DBS Quarterly Stakeholders Meeting Conference Call
January 8, 2009

Members present:  Joyce Hildreth, Debbie Grubbs, Dwight Sayer, Robert Kelly, Kathy Davis and Gene Newcomb

Meeting called to order by the Director of Division of Blind Services, Joyce Hildreth.

Joyce welcomed everyone to speak openly and indentify their interest in advocating and speaking on issues or concerns focused for the upcoming year.  Joyce said, “We are committed at the Division of Blind Services to do whatever we can to provide services to our clients.  Let me introduce you to my staff:  Stephanie Wilson, Kurt Ponchak, Michael Elliott, Ed Hudson and Gene Newcomb.  Gene Newcomb will be facilitating these meetings.”

Gene Newcomb began meeting with the first agenda item.

Review of Consumer Conference Call Procedures

Gene read the Consumer Conference Call general agreements of participation.  He asked if there were any questions or comments regarding the conference call agreements.

  • Debbie Grubbs said, “This is more than fair.  I feel we need a moderator, we made a good choice.”
  • Joyce asked if there were any other comments or additions.
  • Robert Kelly expressed his support of the guidelines we are using.

Update on 2009 FL Vision Summit by Bill Hebrock

Bill Hebrock asked consumer groups to encourage as many as possible to attend the summit. He said, “We have not disseminated an agenda as it is in draft form.  A press release announcement is being prepared with the details of the agenda.”

Lee Nasehi, President of Lighthouse Central Florida, along with others created a license plate fund raising to benefit the Division of Blind Services.  The Vision Caucus works with the Florida Legislature discussing vision issues.  The legislature recently held a vision caucus in the chambers of the Florida Senate.  The Summit was broadcasted two or three times during the year which increased public awareness.

Bill asked, “Are there any questions?”

  • Robert Miller asked if specialty tags benefited the CRPs.
  • Bill Hebrock noted that Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB) raised $115,000. $60,000 was for fees to produce the initial run.  $15,000 was for marketing and financial planning analysis; $10,000 is for general revenue.  By statute $25.00 per plate.  FAASB has sold over 3,000. Gross revenue after $75,000.  FAASB not yet recovered but has 3 years to recoup.  Because the first plate sold at $27.00, $25 to FAASB.

There are 30 members in the Vision Caucus.  The Chairman of the Vision Caucus is Representative Kurt Kelly.  He is traveling around the state visiting state agencies.  Please invite him to come to your agency for an event. 

  • Kathy Davis asked if was appropriate to encourage legislators to join the Vision Caucus.
  • Bill said there were no requirements for membership.  He said if legislators were interested they could join.  Please, send letters to your representatives asking them to join the Vision Caucus.  Any member of the caucus can call a meeting.

Bill said that the agenda for the Vision Summit will be sent to Joyce’s office for distribution.  He said, “Encourage your congressmen to participate.  We will be covering vision issues, such as blind babies, school aged children and age related blindness.  Your absence would be highly noticeable if you were not there.”

Update on Special Session – status of impact on DBS

Kurt Ponchak said, “The special session began on January 5th.  At the end of the fiscal year, we did not release 100 percent of the budget.  DBS held back one percent in state general revenue (GR).  The legislature is working on plans to reduce all state agencies budget.  Currently, the Division of Blind Services has $239,148 reduction in state general revenue. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will vote on the appropriation bill for the senate.  The house approved their bill yesterday.

The dollar amount that impacts services is equal to about three and half positions.  We planned for this event. We will not reduce to the point that it will impact the delivery of services.  The House provided the language in the bill to protect the business enterprise program.  Hopefully around May 31, 2009, we can use any encumbrance for any program.

  • Representative Kelly asked if the $239,148 is the number that is over and above schedule.
  • Kurt Ponchak responded that the reduction of non match funds is based on the Schedule V report.  The $239,148 is 1.78 percent reduction from non match funding.
  • Kathy Davis wanted to know what particular services are going to be cut.
  • Kurt Ponchak noted that DBS was calculating the numbers for reduction in contract and case service dollars. 
  • Joyce added that DBS is working under the one percent hold back and is being proactive, cutting wherever possible.   We are shifting from one area to another minimizing any impact on our services.  The Management team would take a look at expenditures, fund shifting, using other federal resources such as social reimbursement.

Joyce introduced Representative Kelly to the group   He stated they held all Federal dollars harmless as a whole.   Division of Blind Services area got cut only 1.6 percent.

Representative Kelly referred to some of the things which would affect DBS future. Line item-- blind babies issue and services for audio book dollars had been reduced.  Educating the legislature is a good thing.  It brings a strong recognition to the services.

  • Carlos Monserate asked if there was a report detailing what services will be affected.
  • Kurt Ponchak stated that DBS was not doing this in a report form.  He was using the conference report for review. As it exists today, with the dollars remaining, the CRPs and Client Services might receive a minor reduction to balance their budget.  Client Services is making sure the clients are served.  DBS has held back four percent in anticipation of a budget crisis.
  • Robert Miller asked if the four percent that was held back affecting DBS’s federal dollars.
  • Kurt Ponchak responded that part of the funds were match money.  Money came through not surplus.  He said, “We are taking steps to reduce administrative and overhead spending.  We don’t anticipate mass spending at the end of the year.”

Gene Newcomb

Gene Newcomb said the floor was open.  No one responded.  So he noted that DBS would send out the announcement for the next conference call.

Joyce thanked everyone for their participation in the first meeting dedicating it to protocol. She encouraged participates to send any agenda items that they would like to discuss at the next conference call to Gene Newcomb.

Conference call ended at 10:25 AM.