AADB December Questions from the Members on the AADB-L Answers

Jill Gaus and Elizabeth Spiers:

Question: I am pleased Elizabeth Spiers joined the board a few months ago, and this is NOT a complaint. But I do wonder at a potential conflict of interest as she was previously on the paid staff which was laid off.

Answers:

Jill Gaus: When I was appointed as President by the board at the Symposium, I knew we had to find deaf-blind people to join the board of directors who not only knew, but understood AADB inside and out. When I approached the board, everyone was in favor of having Elizabeth join the Board of Directors because of her experience with AADB.

Elizabeth Spiers: Thanks for expressing your thoughts and concerns about my being a board member of AADB when I was a former staff person. I was one of the members who expressed concern about AADB's financial situation during one of the symposium business meetings. When I was asked to become a board member, I accepted because I felt that I needed to help AADB resolve this issue. I don't see this as a conflict of interest. I previously served on the board of a non profit organization where I was a staff member years before. I did not experience a conflict of interest in that situation. My position at AADB is similar. If I had resigned from AADB to accept another job and became a board member later, that would not be seen as a conflict of interest either. I hope that answers your question. Thanks for your support!

Service to the Deaf-Blind Community: I am presently Chair of the SSP committee. My committee is now gathering information (see elsewhere in the report) on how SSPs are trained and certified. We are looking at ways that SSPs can be recognized as professionals (much the same way that sign language interpreters are), and how they can receive standardized training through AADB. This will hopefully increase the public's knowledge of SSPs and eventually increase the number of SSPs available to deaf-blind people around the country. I estimate that I spend an average of 2 to 10 hours each week (depending on what we need to do). I also work with deaf-blind people in my full-time job. I assess their needs in the areas of communication and independent living. I assist them in getting technology that assist them in their daily lives. Examples are hearing aids phones, and assistive devices that help them communicate with others more easily, and alerting devices for their homes and businesses that will alert them to a fire alarm going off, or a phone or doorbell ringing. I also provide them with additional resources in their area, such as their local deaf-blind associations or information on available transportation.

Mike Reese:

Question: How much money is restricted fund?

Answer: Estimated about $20,000 in total by the end of the year.

Question: What is the cash flow of the budget?

Answer: More is going out than in at this time. Good news is that AADB received a $10,000 donation and some donations are coming in from the email campaign to the donors. Also we are getting inquires about where to donate via email.

Question: Why is the Treasurer or someone not using QuickBooks for financial reports?

Answer: I do not have access to QuickBooks because

1. Outdated software,

2. expired/invalid password was provided to me, and

3. it is very expensive to purchase another install CD, one that AADB cannot afford to purchase at this time.

Lynn Jansen, as chair of the office committee, and our bookkeeper are using QuickBooks to keep track of income and expenses.

Jill Gaus:

Question: I personally am the recipient of board and executive committee people (more than one—and not Elizabeth who I just wrote about) breaking confidentiality and privately telling me things they should not be sharing. This has lowered my trust level even further. What steps are being taken to emphasize the importance of confidentiality?

Answer: Whenever we have a new board member, he or she is always asked to sign a confidentiality form, which outlines the types of information that is to be kept confidential, and the ramifications a breach of confidentiality brings upon said member as well as the board itself. We have had training sessions, as well as Howard Rosenblum's workshop last June, to cover this important topic. The Law Committee is working on a new form and we will be working on a new policy as to what to do when confidentiality is “broken”. I am hoping to have this completed by the end of Jan, 2012.

Maricar Marquez:

Question: Since the by-laws state that by-laws may only be changed by the general membership AT A CONFERENCE, wouldn't it be breaking the by-laws to attempt another method without the general membership AT A CONFERENCE/SYMPOSIUM? How would you justify this under the by-laws? There's no provision for what's happened.

Answer: A subcommittee will be set up to focus mainly on this issue but there has been a lot of discussion within the Law Committee regarding your question.

Mark Gasaway:

Question: Who is current moderator (and if co-moderator, who?) of the AADB-L list?

Answer: Moderator - Mark Gasaway. Darran Zenger was co-moderator but had resigned in the summer. Before he resigned, he asked for interested people to replace him but no one answered.

Question: Why is flaming and swearing still being allowed? AADB-L remains the ONLY moderated list I know of that allows such emails to be posted and the posters just continue.

Answer: AADB-L DOES NOT allow flaming and swearing. The posters of such messages can post at any time just like everyone else. When moderator sees such messages, action is taken to the poster in private.

Board Duties:

Question: Other than making improvement within the board and the day to day operation, what has AADB done that benefit or help the DB people directly?

Jill Gaus:

I have been working on AADB in various ways. I use the computer daily, even on weekends. Whether it is via instant messages, board emails, board discussions, videophone calls, emails from individual DB concerning a broad range of questions, I work through them or delegate whenever appropriate to others to answer. I was trying to help a young db woman find a home, talked to a mother whose child is totally deaf-blind, and answered questions from students in various ITP classes needing information for reports, etc. Also working on ways to gets donations but researching, making contacts whether it is phone, emails or letters. I have talked about AADB at many workshops. I have met with several individuals who are providers of blind/deaf/deaf-blind services and products, in attempts to network and collaborate with each other.

Karyn Campbell:

In the past year, I’ve helped by working with others on a letter to the National Library Service for the Blind (NLS) regarding accessibility of their talking book program. There was a response received and further work needs to be done. There has also been a letter on Video Relay Services (VRS) issues with more work needing to be done here.

AADB also, in partnership with organizations such as the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and others, sent in comments on the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution program (NDBEDP).

Mike Reese:

All I can say is that we are actively working on ways to promote awareness of the DB community by way of fundraising and collaboration with other groups.

Scott Davert:

As you have not set a specific time frame in which you have asked what I've done, I'll summarize what I'm doing outside of my duties as a board member. However, I'd like to also see some members respond as to what they've done to help the deaf-blind community. I'm currently working on a couple of different articles related to deaf-blind technology to further educate the public on issues related to technology. One is related to face to face communications options, and the other is one specifically having to do with the accessibility of the top news apps that the mainstream population uses for their Apple devices.

I have also made one trip to Baltimore and have started a dialogue with the National Federation of the Blind to help AADB and the issues the deaf-blind community face. I presented to the International Braille and Technology Center about access issues with Braille and displays and also further opening their eyes to the NLS issue that AADB has been facing. Further, both NFB and ACB have put their support behind a bill that will eliminate the ability for employers to pay below minimum wage to workers with disabilities. I'm trying to get the board to AADB to endorse this in part because I feel we should, and also partially because I think we need to reach out and work with other organizations on projects such as this. I have sent the info to the board, and will post it to AADB-L soon.

Also, I'm going back to Baltimore for 2 seminars in December. One is on the publishing of eBooks, and the other related to voting accessibility. I plan to stress the point that many deaf-blind individuals do not have the right to privacy when it comes to voting and stressing how more places need to get funding for SSP's and other alternative way for deaf-blind people to vote freely.

Kacie Weldy:

My job as committee co-chair for the MMC has kept me very busy with trying to sort out and make use of the information that is held within Common Grounds and Convio so that we can keep the membership informed. Since my involvement with this committee, I have spent many hours in learning the system and its capabilities so that I may be able to compile, format, and distribute information to the membership in a timely manner. My ultimate goal is to get to a point that I am not working on administrative functions and to get to where my time is spent in researching information, new technologies, legislation, and various items that would be of interest to keep the DB community informed and knowledgeable of the things that can affect their day to day livelihoods.

Question: Since AADB board has taken over the day to day operation, how much time each board member is spending toward serving the DB community? This question is referring directly to serving the DB community and not about revamping the AADB board structure.

Jill Gaus: I am working on AADB on a full time basis, averaging about 40-50 hours a week, including weekends.

Karyn Campbell: That’s hard to say as I don’t keep a time sheet detailing everything I do and I’m active at both the national and state level.

Mike Reese: I spend on average about 2 hours per day during the week because of work, and it's usually spread out during free moments throughout the day. On weekends, I spend up to about 8 hours performing my duties.

Debby Lieberman: As secretary, my responsibilities require me to focus on day to day operation - keeping track of correspondence, processing mail, keeping meeting minutes, providing requested information in accessible formats, etc. With no office staff to run programs and with all board members serving as part-time volunteers, AADB's ability to provide direct services to deaf-blind people is severely limited. At this time, the board's main focus is on AADB's financial strength. However, we do, as a group, serve the deaf-blind community indirectly by participating in advocacy issues, by providing a forum for deaf-blind people to express ideas for changes needed so deaf-blind people can participate equally in society, and, through participation on AADB committees members can help AADB achieve its goals.

Scott Davert:

I don't count the amount of hours I spend on a weekly basis, but I'm
sure it's well over 10. This does not include my time working at HKNC.

Lynn Jansen:

I would say I spend a good 40 hours a week. This is mostly on the day to day operations of the office. My main goal for this month is to get everything ready for QuickBooks so we can close this for the year when we are in the office during the month of January.

Kacie Weldy:

Since my joining as committee chair- I have been averaging around 30-40 hours a week working on AADB stuff. While I cannot say this directly impacts the DB community, the work I have been doing for AADB has included updating and continuing to update the website, sending out newsletters/email campaigns, working through day to day issues members have present to the Executive committees in regards to utilizing the website, updating the information/forms that are automatically distributed and used within Convio. I also personally distribute information about Deaf-Blind, such as articles, and so forth to the various networks I am involved in to enhance awareness about Deaf-Blindness.

Lynn Jansen

Question: Was the reimbursement of Symposium SSPs' meals dropped? Were there final statistics on this? Exact number of SSPs who responded to Lynn J's email? Exact percentage of THAT number? So we know how many didn't even respond for whatever reason. (No, I'm not letting that issue die.)

From Jill Gaus: This question was submitted to Lynn with no answer. Darran Zenger and Rene Pellerin had a challenge of who could raise the most funds to help pay for SSPs from the Symposium. This challenge is being continued so that we can pay our SSPs.

Jill Gaus

Question: How is "office" conducted via cyberspace?

Answer: We have board members taking on duties of the “cyberspace office", we as the board is taking emails, phone calls, VP calls. All mail is sent to Debby and she will send to the appropriate entity. All banking is online, recording donations and grants, generating thank-you letters to donors, collaborating with other entities in the advocacy arena.

Debby Lieberman

Question: How many AADB members are there?

Answer: At this time we do not have an accurate number of members. With all memberships being renewed by January 31, 2012 we will be able to answer this in early February.

Membership renewal notices will be going out to all members in the next few days. AADB has changed membership renewal dates. Beginning in January 2012, all memberships will expire on January 31st. If you renewed your membership after July 1, 2011, your membership is good for 2012. And, of course, if you are a lifetime member your membership never expires! For all others – membership needs to be renewed by January 31, 2012. If for some reason you don’t receive your renewal form within the next few weeks please contact Secretary Debby Lieberman at debbyaadb@mindspring.com or 505-259-4991 (v).

Jill Gaus

Question: Has the extra office space been subleased?

Answer: No but right now we have an interested party and the landlord is negotiating with this interested party.

Question: I might have missed the announcement, but who has taken Darran's place as the board member?

Answer: Kacie Weldy. But we do have one more position open for a seat on the AADB Board of Directors. If anyone is interested please contact me at jagaus@sbcglobal.net.