Resolution 2021-05: STOCKTON COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRACTICES
WHEREAS, clients, staff and concerned members of the community in San Joaquin County had to fight for years to obtain access to and attention of Stockton Community Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s (CCBVI) Board of Directors to relate serious concerns about the behavior of CCBVI’s previous Operations Manager; and
WHEREAS, subsequent recommendations that the CCBVI Board of Directors regularly seek input from clients, staff, and other stakeholders in the future to promote transparency and avoid a repeat of that situation have not been implemented; and
WHEREAS, the longtime Executive Director resigned effective October 7, 2021, and an interim director was hired; and
WHEREAS, it came to light June 8, 2021, that the blindness community’s facility located at 130 West Flora Street, Stockton, which was owned outright for over six decades, was sold against the will of the blindness community, without their knowledge or consideration of their input, resulting in the current unfortunate circumstances which force clients to take classes such as cooking, daily living skills and other blind-specific courses in a cramped, limited and wholly inappropriate space located in a rented office in a strip mall in a less centrally-located part of the city; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of California, in virtual convention assembled this 24th day of October, 2021, that we call upon the CCBVI’s Board of Directors to meet quarterly with representatives of the San Joaquin County Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of California, and any additional representative the local national Federation of the Blind chooses, to improve past relationships; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon the CCBVI to include representatives from the Stockton chapter in the process of selection of a permanent Executive Director; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge the CCBVI board and management to engage blind clients and other stakeholders in the implementation and adoption of policies, programs, and desired qualifications for CCBVI personnel going forward; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT we urge The CCBVI board to appoint at least two (2) totally blind and two (2) visually impaired representatives to its Board of Directors, a minimum of 40% representation. Such desired blind Board members should maintain active membership in the National Federation of the Blind and be familiar with the Stockton blind community. CCBVI shall continue to recruit and hire quality blind employees to its staff at all levels, including management, recognizing the importance of blind role models and the value of employees who can share from their lived experience the skills and life strategies of blindness; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demands that the CCBVI’s Board of Directors meet with representatives of the Stockton chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of California to explain their strategic plans to utilize funds derived from the sale of the former building at 130 West Flora Street; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the National Federation of the Blind of California expresses dismay that client and staff concerns about moving from their large historic building into the inadequate and substandard smaller rented facility at 2453 Grand Canal Boulevard were never fully addressed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization shall advocate to the California Department of Rehabilitation that it should not contract with agencies for the blind who do not demonstrate credible percentages of blind representation on their boards of directors and in management; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this organization should also advocate that the California Department of Rehabilitation should not support blindness organizations which do not provide at least one public open meeting annually to listen to, respond to and address comments, concerns and questions from its clients, their family members, friends, and other community stakeholders.
