BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM of OREGONBECC MEETING (regularly scheduled)

OREGON COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND535 SE 12th ST (Portland office)

Thursday, September 24, 2015, at 3:30 PM

Conference line: 404-443-6397Participant code: 943611#

AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER- Chair Mirandaa. Roll callb. Disposition of minutes- July 23, 2015 (action item)

2. PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 minutes, and 1 time per person)3. FINANCIAL REPORT- Director Morris4. TRAINING & EDUCATION

a. 2015 Fall In-serviceb. National training conferences- funding for BLAST and Sagebrush

5. Nominations for 2015 Fall election

PORTLAND 1: Tessa Brown (odd)Managers: Steve Jackson, Lin Jaynes

SALEM 2: Art Stevenson (odd)Managers: Harold Young

OUTLYING AREAS: Ken Gerlitz (odd)Managers: Lewanda Miranda, Gordon Smith, Steve Gordon

6. OLD BUSINESSa. Vending opportunities

7. NEW BUSINESSa. Code of conduct (action item)b. DAS- Styrofoam vs paper productsc. Committees

8. NEXT MEETING- Chair Miranda9. ADJOURNMENT- Chair Miranda

VERBATIM

[started at 00:03:01]

Miranda: Okay, it’s 3:32 pm so I’m going to go ahead and call the meeting to order and we’ll start with roll call. Um, the Elected Committee: let’s start with Char Mckinzie.

Mckinzie: Here.

Miranda: Cathy Dominique?

Colley-Dominique: Here.

Miranda: Art Stevenson?

A.Stevenson: Here.

Miranda: Tessa Brown?

Brown: Here. Miranda: Ken Gerlitz?

Gerlitz: Here.

Miranda: Lewanda Miranda’s here. Uh, Jerry, uh… membership: Jerry Bird?

Bird: Here.

Miranda: Carole Kinney?

Kinney: Here.

Miranda: Derrick Stevenson?

D.Stevenson: Here.

Miranda: Gordon Smith?

Smith: Here.

Miranda: Harold Young?

Young: Here.

Miranda: Lin Jaynes?

Jaynes: Present.

Miranda: Steve Gordon? [silence] Steve Gordon? Randy Hauth?

Hauth: Here.

Miranda: Sal Barraza? [silence] Salvador Barraza? Steve Jackson?

Jackson: Here [inaudible].

Miranda: Okay… and that concludes membership. Uh, let’s go with uh… staff members.

Morris: Eric is here.

Miranda: [inaudible] staff.

Morris: Eric’s here.

Miranda: Eric?

Morris: Yep.

Miranda: And Kathy’s here, correct?

Morris: Uh, no, it’s just me.

Miranda: Oh, okay.

Morris: Cathy Dominique is with me here.

Miranda: Oh, I gotcha. Okay… and visitors.

O.Miranda: Oscar Miranda.

Miranda: Any other visitors?

Chrisinger: This is Colleen Chrisinger from the Department of Revenue.

Miranda: Colleen Chrisinger?

Chrisinger: Mm hm.

Jackson: Who is she?

Miranda: From the Department of Revenue.

Jackson: Oh, okay.

Miranda: Uh, any other visitors? [silence] Okay, hearing none, that concludes our roll call. So, disposition of minutes – July 23rd. Did, uh, everybody read through the minutes?

[male voice]: Yes.

Miranda: Yeah? Okay, I’d like to make a motion that we adopt the minutes of the July 23rd meeting. And do I have a second?

Brown: [inaudible]

Miranda: Tessa seconds. Okay, I’ll do a roll call vote. Char Mckinzie?

Mckinzie: Yes.

Miranda: Cathy Colley-Dominique?

Colley-Dominique: Yes.

Miranda: Art Stevenson?

A.Stevenson: Yes.

Miranda: Tessa Brown?

Brown: Yes.

Miranda: Ken Gerlitz?

Gerlitz: Yes.

Miranda: And I’m a yes, so that passes. Okay, public comments: uh, three minutes and one time per person. [silence] Do we have any takers for public comments?

Chrisinger: Um, Eric, would this be the time for me to jump in or do we have a special agenda item?

Morris: Colleen, we do have an agenda item for the… the Styrofoam issue later on the agenda, so if you wanted to ask to talk at that time that’d be fine.

Chrisinger: Okay, thank you.

Hauth: Yeah, this is Randy Hauth here at the [inaudible].

Miranda: Okay, Randy.

Hauth: Yeah, hi everybody. Hey, I’d like to share with you that… with the membership, the Board and the Administration that, over the last couple years I have noticed a severe decline in inclusion. It seems that the business and communication of the program has become more limited, sheltered and shut down. Uh, as most of you have seen, the trailing emails, the questions that I have brought to both Director Morris and to Chair Miranda for answers not only go unresponded to but unanswered. And there just… it’s really concerning, there don’t seem to be any answers and I believe that not only the Board but the licensed blind vendors here in Oregon deserve um, accurate answers. Also, the financials; they’re being done sloppily, there’s a lot of discrepancies and also we can’t get those in a timely manner. I’ve also requested to come in and be assisted in looking through these financials so I can better understand what’s going on within our program and have not been responded to that as… either. So, I just would really encourage that um, the communication improve and the answers to the questions and the responsiveness by the Agency step up. Thank you.

Miranda: Okay, thank you Randy. Any other public comments?

Young: Yes, Chair Miranda, this is Harold.

Miranda: Hello Harold.

Young: Hi. Yeah, I’d like to thank Randy for cc’ing me that email today that he sent to Dacia Johnson about some comments I made in the May BECC meeting about intimidation, bullying and, you know, that other stuff. Anyway, I’d like to add to it, you know, I’d kind of like to know where one draws the line between freedom of speech, harassment, intimidation, bullying because I mean, if all emails that were sent out were sent out to the full membership and not just the Elected Committee or the Chair, we’d probably find out there’s more going on that way than what we know. And also I’d like to say I would appreciate it in the emails I’m cc’ed on that when you address Chair Miranda that you do it by “Chair Miranda” not “Miss Miranda” because she is the Chair. Anyway, thanks Lewanda.

Miranda: Thank you Harold. Any other public comments?

Gerlitz: Sometimes we may not have the answers to these questions. You know [inaudible].

Miranda: Any other public comments?

[00:09:25]

D.Stevenson: Yeah, this is Derrick. Is this like… how… how is this working? Is this like the only chance we’re going to get a… chance to talk, or are we going to be able to address things as they come along?

Miranda: No, we get to speak on each agenda item, as outlined in our bylaws.

D.Stevenson: Okay, I can just wait then. Thank you.

Miranda: Mm hm. Any other public comments? [silence] Okay, hearing none, we’ll move on. Financial report, Director Morris.

Morris: Thank you Chair Miranda. Um, let’s see here… I’m just trying to get the email pulled up. Mr. Hauth has sent me several emails that he just talked about in his public comment with several different questions that I told him I would address during the meeting. Um, the first one he asks about is: explain why the second quarter report was not provided to the managers in a more “timely” manner and why I hadn’t responded to the multiple requests he… he asked about that and I said I’d talk about it today. So, one of the issues we need to discuss today… and maybe it’s for a committee of managers to discuss amongst themselves and come up with a thought process behind this, is: What’s considered “timely?” And the second quarter reports did not go out as quickly as I would have liked them to go out, but there’s nothing in the… in the Act or the regulations that say that they need to be done by a specific day. So if the committee would like to set up a time that… a time period that the expectation is that the reports will be generated by a certain date that’s agreeable specifically with me, because I… I’m the one that does it, that there would be an expectation that it’s done by a certain date then we need to discuss that because there’s nothing like that in place and so one person’s “timely manner” is another person’s “we got it done as quickly as we could.” So, um, that’s what I would say about the timeliness of the report.Um, the other matter that Mr. Hauth was talking about was people reporting or submitting late payments and, you know, it talks a little bit here about, um, not speaking to Ms. Wright but other people in the program and I would say that that kind of an issue is an individual issue that we follow up with individual managers on if they are late in reporting and late in payment, so that’s… that’s kind of an individual, um… individual issue.And… let’s see, the AG fees, AG costs, talking about costs that are accounted for towards the rule-making process. Um, as… as everybody knows, as we go through the process of trying to get the rules revamped, the AG is reviewing those for legal sufficiency, just like the… the federal Department of Education RSA people are doing. And I’m simply reporting what… what we’re getting for billings on that. And so, I can’t speak to how the AG’s office does their work product. I can ask them, “Hey, are you getting it done? Are you not getting it done?” But that’s as much data as I have on that, so…Um, the last one… unassigned vending account. Um, unassigned vending income is not very much, especially if you look at historically speaking, and we’re retaining some of those monies right now because there’s been a lot of contention and complaints about the assignment of vending. And so, until those are resolved and we come up with a… effective way to do that that’s not going to be litigious, we’re just going to put that in set-aside so that we can use it for set-aside purposes. And if you look at the report, the um… let me pull up the Excel report here real quick, we are talking about… hang on one second, um… oh, it’s on the first page. Sorry. Um… unassigned vending income for the second quarter was $918. And then there was one other question that dealt with the set-aside tab in the report that talks… if you go to the tab that says “set-aside” it says “set”, or… “current balance” and it’s broken down by quarter. Now, it says “current balance” and that’s what it is, as of the date that I generate the report. So I

haven’t investigated that to make sure the exact number at the close of the quarter. If that’s what you guys would like to have so you can reconcile that I can definitely change that. But the way this has been done since I started generating this report two years ago… two and a half years ago, that is the current balance as… as of the time that I talk to accounting when I’m building that report. So, um, it’s not a reconcilable amount versus the first quarter. So, if you want it to be that I would be happy to entertain feedback on that. Chair Miranda that’s all I have.

[00:14:31]

Miranda: Director Morris, could you, uh, touch on the emails that were going back and forth about a $13,000 discrepancy?

Morris: Yeah, that… that’s what I was just talking about Chair Miranda. I’m sorry. I should’ve teed that up a little bit different. Um, so in the set-aside when it says “current balance”… like, first quarter says 95 grand, second quarter says 50 grand. Well, the… the date that I built the first quarter report was not the end of the close of quarter for the first quarter; that’s why it says “current balance.” I guess I could’ve qualified it to say “current balance as of the generation of this report.” So nobody… nobody said they wanted something they could reconcile month to month. I always thought understood they wanted to know was in the… was cash on hand, kind of thing. So, that’s what I put in there. I can update and change that so it can be reconciled quarter to quarter or keep it how it is.

Miranda: Okay, thank you.

A.Stevenson: Uh, Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Okay, so Eric, what… what you’re saying is – and the question that was asked was by me – um, the beginning balance on the second quarter and the ending balance is it that in that quarter you’re not including all the expenses that may have been there, because when you’re doing a quarter report you have a beginning balance and then the expenditures and then the ending balance. And so I’m… I’m trying to figure out how you’re saying it shouldn’t reconcile itself if there’s a beginning balance in the set aside for the quarter say, of $50,000, and the ending balance is $75… is um, let’s say $75,000 then uh, all the expenditures for that quarter are not included in the report?

Morris: No, Art, that’s not what I said. The… the…

A.Stevenson: Oh, okay.

Morris: …in the tab here, it says “current certified balance.” That’s the current balance when I asked accounting when I was building the report for each of those… well for, like, the first

quarter, whenever I built, like, the second quarter I built it at the end of August, so somewhere around the last week of August, first week of September. So I asked them, “What is our current balance for set-aside?” So, obviously that’s not the close of the quarter, nor has anyone ever said they want it to be an opening closing balance kind of thing. They said what… they wanted, that we want to know what’s in set-aside. So that’s why it says “current balance.” So, as of that report, that’s what we have at the end of August, first part of September. If you want it to be reconcilable I can change that and make it that way, but until you pointed that out… which, I mean, I’ve done it that way for like I said a couple years now, nobody’s... nobody said anything about it. So…

[silence]

A.Stevenson: Okay, well, I would, you know, just so we know what the expenditures are for that quarter would it be too difficult to put end of quarter balance and then… and then also current balance?

Morris: Uh, we could do that. Maybe what I could do is under the tab where it has all the detail? You know, that other tab that says, like, the actual what we’re spending it on kind of thing? I could build more of a beginning/ending balance sheet kind of thing. Would that…? I think that might be kind of what you’re looking for.

Miranda: Director Morris, um…

A.Stevenson: [inaudible]

Miranda: At the end of the agenda here we have committees and I am going to form a committee to work on a format that would be more pleasurable to the membership?

Morris: Okay. Yeah. All right.

Miranda: So can we just work on that [inaudible]. Is that okay, Art?

A.Stevenson: Yeah, that’s fine.

Miranda: Okay. Anyone else?

Gerlitz: Yes, Chairwoman Miranda, this is Ken.

Miranda: Yes, Ken?

Gerlitz: I would still like to know what’s happened with the rebates. Like, that suggests rebates that each of our property’s based on the amount of uh, you know, Pepsi we use. And uh, I know that they’ve had it and I don’t know if I could [inaudible] about this once and can’t quite tell me where this money goes. It adds up to be quite a bit.

[00:19:10]

Miranda: Like the RSA rebates, I mean, is that what you mean?

Gerlitz: Yeah.

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Ken, that’s kind of a Randolph-Sheppard thing. You know, they send out rebates to the quote unquote managers, or they used to. Now, the way that I understand Pepsi is handling their stuff, there isn’t… unless, you know, Randy might be able to say if RSVA because he’s a member of them has a Pepsi rebate program but um, as far as, you know, Elected Committee business or program business that’s something Pepsi has set up with different purveyors, or different organizations to provide rebates. That…

Gerlitz: I realize that, but we should have some input into that. I mean, if they’re taking my money and giving it to an organization and I prefer they give it to another organization I think they should listen.

A.Stevenson: Well, I can tell you… I can tell you right now there is… Eric sent a thing out here… what, it’s been about a couple weeks, three weeks about the buying group which gives special pricing to Randolph-Sheppard vendors who buy Pepsi or different products and stuff like that. But that money goes directly to the vendor and they receive a check and then of course because it’s a part of my business then I add it into commissions on my reports and stuff. But it’s a separate program and… and, you know, you should talk to the advocacy organizations or whatever, but as far as, you know, the Elected Committee business it’s… it’s kind of separate.

Miranda: I have some information I’ll share with you Ken, okay? I’ll pass it on to you.

Hauth: Chair… Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Randy?

Hauth: Yeah, I just wanted to follow up with the report that Director Morris gave. Um, relative to managers being late or filing late reports and/or not paying timely their repayment plan, I believe once that money is billed it becomes available through the State for access. I didn’t ask for anybody’s confidential information and/or names of those managers so I’m concerned that questions such as that… whose, you know… are late reports being submitted? Are people paying late? Are they not paying late? Because what has happened over the last two or three years, specifically related to Ann Wright, who the Agency terminated because they didn’t monitor and manage that money – we don’t want that to be another situation. So, you know, Mr. Morris, if you can’t provide that information I’ll find it another way. But I’d appreciate and

encourage and I… hopefully all the other managers on the Board would like to know what that information is, without the names attached to it, of course. So, I’m not sure if you can do that or not, but can you?

Morris: Well, I think… I think as we talk about, when we get into the committee that Lewanda was talking about later on in the meeting I have some ideas about a mechanism we could put in place that would help you guys see, like, a percentage of people complying, you know, some kind of mechanism like that doesn’t, you know, necessarily give out everybody’s private information but would allow the committee to look and see that, hey things are flowing as they should be. And that’s very much in line with the um… the measures and stuff we’re using at the Agency for a lot of different things. So I think we can come up with something.

Miranda: Okay, we will…

A.Stevenson: Eric…

Miranda: …we will discuss that in the committee. Go ahead, Art.

A.Stevenson: Well, I just, you know, I’m just going to mention this: there are things that we have told are confidential and I would like documentation from the laws and Rules and Regulations that certain information is quote unquote confidential. I do not believe that in accounts receivable to our program is a confidential piece of information and so, um, I would, you know, and I know other managers have asked this and uh I believe it’s our right. If it is a confidential piece of information, then we need to have documentation that the law says that it’s confidential information. And… and so, I’m just going to leave that at that right now and obviously the committee if, you know, when it gets set up can definitely address that issue because, as we know, all committee meetings will be, you know, public and that’s a good thing. Thank you.

Miranda: Perfect. Thank you. Anyone else? Or are you good with the financial report?

Gerlitz: Ken… Ken… [inaudible]

Miranda: Okay, Ken, go ahead.

Gerlitz: [inaudible] and we used to get that information broken down to units years ago and I never heard anybody complain about the confidentiality. I agree. I think it should be at least up to the Executive Committee, ‘cause how are we going to know exactly where we stand if we don’t get that kind of information. [inaudible]…

Miranda: Okay, thank you.

Gerlitz: If there’s somebody behind and can’t seem to get their reports in on time maybe we can have them sit down with the Director and could refer them to an accountant or something that could give ‘em a hand. But she’s…

[00:25:40]

Miranda: Okay, thank you, Ken. Anyone else? [silence] Okay, moving on to number four: training and education. A. is 2015 Fall In-service, which is scheduled for November 6th and 7th. And could you let us know how that’s going, Eric?

Morris: Yeah, thank you Chair Miranda…

Miranda: The reservations and such?

Morris: Yeah, I was gonna… Kathy who, I think everybody realized now, Kathy Ewing is our new training specialist, has been taking that on to try to coordinate, um, you know, where we’re gonna be; what… what… what’s our venue. So we will be meeting in the sprawling suburb, er, sprawling metropolis of Salem. So Kathy will be reaching out to those who need travel reservations and contacting people for that. We are scheduled for, uh, early evening on the 6th of November, which is a Friday and then an all-day session on Saturday the 7th. So, um, yeah, that’s coming along well and um… I think that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Miranda: Did she get confirmation for the Best Western in town?

Morris: Yeah, sorry. Yeah.

Miranda: Is that where it’s gonna be?

Morris: Yep.

Miranda: Best Western?

Morris: Which, um… I think if it… if people are kind of scratching their heads wondering where that’s at, it’s right by CostCo down by the airport. So, um, they had some reasonably priced accommodations and facilities for meetings. Um, yeah, so I think it’s gonna be good.

Miranda: Thank you.

Gerlitz: Madame Chair?

Miranda: Uh, yes? I didn’t identify your voice, though. Who is that?

Gerlitz: Oh, it’s Ken. [inaudible]

Miranda: Oh, yes, Ken?

Gerlitz: [inaudible] Eric. Maybe what you could do, Eric, to help [inaudible] they give you some brochures, I could scan ‘em and send ‘em out, so we know exactly what services we have and kind of the layout of the place.

Morris: Yeah.

Gerlitz: …would be very [inaudible].

Miranda: That’s a good idea.

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Okay, um, the [inaudible] rules say the Elected Committee shall actively participate of course in this planning, uh, for our conferences and stuff. And so, is it in your plan to address that issue in this committee thing we’re going to discuss or…? Because, you know, I know personally as a member of the Elected Committee I haven’t been consulted or asked anything and I definitely want to… fulfill my obligation as a member of the Elected Committee and make sure that we’re… you know, that I can contact my constituents and get input on what kind of training we want to see happen. And so, is that gonna be addressed in this committee or do we need to discuss that right at this point in time?

Miranda: Right at this point in time.

A.Stevenson: Okay, well…

Miranda: We can discuss that now.

A.Stevenson: Okay, well, you know, as a member of the Elected Committee I… I believe very strongly in my role as a member of that Elected Committee and the law… the federal law and our handbook says that In-service trainings will be done in concert with the Elected Committee. And so, I as a member want to be included in this and so I would suggest that we do have a committee and that committee reports back to us. But either way, um, you know, but it is our responsibility.

Miranda: But… but you don’t mean the location. You’re talking about the agenda items, Art? The… the training itself?

A.Stevenson: Well… well, absolutely. I mean, well, the whole planning and stuff. It’s… you know, the rules and… and the law says the Elected Committee is supposed to, uh, work with the State Licensing Agency in In-service trainings and stuff like that.

Miranda: Correct.

A.Stevenson: I’m not saying the words exactly, but I know it exists. So, uh, you know, it’s…

Miranda: I don’t think that we need a special committee for that, but we will be working with, uh, Kathy, um, Ewing and then the Elected Committee and we’ll… we’ll work that way and then send it out to our constituents and get something wrapped up. So, we… we will all be involved.

A.Stevenson: Well…

Hauth: [inaudible] Miranda?

Miranda: Were you done, Art?

A.Stevenson: Well, I… am… am I off mute?

Miranda: Yes.

A.Stevenson: Okay, well, let me say, Chair Miranda that, okay, the Elected Committee is supposed to do it. We’re supposed to conduct our business in meetings and there’s only two kind of meetings that we can have: one is a regular Elected Committee meetings and the other is a quote unquote, um, committee meeting. And so, I just would like to say, you know, that I want to follow the rules and regulations and the laws and everything. And so, it would be my recommendation, so that the membership can also participate if they want to, Chair Miranda, that we set up a… a committee for In-service training to work with, uh, Kathy Ewing. And so that, uh, you know, the Elected Committee especially is involved and everything is open and transparent, but that the blind licensed managers, because they all have reps, can either talk to their reps or they can attend the meetings and… and possibly have input also. I think that’s what makes a good functioning program. Thank you.

Miranda: Okay.

[00:31:44]

Gerlitz: Art? This is Ken. When I was handling the agenda for training I would always send out asking for, you know, suggestions but I could probably count ‘em all on one hand over the last twenty years, so… sounds good but doesn’t always work. I’ve talked to Kathy Ewing about the training; she called me, so sometimes you gotta reach out, but I think she’s looking for good suggestions right now. There’s even one…

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Good input [inaudible]. Yes, Randy?

Hauth: Yes, I will share with you that it does say in the, um, Oregon Administrative Rules that the Elected Committee will plan the In-service, I believe, with the sponsorship of the Agency. I know that during the last minute… or during the last meeting, Director Morris had identified that he had already selected a, um, guest speaker. Is that true, Eric? Is that… am I reflecting that conversation properly?

Morris: I… I don’t remember the conversation, Randy but, yes, yes we have.

Hauth: Okay, so, it’s already selected, the guest speaker and the location and, you know, active participation is a group of managers; it’s not simply a Board member or the Chair, um, working side-by-side with the Agency. It is a group of elected managers who make decisions and those decisions can only be made in public meetings; they can’t be made, um, by the telephone or, you know, through multiple telephone calls. And so I would just “hear hear” to what Art is saying: that it is very important and we should all hold near and dear, um, that responsibility as the elected members to, you know, to drive that train and make sure it’s the best…. And, uh, who’s the speaker, by the way, if you don’t mind?

Morris: Um, we’ve booked Terry Smith to come out, but the… the… the thing to remember is, just because we’ve booked a speaker doesn’t mean he’s the only speaker we can book. And if you look at the Oregon Administrative Rules for the Business Enterprise Program, when it talks about In-service training, here’s what it says, it says, “Planning for In-service training will be done in consultation with the Business Enterprise Consumer Committee.” That… that’s exactly what the… the regs say. So…

Hauth: If you… if you look at the other training requirements it does say “with the sponsorship” so, I mean, I’ll… I’ll copy and paste the, um, the articles that I’m… I’m, you know, sharing with you. And I don’t have them in front of me as you do, but I do know… I can guarantee you that it’s done with the sponsorship of the, um, Agency. And again, the Committee as a group of elected managers, not simply one or two. So… thank you.

Miranda: Okay, I will look into what it, um… all the information that was put out and respond accordingly, okay? So… now we’re going to national training.

A.Stevenson: Uh…

Miranda: Yes?

A.Stevenson: Never mind. I’ll wait.

Miranda: Okay, national training conference for Sagebrush and BLAST. Uh… Art, you wanted that on the agenda. Would you like to speak on that?

A.Stevenson: Well, I just know, okay, in the past… and… and I know that national training conferences are a valuable learning tool… I happened to attend the last BLAST conference and

gained a lot of knowledge. They’re well put together and stuff and so, I know they’re coming up next year early and um, I think, you know, it’s a discussion that the Elected Committee had… should have, about doing something like we have done in the past, Chair Miranda, in sponsoring to help, uh, our managers get valuable training that we can’t receive on the state level because there’s no way in heck we can afford to put on the kind of things, you know, that the, uh, organizations, the, uh, the RSVA or the merchants can do. So I would… I would like to, you know, open up a discussion. Or, actually, I would like to make a motion…

Miranda: Were you hoping for discussion first?

A.Stevenson: Well, we could… yeah, we can have a… we can do for discussion.

Miranda: Okay. So, would anyone else like to speak on this?

Gerlitz: Well, I… This is Ken again.

Miranda: Go on, Ken.

Gerlitz: When I worked for the State Personnel Board we were responsible for [inaudible due to poor phone connection] and stuff. We had a lot of training [inaudible]. We had a couple of hours of mock interviews [inaudible] see how people responded and [inaudible] but I think we should have some training for the trainers.

Miranda: Okay. Anybody else on the Elected Committee like to… respond to this? Anything to add to it?

Smith: It sounds like we’re getting feedback from somewhere.

A.Stevenson: That’s for sure.

Miranda: Okay, Art, go ahead.

Colley-Dominique: I’m Cathy.

Miranda: Okay, go ahead, Cathy.

Colley-Dominique: I only want to say that, um, as valuable as I felt that BLAST was, it’s very welcome, it’s very informative and… and I did learn a lot. I don’t feel that… that we need to go to those meetings every year. I think… I think it is a big expenditure for… for our program. I think every three or four years is great, but I… I think our… monies can be used in another way and… and we can learn, you know, do something other than doing the big… the big meeting.

Miranda: Okay. Anybody else?

[multiple voices speaking at once]

Smith: Chair Miranda, could you repeat what she said? I… this is Gordon. I could not understand what she said.

Miranda: Well, she basically said that she really enjoyed BLAST and there was a lot of good training and she’s all for that, but she thinks that it should be done maybe every three to four years, not every year because of the expense. Is that correct, Cathy? Colley-Dominique: Yes.

[00:39:20]

Gerlitz: [inaudible] every year.

Smith: Thank you very much.

Miranda: Mm hm. And Char.

Mckinzie: Yes, um, I also kind of agree, maybe every two years. I know a lot of us got to go and that was a great opportunity. Um, the other thing that’s… I haven’t really gained very much from they sending maybe three or four people. I know they do a report but I didn’t, you know, don’t feel that it’s that valuable to the rest of us. And so I think it’s better to maybe have more of us go every two years than a couple of us go every year and report. That kind of is my feeling.

Gerlitz: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Kenny.

Gerlitz: I… I thought it… they said they were gonna do it every two years and I, maybe I just dreamed this, but I heard it was gonna get Chicago next year?

[male voice]: [inaudible]

Miranda: BLAST, yeah.

A. Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Okay, so I would like to make a motion, okay, because next year would be two years, that we recommend that the Commission come up with a portion of money to help sponsor any and all blind licensed managers who want to attend one of the two training conferences next year.

Miranda: Okay, Art’s made a motion that the Oregon Commission for the Blind sponsor some of our managers for national training conferences in 2016…

Morris: Madame…

A.Stevenson: Uh…

Miranda: Is that correct?

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes.

A.Stevenson: Um, yeah, and… and I’d like to… because it is gonna happen I’d like to just throw a friendly amendment in there, uh, that we have that information by our In-service training Elected Committee meeting on what…

Miranda: Okay, Art’s made a friendly amendment that we have a response before our Fall In-service…

A.Stevenson: No, no… at… at… how much they’re gonna do or how much they can do at our In-service training.

Miranda: Okay. Friendly amendment that we will, uh, hear back from the Oregon Commission for the Blind on this motion at our Fall In-service of… of what they’re going to be able to sponsor us. So, do we have a second?

[silence]

A.Stevenson: Nobody’s gonna second that?

[silence]

Gerlitz: I think we’ll get more information from Terry Smith, when he says he’s coming [inaudible]…

Jackson: I second that motion. I want to go to BLAST.

Gerlitz: [inaudible] BLAST.

Morris: Madame Chair?

Miranda: Okay. We’ll… we’ll work on that. Yeah?

Morris: Um…

Miranda: Yes, uh, Director Morris?

Morris: Sorry, it’s Eric. Um, just to… since we’re talking about training, the one thing I found out recently is the, um, the Hadley course that’s the… the BE training… the BE on-line training course that’s, um, 11 modules I believe at this time. I did find out that individual managers… currently licensed people want to go back and take…

[male voice]: Hello?

Morris: …take the course as a, um… take specific parts of the course, like the vending module or the cafeteria module, that they can do that now. And that’s something that the Agency can, um, you know, make happen as… as additional training for upward mobility. So, just throwing that out there. I found that out recently and I wanted to let you guys know.

Miranda: Awesome.

D.Stevenson: This is Derrick.

Miranda: Yes, Derrick?

D.Stevenson: Um, I just wanted to throw in that, um, this we’re talking about… if… if we’re talking about, um, spending money from set-aside and deciding whether or not we’re going to spend money from set-aside to go to these things, you know, that responsibility is… is made by the licensed blind managers and… and the Board members. It’s not necessarily something that… a decision that’s completely made by OCB. If our Elected Committee and the managers think that is something that we want set-aside spent for then we can take a vote and… and make it so. That’s just my two cents.

Mckinzie: Chair Miranda?

Gerlitz: Fifty-fifty.

Miranda: Yes, Char?

Mckinzie: Um, I like what they did last time: that they were responsible for registration and hotel and we were responsible for travel. I think that… I… we’re business people and I do believe we should be responsible for some of the training that… that we can take, you know?

Miranda: Okay.

A.Stevenson: Uh, Chair Miranda? Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Well… well, Char, that’s what we’re talking about…

Mckinzie: I know. I…

A.Stevenson: …the proportion.

Mckinzie: I know. I was just trying to make it more clear.

A.Stevenson: Yeah, so… so, why don’t you second it, Char?

Mckinzie: I just… I don’t really think we need a motion. I think the Commission is gonna work on that and then they’ll probably come up with what they’ll do. I don’t think we need to tell them that they have to do that.

A.Stevenson: It’s just, Char… will, Char…

Miranda: Hey, Director Morris will you look into that…

A.Stevenson: …we’re making it…

Miranda: …and get back to us?

Morris: Yes.

A.Stevenson: Char, we’re making a recommendation; we’re not telling them what to do. We’re making a recommendation.

Miranda: Okay, Art, that’s enough. Director Morris… Would anyone like to second this? [silence] Okay, Director Morris, would you look into this and get back to us?

Morris: I will.

Miranda: And what you may be able to provide for national training?

Morris: I will, yeah. For the In-service meeting.

Miranda: Yes. Thank you. Okay, nominations… 2015 Fall In-service. Portland 1, currently held by Tessa Brown; managers in the area is Steve Jackson and Lin Jaynes. So, Portland 1 position, do I have any nominations?

[garbled male voice]: I re-nominate Tessa Brown.

[female voice]: I nominate… oh.

Miranda: Did I hear a nomination for Tessa Brown?

Gerlitz: Yes.

Miranda: Do you accept that nomination, Tessa?

Brown: I sure do.

Jackson: I’d like to nominate myself! Steve Jackson. Hello, can you hear me?

Miranda: Okay. I… I got you, Steve. So, we have a nomination for Tessa Brown and a second nomination for Steve, so of course you accept that. [laughs] Any other nominations for Portland 1? [silence] Do I hear any other nominations for Portland 1? Any other nominations for Portland 1? Okay, nominations are closed. Salem 2: currently held by Art Stevenson. Managers in the area is now just Harold Young. So, we’re going to open up the nominations for Salem 2. Do I have any nominations for Salem 2?

Gerlitz: Uh, Ken Gerlitz. I nominate Harold Young.

Miranda: Okay, Harold, do you accept that nomination?

Young: Yes, I do.

Miranda: Okay, any other nominations for Salem 2?

D.Stevenson: Yeah, I nominate Art Stevenson. This is Derrick.

Miranda: Art, do you accept that nomination? [silence] Art? I think you’re…

A.Stevenson: Absolutely.

Miranda: Okay. So, for nominations we have Art Stevenson and Harold Young and Salem 2 is… nominations are now closed. Now, outlying areas: Ken Gerlitz is currently chairing that, and managers in the area is… myself, Gordon Smith and Steve Gordon. Do we have any…

Smith: This is Gordon.

Miranda: …nominations for the outlying area?

Smith: I will nominate Kenny.

Miranda: Okay, Gordo has nominated Ken Gerlitz. Ken, do you accept that nomination?

Gerlitz: I sure do.

Miranda: Okay, Ken accepted that nomination. Do we have any other nominations?

Hauth: Yeah, I’d like to nominate Steve Gordon.

Miranda: Uh, how does that work when he’s not here to accept it?

Hauth: Exactly.

Miranda: Exactly what?

Hauth: Exactly.

Miranda: What does that mean?

Hauth: It should… it shouldn’t matter.

Miranda: I think it does.

Hauth: Well, show me where it says in writing.

Miranda: Okay.

D.Stevenson: Well, let’s check with him.

Miranda: Yeah, we’ll… we’ll check into it and, Director Morris, could you also check and… and see if he’s attended the meetings that is required?

Morris: Yeah.

Hauth: What… is that… is that for…

Miranda: Okay, thank you.

Hauth: …running for Chair?

Miranda: That’s for running for the outlying…

Hauth: Well, I mean, I’m not trying to be argumentative. I’m just trying to nominate Steve Gordon and…

Miranda: Okay, Steve Gordon has been nominated. All right, Steve Gordon has been nominated.

Hauth: Okay, thank you.

Miranda: Uh huh. Is there any other nominations for the outlying area? [silence] Hearing none, outlying area nominations are closed. Okay, good luck to all of you and elections will be in our Fall In-service. Okay, Old Business: Vending Opportunities. Uh… Director Morris, would you like to speak on that?

Morris: Sure. Let me get it pulled up here because I have an email about that. So, Mr. Howe had sent an email to, uh… to you, Madame Chair, talking about a long list of opportunities that, um, he believes were put out, and I… I don’t have any reason to disbelieve it, and, you know, some of these I’ve heard about, some of them I haven’t and, you know, I… I was trying to think of a good way to report on this because we were kind of going through a long list when I first got here that we’ve whittled away at. And some of these we’ve talked about before: um, Mt. Hood Community College; uh, Port of Portland concessions. Some of these other ones, the um… [loud feedback]. Whoa, that’s really loud. The Oregon State…

A.Stevenson: Somebody…

Miranda: It [inaudible].

Morris: So, the feedback I would give, without spending all day going through all these, like the Oregon State Hospital cafeteria and espresso. Some of these I… I’m not aware of, nor have we received notice of them so, um, as we onboard the new staff and we get our staff up to speed, I will start providing a detailed list like we were doing before: what opportunities we’re pursuing; which ones we’re being notified of and, um, you know, continue a little better open communication about these. Some of these I just honestly haven’t even heard of. So, um… and some of them are really old. So, that’s basically my report.

Miranda: Would anyone like…

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Uh, Randy?

[00:51:30]

Hauth: Yeah, I would… Thank you, Mr. Morris. I will share with you that, you know, it’s really disheartening as a person who’s blind to go into a government building and see the excited business owner operating a business there for a number of years and not having that opportunity go to somebody who is blind, either as an add-on to their current location and/or as a stand-alone. So, I can tell you I have visited the Public Service Building in Hillsdale. There is a profitable location there that has been there for a number of years. Why you don’t know about it, I’m not sure. Um, I will tell you that also there is a profitable location in the Hillsboro

library that just went out for RFP. I know that you’ve told me that you’re on the [inaudible] list, so I would hope that you would be surveying [inaudible] and different lists like that to make sure that those opportunities become available and all efforts are taken to secure those, as the state statute requires that State Agency provide those opportunities and support remunerative employment for those who are blind. So, when I go into those places, obviously you… certainly you understand and agree with me that it’s concerning to go into those places and see that. And so I’m just… you know, when I reach out, I mean… I reach out, ask a question and nobody responds and then I have to reach out again and ask a question and nobody responds and I mean I’ve asked these questions for probably at least the last three months. So, um, I just would appreciate it if you could answer. If you don’t know, just simply say you don’t know and maybe I can help you get more information, you know, that you can probably use and put in your toolbelt. But there are locations out there that we are missing, um, and I would just encourage the Agency to, you know, do its due diligence and go out there and just, you know, try and secure these for our program and for the other blind vendors, or the blind in Oregon. Thanks for at least attempting to address it.

Miranda: Thank you. Anyone else? [feedback noise] Anyone else? All right, then we’ll move on to New Business: Code of Conduct. So, we’re… this is an action item, we’re going to be voting to pass it. I did provide to everyone, uh, a copy of it along with a reminder of this meeting. So, would anyone like to comment on it at this point?

Hauth: Yeah, um, this is Randy.

Miranda: Yes, Randy?

Hauth: Yeah, I will just share with you guys, um, as timely as I can… several months back a DAS policy came to you for action and consideration. And, reflecting back, the Board was all in favor of doing so, other than Mr. Stevenson. I contacted the Director of DAS and found out that that policy was not even appropriate, could not even be used. So, um, then what happened is… however this was done – I don’t really know all the particulars – but, the policy was tweaked and more to, you know, not be a DAS policy but more tailored for, I guess, licensed blind vendors. So, I will tell you that I have taken, um, the policy and have sent it to Disabilities Rights Oregon and have also contacted the American Civil Liberties Union. Um, the documents that I sent out today are just a small sampling of documents that clearly, I believe, and others do [inaudible] review and identify the possibility of such a Code being used as retaliation to, you know, try and silence people who are critics of the Agency. So, I’ll just share with you that I would certainly… certainly think through and consider that if you do, you know, vote to accept this, uh… this “Code,” obviously it has to go through RSA and, you know, become a policy. But it sure… certainly can be challenged in a lot of levels and I believe there’s already been an amendment to a current complaint to address it. So, you know, are we trying just to shut up people that we believe or the Agency believes are troublemakers? Or are we trying to do something to benefit the program? Think of all the hours, think of all the time, think of all the money that’s going to be spent to battle the challenges that come this way. And, uh, you know, I just share with you, I’d encourage you to really thoughtfully think through this and not just

simply roll along with what Commissioner McQuillan requests or Commissioner Kepler or the Agency supports. So, thank you.

Miranda: Thank you. Anyone else?

Gerlitz: Yeah, Madame Chair?

Kinney: Uh, yes, Madame Chair?

Miranda: Yes, Carole?

Gerlitz: I, uh…

Kinney: I read through the Code of Conduct. Uh, I did read it and I cannot find anything in there that would actually be detrimental to anyone in our program. I believe that all of us should respect and have common courtesy for our fellow managers. And I don’t see anything in there that specifies directly toward one person or the other. It’s for everyone.

Gerlitz: Well, a Code of Conduct comes down from…

Miranda: Thank you.

Gerlitz: [inaudible] or anyway, just not a general thing that people who have disabilities simply be aware of because they would, when they get hired they’ll probably go through these policies [inaudible]. It’s just pretty standard with most state departments in California and that’s all I can speak to.

Miranda: Okay.

Gerlitz: But I kind of agree; I don’t see anything that’s… all we have to do is just behave ourselves and be respectful and I don’t think we have anything to worry about and I’m sure there’ll be an appeals process, but…yeah.

Miranda: Thank you. Any other comments?

[female voice]: [inaudible]

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Okay, well, there a couple of issues that I do want to address, um, that’s actually in the Code of Conduct. Number one: the federal law and our handbook states that the Elected Committee shall actively participate in major administrative and program policy decisions. Now,

in the Code of Conduct it specifically states that the Chair is the only person involved, so I would state that that is a direct violation of the laws and the rules and regulations of our program. Also, I would like to say that Director Morris is put in charge of counseling and to my knowledge, you know, he has a… is he qual… does he have qualifications to actually, um, to… counsel a blind licensed manager who may have some issues. And so, I… I take objection to that. And as a blind licensed manager, with all due respect, Director Morris, if I had a problem and I needed counseling I’m not so sure that you would be the right person for the job. Basically, I think it should be done by a professional and in whatever the problem might be. Thirdly, all these issues are currently handled in the handbook, uh, either for suspension or termination and it is the responsibility of the Agency to work with the blind managers, train them how to act running their business and that is… is their job as the State Licensing Agency. So, it is already covered in the handbook, on training and education. Obviously, a new mana… a person who’s in training should be trained how to handle their employees, how to train their employees. And so, to me, this is just an added something in our handbook that already should be occurring and is the responsibility of the State Licensing Agency. And so, you know, I will say that, uh, the Elected… it’s the Elected Committee’s job to make major administrative decisions and obviously terminating or suspending a blind licensed manager’s license is a major administrative decision and so I can… I can tell you right there that that part of the Code of Conduct is challengeable and… and it would be, I believe, uh, taken out and said, “Hey, you can’t do that.” And so, I would suggest, Chair Miranda, that, again… and I made this suggestion at the last meeting, so we could actually have some open discussions instead of the… just at the meeting. Um, have a committee address this where, you know, we’re getting true active participation and we are really covering the issues and we’re not creating more problems for our program than what it’s worth.

Miranda: Okay, thank you.

A.Stevenson: So, my suggestion is that we address some of those issues and then come back and maybe vote on it. But a lot of this stuff is already the responsibility of the Agency to train the blind licensed managers, to… uh, to train their employees to run their business. And… and… you know, so, if we’re doing what we should be doing anyway there is no need for this Code of Conduct. Um, we’ve already had in place in our bylaws the rules of engagement and… and… and those type of things. And so I would urge my fellow members of the Elected Committee to evaluate the Code of Conduct in the true context of the laws and rules and regulations. And if we want to come up with some rules and regulations in what I consider an incomplete handbook that doesn't really talk about the kind of training that the individuals should have in… in training their employees to give good customer service and confrontation with… with customers who are irate or whatever. But all this stuff is already in the rules and regulations and… and if we’re doing our job and the Agency is doing our job, we don’t need this extra added thing put into our rules and regulations. So I urge each and every one of the Elected Committee to say, “Hey, we gotta adopt… we gotta… First of all we gotta develop rules that, um, absolutely agree with the federal laws and our handbook.” And, as I said, Chair Miranda, um, the Elected Committee should be involved in a major administrative decision like suspension and termination. Thank you.

Miranda: Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak?

[a number of voices at once]

Miranda: Okay, Ken, go ahead.

Gerlitz: I think if you look in the rules too, the administrative rules, you’ll find that the first level of review is the supervisor which should be Eric and so that’s… that’s not an unusual step. And then I’m a little hesitant on what you would mean by a professional. Who would be a professional in your opinion that you’d want to [inaudible].

Jackson: …cannot hear or understand you at all, Ken.

Miranda: Yeah, you’re coming in and out really bad, Ken.

Gerlitz: …sorry.

A.Stevenson: Ken. Am I… am I off mute?

Miranda: Yes.

A.Stevenson: Okay, when I’m talking about an expert, okay, if an individual manager, say, has an anger management problem then it should not be up to our… our Director to counsel a blind licensed manager who has an anger management problem. It should be done by a professional and if you’re going to address issues like that then, you know, you’re just… you’re just kind of looking for problems if you’re, you know, having the Director counsel on… on a problem. And therefore, that’s why I have a problem with the… the rule that says the Director will do the counseling. And that’s why I have a problem with just the Chair when the Elected Committee is supposed to make the major administrative decisions. So I think we need to re-evaluate this, okay? We’re supposed to get, and OCB is obligated to train us in all aspects of running a vending facility. And when… okay? And when we’re not running the vending facility appropriately, they already have the staff, okay, to address the issues. And… and this is just added baggage and if we were doing… if we do what we’re supposed to do, we don’t need this Code of Conduct and… and if we’re gonna… if you’re gonna handle those kind of issues they have to be addressed by a professional, otherwise…

Miranda: Okay, Art, you’re repeating yourself.

A.Stevenson: Okay, so, anyways… I was trying to explain… Ken asked what I meant by a professional.

Miranda: I know. I heard. Yeah. Thank you. Anyone else?

[multiple voices at once]

[male voice]: …hear me?

Colley-Dominique: I think Tessa wants to speak.

D.Stevenson: …Derrick.

Miranda: Derrick?

D.Stevenson: Yeah.

Miranda: Okay, go ahead, Derrick.

[01:07:33]

D.Stevenson: Okay, um, first of all, you know, the idea of a Code of Conduct was first brought up, you know, because we… we had a pretty heated meeting one time and… and a couple Board members and a couple of licensed blind managers started calling each other idiots or stupid or whatever. Well, I’ll be the first to tell you that’s deplorable and that shouldn’t happen. And I think we kind of addressed it ourselves and I don’t believe it’s happened since then and I’m pretty sure it’s… that it won’t happen again. And, like Art said, we went to great lengths when we were writing our rules and regulations to outline the responsibility of being professional business people and stuff. And I don’t think this document needs to address any of that stuff at all and then, um, actually… this is… I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings or embarrass anybody, but this is such an incomplete document you can’t really even make out what it’s… what it’s saying. It’s so vague, I’m not sure… I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m not sure what a level one, a level two, a level three or level four violation is. And, um, this is a fully written document. And I don’t think… if we’re gonna have a Code of Conduct, this one is… is completely incomplete. And it needs to be reworked. And I would think, if we’re gonna do something like this, that we would have it… have a meeting where the stakeholders can actually weigh in and… and participate in, um, what’s being done here. I don’t think that the Commission writing a thing and sending it out is the proper way of… of addressing this, you know? I guess that’s all I say, but I’ve encourage my rep to vote against it.

Gerlitz: Chairwoman?

Miranda: Who’s this?

Gerlitz: Ken.

Miranda: Oh, go ahead, Ken.

Gerlitz: I would much rather go and have Eric’s counsel [inaudible] having some understanding, some blindness. Just as an example, I had to go to get this particular pain medication, I had to go see a psychiatrist, and he had all kinds of credentials and [inaudible due to poor connection].

Anyway, he was so interested in how a blind person ever got through college. [inaudible] and I mean it just stopped everything right there.

Jackson: What are you talking about?

Miranda: He’s talking about that… He’s… he’s saying he has confidence in Director Morris’ counseling, that he has counseled with private counselors that were not familiar with blindness. Correct, Ken?

Gerlitz: Yep. Yep.

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Anyone else? Randy?

Hauth: Chair Miranda? Yeah, I’d just like to weigh in on what Derrick said: the document is extremely poorly written. We’ve had legal analysis done of it. Needless to say, it’s ambiguous. Disabilities Rights Oregon has identified that if and when this Code is implemented it would, uh, be… be interested in evaluating that situation. But, um, you know, if you guys dig deep in your souls and actually understand why are you even here, why should we be out spending this time and energy trying to develop new opportunities instead of trying to silence, you know, critics of the Agency. And let’s not fool anybody, you all know what it’s about, that’s what the document supports. And I have numerous other documents that I will [inaudible] as time allows me to do that also support that. And again, as far as levels and… and the Chair being involved, um, you know, there… there sure shows through history that there could be some bias and animus. And, like, if I were to share with the Commission for the Blind [inaudible] be involved in that? I don’t think so. So, you know, you guys do whatever you want because that’s your choice but I would just encourage that it’s… it’s a poor decision to support such a document. Thank you.

Bird: Jerry Bird.

Miranda: Jerry Bird.

[01:12:15]

Bird: Uh, yeah. First, I want to say that [inaudible] about the Chair getting to do it, I hadn’t thought of it that much, but it, uh, does dawn on me that… that’s wrong because the Chair, as we all know, is a messenger; they make… they fa… they make the meeting. They aren’t… they don’t… they don’t have anybody under them, so the Chair shouldn’t be making any decisions. The Chair takes the decision of the Board and applies it so I just want to make that clear. And the other thing, I really… I agree with the rest of ‘em about it should not be there. That, you know, it sounds like if it was there, even with some of the things said today maybe could’ve embarrassed you or maybe intimidated you, so do we get writ up? You know, if you pass gas you get writ up, you embarrass me, you know. My idea…

Miranda: [laughs]

Bird: [laughs] Ridiculous! …is that, you know, I am a professional. I was trained through this program. I’ve been in the program 28 years. Yes, there’s times I don’t act professional but I am human and I do have feelings and emotions that sometimes take over and we all do and we need to understand that, when that happens and things are said. But when you want to start doing a Code of… of something that… that tells me, in fact I’m kind of embarrassed since we have a guest there that it almost sounds like blind people have to have special codes to keep ‘em under control because a normal sighted business person, you know, they don’t have these special things. I mean, what… what the heck’s wrong with these blind people? They… they gotta have special codes! I mean, no! I’m an adult! I’m a business man, you know? And if there’s things that come up you don’t do well [inaudible] and put in your folder. We got rid of people… lost their license and stuff that they do wrong. They don’t need no code to say if someone if I embarrassed someone. If I join a group that embarrasses someone? I mean this, to me… I’m ashamed of… I mean, I know we’re having problems, but I really think we kept our tones down as much as possible and try to be understanding even though, you know, as we have in the past. So this just burns me up, that we have to, you know, try to do this is a written thing to uh… it’s childish to me. And I’m… I’m embarrassed that… as a blind person that I’m held to different standards as a sighted businessman. So I asked my rep to vote no. Thank you.

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, uh… Art.

A.Stevenson: Okay, I want to address the comments that Ken made. Okay, this has nothing to do with blindness, this has to do with running our businesses. Um, I happen to be a blind… uh, a businessman who happens to be blind, not a blind businessman. And, you know, I’m expected to run my business professionally. The Agency is supposed to train me, and has. Of course, you know, I did take some college that got me all the… some of those things also. But, that is the responsibility and… and, quite frankly, I brought up the business about counseling because, um, Eric is not a counselor, he’s the Director of the Business Enterprise Program. He is not qualified, okay, to… if a manager develops an anger management problem, okay, you know, that’s… that’s what they have professionals for. And things like that happen. And… and so, quite frankly, it does state in our handbook that if the Agency requests that a blind licensed manager seek, uh… a doctor’s counseling or go to a doctor I believe that’s one of the reasons that that’s in our handbook. If they’re having a problem with some of the things that could happen, I will… there was a blind licensed manager who just went through a depression status and… I’m… I sure as heck wouldn’t want our Director counseling any manager if they were going through a depressed state. I would expect them to seek professional advice if there is a medical or physical or whatever problem it is. And so, therefore, you know, I can tell you, and I made this statement, that the current form is wrong and I’m voting against it and I will… I will fight a lot of this stuff all the way. And so we need to sit down as a body, the Elected Committee and the blind licensed managers and if we want to address some of those problems, because I think there should be proper protocol in our handbook to handle those kind of situations then… then,

let’s do it. But this document is a far cry from resolving any of the issues that we’re discussing here. They’re already mostly in the handbook; we just need to perhaps fine tune some areas to discuss possible problems like anger management, like depression, etc. etc. And, quite frankly, Eric is not qualified to talk to… I… I don’t think you have a degree in psychology, do you Eric?

Morris: No, Art, but I’ve counseled a lot of people on a lot of different things but I’m not a qualified psychologist.

A.Stevenson: And well… and so, quite frankly, I mean, seriously speaking, Eric, if you had a person who was suffering from depression and was having problems at… would you really want to have the responsibility of counseling that person and making decisions on suspension or termination or would you want to have the backing of a professional so that you protect our program and the Agency from any kind of litigation and all that kind of stuff?

Morris: Yeah, so obviously, Art, if somebody was under quote a depressed state you’d want them to get professional counseling and guide them through that process. But the part you’re talking about in our current rules about people required to go to a doctor, I’m not finding that in our current rules so maybe… maybe I’m searching for the wrong term, but um…

A.Stevenson: No, it says that you… you have to go to a physician, I don’t know exactly where it’s at, Eric, but examined by a doctor, I’m forgetting the exact terminology but I know it’s in the handbook.

Morris: I… “physician” is coming up. Uh, let’s see… okay, it says, um, this is talking about blindness certification physician…. Anyway, sorry. But, yeah, you’re right, I would… I would, if somebody was depressed or, um, bipolar or something like that obviously I would not be professionally qualified to diagnose nor guide that person. But I have the capability of making a common-sense decision and referring them to that kind of help, that’s… that’s not rocket science. But if it…

A.Stevenson: But that’s not… that’s not what it says in the rules; it says you… you do the counseling. It doesn’t… and… and that’s what makes this document vague and incomplete and if we’re going to make a document…

Morris: [inaudible]

A.Stevenson: Then it needs to…

Morris: …just that one phrase makes it vague and uncomplete?

A.Stevenson: Anyways…

Miranda: Okay, would anyone else like to speak?

[multiple voices at once]

Miranda: Okay, Tessa, go ahead.

Brown: Okay, so…

Gerlitz: …several comments that sounded like…

Miranda: Wait a minute, Ken. Tessa’s talking. Okay, go ahead, Tessa.

Brown: Okay, what I’m hearing from people is on the negative side – which is mostly all I’m hearing – is that we… we don’t want the Agency having more control, we don’t want them having more responsibility, we don’t want them this we don’t want that, but all of this stuff I’m hearing people say is exactly contradicting all the other complaints that I’ve been hearing lately, um, and I’m wondering how to, um… translate all of it. But as far as my professional opinion on the Code of Conduct it is an extra support, in addition to our rules and regulations, and I don’t think that that’s a bad thing. I think that anything that helps us bring more stability and put another belt underneath us holding us up I think is a good thing. So….

Miranda: Thank you, Tessa. Were you done, Tessa?

Smith: Uh, this is… this is Gordon. I’d like to…

Brown: Yes, I am.

Smith: …to speak on this also.

Miranda: Okay, Gordo.

Smith: I… I do think that Eric has the ability to counsel people as far as… as their work-related jobs or concerns. Uh, they are going to a doctor, or should if they have any kind of medical or mental problems, it’s not his job to do that. Uh, and I think that would happen and I don’t think that this Code of Conduct would hurt this program. Not at all.

Miranda: Thank you, Gordo. And then I heard Steve. Steve? [silence] Steve Jackson? [silence] Okay, would anyone else like to speak?

Hauth: Yeah, I’d like to say…

Gerlitz: Yes, I would ‘cause then I gotta head down the road.

Miranda: Okay, go ahead, Kenny.

Gerlitz: Some people think that this Code of Conduct was just for blind people and I just want them to know any major employer would have a Code of Conduct. And so don’t take it personally just because you’re blind. I’ll talk to you later, Lew.

Miranda: Okay, don’t hang up, Kenny. We gotta vote.

Gerlitz: Oh.

Miranda: Okay, anyone else?

Hauth: Yeah, this is Randy.

Miranda: Randy.

Hauth: Yeah, I will just share that, um, Gordon said he doesn’t think this Code of Conduct would hurt the program whatsoever. Well, when someone is going to limit my freedom of speech or potentially hold me harmful for potentially embarrassing the Agency because of their missteps along the way then it is going to hurt our program because I’m going to vigorously address it from bottom to top. Um, also, Eric is not a counselor. He is… he would be liable for any kind of miscounseling and misdiagnosis for… even State employees have the assistant program where they send employees who are suffering from different varying illnesses or depression or abuse, you know, alcohol or drug abuse. They send them out; they’re smart enough to know that they can’t counsel them within house so they send them to a certified, um, psychologist or certified counselor. So, you know, I can already tell you guys are gonna vote this through because that’s, in my opinion, what tends to happen. But I will share with you the harm that it’s gonna cause the Agency as it’s gonna cost a lot of time, it’s gonna cost a lot of money and it’s not… it’s not [inaudible]. So, thank you.

[01:25:18]

Miranda: Okay, we’re gonna move on and I make a motion…

Jackson: Chair… Chairwoman Miranda?

Miranda: There you go. Did you fall off the line? Go ahead, Steve.

Jackson: Yeah, I’m sorry. I did. I just want to say one quick thing is, um, I like the idea of everyone getting along and… and speaking in a professional manner, but I really don’t think it’s necessary to have a separate policy that says that. Like Art and Randy both said, I’m not talking negative about it; it already says what a manager can be terminated for in our rules and regulations and I’d like to know what, you know, what is actually gonna benefit us. Tessa said that no one’s said anything positive, but what is gonna benefit us? It’s gonna cost a lot of money and a lot more meetings. Why do we even need it?

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Jackson: [inaudible] why we need it?

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Randy, er, Art.

A.Stevenson: This is Art. I think Kenny said the key words here, okay? He said, “businesses” or, you know, have… have rules. And that’s the key… the key thing here. We are the managers, we are the… up at the top, at running our businesses. Now I think, okay, and like I said before, we need the proper training to make sure this stuff does not happen in our vending facilities and that is the responsibility of the Agency. And, um, hey, I’m all for training a manager to run… and that’s what they should… and training a manager in how to run their business. Um, and… and Ken even said that businesses do have Code of Conducts, okay? So, if the Elected Committee wants to work and say, “Okay, we need to…” – and we actually talked about this in one of the Rules Committee meetings, is having a handbook, okay, that each blind licensed manager receives on what they should be doing with their employees, how they should be training them, etc. etc. etc. So, uh, Kenny said it right: we are the managers; we are the business people. We are supposed to, under the law, run our… our vending facilities professionally and if we don’t do that then the proper steps need to be handled. This is… this is the way to start having a lot more problems in our program. So, anyways, I’m done.

Miranda: Okay, thank you. And, uh, this is an action item.

D.Stevenson: Madame Chair?

Miranda: Go ahead, Derrick. Derrick?

[multiple voices speaking at once]

D.Stevenson: In closing, I would just… I would just say, like, this… this document as it sits just is not written properly, it’s just poorly written and the way it sits now it’s pretty much unenforceable. So, if we’re… if we’re gonna have one then we need to do it right and stakeholders take part in it and… and write some that everybody can understand. I mean, the… like, most of this stuff is… is just so vague that you can’t really grasp what it says. And if, like I said, we… This first came up, the Code of Conduct, because of behavior during a… a Business Enterprise meeting and if we want to put in our, um… in our program rules and our by-laws, if we want to strengthen what it says about proper behavior and… and maybe, you know, put stuff in there that… that lets a manager know that if he continues he won’t be allowed to attend the meetings or he won’t be allowed to speak at meetings or something. If we want to strengthen our by-laws I think we should do that, but this Code of Conduct just goes way too far.

Hauth: Chair Miranda? I know we’ve been on this a long time but I do have something rather important that I’ll make very brief.

Miranda: Go ahead, Randy.

[01:29:35]

Hauth: Um, so, what I will share with you is, maybe you know maybe you don’t know, there are two current and active open meeting public, uh, violations to the public meetings that are working their way through the court system. They haven’t got anywhere; they’re actually I think soon to be scheduled for hearing. Now, if this sort of conduct is to be part of the rules and regulations and the policy and need to be approved by RSA, how was this Code developed? Was it done in open meetings? Was it done, um, through telephone calls? So I would just ask you all to take that into consideration as well as you move forward to adopt it. Thank you.

Gerlitz: Madame Chair? [silence] Mr. Director, I have a question for you. [silence] You hear me okay?

D.Stevenson: Go ahead. Talk.

Gerlitz: Hey, Eric?

Morris: Yeah, Ken.

Gerlitz: When I went through vocational rehab as a counselor and I did a lot of counseling and I have a minor in psychology, my major was in administration and management. My question is, we had a medical advisor on staff, so once a week we’d go in and staff cases where we had some concerns about our clients and they could do a refill for us [inaudible] necessary or advise us on what to do and I’ve never heard of a medical advisor with the Commission. I think you need one.

[male voice]: [inaudible]… Thanks, Ken.

[silence]

Miranda: Okay, so this is a motion, uh… an action item on the agenda, so I’m gonna go ahead and make a motion to pass it and do I have a second?

Gerlitz: I’ll second.

Miranda: Who’s that?

Gerlitz: Ken.

Miranda: Okay, Ken Gerlitz seconds. I’m gonna do a roll call vote. Uh, Char Mckinzie.

Mckinzie: Yes.

Miranda: Cathy Colley-Dominique?

Colley-Dominique: Yes.

Miranda: Art Stevenson. [silence] Art Stevenson?

A.Stevenson: Am I off mute?

Miranda: Yeah.

A.Stevenson: Am I off mute?

Miranda: Yes.

A.Stevenson: Uh, no, because it violates our current Rules and Regulations.

Miranda: Ken Gerlitz?

Gerlitz: Yeah, I don’t…

[male voice]: No.

Gerlitz: [inaudible], so I’ll say yes.

Miranda: Tessa Brown?

Brown: I vote yes.

[male voice pretending to be a female voice]: No.

Miranda: And I vote yes. Five to one, so it passes.

Jackson: That’s just great.

Smith: Gordo votes yes.

Miranda: Okay, next we are going into DAS, Styrofoam versus paper. And Eric, you have someone there that would like to speak on that?

Morris: Yeah, Madame Chair, I… I apologize for not mentioning this before: Collen Chrisinger with the Department of Revenue had brought this to the Agency and wanted to talk about, um, putting forth a recommendation to DAS to, um, ban Styrofoam products in favor of, you know, more recyclable kind of things and I forgot that she was gonna call in. Colleen, are you still on the line?

Chrisinger: I am still here.

Morris: Excellent. You want to recap kind of what you were talking with me about?

Chrisinger: Sure. And thanks so much, I’m really grateful for the chance to speak to all the managers and… so… so I am an employee at the Department of Revenue in the Revenue Building in Salem and I, um, purchase meals at the cafeteria and, um, I notice that this particular cafeteria uses Styrofoam products and I’m guessing that some of the other locations may also use Styrofoam products. I could be incorrect. But I’ve noticed that many other restaurants in Oregon and elsewhere choose not to use Styrofoam products and I’d be happy to speak about some of those reasons that I think they have chosen that. And, basically, my request as a customer is, I would like the chance to have these take-out containers be paper products rather than Styrofoam products.

Miranda: Could you give us your reasons why?

Chrisinger: Yes, please. I’d like… thank you for that chance. Um, so the environmental concerns are my primary concerns, that Styrofoam is from a non-renewable product, which is from oil. And… and also the other concern is that Styrofoam does not biodegrade or decompose and so it stays intact in landfills and it gets in the oceans and it never disappears? So, birds can eat it and things like that if it’s open in a… in a landfill. And it’s never going to biodegrade the way that a paper product would. So, those two factors of it being a non-renewable source and also that it’s not going to ever disappear. Those are concerning to me and I personally would be willing to pay extra. I know, for example, across the street here sometime I go to the Willamette University cafeteria. They charge twenty five cents for each take-out container and I would… I do regularly pay that. Um, and so, I would be willing to pay that amount of money if there’s an extra cost. And I haven’t done all the cost calculations but, um, I… I understand that the prices are coming down quite rapidly on paper products because there’s so much more demand ‘cause cities like Portland have banned them [Styrofoam products] for many years and, um, other cities and states are banning them. McDonald’s even doesn’t use Styrofoam any more the way they used to. Um, so it’s… it’s pretty unusual these days to see a business that still uses Styrofoam and so, um, I would just… I think it would be… my perspective, it would be a good business decision to follow those procedures as well. So that’s my [bad feedback] …chance to raise that.

Miranda: Okay. Would anyone like to comment on…?

Smith: Uh, this is Gordon in Roseburg. I…

Miranda: Go ahead, Gordon.

Smith: …have a cafeteria and I’m, uh… it’s probably 50% right now and it was very nice to hear you talk about it. I will definitely look at it and consider it for our building. Thank you.

Chrisinger: Thank you! Thank you very much.

A.Stevenson: Co… Madame Chair?

Miranda: Yes, Art?

A.Stevenson: Was it… was it Colleen?

Chrisinger: Yes, my name is Colleen. Chrisinger.

A.Stevenson: Hi Colleen.

Chrisinger: Hi!

A.Stevenson: Used to… I used to run a cafeteria in the Revenue Building. In fact, uh, this very topic came up while I was manager there. And, um, one of the things… and I haven’t been in a cafeteria for a while, and so I’m gonna ask you the question: Back then when, you know, they… Revenue approached me to remove my Styrofoam, you know, it was under that auspice that, hey, you know, it doesn’t biodegrade…

[female voice]: [inaudible]

A.Stevenson: What was that? Anyways, so my understanding is with the refuse in Salem, uh, that kind of stuff is burned, it’s not put into our landfills and in all actuality, okay, paper… I mean Styrofoam does not biodegrade and I agree with you there, but paper also takes a long long time and when you bury it and all that stuff, um, it really doesn’t quote unquote kind of do that. And then also, the… a lot of the paper products are coated with a plastic oil-based kind of thing also and… and so that’s just as harmful for the environment. And so, you know, I… I hear exactly what you’re saying. Uh, when we had this situation, like I said, the Styrofoam and the stuff from my cafeteria when I was there was being burned and when Styrofoam is burned there is very… I don’t know if you’ve ever litten a piece of Styrofoam, there is… there is very little there after it goes through that process. So, do you know, Colleen, does… does Marion County, Salem, uh, does our refuse still get burned at the facility in Woodburn and from what I understand that’s quite a… a environmentally, uh, good… good facility there.

Chrisinger: Okay. I was not aware, um… I have to admit this is something I… I’m… this is not my area of expertise; this is something that’s a little more casual for me so I do not… I do not know. And I guess my concern would be, if you’re burning a plastic you’re burning oil, you’re still

releasing, you know, uh, basically these carbons, um, and I guess I would, you know, most things are releasing carbons when you burn them but I guess I would be a little concerned about the smell and what you’re putting in the air when it’s burning rather than paper.

A.Stevenson: Well, and… and… and, trust me, okay, I know exactly what you’re talking about, talking about the environment and everything and… and this… this particular facility, you know, meets all OSHA standards and all that kind of stuff. And I guess, uh, you know, it’s kind of six of one half a dozen of the other and there’s kind of a lot of fallacies out there, Colleen. I mean, you know, the oil-based stuff that goes on the coating of the paper products is… is just as bad for the environment, um, you know, as the… because, you know, oil does break down and seeps into the groundwater and all that kind of stuff. And so I am empathetic to what you are talking about and I… I… I really, uh, commend you for being concerned. I would encourage you, because I… I actually worked with the building and talked about all these issues and… and when it finally came down to the end, you know, we continued to use the Styrofoam because it actually was, you know, about an equal but the price was a lot cheaper on the manager and stuff like that. So, I… I think we all should be conscious of the environment at work within the laws and rules and regulations and those kinds of things and... and do what we can for the environment. And... and so, thank you very much!

Chrisinger: Yeah! May I add one follow-up then, I guess? My understanding is now they do have these, um, paper… like clamshell containers that are just the paper; they don’t have any plastic components, so they are actually fully compostable. And... and yes, I completely understand we don’t necessarily have composting facilities in Salem either, so I completely understand that there’s sort of no… there’s no sort of perfect situation. I think… I think it’s partially kind of the appearance, and I completely understand that that’s kind of silly. Um, at the same time a lot of other businesses are moving that way and it’s a little bit of a feel-good thing and I… and I…

Smith: Well, it’s a step forward.

Chrisinger: Yeah. I mean, I think it is a step forward and I think it… it just would make me feel better as a customer if I’m… if I’m throwing a paper product rather than an oil-based, you know, plastic product. But, anyway, I just wanted to raise that suggestion and so I really appreciate just listening and hearing that you have looked into this in the past, so thank you for that.

Brown: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Tessa?

Brown: Colleen, it is so good to hear the public coming out and reaching out to us about these topics and it’s a really big topic. A lot of our government buildings are thinking environmentally forward as far as not just in the food service area but, um, and office supplies and things like that, too. My building has switched over to compostable products and I had to sign a contract saying I would use nothing but compostable products for my business, so…

Chrisinger: Oh, wow! Great! Okay.

Brown: Yeah. I can tell you guys from [inaudible], from a cost point of view, on paper it looks really expensive but you… you… as businesspeople you can figure the cost into your prices and the customers, especially the ones who are aware of the environmental effects that’s going on are… are so appreciative that they’ll go above and beyond to come to your shop rather than somewhere else that is, for example, serving products out of Styrofoam or [inaudible] cups. [inaudible]

Bird: Jerry Bird!

Miranda: I don’t think Tessa was done.

Brown: No, that’s all right.

Bird: Oh, sorry.

Brown: That was the gist that I had, sort of, what I had to say.

[01:44:28]

Miranda: Okay, thank you.

Brown: I just wanted to say thank you for calling.

Miranda: Oh, go ahead, Jerry.

Bird: Uh, sorry for breaking [inaudible]. I was just gonna say, I actually kind of… I like her coming and informing us and I also think…. ‘cause that’s customer service, you know? And when you have a bunch in a building that’s filled that way… and, like she said, they’re willing to pay a little extra then, you know, I think we need to be in the forefront, you know, instead of dragging our feet at the very end and we’re forced to do it. Why don’t we do it and… and… and then use that for… say, “Look, I’m the first to do this and I do it because I’m concerned of your guys’s health and the environment,” you know? And I think that… that will go a lot further than just saying, “Hey, I can make a little more money buy, you know, burning the cup.” So, I…

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Bird: …I think we all need to, you know, sometimes customer service and, you know, making these people smile, a little happy goes a long ways. Thanks.

Miranda: I agree. Thank you, Jerry.

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Go ahead, Randy.

Hauth: No, I think it’s a great idea and I loved everything that she said and I think that the cafeterias and cafes should move toward more sustainable… um, even if it’s more expensive doing business, that’s why we’re here – to be an ambassador for our program. So I think that’s good… I mean, I support it wholeheartedly. Thank you very much.

Miranda: Perfect. Uh, anyone else?

Young: Yeah, Chair Miranda, this is Harold.

Miranda: Go ahead, Harold.

Young: Hey, Colleen, I want to thank you too for sharing that with us. I actually have the deli in the Public Service Building on the Capitol Mall just a couple of buildings down from here…

Chrisinger: Oh, super!

Young: …and I use biodegradable to-go’s. I also have some Styrofoam ones that I use; I use maybe one Styrofoam to every four bio. Costwise, the Styrofoam are about ten cents apiece, where the bios are about 35 cents apiece. But I’m gonna gradually start getting into the cups and the other stuff too and… go green, so to speak.

Chrisinger: Okay!

Young: I am a duck… I am a U… a duck fan, so I want to go green anyway.

[laughter]

Chrisinger: Thank you.

Miranda: There you go! [chuckles] Okay! Well, that’s a lot of good, positive input for you, Colleen.

Chrisinger: Yeah! Thank you so much. I really appreciate the consideration and the people who’ve already done it. Um, that’s great.

Smith: Hey, Colleen, now this is Gordon…

Miranda: Now I do know that it is 20… Oh, go ahead, Gordo.

Smith: You… Colleen, you have a very nice speaking voice. It’s pleasant; there’s absolutely no vibration in it. It’s… that is really good.

Chrisinger: Ah, well, thank you. I sure appreciate just being able to learn more about the program and the managers and… understand it’s not easy for businesses to make all these decisions and change operations. So I… I really just appreciate the chance to bring up the idea.

Smith: Thank you.

Young: Thank you.

Morris: Thanks for coming on, Colleen. I’ll… I’ll be in touch.

Chrisinger: Okay! Thank you so much!

Miranda: Thank you, Colleen.

Chrisinger: Okay, I’ll leave the call now. Thank you. Good bye.

Miranda: Thank you.

Chrisinger: Bye bye.

Miranda: Okay, now we’re gonna move on to, uh, committees.

Morris: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes?

D.Stevenson: Are we gonna vote on this?

Morris: Cathy… Cathy Dominique had to catch her ride, so she left about five minutes ago.

Miranda: Okay.

Morris: Just so you know.

Miranda: There’s still five of us, so we have a quorum.

Morris: Yeah.

Miranda: Okay, so we’re going to vote. So, I’d like to make a motion that we move from using Styrofoam to paper products. Do I have a second?

Mckinzie: I second. This is Char.

Smith: I will second that.

Miranda: Char, did you second that?

Mckinzie: Yes, I did.

Miranda: Okay, so I’ll do a roll call vote. Char Mckinzie.

D.Stevenson: I’d like to talk about that.

Miranda: Okay. Go ahead, Derrick.

D.Stevenson: I… I don’t… I don’t want to take away… I think what you’re doing is probably a good thing but I don’t believe that the… that the Board has the power to… to enforce, or force somebody to do something that’s not against the law. I mean, it would only be common sense that… that people would. If you wanted to make a motion that… that we, uh…

Miranda: Support it?

D.Stevenson: Yeah, that we support it. We… we prefer it and encourage it, but I don’t think, um, having one that… that demands it is within the Board’s power.

Miranda: Thank you, Derrick.

Hauth: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yes, Randy?

Hauth: Yeah, I agree with… with Derrick. I think to support it or support the concept of it is a lot different than trying to mandate it. Because I don’t the Board has that ability, you know…

Miranda: Okay, sounds good.

Hauth: …it should be the individual manager that makes that decision because it impacts their profitability.

Smith: I agree with Randy and Derrick on that, also. This is Gordon. I… I didn’t realize that, uh, the vote was to… I don’t know that you said “demand it” but I certainly will start the procedure of weeding this out.

A.Stevenson: Chair Miranda?

Miranda: Yeah, it’s gonna be a process because I have researched it and paper is 20% higher than the Styrofoam, so it’s gonna be a process for people. Uh, go ahead, Art. [silence] Art, did you want to say something?

A.Stevenson: Yeah, am I off mute?

Miranda: Yep.

A.Stevenson: Okay, I would like to make a friendly amendment that we send a email out to all the managers and encourage them to use paper products when possible; that… that we encourage them to use paper products. Just send out an email to all the managers and… and encourage that. Do you accept that?

Miranda: Okay, we have a friendly amendment that we send out an email to the managers encouraging that they use paper versus Styrofoam. Do I have second?

A.Stevenson: Madame Chair?

Brown: I second that.

A.Stevenson: Wait! Wait! Wait! Okay, she… uh, anyways, would you accept… you made the motion, so you need to accept… say that you will accept that first, Madame Chair.

Miranda: Oh, yes, Art, I will accept that friendly amendment.

A.Stevenson: Thank you. Okay.

Miranda: Okay, friendly amendment is that we will send out an email to the managers and encourage them to use paper versus Styrofoam. Do I have a second?

Brown: I second.

Miranda: Okay, we’ll do a roll call to send that out. Char?

Mckinzie: Yes.

Miranda: Cathy? Is gone. Ken?

Gerlitz: Under one condition: I think a big part of the problem is the incineration process [inaudible due to poor connection]… Memorial Hospital [inaudible] recreational therapist and they threw all their [inaudible] anything that was left over. But they had a huge incineration process. But I will say yes on the condition that she doesn’t come after our aluminum beer cans.

[laughter]

Miranda: Okay, Art?

A.Stevenson: Yes.

Miranda: Tessa?

Brown: Yes.

Miranda: Okay, and Lewanda is yes. Okay, so we’ll send out the email…

Brown: Lewanda? I’d like to add something. Um, Eric, is it possible that we can, um, maybe do a little research on this and then do a presentation at our In-service?

Morris: Um, we could, Tessa. What… what part would you want to know more about? Just the product costs and availability? That kind of thing?

Brown: Yeah, what it costs and availability and maybe we could go to a couple of the, um, our on-site locations and do like a survey of the people around in the area and see maybe how important it is to them and would they be, in fact, willing to pay a little bit extra to know that their products are being served through, um, eco-friendly materials?

Morris: Yeah, let me see what we can come up with.

[male voice]: Let’s move on.

Miranda: Okay, so we’re gonna move on to committees. Um… right now, we have three new staff members and I think that we need to give them a chance to see what they can do. Um, however, I do believe that I need to form a committee for the, uh, financial, uh… committee that would come up with the format that would be good, that the manager… you know, with the information that the managers are looking for. So, do I have someone that would be willing to chair that committee?

D.Stevenson: I recommend Randy Hauth, [inaudible] be following it pretty good.

Miranda: Randy, would you accept that?

Hauth: Oh, sure. I’d love to.

Miranda: Right. And then you can pick a couple of managers to work with you on that… and then report back to the Committee as you proceed forward.

Hauth: Yep. You bet.

Miranda: Okay.

D.Stevenson: Now, is there a requirement that a Board member is on that committee, or not?

Miranda: No, it doesn’t have to be Board members.

D.Stevenson: Okay.

Miranda: Okay. So, next meeting is November 7th at our Fall In-service, which will be Saturday and I’ll be working up an agenda. We’ll have elections and, truly, good luck to all of you. And thank you for volunteering to serve on our committee and, uh, we’ll see you November 7th.

D.Stevenson: I’d like to bring up one thing.

Miranda: Okay.

D.Stevenson: That, uh, in the future, if we have guests that we move them to the very front of our agenda instead of making ‘em sit and wait two hours to…

Miranda: Well, it came… it…

Smith: That’s a good point.

Miranda: I didn’t have any idea that she was gonna be here. Eric! [laughs]

Morris: Yeah, that’s totally…

Hauth: It’s kind of rude.

D.Stevenson: I know but, I mean, even if we have to do it on the spot we should just let ‘em say their thing so they don’t have to sit for two hours.

Miranda: Yeah, I agree.

Smith: Well, and they don’t need to hear us air our laundry.

Miranda: Exactly! Yeah, so let’s all keep that in mind…

Morris: Point taken.

Miranda: …meeting. So. Okay, so, November 7th, see you guys all there and, um, good luck with…

Smith: You know… This is Gordon. I just want to say something real quick. Uh, you know, as we went to, uh, paper products and you got two customers, you would be paying for it. I mean, two new customers because you changed to paper.

Miranda: Yeah. I think it’s a good idea.

Smith: Okay. Take care, everybody.

Miranda: All right, this meeting is adjourned. Bye.

[01:55:56]

Transcription: Mark Riesmeyer