FLORIDA COORDINATING COUNCIL
FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
Quarterly Meeting
Bonita Springs, Florida
Friday, November 8, 2019 
8:00 a.m. ET 

Onsite CART Captioning provided by
Lisa B. Johnston, RMR, CRR, CRC
www.providingcart.com 

** This is a rough‑draft text file that was produced by a CART Captioner (Communication Access Realtime Translation) to ensure effective communication for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.  This file is not a certified, verbatim record, and it should not be quoted as such; nor should this file be distributed without appropriate authorization by this CART Captioner.  **

* * * * *

>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  We need our AV guy. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  He is here; someone needed another mic and he ran out to get a mic. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  Let's wait.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  He was here a second ago and he ran out. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  No problem.  We're going to wait until he comes back because we want to make sure everyone can hear us.
And I'm going to let everyone know that my voice is cracking, you know, whatever this is.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Too many scallops. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Too many expensive scallops!  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Well, whatever it is... 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  He's back.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Hey, two minutes late!  
[Laughter]. 
>> TECH SUPPORT:  I promise I was early!  
[Pause]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Good morning. 
[Background noise on telephone]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Good morning.  Who's on the call?
[No response]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  It says someone's on the call, but....
Good morning, Darlene, are you on the call?
[No response]. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene, I am on the call.  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Good morning.  This is Karen Goldberg, I'm the Chair for the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  I'm calling the meeting to order.
It is a few minutes after 8:00 a.m.  And we'll go around and we'll do roll call.  Karen Goldberg, representing HLAA.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Good morning, this is Gina Halliburton representing Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Good morning, this is Debbe Hagner representing HLAA.  
>> MARY HODGES:  Good morning, this is Mary Hodges representing the Department of Elder Affairs.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Good morning, everyone, Cindy Simon representing audiologists.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning, this is Tiffany Baylor, coordinator for the Council.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Good morning, this is Glenna Ashton representing the Florida Association of the Deaf.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Good morning, everyone, this is Chris Littlewood from the Association of Late‑Deafened Adults.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Debra Knox representing A.G. Bell Florida.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Shay Chapman, bureau chief for Family Health Services at the Florida Department of Health.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Is there anybody on the phone?
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene, I am on the phone.  I serve on the Council as an individual who is deaf‑blind.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Good morning, and welcome.
I would also like to say good morning to our interpreters, Rebekah Barkowitz, Rebecca Blitch, Roger Horne, Sharon King.  
And our CART Provider, Lisa Johnston.  
AV support, Netsa Rodriguez.
A few housekeeping things:  Your WiFi connection is Hyatt, password is Hyatt2019.  Restrooms are out the door and to the right.
We would like to welcome all of our visitors as well on the phone, in the chat line, and in the room.
My voice is a little bit scratchy, so I'm going to turn over the rest to Gina.  Thank you.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Good morning.  Next on the agenda item, we're going to review the upcoming meeting events and locations.  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning.  The most upcoming thing right now would be the next meeting, which will be February 6‑7 ‑‑ well, 6 we arrive and 7‑8 is the date of the meeting, and it will be at Spring Hill Suites in Tallahassee.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Well, actually the hotel location will be Springwood.  If you all are amenable, we will still have the meeting at the Department of Health where we've always met at the conference center. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  It's Spring Hill?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Spring Hill. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany, those dates, yesterday I thought we said February 4th for the Rally to Tally and 5th and 6th for the meeting, is that correct?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Because we had not solidified the dates of the Rally to Tally, I'm fitting to add that in the statement, but the 7th and 8th is the date of the next quarterly council meeting.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  This is Debbe.  You said Spring Hill, there's a town called Spring Hill.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Oh.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  It's a hotel.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  It's the name of the hotel, Spring Hill Suites on Appalachia Parkway in Tallahassee, but the actual meeting itself will be held at the Betty Easley Center.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Please make a decision if you plan to come to the rally early no later than January 1, but possibly in December, so they can look at what the budget will allow, and so that Tiffany can add on an extra day for those that have to stay overnight.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Absolutely.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I would also say if we could decide today on meeting location for the meeting after the February meeting so that we can go ahead and get a hotel secured for that.  The earlier, the better.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Shay, I would suggest that at least, I think Glenna, can I speak for you?  That you may want to find out about flights for us, because I don't think either of us are going to attempt that drive. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy, do you mean for Tallahassee?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yeah, but even if I didn't come a day early, we would still need to okay the flights.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We'll get the flights approved, but it's an extra step.  The department is mandated to support the Council and support the meeting, so I don't think there's any way they can disapprove it, but it's a step.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I want you to know to get the approval now ‑‑ 
[Talking over one another]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We'll start until we get back. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  ‑‑ January so you don't have to worry about it, one more thing off your head. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, we'll look into the flights so you can get a better deal.  Maybe.  It's Tallahassee. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  It's Tallahassee!  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Do we have the dates?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  One more time, I'm sorry.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I was saying go ahead, Tiffany, you were looking at dates after February.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes, can I just say this right quick at this meeting that is in February.  Reservations must be received on or before January 22nd, so I'm going to be sending out reminders and things, but it's just imperative that we make the reservations in time so that we can all get the same agreed‑upon rate in the contract.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  And the next meeting that I have we discussed was May 7‑8.  Has that changed?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I don't know if the dates were actually solidified for the May 7‑8.  What day of the week?  It has to be most likely ‑‑ 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  It's a Thursday and Friday.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay, that would... 
[Pause]. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes.  So did we come up with a location?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  This is Karen, I'd like for us to think about where we have not been, to make sure that we're representing all areas.
Now, we went ‑‑ I think, as I recall, we went to Palm Beach was the furthest south.  Do we want to talk about going further south, into the middle of maybe the Keys?  I don't know.  Is that accessible for ‑‑ I don't know what the Deaf community is like down there.  Have we done that?  I have not done that.  Like, I don't know all the names of the islands or the spots, but, like, there's Marathon, I think, and what is the one right in the middle?  I know there's Key West and then there's Florida ‑‑ 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Key Largo. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yes, Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I was going to say, regarding the Keys, I don't think we've ever been there.  Pretty much for travel, the only place that would make sense would be Key West, because traveling in and out of there by plane, it's like a ‑‑ because it's, like, a five hour drive just from Miami.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  When we discussed this before, wasn't it said that there's not a large population of Deaf in the Keys?  Isn't that why we didn't do it last time?  Go ahead, Chris.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I don't know that that's true.  I think there is a significant deaf and hard‑of‑hearing population in the Keys.
In addition, Rosie that used to be on the Council as a parent of a child, she is in the Keys and there may be a lot of information regarding even after Hurricane Irma, how it affected people with disabilities and people who are deaf and hard of hearing in the Keys.
So because we've never been there, it would be a good idea.  But I realize the expense and the expense to the State and everything, but I don't know if it's cost prohibitive. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Key West has become really, really expensive and it's really hard to find parking and I don't know if we could find a hotel big enough where they can take us.
I would suggest South Broward County, like Hollywood or ‑‑ and that way Miami and Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach can come.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  It is easy, we've had a few meetings in Hollywood and the hotels for the airport are right there on the main highway.  It's usually off 95 and Sterling is where we meet.
I will tell you on the last couple meetings, it was a little bit disappointing at how little of the... uh... deaf and hard‑of‑hearing population had actually ‑‑ one meeting we were packed and the next meeting nobody showed up.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  The one time ‑‑ this is Glenna ‑‑ the one time we had a meeting it was in a terrible location that was really hard to get to.  The location that's easy to get to right off of 95 would make a big difference.
This time in a Miami area or close to Miami, we can get the help of John Paul to help get people to come and I could help to try to get some people to come too.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  This is Debra.  Is there a reason maybe not to hold it in Miami rather than ‑‑ because I don't know that that has been since I've been on the Council that it's been in Miami. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  So the last time they did Miami, which unfortunately I missed because my son was graduating at the time [chuckles] in my own home area, one time we had it at the airport, which was not an easy location to get to, but we did ‑‑ or was it the ‑‑ maybe it wasn't this meeting, but it was the other one that we were doing when we were going over... but... for DCF.
However, that being said, the last time this Council had a meeting, they had the hotel in one place and they used a DCF office in the middle of nowhere that was almost impossible to get to, and I wouldn't want to go to, so be very careful when you do it.
Miami does have a fair amount of public transportation.  And if you were doing it south along U.S. 1, there is public transportation to the hotels there.  There's a Holiday Inn and I don't know if they have meeting space.
The other area to look at might be Aventura if you want to look in Miami, it's close enough to the borderline of Broward County close to Hollywood.  But still in Miami and Aventura also has public transportation by buses that you can get to.
Again, if you're doing it in the Hollywood area, the airport hotels are right off of 95 and easy access.  There's two of them.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Karen and then Glenna.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  So I wanted to say a couple things.  One of my thoughts about the Keys is that I don't want to exclude anyone.  And it is a five‑hour commute if somebody lives in Key West to get to the nearest meeting if we do it in, like ‑‑ oh, it's three hours?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  To Miami. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, still that's a drive, right?  So I didn't want to exclude anyone.  But I can appreciate that there is a larger deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community in the Miami/Broward, that area.
So, I was wondering if we can think outside the box to ‑‑ so people don't have to commute.  Now, we always do the phone.  But sometimes people are very visual and they want to see what's happening.
Is there a way to include a GoToMeeting or a Zoom access to the meeting so people actually feel like they're in the room without having to drive three to five hours?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna and then Debra.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  What about Tampa?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  We're on the west side now.  Maybe a different area.  And then Tampa the third.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Oh. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I want to alternate.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I forgot what I was going to say... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Karen, go ahead.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Debra forfeits her turn. 
[Laughter]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was thinking maybe, like, Lakeland?  There's a quite a bit of community of deaf and hard of hearing there.  We can go further north, not past Ocala, past The Villages, further north in the middle up there.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Have we been to The Villages?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  No, further north of the villages.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  We were just recently in Ocala, which is pretty close to there.  So... I mean, there are other locations that we haven't been to as recently.
The other thing I wanted to point out, just to mention it, is the fact that we mentioned the dates of the May meeting and the February meeting.  And for the May meeting, you said I believe the 7th and 8th.  The bylaws state we're supposed to do the second and third Friday of the month which would be the 14th and 15th.  I like that better only because the governor's hurricane conference is the week of the 14th and 15th.
But in keeping with the bylaws, that's never been carved in stone but we don't want to get away from that, unless we want to change the bylaws.  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I misunderstood.  Get away from what?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  We are not scheduling the meetings on the second Thursday and Friday of the month.
We said that the February meeting would be on the 6th and 7th.  That's the first Thursday and Friday of the month.
And we said that the May meeting would be the 7th and 8th.  That is also the first Thursday and Friday of the month.
They both should be the next week.
Again, it's never been carved in stone.  I'm just pointing out what the bylaws state when we're supposed to have our meeting.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  So Chris is correct, it is the second Thursday and Friday.
We made an exception for this meeting for some reason, we did it on purpose that way, having to do with the day.
But the tradition ‑‑ it is supposed to be the second and third.
If something goes on, we have changed it after ‑‑ actually, Chris, I prefer the second one for May, but I'll deal with the first, if that lets you in.
I was also going to say, if you were looking at Miami and you wanted to bring in, without going outrageous, again, if you did it, say, in Kendall, which does have access by the metro rail for those in Miami coming down, it's also closer from the Keys to those coming up and they may have public transportation, and that may be a good compromise.  There's a really nice Marriott that's across the street from a big small; there's a lot of area for people to walk out, be able to do stuff over there.
So, Kendall close to U.S. 1 and Kendall Drive just a little bit west of that is a good area to hold it with accessibility for individuals who want people to be able to come there.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I would agree with Cindy on that area.  And I think that was going to be a comment I was going to make last time and I couldn't remember, is that maybe further south in Miami would then allow some access and the transportation that's available, public transportation is pretty good in terms of if people were coming from further north in the city and, you know, in the Keys, people, you know, might be able to travel, you know, from the Upper Keys without much difficulty.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  So people from the Keys are accustomed to having to come into Miami for their medical needs and that is the general area that they typically go to for their needs, which is why I thought of that area.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other comments?  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I just wanted to mention that there's no bigger area for people that are deaf or hard of hearing than Metro Dade, so Miami is probably one of the best places.
And even though we have been in Miami, it has been a while, so we should consider going back there.
I like the idea of going to someplace that's close to public transportation.
Hotels like this are beautiful. 
[Laughter]. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  It's a nice accommodation for us!  But I kind of thing that in the area, it might be hard for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community around here to reach us.
And as Karen mentioned yesterday, the public comment is probably the most important reason why we meet as a Council around the state.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yeah, I think Cindy is correct, it seems like we did change that date in May for some reason, because it's in my calendar, so we must have discussed it at a previous meeting.  I don't know if anybody recalls what it was for, but why ‑‑ unless it was because of the hurricane conference.  Maybe because of the hurricane conference that we decided to do it May 7‑8 because that is what I had recorded.
I have Chris and then Cindy.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris again.  My only point was just not getting away from the second week permanently. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  True. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  And it was also for Tiffany's reference, because she's new to helping us schedule the meetings.
And I think that the reason we adjusted the November meeting is when it conflicts with Veterans' Day. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  That was it.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy and then Debbe.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yeah, there was that and the first came out on a Friday, so it was already into the second week.  But, yes, we do plan for the second Thursday and Friday.
And that's something Tiffany has not gone through with us yet, so this is good for her.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was thinking something like Lake City or Gainesville, which is past further north of Ocala.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And then we have Glenna and then Karen.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I was going to say, with encouraging people to come, not only public transportation, but also make sure there's free parking at the hotel and near eating places to go to, not some weird out of the way place. 
>> VOICE:  Let's take I‑75 north ‑‑ 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Karen?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  So, yeah, I think that makes sense about Miami.  I think that makes a lot of sense.
I still want to think about the possibility of doing a video access for people.  Is that allowed?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We'll put it on the to‑do list and check with our IT department and see how that would ‑‑ and then check with our audiovisual. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  It would be a GoToMeeting kind of thing?  
>> TECH SUPPORT:  Yeah, I've done Zoom several times and Zoom works great.  I just have to check and make sure you guys approve it.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, we might have to add it to the purchase order as an additional charge.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Well, GoToMeeting where they can see at least the slides?  
>> TECH SUPPORT:  Well, I know in Zoom that every person that's on, you can see the person ‑‑ 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  The camera. 
>> TECH SUPPORT:  The camera on top, and as they speak, their camera automatically brings them up on the screen.  And so then what we do is we connect it to a laptop and project the laptop to the big screen. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  We do Zoom all the time.  And one of the issues we've had is there's a limit to how many people you can do, especially while it's free.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Free, right.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  After ‑‑ there's a limit on that.
But we did try to do this a number of years ago, we checked into it, and we were told we couldn't do it.  Because we thought it would be easier, if it could be face‑to‑face.  This is back when we were having ‑‑ when we had this big meeting in Miami by the airport, we were looking into that, and for some reason we weren't allowed to do that.  Because we thought that would be better.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We'll check it out.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Are we settling on checking into Kendall as a location for May?  Is that a thumbs up for everybody?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Kendall?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's what you said, Kendall.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Miami. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Miami. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Kendall is a specific ‑‑ Miami is very large, Kendall is an area in Miami that's south with access to public transportation. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I want to specify if we're going to use Kendall as a location, we want to really aim for East Kendall for access to the public transportation.  So maybe Dadeland area which is probably ‑‑ that's not really an area, but for people from Miami, that's a better location pinpoint.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I was saying where in the hotels there, it was the Dadeland area where you said you can walk over there and they have that whole outdoor by the Marriott as well.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Yes. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Can you send us that specific Marriott or one of you so I can have the meeting planner look for that?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I'll send it to you. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  All right.  Thank you.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Do you know which one I'm talking about?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Yes. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Can I make a correction?  This is Tiffany.  Can I make a correction?  I wanted to clarify February, because you're right, the date I had put it on my phone where I can see the way it is on the calendar.
So, the meeting is actually February 6‑7, which is Thursday and Friday, and we arrive on the 5th, okay.  Just so that it will be on the CART.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And this is Gina.  Are you still planning to have the Rally to Tally on the 4th?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  That would be the 5th. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  On the 5th?  The rally's on the 5th?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  My understanding is we talked about it being in the morning from, like, 9:00‑1:00 and then legislative meetings 1:00‑5:00 is what we put down as our original schedule.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  That means that we would ‑‑ we will have to arrive on the 4th. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I wanted to do the legislative appointments again, but someone else needs to take care of the rally part.  We may want to start working on it now to get it all coordinated.
Debbe will have to arrive on the 4th if we're going to have a full day of the rally and we will have an extra two nights. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  If for some reason finance should become a problem, I have to remind you that at the discretion and will of the Chair, we can opt to spend the Thursday of the meeting doing that rally for tally and making visits, and then reconvene Friday morning, or even extend the day Friday into a longer day, since especially since flights out are really late in Tallahassee, but not so good for those driving, and that way there would be no additional expenditure in terms of ‑‑ I mean, the entire Council could join in and, therefore, you could have some people making legislative visits and those who don't feel comfortable with that can stay at the rally talking to people and things like that.
And we would also have the interpreters and maybe those needing interpreters can walk around with the interpreters and we would cover everyone that way.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  So I just want to recap your suggestion.  Arrive on the 5th, have the 6th, the Thursday, be an all‑day rally/legislative thing instead of having guest speakers, and then regroup on the 7th, which is Friday, discuss whatever we want to do.  Is that your suggestion?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  [Nods head]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Remembering that since we already have interpreters, anyone needing an interpreter can have one assigned to them so that they can go around.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  My question to all the historians, does that require a motion to change our plans for the meeting?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Technically, yes.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  It does?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Chris says no.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  No. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I see nos and yeses. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I would say yes.  Go ahead, Mary.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Mary?  
>> MARY HODGES:  I was just going to say that I think I recollect that we've done this in the past.  It's just using Thursday for the visits, so it's not something that we've not done before.  Thursday for visits and then just... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Excuse me. 
[Conversations going on; unable to clearly hear]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  This is Karen.  I would recommend that we stick with our plan of doing the rally on Wednesday morning.  Is that possible?  And then ‑‑ right, this is a one‑time thing.  We talked about doing the rally Wednesday morning and the legislative meeting Wednesday afternoon and go into our meetings.  I really don't want to cut our meeting.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Okay.  I only brought it up because it was a possibility if we were running short.  We've done things like running this meeting one day only.
Times are allowed to change as the Chair feels it is.  At one point it used to be two full days.  So it was compromised at a day and a half.
If you want to spend a day doing that, I'm just letting you know it's a possibility.
And we just don't have guest speakers and we do all the business on Friday morning.  And you can extend it till 2:00 if you want.
Just options.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Any other feedback or suggestions regarding the February or May meeting?  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Just regarding the comment for the requirement for the location in the bylaws.  It just states that the Executive Committee makes the decision on that.  So that's the Chair, Co‑Chair, and DOH, with input from the whole Council.  So, we say what we want, you know.  You guys tell us where to go.  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Don't say it like that, Chris!  Tell us where to go!  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other input or suggestions?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  So let's make sure we're all on the same page.  Right now the plan is to arrive, for those who are going to do the rally, arrive on the 4th of February, from 9:00‑1:00 the rally, from 1:00‑5:00 the legislative visits on the 5th, which is a Wednesday.
We have our regular meeting on the 6th, which is Thursday, and our half‑day meeting on the 7th, which is Friday, and that would be for February and that would be in Tallahassee.
And then what is up for inquiry is in the May meeting, arriving on the 6th to East Kendall in Miami and then have the meeting on the 7th and the 8th.
Is that accurate?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And that way, those that want to go to the hurricane conference are still able to go.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I thought Chris said that the hurricane conference is the following week.  Am I correct, Chris?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Correct.  That's why we changed the meeting to the 6th because people want to be available to go on the next week.
Any other input or corrections or changes?  Suggestions?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Oh, yes, Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  For February and May, I would suggest Gainesville.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Anybody have any input for the August meeting in Gainesville?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Depending on the calendar for the academic for the location, we should be okay at the beginning, towards the beginning of the month, but if it aligns with when it's back to school, that might be very difficult to get hotels. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Oh, yeah... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's accurate.  
[Conversations going on; unable to clearly hear]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other suggestions for August?  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was thinking Lakeland.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  We have Lakeland and Gainesville in August.  Anybody else?  Any thoughts?  Karen?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yeah, I really appreciate that everybody is trying to get into the middle of the state, because I really don't want to neglect those areas.  So I'm fine with either Gainesville or Lakeland.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  It seems like nobody likes Jacksonville. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I thought we were just there.  Well, St. Augustine.  That's, like... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Not really. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Pretty close.  That's why. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  I like Jacksonville. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I like Jacksonville as well.  But I think we were just there, so maybe next year.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  What are the flights like for you all from South Florida to Lakeland or Gainesville?  Or would you all just drive?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Probably drive.  There are no real flights into Gainesville. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, that airport is worse than Tallahassee.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  It's a long drive. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  This is Debra.  Lakeland is like a 4½ drive from Miami.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  And even Gainesville is, like, five hours from Fort Lauderdale.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other feedback?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  So then we will look at February ‑‑ okay, Debbe, go ahead.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was thinking that, okay, since we have the next meeting after August is, what, October?  That could be Lakeland.  So we cover all the middle ‑‑ 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  November. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  November. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  November.  November would be Lakeland.  So we cover two in the middle of the state, and then we've got Miami and then Tallahassee.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Everybody got that?  So we're looking at ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  This is Darlene.  I sent Tiffany an e‑mail suggesting locations.  And that I would like to go to Tallahassee and the Capitol too, so Byron was here and he was able to tell me what you were saying at that time, so I know I'm a little late making my comments, but if it's not too late, that's what I want to do.  Thank you.  I want to suggest.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Darlene, this is Gina, it's not too late.  Shay is about to recap for you.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Darlene, this is Shay.  We got your comments.  We're going to put you down on the list for Tallahassee for the Capitol and attending the meeting and Tiffany is going to pull up your suggestions from your e‑mail and share them with the Council.  Thank you.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay.  And the locations I suggested was Melbourne and Jacksonville, Macclenny or Lake City for next locations.  That was my suggestion.  Thank you.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Darlene, it looks like we're going to ‑‑ the Council decided for the May meeting, that will be in Dade County, somewhere south, Kendall, and then we are deciding on the dates for the following meetings after that, for the August and November.
The suggestions on the floor, outside of your suggestions, were Gainesville and Lakeland.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay, great.  Thank you.  Very good.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  For August and November, August ‑‑ early August is better for Gainesville.  And November is better for Lakeland.  We don't want November in Gainesville, it's football!  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Would you like me just to read her little snippet that she sent in?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, go ahead.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay.  I am here ‑‑ okay, let's see ‑‑ Siri has a hearing problem and there's only one city that ‑‑ okay ‑‑ that had morning ‑‑ I think it's broken, her Siri, so let me try again ‑‑ I am interested in going to Tallahassee and the Capitol in February.  Also, I would like to make a recommendation for a meeting location, one in Melbourne and the other in Jacksonville or Lake City.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  All duly noted.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Thank you.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other comments on location or times?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We're good?  Okay.
The next on our agenda item is Miss Tiffany doing the Sunshine State law training.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning.  Let me open up... 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Do you want me to tell them it's cold in here?  
[Laughter]. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  I'm warm. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm having a hot flash. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Oh, we have two hot flashing women and several cold.  Let's take a vote of the group. 
[Laughter]. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Who wants the room warmer, raise your hands.  We beat ya!  
>> CINDY SIMON:  They cooled it down this morning because it was so warm in here, they were cooling it down.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  But now they can warm it up.  Glenna?  Did you have your hand up?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  No, I was just voting warm!  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Glenna votes for warmer.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We can take a potty break, a five‑minute break while Tiffany is bringing up the training, a five‑minute break?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  You decide. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Oh, I decide?  Well, then, break!  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Five minutes.  
[Break].  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We have one minute.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  We're calling back to order now.  Has everybody returned?
Tiffany is going to talk about the Sunshine Law training. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning.  This is Tiffany, I'm going to be going over the open law government overview.  I was going to have Patricia Gleason come in and speak because she wrote the paper and the fact sheet on the open government Sunshine Law training, but because she could not come, she provided me with this specific PowerPoint and sort of taught me a bit, and then told me I could go ahead and share this information with you.
So I am by no means the expert.  I have provided y'all with the entire PowerPoint, and I'm going to give you a website to go into deeper detail.
But I did get the information from her and I am ‑‑ I think I have a pretty good understanding, so....
All right.  So, up on the board, this is the first page of the PowerPoint.
The second slide discusses what the Sunshine Law is.  And one of the main purposes of the Sunshine Law is to provide right of access to governmental proceedings to the public, and it applies to any gathering of two or more members of the same board when they discuss any matter that will foreseeably be before the board for actions.  If you guys are out and discussing how the weather is, that's not a problem, but if it's something that's going to possibly come before the board to vote on, it cannot be discussed with any two or more of you all together.
Any questions on that?
This is more of sort of a discussion. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  So the ‑‑ it's specifically only a comment that will be voting on that can't be discussed, but things like logistics and the general idea, that's okay?  It's only specifically thing that we'll be voting on?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  It can't be anything that you will be voting on or anything that will lead you to vote on something.
For example, you can't talk about what other members might feel about a certain issue, because later on you guys ‑‑ there's going to eventually be a vote on something related to that issue.
It's almost safer to say it would have to be extremely vague, the conversation, that you would be having, to make sure that it doesn't have anything to do with something that could ‑‑ and you'll notice the choice of word here is "foreseeably" come before the board for action.
So it really means to keep it somewhat benign if it comes before the board.
So board members cannot engage in any discussion with each other about business either in person, telephoning, e‑mail, texting, or any other type of electronic communication, including Facebook and blogs.
That means you can't share stuff on Facebook, but you can talk about we have a meeting coming up, but you can't talk about your views on the pieces of the meeting in your Facebook posts or anything like that.
Also, you'll notice when I send the e‑mails out to you all to share information, I am specifically sending it BCC, I don't know if blind carbon copy or blind, so I can make sure I send it in a bulk e‑mail, but I make sure I'm not sharing your e‑mail addresses with each other, specifically so that if you inadvertently respond back with an answer, it doesn't automatically go out to the Council, because if it automatically goes out to the Council, it could be something related to something that will foreseeably be voted on in the future at a meeting.
So, I'm going through those lengths to make sure we're stay in compliance with this law, but I just wanted you to understand why I'm not sending out any e‑mails of all of you all together.
Is that okay?  We got that?
I'll move to the next thing.
Now, as far as the scope of the Sunshine Law, I'm just going to give you a:  While an individual board member is not prohibitive from discussing board member business with staff or non‑board members, these individuals may not be used as a liaison to communicate information between board members.
For example, a board member cannot ask a staff to poll the other board members to determine their views on a specific issue.
So, that's not saying that you can't use me to communicate to everybody else saying hey, I need you to make sure that I wanted you to tell everybody that there's a meeting on such and such and such a day, but ‑‑ that's fine.  But you can't have the person poll everybody and share that information with everybody on the Council about a view on a subject matter that can be possibly voted upon.
That actually happened.  And I think that there was a violation of that, there were fines and things involved when that happened.  Not here, but, I mean ‑‑ which is probably why they brought that up.
Okay.  So there are three basic requirements of the Sunshine Law.  Meetings of public boards or commissions must be open to the public. 
They must have reasonable notice of the meetings.  Must be provided.
And the minutes of the meetings must be prepared and open to public inspection.
Which is why, even though we didn't see it on our website, that they ‑‑ there must be some kind of thing going on with the computer system still, but the meeting minutes are generally put on there right after I make them, the meeting minutes I put in there.
Also, the reasonable notice of the meetings, that would be the Florida Administrative Register, where we have to, that's one of our line items on our budget, because we have to pay to post the meeting and make sure that it is open to the public and reasonable notice of meetings are provided.
Okay.  Any questions on that part?
[No response]. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay.  The scope of the Sunshine Law applies to advisory boards created pursuant to law or ordinances or otherwise regarding agencies or officials.  That applies to us.
Staff meetings are not normally subject to Sunshine Law law, and that doesn't apply to us.
However, staff committees may be subject to the Sunshine Law if they are deemed as part of the decision making process, as opposed to traditional staff functions, like facilitating or information gathering.
So, that would be you guys' committees that you have, like EMOT Committee and that type of thing.
I still have to post that on the Florida Administrative Register and I will be putting the minutes on there to our website.
Only the Legislature may create an exemption from the Sunshine Law by 2/3 vote, so, in other words, we are to abide by that.
An exemption from the public records law does not allow a board to close a meeting instead of a specific ‑‑ instead of specific exemption from the Sunshine Law is required for that.
Okay.  So let's talk about the board meetings themselves.  While boards may adopt reasonable rules and policies to ensure orderly conduct of meetings, the Sunshine Law does not allow boards to ban non‑ ‑‑ to ban non‑disruptive videotaping, tape recording, or photography at a public meeting.
That was something that I didn't know that we ‑‑ that someone could come and want to videotape or audiotape the meeting, and we are not to prohibit that.
Questions on that?
[No response]. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay.  All boards must allow an opportunity for the public to be heard before the board takes action on a proposition.  The statute does not prohibit boards from maintaining orderly conduct or proper decorum during a board meeting.
Now, that slide is referring to the discussion about what... okay.  So public agencies are allowed to adopt reasonable rules and regulations to ensure orderly conduct in a meeting and which require orderly behavior on the part of the public meeting.
This includes, but keep in mind it's saying that you can still ‑‑ if you have only a certain amount of time for, say, public comments, you can sort of restrict the amount of time each person speaks, but you cannot restrict someone from speaking.
And you also are allowed to make sure that there is decorum going on in the meeting; if someone is just not able to do that, then you cannot restrict what they have to say, but you can request to keep it orderly and do what you need to do to make it stay orderly.
I'm also going to provide you guys eventually with the Attorney General Ashley Moody's frequently asked questions regarding the Sunshine Law.  I can e‑mail it to y'all, because it really answers a lot of the questions that are, well, commonly asked questions.
Okay.  Now, people think about the Sunshine Law and we know that we're supposed to stay in compliance, but a lot of people don't realize that there are penalties, including civil action, criminal penalties, and suspension or removal from office based on not complying with the requirements of the Sunshine Law.
So, and one of those things is the public records.  So it provides a right of access to records of state and local government meetings, as well as to private entities acting on their behalf.
So, we are required to disclose the things, and that's how come we have the meetings out there available, but if someone actually asks for the records of the meeting or anything that helped make the decisions that were based in the meeting, we have to provide it.
They could be documents, papers, letters, maps, books, all of these are the things that ‑‑ and including electronic, or e‑mail, communications like messages and e‑mails.
I'm just going to go ahead and move on.
We are also required to not charge more than 15¢ per page if we have to provide all that, but we do.
May received ‑‑ public records cannot be withheld at the request of the sender.  The requester is not required to show a legitimate or non‑commercial interest as a condition of access.
They don't even really have to disclose their name or why they need it, they just have to request it.
They also do not have to request it in person or in writing.  They can call and ask for the records or that also.
Okay.  A request cannot be denied because it's considered overboard.
Request... okay.  Let me move on.
There's not a specific time limit.  We're not saying well, you have to request it within ten days, like we do our travel, or it has to be within five days.  It can be requested at any time.
And the Supreme Court ‑‑ Florida Supreme Court has stated that the only delay in producing records permitted under the statute is the reasonable time allowed for the custodian to retrieve the records and redact those portions from the record before they can get them out.
Now, the fees related to it is, like I said, we can only charge up to 15¢ per one‑sided copies that are that size there, the average size.
In addition, 5¢ may be charged for two‑sided copies.  And for the actual cost of distribution.  And the cost of material and supplies may be ‑‑ you know, does not ‑‑ may be for duplicating the records, we can charge an additional small amount for that.
Um... that's what I said about the reasonable service charge for the actual cost of extensive labor related to it.
Now, this is where I did not see in any papers that I looked up, but where they were talking about the amount of time to retain records, because I know that different agencies with the state have different times, length of time that we had to maintain the records, but I can find out and I will get back to y'all the amount of time that we have to keep the records.
Shay, might you know that?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Our DOH policy is seven years.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay.  Okay.  Like I said, there's penalties for non‑compliance.
There were many different situations where I researched to see where an action of a committee member or a government official resulted in these penalties, and generally I have to say, a lot of the violations are not where you're going to be blatantly violating.  It's not where many people were just saying well, let's just purposefully do this, this, that, and the other and violate this.
Most of the times, the violations were inadvertent violations, because it seems to be a way to violate it.  We speak to each other, we e‑mail each other, we communicate with each other, if something is on our mind, we say well, I don't know about that particular thing, I don't know about... well, now you've shared stuff between two people and it's just ‑‑ this instruction is just to remind you guys to be very vigilant and keep this PowerPoint on your record and on your radar so that you will be sure to be in compliance at all times.  Okay?
Any questions?
These are websites that I've added on there for you to look up if you were interested in finding out further information.
The one that I was talking about that I wanted to share with you about the most recent ‑‑ the most asked questions is listed there also, so that would help you also. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany, excellent job!
Any questions that anybody has?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  So we're not going to get penalties for anything, right?  [Laughs] okay.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We don't want to cut into the budget!  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  No penalties so we can be sending Tiffany to travel and represent us well. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Thank you. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Next we have review of public comments.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Go ahead, Darlene.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  I'm wondering, are we at the end of the presentation?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, ma'am.  Can you hear me?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Yes, this is Darlene.  Are we at the end of the Sunshine Law presentation?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes.  Hold on, Shay is coming. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  I have a question [chuckles]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Hold on.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay.  I wanted to ‑‑ first I want to say that I like the PowerPoint because it was simple and to the point.
And I would like to know if the PowerPoint is a public publication so that it can be used for other advisory councils as well?
For example, and I'm sorry if I said the wrong thing here, I ‑‑ I gave the PowerPoint to the local government county advisory council that I sit on because we have been discussing the Sunshine Law, and I thought it would be simple and clear to the point for them to help clarify how they can remain within the Sunshine Law.
So, is it permissible to share this PowerPoint?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes, it is.  She has since then, when I spoke with her, it is now put on their website.  All you have to do is pull up Florida Sunshine Law, and I believe this number, this right here, the first resource at the very end where it are says additional resource, it's on there now too. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Darlene, did you hear Tiffany?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  If she can send me that, what you just said, that would be great. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Okay, yeah, so she said yes, it's permissible for you to share that.  That it's a public resource that has been posted publicly on the Attorney General's website, and so it's fine for you to share that and use it for your other councils.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay, great.  Thank you.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Did you have any other comments, Darlene?
[No response]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Darlene, did you have anything else you wanted to add right now?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  No.  Thank you very much.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  You're welcome. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Any other comments on the Sunshine Law?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  All minds are clear.
We'll go on to the next agenda item, which is the review of our public comments.  And we had quite a bit of conversation yesterday.  Did anybody have any comments they wanted to make?
Annalia made comments regarding having a need for qualified interpreters having support for employment.  She had several comments.
Anybody have anything you wanted to discuss about that?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Is everybody tired?  [Laughs]. 
Okay, yes, Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  She seemed to know what to do and was very assertive young woman and inspiring about how much she's done and how much she is trying to do, so I think she's just basically sharing what's happening with her; it's not really asking for help.  But she knows what to do already.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  The only comment I would make is it was really great to have the Deaf population come in and share their comments.  I thought that was great!
I mean, because we have had many times where we have had no input and I think that any time we get any person who is deaf to come in and share their experiences or to share their frustrations and the challenges is great.
And I agree with Glenna, she was very articulate in terms of knowing what to do with the process and who to contact, and it was a matter of her ‑‑ I think Cecil invited her, correct? ‑‑ to share with us, you know, what her experiences have been.
I have Tiffany and then Glenna. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Oh, no. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  No?  Glenna, go ahead.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Glenna.  I do think it was weird that she is working for VR and VR wouldn't help her, and I thought that was really weird.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Anybody else?  No?  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I think she may be a good addition to the council if there's an open seat, that we encourage her to apply for. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I was going to ask her if she had any children [laughs]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I think she would have to be a children of a deaf child. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Oh, yeah, to add that part....
And Jenny as well.  All of them I think would be a great addition.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Very, very, very good.
Well, the other thing ‑‑ Glenna, did you have something?
The other thing Jenny shared two conferences that are coming up, if you made note of those.  One in Orlando and one in West Palm that we may want to participate in.  They sound like they might be of interest.  She has suggested that the Council consider having a table and having information available, so that in support of what Tiffany was saying, so that people can know we exist, as well as what we can do and what we can't do, so that might be something we want to put on the agenda for discussion.
Any thoughts on that?  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Was that... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  One was in April ‑‑ 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  And May.  So we have May, so we have time.  What's the one that's coming soon?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That is... 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  That's the text to 911 in Palm Beach.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yeah, that was text to 911. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Oh, okay, that one, yeah. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  The one that Jenny shared was April 6‑9 in Orlando.  And the other was May 17‑20 in West Palm.
And her suggestion was that we provide a representative or table on behalf of the Council.
Anybody have any thoughts on that?  Yes?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I'm there in the West Palm Beach area, so I can do that.  Maybe Cindy can join me?  Maybe?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  So we have Glenna and Cindy that would be available to represent, if we can have a table.  We have a beautiful table cover!  [Chuckles].
If we could have items and information on those dates.  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  And what's the dates again?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  It's April 6‑9 in Orlando, and May 17‑20 in West Palm.  And the May meeting, Cindy and Glenna said they would be able to cover. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Sure.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yeah. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  And Tiffany would know how many giveaway items we still have at the department, but if we need to order more, we can, and we can get it to them by shipping it to them or... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  First, we need to check when the May meeting is.  Because it's out there, we want to make sure we're not conflicting. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  You mean with our May meeting?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yeah. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Well, we said the 7‑8.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Well, if it started on a Friday, you're into the 7th, and you may be into the 14th by the time, so depending on when the 1st is, you may be into our council meeting on that date.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  No, May 7 ‑‑ May 17th and 20th is way past our council meeting. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Okay.  Just making sure.  We've had some that were then and I wanted to make sure.
And I don't think we can wait to put it on the next agenda, maybe we want to look at it now, because the earlier you register, if there are fees involved, the less there is, and we should look at all of these and see are these meetings more representative across the board?  And what are the costs involved, you know, as to whether or not it's feasible for us to do it as a Council and get a table or just have one or two people there who can talk to people.
So, if we wait, we can either be shut out by that time or be paying more fees rather than an early registration.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I think she said the May 17th meeting was the governor's hurricane conference, is that correct?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  And so that's great, because that's very general across the board.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Jenny, do you know what site that has that conference information?  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Let me double‑check and I will get back to you; I will double‑check on that.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I think, Cindy, I think, we've got a few minutes, we can lock it down now.  I think that's a good idea.
I'm close enough to Orlando, if necessary, for the April meeting.  But, again, we can discuss that as well.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  This is Jenny, I've got information for you, Glenna.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Or if you want Tiffany to come down and join you guys for either of those, that's an option too.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  You said Jenny has some information?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  She's with Glenna.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Oh, I see.  She's quiet!  
[Pause]. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Okay.  The... 
[Pause]. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Okay.  The May meeting is at www.flghc.org, and that's the Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference in West Palm Beach May 17‑20.
And then she's giving me the information for the Orlando April meeting.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Cindy, are you able to pull that up now and look at what's involved?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Can I what?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Can you pull that up and see what fees would be for getting a table?  It's flghc.org.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  I know we've inquired in past years about getting a table at the Governor's Hurricane Conference and they didn't give us much of a break as far as being a state agency, because it is a private business that runs the Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference, so we can inquire to see if that's changed, but I just wanted a caveat of that, it may not ‑‑ it may be expensive.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  The additional information for the April meeting in Orlando for the national hurricane conference, the website is www.hurricanemeeting.com. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  My experience is that the Florida governor's hurricane conference is better than the National Hurricane Conference, so if we're limited to participating in one over the other, I would suggest that we participate in Florida's.
A lot of people treat Florida's hurricane conference as a national one, because it gets a better showing.
So, again, if cost becomes an issue and we have to pick, that would be the one that I pick.
Also, we can see, again, because we're affiliated with a state agency, if they will give us discounts or waive fees.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany, that's something you can look into, right, if they can waive the fees for us because we're a state council?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna, you have a comment?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Which one is it?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is April flghc.org.  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I just took a quick look at the exhibiter information for the Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference and if we do not get a break, a table would cost $1800.
[Groans]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  $1600 or $1800, depending on location. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That is unreal!  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  They have for‑profit businesses coming there, right, Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Yeah, they're for‑profit.  I do know the coordinators and they... I can reach out to them and see what they would do for us and I'll keep Tiffany posted.
Tiffany, if you would just e‑mail me a reminder to get in touch with the owners of that business, I'll make sure I do that as soon as next week.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  [Nods head]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna, did you have your hand up?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Using the name "governor" and yet it's a for‑profit... well... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  So, I just want to remind everyone, back when we had someone who did go around, like Tiffany is going to go around, when we had Valerie, we actually had a board vote and we discussed the costs of travel and the booths and we try to stay either for free or at exhibited things that are either free or minimal cost for us.
So, I just want everyone to keep that in mind, especially ‑‑ and that was back when we had our own budget, so....
Because even that was little.
So I just want to remind everyone, a price like this is, like, the cost of half a meeting.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Has the Council ever looked into what is the return on investments?  In other words, when you put out that kind of money, how much input do you get, you know, feedback back from the Deaf community?  What would be the impact of spending that kind of money?
That's a question I don't know if you historians can recall that.
But Glenna also had her hand up?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Glenna.  There could be another way.  I've done this a couple of times when the organization I was involved with didn't have the money.  We just registered as participants and we were ready with our business cards and things and we just visited every table, going around and talking to everybody.
And that would seem to be works just as well, and we can could do that instead.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's a thought.  Is there a cost to go as an individual?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  It looks like the registration is around $150‑200 per person.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Wow!  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Depending on, like, what type of attendee you picked and the days.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  If I go, you will only have to pay registration, because I live there, I can go back and forth. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  That's an idea.  Also, I mean, if it's not too late, I would have to look online, maybe the Council wants to give a presentation; sometimes you get a free registration for that.  That would be a bigger impact, and then you're allowing all of the participants and tell them, you know, what are the needs of the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community during a hurricane.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Great idea!  So is Tiffany going to look into that or... 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, with Chris's assistance, we'll do some research and then send back some information to the Council by next week, so we can make a decision.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Just to tell you exactly, it says that if you want to do the training and the conference, then it's 285.  Conference only is 260.  And if you're doing the training only, it's 135.
So I'm not sure which one would allow you access to talk to everyone and give out ‑‑ I agree with what Shay said, I think being able to give a training on the hurricane and the impact on the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community and suggestions would be the most effective way of getting it out and getting in.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  What would your thoughts be about Lisa's suggestion yesterday on research and the importance of having the camera on the interpreters during these kind of announcements, if we give training on that subject alone on how to communicate accurately to the Deaf community during these kind of events?  Would we be in a position to do that?  Yes, Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I think if someone was giving a presentation on the importance, that could be worked in in a couple of slides to make them understand that you can't get away from the interpreter and you have to stay there.
I think it's good as part of the presentation.
I don't know if they'll care listening to all the statistics of an impact versus look, this affects it, people are going to miss out, and you're going to have some tragedies from this, you need to do it this way, period, and I think that could be part of the overall training.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I'm sure that Chris Littlewood has already given some kind of presentation and I'm wondering if Jenny can share her thoughts with Chris and see if Chris can give a presentation.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I'm sorry, I was typing an e‑mail to the governor's hurricane conference. 
[Laughter]. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  What were you asking about a presentation for me to do?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Give a presentation at the hurricane conference explaining about what ‑‑ how important ‑‑ how much of an impact it would be for deaf and hard of hearing and some of the changes that needs to be made.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Yeah, I previously taught my class at the hurricane conference and I'll see if we can do that again.
But, again, I probably can't commit, as I was telling Shay, until the beginning of 2020.  So I'm going to look into that; I'm already working on that.  And I will keep everybody posted as soon as possible on that possibility.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  And I don't know if Jenny has any experience or plans to give a lecture or add some two cents to help with Chris on the presentation.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I can talk about that a little bit more for sure, I'll give it some more consideration.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Not to change the subject entirely, but I did want to mention it occurred to me last night in talking about the hurricane and the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing population and some of the impacts, the Department did a post‑study last year and that data will be published soon of the Keys and Hurricane Irma and they went door‑to‑door and did some surveys of residents and asked them questions about one year post what they were experiencing.
Really looking at mental health issues, like emotional well being after the storm, but also access to resources.
So we just also embarked on that endeavor for post‑Hurricane Michael.  Our staff was down in Dade County last month at the one year anniversary and did that same exercise.
They will also be expanding that to the surrounding counties, Gulf, Franklin, Jackson, I believe maybe Gadsden, and so they're hoping to get that published quickly, that's the Surgeon General's wish, but what I'm going to do is go back and look and I'll share the questions that were asked of you all, they were developed by the CDC, it's called the Casper Survey, and see if there's any information that might be beneficial, just for the population that is served on the Council that you all would be interested in.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Sounds good.  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  It's quite likely they didn't ask deaf people, but I do know that FAD did host a town hall after Hurricane Michael, so I might be able to get some information from FAD, what they heard from the Deaf people themselves.
I'm sure it's probably similar problems, plus communication access.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I think both those data is going to be good information for the Council to have. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I will be in Tallahassee for the February meeting, I'll get someone, Tiffany, if you'll make a note, for Melissa in the Office of Public Health research to look into that tool what the process was and what is some of the overall information that was gleaned from that.
I know they had an interpreter with them on the team that went down, because CDC picked the samples for what locations were going to be surveyed.  They picked 30 neighborhoods in Dade County and then they had a specific number of houses.
So they did have an interpreter on the scene in case they had someone assist that was deaf or hard of hearing and needed that to complete the survey.
So that was part of that overall action.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's really good.
Any other feedback or comments on our public comments section?  We had David also.  Debbe, go ahead.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was just wondering how many people would be interested in going to the one in West Palm Beach, the hurricane conference?  How many would be allowed to go?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Probably ‑‑ I would say due to the cost, probably minimum; you know, you all make the decision on that, but it would seem to me that if Chris is available, he is the subject‑matter expert, and maybe Glenna since she's so close there.  But that would be the two logical for cost reasons.  That's just my... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  Just also know registration to attend the conference is at least $300.  So we need to consider that as well.
I'm going to see what I can work on to attend that.  You know, maybe as a joint venture with the college or other things that I work on.
I definitely want to work with AQI and I'll talk to them again offline as far as some of the things that we can do together for that.
The one thing I wanted to mention before I forget about public comments is when Jenny was talking yesterday about cert, I did send an e‑mail to Tiffany yesterday about a weblink that you can go to for where you can find a local cert organization, so after you've taken the cert basic training, joining up with a local cert, and Tiffany can forward that information to everybody when she gets a chance.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Any other comments?
So we're looking at West Palm Beach possibly.
Also we talked about if they allow Chris to do a presentation, possibly, then a person, like Glenna, could go as a registrant with no cost. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Or Chris could be the one for no cost.  It's usually the person giving the presentation.  But we could pay for Glenna to go as a registrant because she lives right there, and as she said, they can visit the booths and get information.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Right, right.  And then if possible, me, Cindy, or Tiffany, or somebody, if we can ‑‑ like Glenna said, if you spread out and go to all the different tables and provide the information, you get a greater impact.
So that's for the May 17th meeting.
It looks like the April 6th meeting is not a go, from what I understand Chris is saying, that that particular organization is not as robust as the one in May?
So, Orlando we won't even consider?  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Probably not with this conference, but sometimes some organizations allows free information to the exhibit area only, but I'm guessing this conference, probably not.  But we could check that.
Free admission to the exhibit area only.  You know, they're not conference members, but some organizations allow free admission to the exhibit area only.  But I kind of doubt this one does.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Actually, Glenna, you just made me think that some organizations allow you to give them materials which they will put in the packets for the registrants, so if we had something or some writeup, maybe that's something we can give and when people pick up their packets, if they do that, then our information can be in there as well.  Maybe with a blurb, you know, or some one‑page writeup about importance and who to contact and where we are on the other side. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Would the biennial report be a good insert to put in the bag?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  [Shakes head]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  No?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  No, you want to be specific to that conference and why they may need our services or what they need to know and who to contact, if they need more information for that.
So I think that's a one‑page thing we can create.
Chris can probably create it.  Chris, we're giving you everything to do with this!  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's why he's not paying attention. 
[Laughter]. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  [Laughs].  I'm so sorry!  What am I doing now?  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We were giving you more assignments!  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Well, this is what I love.  Tell me specifically what I'm committing to [laughs]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  We were saying that some conferences give out packets, so even if we can't afford to go, we can give them something to put in ‑‑ some will let you give them information to put in the packets, so if we had a one page and it was about hurricanes and the importance of what they need to do for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community, along with our contact on the other side, you probably have a one‑page blurb on this already that can be used or modified in some way that we can give out.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Good.  I'll put that in my e‑mail to Lyn Danes (sp) right now, I doubt they will allow us to have a booth at the conference.
My thinking is if they waive the fee, they may waive the conference registration fee, so that would be ‑‑ I mean a good middle ground, if the Department of Health will let us do that. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, I can do that. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Chris, who are the people that go to that conference?  Who are the kind of people that go to that conference?  Are they all government people?  Responders to the hurricanes or what?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  The primary target audience or the people that attend the governor's hurricane conference are public safety and first responders, emergency management, things like that.
They also have vendors for different types of equipment.  So for shelter management, they have extensive amounts of workshops that are basically driven for public safety and first responders, like I was saying.
It would really be beneficial because we've had some problems in the past with people that are deaf or hard of hearing that have had issues in hurricanes, and that's a big part of what I talk about in my course, so....
We'll see what we can do.  It's definitely timely for us to do that with the activity we've had in the past two years.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Is that good for everybody?  Yes, Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I think Tiffany wanted to bring up the flyer that Ed Ogiba wanted to invite FCCDHH to the expo that will be held in Bradenton?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes, Bradenton.  I just need to know your feelings on it so ‑‑ yes, in Bradenton, I just need to know your feelings on it so that I can respond back to him about whether FCCDHH would like to have a table and participate.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I believe that Ed Ogiba said that he would not charge us for the table, I believe, if I'm not mistaken. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Right, absolutely.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  So we're saving money there.  I think that we should have some people from the Council there.  And they usually have a good crowd going to the expo.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I want to point out that the expo is not only just ‑‑ I'm sorry, that's me ‑‑ it's not only just, you know, just to go and look at vendors, they actually have a lot of activities for people that include hearing aid information and trial and that, and the like, and a few workshops and activities for everybody involved.
So, it seems pretty extensive.
And apparently this particular ‑‑ I'm new, so I'm not sure ‑‑ but this particular group is pretty active in the Deaf community and I think it wouldn't hurt to get involved in something like this.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  One ‑‑ this is Debbe ‑‑ one of the things that HLAA Sarasota is trying to do is have a support group for families.
We had a support group for us who are deaf and hard of hearing, but not really one for the family and friends of the deaf and hard of hearing, like they do for AA and for Al‑Anon and all of that, it's similar, but different.
So that's where he's trying to have an expo for family support, as well as for those who are deaf and hard of hearing.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  When and where?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  It is Saturday, February 15, 2020.
Now, let me point out, I do realize that there's so much for us happening in February with the Rally to Tally and then our meeting.  That is a lot going on.
But not everyone has to go.  I actually don't mind attending and maybe one or two council members?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I just think, especially if it's not going to cost us to have someone there, we should have representation there, because if there are families, they need to know that there is a resource they can go to for information and to know about us.
I wish I could go, because I wanted to go, but I am taking the family on a weekend cruise for Valentine's Day, so I can't.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  What are the location, Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  It's Bradenton.  I'm going to be sure in a minute, when I look at the thing.
Yes, Bradenton, Florida, at the Manatee Technical Institute.  State Road 70. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  I have to look that up, I have no idea where that is.  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I will be there representing HLAA, HLAA Florida, and ALDA, so I will be there.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Anybody else have anything to offer in terms of public comments or ‑‑ yes, Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Not to beat a dead horse, but I just need to know so I can tell him.  So if you guys ‑‑ is it a yea or a nay for us to attend?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Well, Debbe, you're going for your organization, correct?  Debbe is being there.  You're asking if anyone on the council?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes, please. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Or we could just have Tiffany go and represent the Council, which is fine.  I mean... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  So we're good?  Okay.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Done.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Okay.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Any others?  Yes, Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Changing topics, for the May meeting in South Florida/Miami area, just a suggestion for a speaker.  One is John Paul Jebian, he coordinates the waving hands, waving hands, and will explain the organization and it involves family and children, deaf, and he has attended, like, a hundred, and he gets a lot of support, and it would have to be at the school on Thursday afternoon because he is an ASL teacher.
The other one I would suggest is Debbie Majors and she is the ADA coordinator for the city of Boynton Beach where they have been really working out to the Deaf community, because there is a lot of deaf retired people that live in Boynton Beach, and those are two suggestions for possible speakers. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Excellent.  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Along those same lines, I would also recommend having Dr. Aliette Alphano (sp) speak, she is at FAU, I think she has something with the Deaf Family Literacy also.  I think she would be an excellent speaker for the Council. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Great.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I would second Aliette, I actually just took over her class because she's so busy with stuff.
And I would also, if we want to hear more about kids, because we don't really get all that much about kids, we can see Lynn Miskiel was supposed to speak once before and wasn't able to come at that time, and she's very involved in preschool education.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Where is she?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  She is at the Debbie School and I have her information, if you need it.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Glenna, would you please tell me the first one you stated?  Because I wasn't writing by then.  I got Debbie Majors. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  John Paul Jebian, he is with Waving Hands, Waving Hands in Miami and focuses on deaf children and families.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Okay.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any suggested speakers ‑‑ well, that's right, in February, do we have speakers in February?  This is all for May, which sounds really good.
Any speakers planned for February?  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  We do have speakers; we don't always have speakers.  And we may want to start planning for the next governor's report at that time so we're not caught short starting a year in advance.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I was wondering if there's any way we can invite some of the representatives of the Legislature to our meeting and just have an open invitation to any of them and invite them to really come. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  When I send out an e‑mail requesting a meeting, I always tell them about our meeting, and that's been three years in a row; nothing.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Are we allowed to have representatives come?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We just need to know ahead of time and we have to handle that.
Yeah, I mean, I know in the past when you've gone, you've invited them through that, but they have not attended.  I mean, at most, I would think we might get a staffer or something, but I wouldn't anticipate that.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  We did have that gentleman that Darlene brought that time; he was working for one of the south... I'm not familiar with it, with the representative, and he came to our meeting and was quite interested in terms of what we were doing.  I think it was Steven, I may have his name; I'll look it up.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Anybody else have any comments or suggestions?
We're a little ahead of schedule, which can be a good thing.
Yes, Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  One of the things we talked about in the past, we had Joan had come back to talk, some people may remember, going back over the start of the Council and the creation, and we had talked about having round tables with representatives attending at a meeting or as we go into a city, inviting the representatives or government officials from that city of their homes to come see a meeting.
So, that's just something to think about, as we go into an area, to look at that, look at who has supported bills for the deaf and hard of hearing and maybe invite them to attend a meeting?  So that they stay active and do that kind of thing, whoever is in the area we go to.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Anybody?  Yeah, Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  We are supposed to work on the bylaws. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That was coming up as our next agenda item, but we can start that now, if you want.
Our break is due at 10:15 and we've got almost a half hour; we can work on the bylaws, if everybody's in agreement.  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  This is Debbe.  I wanted to share with you that I signed up for peer mentoring from Gallaudet University.  It's a two‑year program.  And you basically learn about identity, ADA.  I just started for a month now and I have classes online on Mondays for two years.
So after two years, I will go back to Gallaudet University and graduate and be a certified peer mentoring to help people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
So I wanted to share that information with you.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Thank you!
Anybody else?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Is everybody in agreement to move up the bylaws discussion till now and take our break at 10:15 or do you want your break now and come back for the bylaws?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I think we can go through the bylaws.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Tiffany is pulling them up now.  
[Pause].
[Karen Goldberg enters in room]. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  You're just in time!  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We just started the bylaws.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning, this is Tiffany, everyone has a copy of the bylaws in your binder, correct?  Section 3.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Your microphone, Tiffany, please.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I was saying that everyone has a copy of the bylaws in Section 3 of their binders.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  The other thing to note is when Tiffany sent out everyone's individual assignments and we clicked on it, it was just yours, those were the older bylaws.
So the ones in Section 3 are the more current ones.
So, I know there is, like ‑‑ there wasn't a lot of change, so there was, like, one sentence missing in the other ones, and I'm going to be bringing that up when it comes time.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Do you want to take over now?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  You go ahead and I'll just stay on the same voice.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  All right.  I just want to pull up mine.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Is everybody able to pull up their particular section?  And go through it.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Article 1, who had that assigned?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Debra Knox. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Go, Debra.  
[Pause]. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  How are we structuring this?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I just thought it would be a good idea to make sure we're all on the same page with the bylaws.  And I don't think we have to be too anal about it, but, I mean, we can just do it by section and just say I read through it, I thought it looked good, I don't see any major things with it. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Well, I had e‑mailed changes because I couldn't attend the online or the whatever phone bylaw meeting that you all were having that day.  But I did e‑mail some changes. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I did see that. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Let me pull those up.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, thank you.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Did you all... okay.  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I have your recommendations. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Yeah, I have to pull mine up too.  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Let's just state, is there anything that ‑‑ because what I did was I assigned everyone a section and then put me as ‑‑ I think three of them were mine, so that you wouldn't have to do it all by yourselves.
Okay, so Gina and I split that we would work with each of you on your sections, okay.
So on this one I did as well and I thought that the first section looked fine ‑‑ go ahead.  Do you want to ‑‑ 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I'm waiting for my computer to load. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Oh, okay.  The only thing that I noted was that the Legislature specified, and I don't think we can really change the language, so it says it's the role of the Council to serve as an advisory coordinating body in the state and recommends policies that address the needs of deaf, hard of hearing, and late‑deafened persons.
This is, I believe, the wording of the statute, so I don't think we can change it.  But it doesn't say deaf‑blind.
So I wanted to ask Shay if that is the wording of the statute, which I believe it is.  We can't change the wording of the statute.  That's just a direct quote.
But I ‑‑ so I didn't think there was anything in that first paragraph we can change, or first section.
Go ahead.  Oh, go ahead, Tiffany.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Yes, it is the wording of the statute. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  So we really can't change that. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  So I have my additions up or my suggestions. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  So the title and scope, I didn't really see anything, but when we got to definitions, the first, I thought most of them looked okay, one through six.
But then when number seven, deaf‑blind, I made a comment, oh, should we add something here about types of supports that may be needed for communication?
Because all of the other definitions of the areas included supports that may be needed, but for deaf‑blind that was omitted.
For number ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  So that was actually a good note.  Is that something that we want to add in?  Having a hearing impairment, I think we want to get rid of that word, don't we?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yes, we did, we said that. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  This might be an old one, like Cindy was saying. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  No, this one ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  That is the current. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  This is the new one because I made sure ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  So I think on number seven, is that where you were?  You were on ‑‑ 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Yes, I'm on number seven. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  On number seven, I think we did talk about that.  We want to remove hearing impairment, is that correct?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We did say that, this is Gina, we did say that.  Debbe concurs. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  So what was I to put down?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Can you just put hearing loss or hearing visual involvement?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  We don't need to be that PC. 
[Laughter]. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Well, I use involvement as a multi, it's a very broad definition. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  In part, we are talking about that the hearing ‑‑ I mean there's a range of hearing, but I think we're not talking about people who have, you know, 20/20 vision and 20/20 hearing. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  And any hearing loss or visual loss. 
[Talking over one another]. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  And it's defined right there in number seven, persons ‑‑ 
[Talking over one another]. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I think we can take out hearing impairment and just put hearing loss, I like that, at least it says they don't have total deafness or total blindness. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  You can even say having diminished hearing. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Right. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  You don't have to say loss.  I mean even loss can sound ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yeah, hearing loss is not accurate, because when you're born, it's not a loss, it's your level of hearing, it's not loss, it's what we would ‑‑ I don't know if I would ‑‑ I don't know if I would say that I had, I had minimal hearing and then I had loss.  I don't know.  Yes, ma'am, Mary?  
>> MARY HODGES:  I was just going to ask, just for consistency, can we use the terminology that we said earlier was acceptable now, is it deaf and hard of hearing?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Right, I mean, you could say, we're trying to define it, deaf‑blind means that you have some impact on the hearing, some impact on the vision, right?  So persons who are deaf‑blind typically do not have total deafness or total blindness.
We could actually say that a little bit more positive, that you could say persons who are deaf‑blind may have a range of visual acuity and hearing acuity and may not be total deaf‑blindness.  I like that.
Someone take a picture of that, I'm not going to remember it.  I know we already have that, but... 
>> CINDY SIMON:  I'm not sure ‑‑ 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I'm typing. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  ‑‑ about acuity. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm not sure about acuity.  You can use a different word.  You want the label "impairment" removed and there are ways to say this.
In the medical community, they still use the term "impairment."  
>> CINDY SIMON:  It's a WHO definition. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  A who?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  WHO, World Health Organization. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Oh, I was thinking, who?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  You have to say the medical ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  It's a medical terminology.  Yes, Chris, did you have your hand up?  Chris and then Debra.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Okay.  With regard to terminology, my philosophy has always been I don't care if you call it "bob" but with the people who are deaf or hard of hearing and that there's total communication or visual communication available.
For the industry, if you will, or people that are deaf or hard of hearing, the terminology used for people that are deaf or hard of hearing are people that are deaf or hard of hearing.
People first and deaf or hard of hearing.
Hearing impairment is a negative connotation and it's something that's avoided in all entirety, and so I would strongly urge removing that.
If the medical community wants to use that, that's their business.
But it has to do with the fact that the medical community wants to fix hearing and that is not necessarily something that people that are deaf or hard of hearing agree upon.
Additionally, as I think Gina said, people that are born deaf or hard of hearing don't see themselves as having a "hearing loss," so sticking with terminology of deaf or hard of hearing in every case possible is probably what I would recommend. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, thank you, Chris.  I think that is the point we're all talking about, that we're trying to get away from the term "impairment" because partly what we do is educate, and so ‑‑ and the other thing is I don't want to ‑‑ I see you, Glenna, I'm going to call you in just a second ‑‑ the other thing is I don't want to offend the people who are considering joining the Council, the thing they read are the bylaws, my God, you're kidding me, FCCDHH that represents me is using these antiquated terms.
So, Debra first, then Glenna.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Let Glenna go first, because I was rewording a couple things so I can read it to you. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, Glenna first and then Debra.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Look at the title of our Council.  DHH, deaf and hard of hearing, be consistent all the way through, deaf and hard of hearing.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm so proud the bylaws are growing up!  
[Laughter]. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  I have some proposed changes, and then we can discuss any suggestions that you might have.
I have kind of rewritten:  Deaf‑blind means having hearing loss ‑‑ and you can change that if you want ‑‑ means having hearing loss in conjunction with vision loss.  Persons who are deaf‑blind may have a range of vision and hearing abilities, but their functionality is significantly affected due to an impact on both hearing and vision.
Multi‑sensory changes can occur at any time across the lifespan.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I think that's excellent!
The only change I would add to that is say deaf‑blind means having any degree of hearing loss combined with any degree of vision loss.  And then use the rest of the paragraph.
I think that's perfect, right on target.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  And the only other suggestion was my original one.  Should we add something here about types of supports that may be needed for communication?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yes. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Because it is in the other definitions.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yes. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  Hold on one sec, I've got to catch up.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yes, Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Good morning, this is Tiffany.  My computer doesn't allow me to type or I would be adding the notes right in here, so I want to just ‑‑ 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I'll send it to you. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Thank you.  When you guys come up with the decided pieces, just e‑mail those to me and I will input them. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  And we'll all get a copy of the final product.  Because sometimes typos happen, so....
Okay, great.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Thank you. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  There was one other spot that Debra said that I would just change one word.
Go back to the second sentence and the third in your revision. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  My second sentence is:  Persons who are deaf‑blind may have a range of vision and hearing abilities, but their functionality is significantly affected due to an impact on both hearing and vision.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I would have changed but to maybe colon, functionality being significantly affected based on... degree of... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I hear what you're saying, but I think she captures that. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  I think that explains it better. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  How about if I propose this:  Let's at least get this wording, because before we ‑‑ we would have to all vote to approve the certain wording, but at least it's in process and then we can wordsmith and punctuate however in the future.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Sounds good.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  So what do you feel would be appropriate to add about communication supports?
For example, in number six... um... it mentions for late‑deafened adults, that they may be unable to understand speech without hearing technology and/or visual aid such as speech reading, sign language, or CART.
But because somebody who is deaf‑blind has different unique challenges, what should we put there in terms of their communication access and what they might need?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy and then Debbe.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I don't know that you need to change much of that, other than adding an SSP.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  A what?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  An SSP.  What does it stand for?  Special service provider ‑‑ service support personnel, where they may be describing for the blind, they may be doing tactile sign, that's what you have them for, to explain, that's how you function outside.
So it could be any of the above, all the above, or/and an SSP. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  It would depend on the individual, people who are deaf and blind, what equipment they need, so I would say something a little more general; whatever is necessary for them to understand and be part of the group, or something of that nature.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I would agree general.  I thought the other was general because it included everyone.
The reason I want to include an SSP is a lot of people do not know what an SSP is, and yet to those with more significant visual and hearing problems, an SSP is so imperative for quality of life, that I feel by having it in there, we may be educating as well.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  This is Debra.  Tiffany, do you know the exact definition for SSP so that I can type it in?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I can find that out. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Oh, I can too.  I just didn't know... 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I can definitely look it up for you. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  I wanted to share that I'm following you.  You all are talking about the deaf‑blind definition?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yes, ma'am.  
[Pause]. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  That is right?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm coming, I'm coming.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Hold on, Darlene.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay.  I have ‑‑ I think Tiffany received my notes on that.  I thought that the definition was really thorough and I liked the idea of Debra's suggestion including the communication reference.
And, let's see... deaf‑blind is so diverse with their varying degrees of loss, whether it's vision or hearing, speech, different communication methods that are available, and it would be expected if we included those communication methods in those definitions.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, Darlene, this is Karen.  Can you hear me?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Yes.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  Fantastic.  Yes, we agree to add those communication interventions, I agree with you.
And we're going to include some information about SSP.  What would you recommend being added besides the communication or within the communication?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  What are the ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  The SSPs, each ones are different, but also the tactile sign, pro‑tactile ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Oh, yes. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Along with tactile sign language, and Braille displays where they are able to read the text using Braille on a refreshable Braille display, while the vision person can read on the display Braille to text, so there are many different ways to be able to communicate with the deaf‑blind.  It just depends on their specific needs. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay, fantastic.  Thank you.  We're going to ‑‑ we'll add that. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  What are the definitions for SSP?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  When you think about SSP, what is the official definition of SSP?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Um... well... currently in Florida, the Florida Deaf‑Blind Association has changed the title of the SSP to co‑navigator.  But it's basically the same definition as the former support service providers.
Generally, nationwide, the support service provider provides visual information, which is a way of communicating through, you know, through specific body language, cues, verbal cues.
They also provide communication, whether it's voice or sight in whatever method that the deaf‑blind person requires.
And they ‑‑ okay, they also increase the independent methods.
A good example of it would be going ‑‑ if a deaf‑blind person has an appointment at a doctor's office, the deaf‑blind person would contact an SSP who would meet them at the office.  Or they can arrange transportation with that SSP.
Well, when they go into the office, the SSP will describe what is in the room; if there's chairs, where the receptionist is.
And the deaf‑blind person will say, okay, either take me to the chair or if that deaf‑blind wants to speak directly with the receptionist, take me to the receptionist.
Then the deaf‑blind person will have the SSP give the receptionist what they need to know.
In the meantime, while that receptionist is responding and the SSP is relaying the message of what is said, that SSP can also be pro‑tactile by tapping on a certain area of the person's body, indicating that the receptionist is smiling and looking directly at them, so that way the deaf‑blind person can also smile and be able to communicate with that receptionist.  It's kind of like an interaction, opening up communication within the environment.
What ‑‑ if the deaf‑blind person has to have forms filled out, the SSP completes the forms for them.
But when it comes time for the deaf‑blind person to go into the examination room, the medical doctors are required to hire an interpreter.
So, once that deaf‑blind leaves to go into the examination room, the SSP cannot go unless they have been prior notified.
So, there's many methods of communication.  And like I said, it depends on the specific needs of the deaf‑blind person.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Darlene, that's amazing information.  And it's bringing up more questions for me.
Who pays for the SSP?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Who pays for them?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yes, the SSP.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  They don't have any, per law, to pay for them.  Right now in the state of Florida, they're offered on a volunteer ‑‑ the SSPs are volunteers.
But from what ‑‑ along with the SSP coordinator, I am not as involved in it as I was, because they changed [indiscernible] and two people that are leading the program are [NAME] and Tracy Enland (sp) and the co‑navigators will basically do what the SSPs are doing and they are providing training in pro‑tactile and the University of North Florida programs have been working with them to be able to provide that training to the deaf‑blind individual, and as of this moment, there isn't ‑‑ and we don't have a clearer idea of who pays for who ‑‑ I know that the state agency, there may be a clause in there where they pay for support service providers, but mostly it's when they get the interpreter, they pay for the interpreter and the interpreter is expected to provide resources.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  All right.  Thank you.  Go ahead, Mary and then Debbe.
Mary wants to add something and then Debra, okay?  
>> MARY HODGES:  This is Mary.  I mostly just had a question.  Since this is in the bylaws and mostly a governance document, can ‑‑ is it appropriate to limit the definitions to ‑‑ I mean, just kind of simplify the definitions?
I don't know if there's another document in maybe some of the communications we've talked about in terms of publishing them on Facebook and however else we decide to publish, we can talk about methods of communication and things like that.
I'm just wondering if we get too elaborate with the definitions, we may end up missing some things after all?  So... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yeah, Mary is saying that for the purpose of the bylaws, we want to keep the definitions relatively simple and to the point, but would there be another place that could ‑‑ that we have that would expand with all of that valuable information that you've just provided?
But I agree, that for the purpose of the bylaws, we want to just ‑‑ we want to do basics communication like we did with the others.  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  So I have ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  Debra is going to give her definition. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  This is my ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  I was just thinking that I could contact [NAME] to determine whether they have a more clear definition of the SSP or co‑navigator that can be used, and I will get back with Tiffany and let her know.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Okay.  Thank you very much.  I'm going to go sit back down, okay?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  So for this revision, I propose:  Deaf‑blind means having any degree of hearing loss in conjunction with vision loss, persons who are deaf‑blind may have a range of vision and hearing abilities, but their functionality is significantly affected due to an impact on both hearing and vision, multi‑sensory changes can occur at any time across the lifespan.  The communication needs for individuals who are deaf‑blind are unique to the person and they include but are not limited to a support service provider or co‑navigator, tactile sign language, Braille displays, and pro‑tactile communication methods. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Excellent.  Hold on one second, I've got, okay, Cindy, Debbe, and Tiffany, but also we're past our break time and we're fixing to move into ten minutes of public comment time.
So do we want to make any adjustments now?  I got Cindy, Debbe, Tiffany, and then Mary.  Cindy, go ahead.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Okay.  I was good with that.  The only thing is if you're going to say any degree of hearing loss, say any degree of vision loss as well instead of ‑‑ 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  It did, it's connected. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Okay.  I just heard it as two separate things.
And number two ‑‑ 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Go ahead. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  ‑‑ remember that if no one has public comment, we can continue on with the discussion.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  We should allow enhanced ‑‑ enhanced... um... enhanced lettering, whatever they ‑‑ what's the proper word?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Print?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Enhanced print, enlarged print.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I was just going to mention that as a person who is deaf‑blind, to limit ‑‑ to limited deaf‑blind, but still that was a very good definition.  Mostly the portion related to varying degrees of it.
And then saying that communication modes can be this, but not limited to....
So that ‑‑ I think the goal in your definition is to make sure that it spans across all of the deaf‑blind community and their needs.
So that was, I thought, quite well done.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Mary?  
>> MARY HODGES:  Do we need to include cites for the definitions?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  One more thing, though, is one area of communication is a clear voice as well for those who are hard of hearing to better understand what is being said.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Mary, did that answer your questions?  She asked do we need to have cites, like references for these definitions?  Is that required?  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Well, they have not been in here before.  And while I do think it's a good idea, the only problem I see with that is is that websites change all the time and so I would not want to include a link that then becomes a dead link later.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  That's actually an excellent point.  And I think that for the purposes of the bylaws, we don't want to add links.
That's something for that other, like Mary was saying before, is there another place we could have more explanations.
I think Mary wants to ‑‑ Mary and Debbe.  
>> MARY HODGES:  I agree that links do change, but also do we want definitions that ‑‑ these are our ideas as the Council.  If somebody else comes on the Council, they would have ideas as well.
There are, I would think that there are definitions that are already established for some of this, and I'm not saying that what we are putting in here is inaccurate or appropriate, it's just that, again, this is a governing document and it's growing and growing and growing and we're putting in information where we're not really saying where it's coming from, and if it's a public document, somebody may have questions about well, what about this or what about that?
So, there are always going to be thoughts related to things that we're just ‑‑ that aren't just ‑‑ we know what the definition is, but when we expand and say well, communication‑wise, it's this, that, or the other, and somebody else may have some ideas about what we left out, and it's just a growing document.  For the bylaws, it doesn't seem appropriate. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe.  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  In Section 6, we do have definitions, for SSP, we have a service provider, and for the new one, we could change ‑‑ we could have the co‑navigator, so we could add that, so I would ask Tiffany to add co‑navigator, what that really means, and maybe still keep the SSP, somehow saying that the new term is co‑navigator.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  So I definitely agree with you, Mary.  However, one of the roles of the Council is to bring together representatives who are experts and very familiar with these different areas.
So I think that we could have references, that we have a list of what might be references, but I don't know that they need to be included in the bylaws.  That's generally not something that's in the bylaws.
But we could have a list of references where this information would have come from.  Gene Cindy?  Or Mary?  
>> MARY HODGES:  Just to say I agree.  Thank you.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Nothing. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  We have only five minutes ‑‑ four minutes before public comment, so I would suggest if anybody wants to take a potty break, they do that now, and then we start public comments at 10:30.
And as Cindy said, if there are no comments, we can continue the discussion of the bylaws.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Sounds great.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We're on break.  
[Break].
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  We're back.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Debra, go ahead.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  So I know in the interest of time, I do have two additional proposed definitions that were not included in the original bylaws.
What I can do is... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm sorry, we really need to check with the public, and then we'll go to that.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Sure. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Let's check with the public.  No one on chat?  Anyone on the phone or in the room that would like to contribute to public comments?
[No response]. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Jenny stepped out of the room, but I think she planned to say something when she comes back. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Fair enough.  Thank you.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Maybe in the meantime we can hear Debra's comment?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Oh, if we must... 
[Laughter]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I mean, please, continue, Debra!  
[Laughter]. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  So I propose two additional definitions.  I can read them but I think it's probably going to be most functional for, like, e‑mailing to ‑‑ back to Tiffany with this change that we just did on the deaf‑blind and then people can read them and maybe that's an easier way.
But I'm proposing that we add a definition of number nine for auditory device, stating auditory device means a device that is designed to improve hearing, hearing aids, cochlear implants, FM systems, and personal amplifiers are examples of auditory devices.  We could put some examples of.
The type of auditory device a person with a hearing loss uses often depends on the type and degree of hearing loss, as well as personal choice.
Then for number ten, communication methods means the method... um... methods that an individual with hearing loss chooses to utilize for communication.  These methods can often be classified in several categories such as aural communication and in parenthesis such as listening and speaking, vision, such as ASL and simultaneous and in parenthesis using a variety of methods.
Additional examples include the use of cued speech, auditory verbal, auditory oral, et cetera.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I just wanted to say related to the auditory devices, typically what has been used in the past is assistive listening devices and personal assistive listening devices, because assistive listening devices like FM systems and loops, they can be used by anybody, but then personal assistive devices, like cochlear implants and hearing aids, I can't give my hearing aid to somebody else and it works the same way from one person to another.
Same with cochlear implants.
So, assisted listens devices and personal assisted listening devices is what I would recommend. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Talking about loop, this room is not looped and so I don't know what Rogers pen is considered, personal?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  It's personal, FM or bluetooth. 
>> DEBRA KNOX:  So I can work to tweak the definition that I have here based on what Chris has just mentioned and Debbe, and then, you know, you can move on and then I can read an update.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I'm just a little bit worried about naming and specifying all the different things, because technology changes so fast.  If we put it down and the next month something new comes out.
The bylaws are intended to be general, not specific, so I'm a little concerned about trying to name everything.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I agree.  Which was one of the reasons why I just ‑‑ because auditory devices are mentioned in the bylaws already, so I left a broad term of what auditory devices might, you know, include.  But we could put a statement in there that this is not an exhaustive list of every type, this is just several examples that are included. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I think if you use your other wording, may include, but is not limited to, that would do it.  Because obviously you left off bone conduction and if you say cochlear, brainstem implants, et cetera.
So if we just say may include but is not limited to... 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I'm still concerned that ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  I would like to say that maybe put in there the preferred method, preferred communication methods, and that would indicate that there is a need to correspond with the person and to find out what the communication needs are.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Maybe in connection with that preferred communication, methods and devices, to say something like currently available?
I'm not comfortable with naming everything.  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I agree.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  So instead of naming everything, maybe if we said preferred communication and/or technology, and that would be broad enough.
And since when you just say it like that, it allows it open for anything in the future, as well as what is currently available.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I like the idea of saying "preferred" because that would emphasize the personal choice and preferences, instead of other people deciding.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  Okay.  Just for clarification, when you're talking about preferred communication, is that what you mean, for example, for number ten, communication methods, or are you talking about combining something?  It was a proposed number ten for a definition.
Or are you talking about combining auditory devices and preferred communication together?  I'm not clear.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I would combine it, because there are various methods.  Some don't use any devices, some don't use technology, some do, and that's why I said preferred communication methods and/or, say, personal or technology, or just technology.
And that allows it to be in any of the above and allows for anything in the future that may be coming out.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Anybody else?  Any comments?
Any public comments?
Anyone on the chat line for public comments?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  I was thinking that we can do based on communication methods preferences, not limited to, you know, the resources, like IA (sp) resources, within reasonable accommodations?  
[Pause]. 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay.  Depending on availability.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  So I take it you're saying the person's preferred communication support based on available reasonable accommodations, is that accurate, Darlene?  
[Pause]. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Say it again, Darlene.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Darlene?  Hold on, I'm going to tell you ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Available communication methods preferences.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Hold on, just a minute, I'm going to find out ‑‑ can you ‑‑ hold on just a moment.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Okay.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  She said available communication preferences.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Did you say available communication preferences?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Based on available communication preferences.  So that would mean that they need to correspond/interact with the person to determine what communication methods that is required and what is available.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Thank you, Darlene.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Thank you, Darlene.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Any other comments?  Anyone on chat or the phone?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I'm not sure if we have to say available.  Since we're including communication preferences which may or may not include devices, if you go somewhere and you say, "I want an ASL interpreter in person," we expect them, as we heard from our hospital guests, to have a person there.  They have to make it available.
We're talking about what these people are using, not what's available when they go somewhere.  And that's why I'm saying their communication preferences, whether with or, you know, and/or without technology.
So that allows for any devices, whether it be pocket talker for hearing aids or a cochlear implant, to whatever may come out in the future, as well as whether they want CART or whether they want to be able to sign or have an SSP with them.
And I think that would cover it all, without limiting and allowing for future options.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  That's a good suggestion.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  I think she said if available, some of these resources aren't always available and we don't want to lock ourselves in a box if these are what the accommodations would be, if we don't have an SSP or an interpreter or whatever it might be, I think that's what she was saying "available" for.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  And she is, but this is going back to the definition.  We said what is possible that they use for assistance and all the other types of individuals with some kind of involvement of hearing.
All we're saying is we're not saying to go into somewhere they have that's available, we're saying what assistance they may or may not have and that's why that would be a moot point as to what is available.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Should we continue until public comments persons arrive?  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  This is Darlene.  The reason why I say a preferred method communication, because each individual has their own preferences.  And there are times when they can bring their own devices to help in communication, so it's just a matter of keeping communication open between the parties so that way ‑‑ so if it's a preferred communication method, and then i.e. which is that are not limited to, and then a list of what the communications are and then that way it will be clear that they need to be able to communicate with that individual to determine what communication method.
For example, if a deaf‑blind person has a Braille display, a portable Braille display and they can use it with an iPad or something like that, they can bring it with them and help with communication.
So, it just depends on the individual's comfort and how they use that method of communication.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  And Darlene, I agree with you.  Their preferred method of communication and/or technology which allows them to use whatever they bring, if they can, that is their preferred method.
We're only giving definitions of the individuals and saying what they may want or need.  I agree, it should be their preference.
I think everybody here would.
With or without technology, so I think that covered everyone.  And you're absolutely right, it should be preferred methods.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Excellent.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Preferred communication method within the legal parameters, something like that.  Maybe I'm off base there. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  No, that sounds good, Darlene.
Okay.  So, Debra, did you have anything on the mission statements, Section 4?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  No. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Section 5, you're good?  And 6, and now we're down to Article 2.  Who had Article 2?  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Section 5C says to apply for and accept funds, grants, and gifts and services, et cetera, and I'm wondering if we could add in there that we can open up a banking account, to be able to ‑‑ right now we have no way to accept money or anything.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Glenna, you're in Section 1‑5C?  Article 1, Section 5 ‑‑ 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Part 2C.  Oh, I see it now.  Thank you, Debra?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  My apologies, in Section 5, duties and roles, on letter D, I think that we need to change to make it people first language, promote public and individual advocacy for citizens who are deaf, hard of hearing, late‑deafened, and/or deaf‑blind.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Excellent.  And now to Debra ‑‑ I mean to Glenna's point, on Section 5, part 2, item C, she was asking about ‑‑ go ahead, Glenna.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Let me back up.  I have the comment from the last meeting, Section 5, duties and roles, point one, with an assistive listening devices and other devices and changed that to assistive listening devices, cochlear implants, hearing aids, and other devices, I don't understand why we've always been including hearing aids, we have hearing aid specialists and audiologists on the council. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We are including.  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  Just a reminder that some of the bylaws are mandated by statute, that we can't change them, so, like, membership and composition and things like that, we can't change some of those things that stay in there, so we need to be careful and review everything that we're suggesting changes for that they're not included in the state statute.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy and then Debra and then Glenna.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I'm sorry, Glenna, you may not always have an audiologist on the Council, you may not always have a hearing aid specialist on the Council.
At that time, also cochlear implants are usually in the purview of the audiologist and not the hearing instrument specialist.
These are technical education and if you don't have someone where that is what they do and based on personal bias, it may ‑‑ even with the American Speech and Hearing Association with setting devices, they exclude hearing aids, cochlear implants, FMs, it was a long time ago, because they can't set those, and so I think that's where it is, you know, unless ‑‑ and then once you get into that, again, you have personal biases between everybody.
It's just too technical to get into hearing aids, cochlear implants, any other... devices in that class.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  This is Gina, I want to take a pause.  We've got Glenna and Debra, but we have public comments available.
I would ask our guests to please make sure you fill out the public comments form, we have to have that for our records.  We've had a lot of public comments, but I only have one form.  So if you have a public form, please fill out this form and turn it in, but then you also have this opportunity now to speak what's on your mind.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  And Glenna and Debra, I see you, and we'll get back to you. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I'm fine. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  You're good?  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We have some comments, this is Lisa.  We will fill out the forms.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay, thank you.  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  My name is Jenny, I'm here with AQI Services as a representative and I wanted to talk about the cert and expand on the community emergency response.
If you take the training, it's called basic cert training.  It's a 21‑hour course.  If you're interested in taking a more advanced level or becoming a trainer, to teach other folks to become certified, you have to do a train the trainer.  And that's where you take a training at the conference or in your local areas or your county.
I just wanted to do an FYI, it is in Naples, you can sign up on their website and next year for 2020, it's www.flacertassociation.org, and you'll see the website there and you can sign up for e‑mails, they will give you information about the conference next year in 2020.  It will be again in Naples, Florida, in 2020.
So I just wanted to explain a little bit more about the basic cert training.  Myself and Julia went to the Florida Cert Conference this past September and took a three‑day training called train the trainers.  It was a workshop or class that lasted three full days.  We took the exam and passed and became FEMA cert instructors.  So we can train other folks to train the trainers.
We can teach the basic cert training for the Deaf community.  And our goal is to add a cert program for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community so that they have the resources available.  And then we would like to expand it statewide and encourage more interpreters to take the training as well.  And so that way they learn how to keep themselves and their family and neighbors safe.
So that's basically the gist of the cert training.
Okay, I think that's it.  Thank you so much.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Real quick, I can't remember if you were in the room, but I did send Tiffany information on how someone can find out about a local cert team, in addition to getting the training to be ‑‑ to have cert basic training or become a cert trainer, it is important to also be involved in a local cert team.
If you put the information ‑‑ 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I agree. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  ‑‑ or ZIP code in or the number of miles you're willing to travel, then it can let you know, like for my area there are several cert teams in Pinellas County and it's important if people go further than just taking the basic training, but get involved ‑‑ 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Right. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  ‑‑ in a local cert team. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Right, definitely get involved in your local county area. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Chris, is that the same website that Jenny just shared?  Is that the same place you go, you said to put in your ZIP code, is that the same website?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  I haven't checked it.  I know it's through FEMA's website ‑‑ 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I wanted to respond.  It's sert, so in Florida, that's the cert track, and it's the state of Florida.  It's CERT, the name of the course itself is cert, but you go Floridaserttrac, cert trac, you can Google it and it will come up, you can create a new account, it's a free process, and you can get in there and find out the different local counties and what's available in your county.
You can also look at neighboring counties and take the cert training there if it's not available in your local area.
So you can see the dates they have different trainings available; all the information is available on their website.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris, please.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris again.  Also it's important to note if you need accommodations for being involved in a team, the state has funding to pay for accommodations.
So, there have been issues in the past where a local cert team will say well, we can't pay for an interpreter or we can't pay for captioning, but if you tell them to contact the state cert team, that's S‑E‑R‑T, not C‑E‑R‑T, then the state sert has the funding to pay for accommodations for the people.
Because cert is supposed to be a whole community approach and that includes people with disabilities as well as anybody else.  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  This is Jenny.  I also wanted to add ‑‑ oh, well... I think I covered everything.  Yeah.  So I think we're good.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you, Lisa, I wanted to remind we can share information at the Florida cert conference in 2020, we're planning to have a booth there, so we would be able to disseminate some of your information there possibly or we may have a training or a presentation on the C‑E‑R‑T at that time.
All right.  Thank you so much.  
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  Darlene. 
>> OPERATOR:  Has left the conference.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Do we have any other public comment?  Lisa.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Good morning, everybody, my name is Lisa Schaefermeyer again, thank you very much.  We are so pleased to be here at this meeting today!  And I just want to say thank you for all of your work.
I was a part of establishing back in 2004 the initial legislation for this Council and I have to say that it's been a long time since I've been actually at a meeting. 
>> OPERATOR:  Has joined the conference. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  But the same energy and the same positive work that has been done and continues to be done here, and I see that.  It's great to see you all and meet some new faces, so thank you so much for allowing us to speak.
Like Jenny said with the Florida Cert Conference, that might be another area where you would want to have a table.  And it's a much smaller conference.  So there's a good chance that you can probably get a table for free and be able to share information, and then maybe make a presentation there.
We don't know where the date and location is yet.  It was in Naples, and like Jenny stated, it was, you know, in September, but 2020 hasn't established a date yet.  And we will let you know when they do.
But just another thought about getting information out about the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community to the cert community programs.
I wanted to add to, like Chris and Jenny mentioned, how you can get into any cert program in the county, there's a bunch of programs, there's not just one at EOC, a lot of times they're connected to EOC, but I know in Pinellas, there's many, so if you go on that website and you can see where's the closest one, in our experience, because Jenny wanted to become a trainer and also be able to create other trainers, we found that train the trainer programs were not offered very often; maybe once or twice a year.
So that's why we went to cert, the state conference, for her to be able to do this three day training.
Chances are they will do it again in Missouri at the national cert conference and that's a new organization that's just starting now.
I literally just got an e‑mail, Jenny and I last night, we're charter members of that and they're still trying to get a lot of things in place and grow the national organization.
So I learned a lot about cert, C‑E‑R‑T and sert, S‑E‑R‑T, and I learned a lot of it from Chris.  We got into it with FRID and with Chris's help in trying to get the word out and get these trainings to sign language interpreters.  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  At the Governor's Hurricane Conference, I have a note that I just wanted to say I know actually purchasing a booth is quite cost prohibitive with your budget.  So I think Glenna's suggestion about going and handing out information is great.
We are thrilled to work with Chris to be able to develop a workshop and a presentation and to help him with that.
We actually did that many years ago when Chris did that presentation.  I think it was with Carole Lazorisak, right, Chris, in Orlando?  I can't remember the year [chuckles].  Yeah, that was some years ago.  But I would love to work with you on that, Chris, and look forward to it.
Another option is we are definitely going to be there, AQI.  We have a booth, so you are more than welcome to send materials with whomever.  You can mail them directly to me and I can bring them over or Jenny, and share our table with you.  So that's another option as well, okay?  
[Applause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  That's nice!  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Can I ask a question?  I'm actually on a website, I registered on that cert track, and I'm a little confused as to where to find the classes.  There's so many different types of classes.  But is it the basic cert ‑‑ 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Okay, so the course number is G3178, the basic C‑E‑R‑T, so G3178, that's the course number, G‑3178, for C‑E‑R‑T. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  G317 ‑‑ 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No, 318.  G318.  
[Pause]. 
[Conversations going on; unable to clearly hear]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I'll come over.
Oh, right, my bad, it's 317, not 8, my apologies!  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  This is Jenny.  So if you're interested in taking the training or train the trainer course, there is a prerequisite, you must complete the 317 basic cert training and then get that certificate of a completion and attach it to the application, and that's how you get approved to do the train the trainer course.
So if you're wanting to move on in advance in the training, once you complete the basic training, you attach your certificate to your application for the advanced training or the train the trainer.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other comments or questions for Lisa?  Go ahead, Lisa.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I have two more things, if I could.
What I wanted to mention about cert, C‑E‑R‑T, the basic training, is that in our experience, whenever the program has been approached by a Deaf individual, and not just Jenny, we had this in the community in the Tampa Bay Area, in all the counties, where as soon as they said they were deaf and hard of hearing and needed sign language interpreters, they closed the program.
So, it was very challenging and frustrating to get the services that is free to anybody else.
But as soon as sign language interpreters were requested and as soon as they found out how much sign language interpreters cost, then suddenly the program and class closed, because a lot of them are, it's all free and they don't have the extra budget in there for that.
So, we are trying to educate by tapping into the system, the cert system, by going to the Florida Cert Conferences and being able to ask S‑E‑R‑T at the state level, that's great information, Chris, and, you know, I hope that there's money and funding there to be able to do that.
But I don't think the Deaf community really is aware of the system and what they can do, and I think with FRID's efforts, I think what we've been doing, we're trying to get the word out there, especially since we're a state that experiences hurricanes and, you know, we have to have these kinds of skills to be able to help ourselves and our family and neighbors.
So, we had our first cert in Pasco County with the concept that we're trying to develop.  And yes, it required us as a company to sponsor the interpreters.
But if the cert program is willing to do a three‑day, intensive, all in one weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday training, then we can see what we can do about working with other agencies or other entities that are willing to provide the interpreting services.
We have also gone through this process a number of times that we have gotten from RID approval for CEUs for the sign language interpreters.
So, if we can get a cert training that is specific to the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community and to sign language interpreters and anybody else who knows sign language, then as Chris and Jenny and Julia, as we grow those presenters who use sign language and it would be a direct communication, then you wouldn't necessarily need interpreters.
So, that's what our hope is, is to be able to grow that pool of interpreters ‑‑ I mean of instructors, so that those who are instructors and Deaf community members and those who know sign language can get into the cert system.  
[Pause]. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I also wanted to let you all know that AQI Services is a part of a coalition of agencies in the state of Florida.  We make sure that the Governor has sign language interpreters whenever he has a press conference.
One of the things that we're trying to establish and also FRID is trying to establish right now is standards.  It's not a requirement, it is something that we're ‑‑ best practices, in alignment with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
This is still a new topic to everybody and a new area, so with all of the hurricanes lately especially, what's been happening is social media gets on right away with the interpreter who is on screen [chuckles] and criticizing, "That interpreter is not doing their job well!".
And so we are also the vendor for the state of Georgia and we started this up there as well, and now what we do is our policy ‑‑ if we can do it, it's not always possible ‑‑ is that we have a team of interpreters, a CDI and a certified ASL interpreter.
So ASL interpreter is behind the scenes where the cameras are projecting onto the speaker and the interpreter and they put into their native language what they are getting from the hearing interpreter.
So, it's a little bit more of a process, but the accuracy and the message is so much clearer, and we've gotten so much positive comments.
I know in the Tampa Bay Area, they recognize who the CDI is and it's, like [Sighs]... oh, great, I know her!  Okay, this is... I'm getting to see all of this information!
So, that's what we have noticed with this past hurricane, Dorian, that other areas and all over are trying to do that same kind of team approach.
They even started doing it in Tallahassee.
So, I just wanted to mention about that coalition, that the Governor, yes, and also the new Governor DeSantis is also keeping the practice to make sure that he has a sign language interpreter with all of his press conferences.
We would like to see that happen at the local level, and so the coalition of agencies, that's what we're trying to do, is educate at a local level and go into each county that's in our region area and educating them about also having that same approach, making sure that their press conferences are interpreted.
So, I wanted to just clarify that many times the EOC and the EOC directors, emergency managers, they don't have any control over who is actually keeping that interpreter in frame.
So, it really is kind of a separate campaign to get letter writing out there and information out there by the community, to let them know that these news programs, these news agencies, even the individual who's running the camera right there in the room, in the EOC, they don't even have control over what they're doing, because with the technology today, they set up the camera and then they step away from it, and it's the producers back in the agencies that are controlling the shots; they are panning, they are going in, they are coming out.
So it's not even the cameraman that is in that room.
So, I think it's a better of trying to get the word to these news channels that they are the ones who are responsible to make sure that the interpreter stays in the shot.
Now, the EOC manager, the emergency managers, yes, they can tell those news channels, "If you don't keep the interpreter in the shot along with our team manage or our PIO, public information officer who is making the announcement, you're not going to be invited back here again."
They can do that part, but they can't necessarily control what the camera is doing.
So that's why I'm looking forward to working with Chris to get some bullet points out there, to be able to get to these news channels and those producers so they are aware of the number of people they are affecting in the state of Florida who don't get the message as soon as they start getting that headshot.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  Thank you, Lisa.  I just wanted to say, although emergency managers don't necessarily have control over whether the interpreter is in the shot, it is their responsibility to let the broadcast, the agencies, know that under federal law, they are required to keep a sign language interpreter in the shot if you have an imminent emergency.
So the precedence has already been set, I believe in California related to wildfires ten‑plus years ago.
So what public information officers and other emergency managers need to do and what's their responsibility is to make sure that the local news affiliates know that they are required to keep the sign language interpreters in the shot.
So like you said, it's true that they don't have direct control over it, but it's not just like the invitation of inviting them back to the press conference, they are violating federal law if they do not keep the interpreters in the shot.  And they need to convey that information. 
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you.  Good point, yes.
So that letter will help everybody to know those key points about how to keep the interpreter in the shot, why they're keeping that interpreter in the shot, and what the laws that they are violating if they don't.  So thank you.  
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Thank you.  Wow!  I'm amazed at how much both of you are doing.  And thank you both. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other comments or questions for our public speakers?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  One thing I learned from the ALDA convention is that right now they're trying to have all of the movies open captioned.  I got the information from John Waldo, I will share that with Tiffany when I get back home.  How we can approach to the county/city ordinance, ordinance ‑‑ I don't know how to pronounce it ‑‑ in order to allow the movies to be open captioned instead of using the glasses and the seat view, so I will share that with you and ask them to allow open captions for the movies.  
[Pause]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Anybody else?  Comments?  Questions?
Does everyone agree to move on back to our bylaw discussion?  Are we good with that?
We had Glenna and Debra that was on deck.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  And I would recommend that if we don't complete it by noon, we're going to put it back on the agenda for the next go, okay?  
>> DEBRA KNOX:  I think Article 1 was done, at least what was proposed, and I sent whatever I had to Tiffany, so she has it in a Word document.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna, on your suggestion for item C, are you good with that?  About the ‑‑ 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  We didn't really discuss that yet.  And in Section 5 2‑C says apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and services, and we have no way to accept it directly, and we've never really set up anything, so I'm wondering if we added something that a banking account, and I know I've asked Shay before and we've never really gotten a straight answer about how we can accept money, donations and grants and what that ‑‑ if we can put in ‑‑ if we can set up a banking account?  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I think we've asked that of the Department before about that and I can get an updated answer.  Our current answer is the Department can't set up the account.  The state financial and budgeting is so complicated that it's very hard to accept money from the state unless it's coming from the feds but I thought the answer that we got is you as individuals and as the Chair, you can go set up an account?
But Tiffany or I would not be able to be responsible for that or handle that financial part as state employees.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  So then would that account, if we as a Council set up an account and that means all of our planning and budgeting and fundraising or whatever we do would go through that account?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Well, the budget that we have up to the department for the travel and overall management of the Council would stay with the department, but if you did some type of fundraiser where you brought in money, it's a very hard ‑‑ I know it sounds like it's just easy, but it's not ‑‑ of how to transfer money.  Say you raised a bunch of money, we would have to ‑‑ it would be hard for you to transfer it to us for us to do something for it, so it would be the responsibility of the Council to say okay, now with this money, we're going to do this.
Do you see what I'm saying?  It would have to be separate. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I understand.  Glenna, you had your hand up?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  So you're saying like what we're doing with Facebook, if the Council is responsible for that, then the Council could be responsible for an independent banking account.  How do we show that we're something like 501(c)(3) or something like that?  Is there something we could use from DOH to show non‑profit or something?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I would have to check on that, if the statute establishing you... I mean, you would have to create your own non‑profit status.  I'm not sure.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I think that goes along with those questions that we have for our legal status. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We don't have an answer on that. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Since, you know, February, the meeting is going to be up there in Tallahassee, can we have somebody just come by and speak to us about those legal questions?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, we'll invite Linda McMillan, the attorney.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  That would be awesome, we have several questions. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  We have questions to think about, if you change, and I know one of my suggestions had been to make the term two years, but every time you change, you need everybody to go over to keep changing who has access to the account, and then you also need to establish, I think to be above board, is you're going to have to pay for an accountant, unless the state would provide it, to go through an accounting.
This is typical for organizations that have to go through the bank account so that they know that there's been no misappropriation of funds in any way.
So these are things you need to think about if you're going to start an account.  You need both people there, you need both people it's being transferred to, and you need every ‑‑ at least every two years to have at least someone review, not that it would be that difficult, because we have not had a lot of activity, but that could be more trouble than it's worth.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  So what would be our goal for having it, the funds?  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Right now if we get donations and funds or grants or different things, we can't accept them because we have nowhere to put the money.  DOH can't do anything. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  But what would we want the money for?  Like, how would that help us as a Council?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  Well, like, for example, we have the idea of trying to have some kind of a ‑‑ we're the only group that represents all the different organizations and we... we have discussed it a few times the idea of bringing together everybody, with no expo or anything, it includes all of the different organizations and we can have the ability to do that, so in order to host that, we need money to, you know, get the room and, you know, charge for the vendors and all of that.
I mean, we can't do that.
If we want to do a rally for tally, we need money to pay for all the different things and DOH's budget might not cover everything, you know.
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  They give away ‑‑ they have ‑‑ I just want to mention so we don't make it more complicated, you know, um... I think that's what I worry about, I don't want to make it more complicated and then any of us can get accused of conflict of interest or... I don't know.
I would like to ‑‑ obviously I would like to get a donation, but I just want to make sure that we're in line with the statute.
Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  I think trying to funnel money into the state through fundraising and other means is really kind of difficult.
I would think that we would be better served if the funds were going to the different organizations that support the Council.
If money goes through FAD or to HLAA or to ALDA or to the Association for the Deaf‑blind, Alexander Graham Bell, then they help support some of the things that we're talking about doing and an expo that has all of our organizations together.
But we would have to independently create a fund.  To try and bring the funds into the state, I think that would be really difficult.
I would think we would be better served if we're looking for more money from the state, then we should be asking the state in different ways to support us financially.
Increasing us as a commission or something like that, and that's going to require a state statute change or a new law or something like that.  But....
Although it's a good ‑‑ having more funding is good, I think it needs to be separate or independent from the Council.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I don't mean to be difficult, to keep it straight, that's the only thing, I don't want to step into murky water.
Shay, thoughts?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  [No response]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  You really can't comment and I know you can't comment on that.
I know we've done the legislative meetings and Glenna has been really excellent of knowing the history of the funding of the Council and how it's changed and she brings it up to the legislators and we are here and we're committed to what we're doing, but the funding has changed and it limits to what we're able to do, and maybe that is the place that it needs to stay, is to keep asking them.  Maybe this would be a good question for our lawyer when they come in in Tallahassee, is to say well, what can we say to the Legislature to ensure that this is given more priority or what should we be doing, you know.
Yes?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  The thing is that line about the funds and grants, if it's in the statute itself ‑‑ it's in the statute itself.
[Pause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Do you have a copy of the statute anywhere?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  In the statute, it's 4C, it says that right there in the statute. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Do you have the statute?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  It's in your book on tab 3.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  And it says that right there in the statute, on the second page of the statute itself. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Oh, yeah. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  4C, apply for and accept funds and grants and services.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Well, if that's in the statute, I don't understand why it would need to be a separate account then.  I mean, it's in the statute. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  There's a way to accept that. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, I mean, you can apply for grants and we can accept those at the department, but ‑‑ I'm not saying it's impossible, but we checked into it before and it's very hard with the ‑‑ it's a state budget, not like a bank account where we can just go deposit money. 
The lines get pretty blurry.  Um....
I mean, I can check again, but... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yeah, I think that would be a good thing to check ‑‑ 
[Talking over one another]. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Add it to the list. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Yeah, add it to the list.  If we want to meet with the Legislature before, we would technically be meeting with the lawyer, we can do this ahead of time. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  We sent a letter before. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe, Cindy, you. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I notice in the statute, it says two members representing the Florida Association for Self‑Help for Hard of Hearing people, that's an old term, so we would have to write ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  We've addressed that. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  That was addressed and changed. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Right, we're not going to open up the statute and change that, so a main change in the organization I think was allowed, that it change from SHHH. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yeah, it says [Away from microphone and unable to clearly hear]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Change from Self‑Help for the Hard of Hearing to HLAA (sic).  Thank you for noticing that. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  Regarding we're allowed to get grants and other funding and it does state other private entities as well, you need to remember, when we started, we had our own budget item, we had our own account.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  We did?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Yes, we had a $250,000 line item per year.  It was the year when they were cutting out everyone and wanted to cut this Council out and we lost our line item and they almost cancelled the Council, there was a lot of letters that went in ‑‑ I have copies of them ‑‑ 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Give that to Tiffany. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  In order to keep this Council, and they did, but that's when they started bobbing us from place‑to‑place, so I think, Glenna, the answer is we used to have our own bank account and that's why that's there.
And at that time when we were being cut and lost our line item, we've been bouncing everywhere.
This has been the most welcoming home since our original home when Karen Anderson was still there. 
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  So if we at one time had an account, can we reopen it or something like that?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  There are no bank accounts in state government.  You had a budget line item that came to the Department of Health and then that budget line item was managed and taken away or, you know... you didn't make income, so it was 250,000 that could be spent for the Council here from the department, but there's no "account" as you would typically traditionally think of banking.
So, you still have, you know, a budget that we, the Department, have then contributed that didn't come from the Legislature, it just came from our overall Department of Health budget.
So, but, yeah, I think, yeah, get out of the mindset of a "account" because that doesn't really exist in state government.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  Does the state or is anyone on the Council here a really good grant writer?
[No response]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  The silence sounds like no... [chuckles]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I mean, I've written for grants and I'm sure Tiffany has as well.  I've gotten a few grants.  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I've written some, but it's been a looong time ago. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  I was just curious, because we're talking about grant money, having a bank account seems like putting the horse before the cart and if we don't have grants to write or people who don't know how to write for them, where would we put the money if we got it?  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  I think what Glenna is referring more to is personal donations, which is in here from individuals.
Again, I think when we had a line item, those monies could go into and add to that line item. 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Did you guys get personal donations in the past?  Like, people wrote you checks to the Council?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Not at that time. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Not on the Council.  I think that donations that have been received definitely have been, like, to FAD or to ALDA or someone will include something in their will or things like that.
But it's a much smaller amount.  And, again, I can't see it making a significant difference in what we do.
I think with the Department of Health's support, as it is now, we're really well positioned to achieve our goals.
If we have a specific project or goal, as Karen put it before, that we want to accomplish, then we can look at funding that way.
But that would come from our specific organizations.  And then not necessarily having an account or something like that.
We used to have a line item in the state budget, a line item in the state budget is very different than an account, so to speak.  Our organizations have separate, much smaller accounts than we're able to do.
I don't think ‑‑ I know ALDA, because I'm on the board for ALDA Suncoast, we don't have any type of a funding related to what we're able to accomplish with the state.
And I don't think FAD or HLAA chapters in the state are positioned to to assist us financially with any project.
I could be wrong about that.  If they can, that would be great, but we would need to identify the project or the goal that we're trying to achieve first.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  You know, we do have Lisa here and she was there, so... you know, I was just thinking this was because we had that line item in the budget.  Maybe she can give further illumination on the point.  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I was agreeing with everybody as you were going through the discussion.  It was a line item.  And I remember back then when they were teaching us about how line items work at the state level, that it's like a huge barrel of water.
And even though we are given the line item of $250,000, everybody is taking their ladle of water out of that barrel.
And by the time that fiscal year comes back around, even though we were given a line item of $250,000, when that water is gone, it's gone [chuckles].
So we had to earmark this whatever projects we did to make sure that we got it in there and done and accounted for before that end of that fiscal year.
Otherwise, we didn't have the funds.  We were told oh, but you didn't use $85,000, so there's not $85,000 left there to use.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  And as Eloise used to say, if you don't spend it, you're going to lose it, so spend it!  
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Exactly, exactly.
So I agree with the history of when it was first started.
But, you know, I've just seen it go down and it would be wonderful if we can even, you know, get back the 250 or go even higher.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I just wanted to say yes, Lisa's correct, with the state budget, it doesn't roll over, so the money doesn't belong, you know, like I said, it's not an account well, oh, we didn't use 100,000 this year, now we've got 350,000.  It's to the year.
But every year we have to put for the legislative budget request to reestablish that line item, and it leaves my bureau and goes to the division and it has to be filtered through.
You know, each agency is told how many things they can request.  It's usually not very many, 3‑4 for an agency so the agency has to decide what the priority is.  For health this year, it was a lot of hepatitis A and hurricane stuff, so it didn't move outside the agency, the line item didn't.
That doesn't mean it still can't be put in the budget, that's not DOH's priority to get it back in there, and they're saying hey, we've still got the money, it's not like we're not supporting the Council, we're just putting our general budget towards it.
But as you guys visit the Legislature, you can always say, because any legislative staff can put an item in the budget.  I mean, it has to be negotiated through the process and the finalized budget, but it doesn't have to come from the agency.
The agencies' requests are filtered up and put in the governor's proposed budget, but as we know, the Senate and the House decides on the final budget and that's what's decided on. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  So maybe for those legislative visits, in addition to any other material we take with this, we can have a little thing which shows where we started out with the line item, where, you know, where we lost it, how ‑‑ 
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I said keep it simple.  Just say, I mean, I think you go in with a one document, whatever your top three asks are and maybe one of them is reestablished the $250,000 dedicated to the Council, end of story.
Because they're so inundated with people and visits and information, that you've got to keep it simple.
So what are your top three asks for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community, maybe to support certain bills, and for the Council is reestablishing that line item.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Chris?  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  If my kids come to me as dad or if I'm going to the legislator and I'm saying, we want $250,000, first thing they're going to say is what are you going to do with the money?  So that's what I'm saying, and I think someone said before, we're putting the cart before the horse.
So, I don't think that as far as the function of the Council it has changed negatively by the removal of the line item.  In some ways it has, in some ways it hasn't.
The Department of Health, certainly under the way that we're set up now, has certainly been very amicable as far as any of the requests that we've made and any of the things that we've needed to do.
I am a bit frustrated in the fact that we had a PSA for years that we've been trying to get produced and put on the website.
So I think we should focus more on how do we get that, what do we need to do to make that happen very, very quickly?
And is it financing that's the problem there?
I don't necessarily think that's the issue.
Because there have been some internal changes with communication in the Department of Health that maybe affected whether or not we're able to do that.
But I don't think money has been the issue for production of the PSA.
What other things are we not able to accomplish as a Council?
We have ‑‑ Tiffany is doing outstanding things, I think, in an increased capacity for the Council, so I think that's a good thing.
But the question is what will be the goal?  Forget about money, forget what are the goals of what we want to accomplish as a Council first.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Regarding your comment on the PSA, I believe on the last, either the last meeting or the one before where it was established is forget the state finishing it now, we can do it on our own, because I said I still had the last quotes when we did it privately, that would come out of that money, that's where the original one was going to come out of.
That's how we did the original brochure, was using the monies that were a line item to us.
In terms of what else, exactly something like Glenna said, if you were going to put something on, but even in addition to that, Tiffany, for just having come on, is doing an awesome job!
We did at one time have someone who would be at the Department working, as well as an outreach person, when we had Valerie, and from those monies, we also had more where she would go out training and had many ‑‑ much more ability to go out and attend meetings that cost money, to do trainings around the state.
Tiffany is one person.  And we can stretch her so far.  Although I'm beginning to think she's, like, the elastic person who can reach out everywhere.  Or maybe octopus with tentacles everywhere.
But when we ask what do we do with that money, that's an example of what, if you'll remember what we used to do, and put more into someone doing outreach all the time, receipting trainings that she was going to do, like she did with the sheriff's department and things like that.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Any other comments?  Yes, Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I think that we have the ability to be catalysts for bringing together all of the different organizations to cooperate on issues that come to everybody, especially when you want to contact the legislation about certain bills and things like that.  You know, captioning and interpreting, you know, hurricane, all that.  Things that all of our organizations can agree on.  It's the communication and we could act as a leader or a catalyst, but we need money to do that, to reach out and host meetings and things like that and do planning and things like that.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  This is Gina.  I think another investment we could make is have a co‑navigator or SSP for Darlene, or even if necessary, for Tiffany, and put that person, just like we hire the interpreters, hire a person that could accommodate individuals who are deaf‑blind.  I think that would be a great staple.
I'm sorry, who?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  No, we're happy to do that.  And I did inquire with Darlene before about what she needed.  There were some other behind the scenes that she can't really travel right now, but... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  I mean, we were willing to do that.  And I tried to in the past if Darlene is at a meeting, bring an extra staff and sit by her and let her know and escort her to the bathroom and different things that she needed.
So the department is open to that.  I know that, you know, she brings an assistant, but even without that budget, I'm saying that we can do ‑‑ but she's also said that she doesn't ‑‑ there's not a real availability of the ‑‑ what's it called?  The SSP? ‑‑ you know, the one ‑‑ she's had a couple, but I don't guess that they're open ‑‑ they still don't have a working relationship, so... 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  Cindy?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  Just so you know, Gina, our deaf‑blind representative, whether it was Darlene or the person before her, did have the ability to have someone who came from FSDB for these meetings.  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah.  I mean, I'm open to paying or whatever, but... if she couldn't find someone, I guess that they couldn't work together.  That's why we were bringing staff.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  And the other reason for needing more money and increase, when we were discussing going to different conferences and Shay said we have to be careful about the budget, so if we're going to do the outreach work, then we need to have the money for that.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Debbe?  
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  I think we should look ahead to see all of the different events that are happening and document and write them all down and give them to Tiffany so we'll know what's going to happen for next year, and so that ‑‑ or now, and try to see how much money it will take to be involved in all of those.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  I would say again, like we've been talking about the cert training and how not every place is able to afford interpreters, that would be another thing that the Council could do to help support cert training and provide interpreters and finding a place for all variety of different deaf and hard‑of‑hearing people can come to.
That's a good example that the Council could do if we had the money, okay, let's work with cert and provide workshops for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing and provide support on that and that's a good example.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  We have, like, eight minutes left for our meeting.  If anybody has any recaps or anything they want to kind of pull together to make sure we're all on the same page?
Like, we have given Tiffany a ton of work!  A ton of things to ‑‑ 
>> DARLENE LAIBL‑CROWE:  I don't have anything.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Thank you, Darlene.  I think we all appreciate what Tiffany has brought to the table.  I agree with Karen, I think this is absolutely one of the best meetings that we have had.
And I'm thankful for our community input.  That is always a sell for me.  Any time a deaf person shows up, I am happy!  So, I appreciate that, you know.
And thank you for the interpreters for what they've been doing.  I think it's been a great meeting.
And if Tiffany can send us ‑‑ I need the final dates for the meeting.  Planning and scheduling for me has to be in advance, it has to be, you know, like, on, you know, correct, so whatever dates our meetings are going to be, settle on, just send the folks ‑‑ send me or if you would send the Council the dates so we can plan accordingly.
Chris, please.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  This is Chris.  One of the things that I did as soon as I got to the hotel, because it was one of the few times that I've arrived early, but when I got here Wednesday about 3:00 p.m. or whatever, I figured well, I've got a couple of business hours left, I'm going to look around for Deaf Service Centers close to here and invite them to the Council.
It's last minute, but we've already put the information out, let's invite them again.
And I called and contacted the Gulf Coast Deaf Service Center in Ft. Myers and an independent living center and filled out the form on the website and called and actually spoke to somebody, and I just want to make sure that that continues to be an action item.  Maybe if I'm not able to do that, Tiffany, if you can try to do that, if we're going to Miami for any Deaf Service Center or independent living center in that area so that they're aware of maybe the week before or a few days before so people can make plans and get the word out in their local area, that would really be helpful.
Because I think public comment is very important for us to work together with the public and also know what we need to be focusing on.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany and Glenna.  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I think that's a wonderful idea.  I did a little bit of that prior to this meeting.
And I also would really strongly suggest that all of you all are representing a particular organization.  And it would really, really help out if you guys could share with your organization that the meeting is here.
I'll provide flyers, I'll do whatever I need to do to get the details out, but ‑‑ and when I send out to the people in the area, a lot of them were ‑‑ it's kind of ‑‑ a lot of them were already part of other organizations and I think that it would really, really be great if you guys could possibly share that information and we'll sort of work as a team and we get everybody interested all the way around, and that which I don't reach, if y'all could reach some of them too.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Glenna and then Chris ‑‑ no, okay, Chris, please.  
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  Okay.  I was just going to say, if they can't physically be here, call.  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  Right. 
>> CHRIS LITTLEWOOD:  We put that information in there.  I suggested that to the lady that I talked to.  They didn't come, I'm sorry to see that, but we encourage them to do that and I think we need to continue to do that.
But it doesn't matter where they live in the state, we can have somebody from Pensacola, somebody from Miami call in.
Darlene's calling in as a council member.  We can have public comment from people on the phone as well.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Tiffany?  
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  I'm sorry to jump back in here also.  The young lady who came today or yesterday, very articulate young lady who spoke?  She was actually one of the people who contacted us on our call/phone lines, you know, that I answer, and I try, whenever there is someone who calls in and has a question or a concern that they would like solved, if it has any ‑‑ I always try to tell them to come to the meeting.
So I hadn't seen anybody come until that young lady came in, and it was really nice to know that that will work.
So share every opportunity you can, because apparently it works.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  I want to say also ‑‑ and then Cindy ‑‑ Debbe had mentioned about the picture for the group needed to be updated.
I would ask Tiffany to let us know in advance when that picture has to be taken, because some of us have to have on the right glasses and have our hair did. 
[Laughter]. 
>> Not look like this!  
[Laughter]. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Yeah, let us know in advance.  Debbe and Cindy. 
>> DEBBE HAGNER:  Make sure we try to get everyone, including John and Cecil and everyone, as much as possible.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy?  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  I'm sorry, I wanted to add, I would like to see John and Cecil at more meetings, is there a way that we can encourage them to be coming to these meetings?  They are on the council. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Shay?  
>> SHAY CHAPMAN:  Yeah, as you continue to update the bylaws, you might want to strengthen that, but it's up to you.  I mean... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Thank you. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Cindy and then Glenna.  
>> CINDY SIMON:  This was for Karen, from yesterday, I have two sentences here:  One says it is irrefutable that ADA is "hear" to stay, get it, hear to stay.  
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Irrefutable?  What does that mean?  
>> CINDY SIMON:  There is no doubt that... 
[Conversations going on; unable to clearly hear]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  Why are you saying that so much?  Hear... hear. 
>> CINDY SIMON:  You asked us to think about it.  My other one is we are "ear "repressible with joy and irrevocable and ‑‑ sorry... 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  You're no longer allowed to use the word "ear" in any sentence. 
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  We have one last comment from Glenna.  Did you still want to speak?  
>> GLENNA ASHTON:  February would probably be the best time for pictures, because usually John and Cecil are there. 
>> TIFFANY BAYLOR:  In February.  
>> GINA HALLIBURTON:  Okay.  And the meeting is adjourned.  You guys have a great weekend!  Safe travels.  
[Applause]. 
>> KAREN GOLDBERG:  You guys are awesome!
[Concludes at 12:00 p.m.]

** This is a rough‑draft text file that was produced by a CART Captioner (Communication Access Realtime Translation) to ensure effective communication for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.  This file is not a certified, verbatim record, and it should not be quoted as such; nor should this file be distributed without appropriate authorization by this CART Captioner.  **