet.
Membership and Fundraising: Macy’s Shop for a Cause made $300 last year. This year it will be 26, 27, 28 of August. Can be used at any store in the area. Will be sending out information next week. Will order about 100 coupons. Can purchase in person or use PayPal. Vision Walk is all set up. Need to get people to register and people to sponsor us. Maria and Ann are officially Lions members. $72 for membership. Next meeting not yet known. Charter meeting planned in the next couple of months to introduce new members.
The State’s toll free number will be on the postcards that are going to be ordered. After postcards are done it will be decided if the job will be outsourced or embosser to be purchased. Barry W. recommended Books for the Blind. They do the job for all the phone companies.
No new business. No announcements
At the next meeting will conference call about the Shop for a Cause. There is no planned table at Macy’s.
Meeting adjourned.
##