ICOIL Audio: June 14, 2006 - The Beginning of a New Council

Prior to this meeting lack of membership kept the council from acting officially.

1. Note at the beginning of this recording Chair Jodi James asks people to speak clearly into the microphone and there is a discussion regarding the sound system. Jodi has already been made aware that a council member with hearing loss is going to have trouble because the council has not provided the audio-loop she had repeatedly requested the council obtain as an accommodation. As you will hear even with this sometimes this council member has to ask for people to repeat things.
2. Also, I would like to point out that Teresa Torres, showed a considerable effort to try and work with this council. It was her that suggested a solution that would allow the council to actually be able to conduct business and get something done, though it was noted that in doing so that it would be essential that accurate minutes be maintained which noted who voted and made specific motions. Also in the interest of allowing the council to be able to get business done she was the one who suggested to waving of the approval of the minutes. Though it was noted that it would be important to have be more accurate, clarity, and substance in the minutes.

Indiana Council On Independent Living
Minutes for meeting June 14, 2006
Meeting held at Indiana Government Center South
Minutes Prepared by: Ramona Harvey – ICOIL Secretary

Attendance: Emas Bennett, Keith Coros, Beth Crain, Danny Grissom, Dee Ann Hart, Ramona Harvey, Jodi James, Melissa Madill, Teresa Mager, Richard Simers, Pat Stewart, Al Tolbert, Teresa Torres

Ex Officio Members: Carol Baker (FSSA), Lisa Coffman (Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority) Member Representative: Sue Beecher representing Tom Gallagher (IPAS)

Meeting called to order by Jodi James at 1 pm est. time.

Announcements: Some of the new members had not received their appointment letter in the mail, but Jodi had contacted the governor’s office and requested those letters be faxed. The meeting would continue the council would just not vote on anything until those letters were received.

Council members and audience were instructed to sign respective attendance sheets. Jodi James also reminded everyone to speak into a microphone when talking so that everyone can hear.

Introductions: Council Members went around the table and introduced themselves.

Jodi James was asked to clarify the announcement she made about the membership letters. She clarified that she has been notified by Jon Vanator from the governor’s office of the newly appointed members, but the members have not received the letters. The question being are they approved and can they vote. Jodi called and requested that Jon fax the letters or something official to Nancy Young.

Teresa Torres made a motion: That for a specific period of time, today’s meeting, given that Jodi has been notified of the appointments and the council has a lot of work to be done, that the council waive any policies that written notification be given before voting and go ahead and recognize those members which Jodi has received notification for that they are voting members.

Richard Simers: Seconded

Teresa Torres clarified that her motion would also require the council to keep accurate voting records in case later it was determined that Jodi was misinformed.

Motion Carried by unanimous vote.

Agenda approval
After confirming with the chair that under old business specific concerns could be raised Teresa Torres made a motion to approve the agenda

Motion was seconded [could not hear name of individual]

Agenda was passed by unanimous vote

Approval of last months May 10th minutes.

Jodi James: “Teresa Torres, I received your e-mail regarding incorrect statements made in the minutes do you want those to go into the…”

Teresa Torres: “Well, actually, to be perfectly honest we got so much important business to address, I have a number of concerns with the minutes, I have a number of concerns, but I would recommend that rather then going into that today, though it certainly would be lovely to approve the minutes…. At this point in time, just to go through and say several things were said without saying what they were, and then sometimes saying what they were…so I would motion that we wave to approve the minutes.

Teresa Torres was asked to clarify why she wanted to waive approval of the minutes

Teresa Torres explained that there is a lot of misinformation and that she had been misquoted. There minutes need to be more specific instead of just saying several things are said.

Someone clarified, “So basically, what you are also saying is that there is obviously a source document”

Teresa Torres explained that there was and that she would be glad to send that information to Jodi, but the minutes needed to contain more substance.

Jodi James agreed that if Teresa would send her the tapes she would be glad to make another draft of the minutes if the council would give their approval.

Dee Ann expressed that she could understand why someone might just say that there were several comments, or several suggestions in order to shorten the minutes when the same thing is being said multiple times. She said, “Trying to be a precise as possible in the minutes is great, and that, but I do believe they need to be clear.” She agreed that the minutes needed to have more substance.

Jodi James asks for a second for Teresa’s motion to table the approval of the minutes until the July meeting.

Ramona Harvey Seconded

Motion carried by unanimous vote.

To download a complete copy of the officially approved minutes visit the Secretary's Chronicles Documents page