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BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM OF OREGON BECC SPECIAL MEETING

Date: Thursday, May 14, 2020

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

OREGON COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND

Conference line: 404-443-6397

Participant code: 943611#

Agenda

• Any agenda item may become an action item.

• Any of these items may be a conflict of interest.

1. Call to order - Chairman Hauth

a. Roll call

b. Adoption of last meeting minutes

2. Public comments

3. Self-service initiative

4. Inventory recovery fund

5. Responses to BECC motions

6. Food trucks in rest areas

7. Steve Jackson’s facility

8. Governor’s proposed guidance for reopening Oregon/how it will affect the BE program

9. Adjournment - Chairman Hauth

Transcription

Hauth: OK. Well, let's go ahead and call this meeting to order. I think it's...we have like an hour and a half. Hopefully we won't need that long, but you never know. So I know Art had requested -- I believe Art and Lewanda had requested to call a meeting, and then, as I recall, there was enough items that this got separated into two different meetings. So...Eric had offered a couple of different dates; I believe we have a meeting today and then we have a meeting next Thursday to talk about some other items. So let's call the meeting to order, and we'll start by taking roll of the board and the membership and go from there. So Derrick Stevenson? 

Derrick Stevenson: Yes.

Hauth: Art Stevenson?

Art Stevenson: Here.

Hauth: Lewanda Miranda?

Miranda: Here.

Hauth: Lin Jaynes?

Jaynes: Present.

Hauth: Steve Jackson? Steve, I know you're here. You might be on --

Jackson: I'm here. Sorry. 

Hauth: OK. 

Jackson: I clicked the button [inaudible].

Hauth: No worries. No worries. And I'm -- I'm here as well. So we'll move on to the managers. Do we have Carole Kinney?

Kinney: Here.

Hauth: Char McKinzie? Do we have Jerry Bird?

Bird: Here.

Hauth: Harold Young?

Young: Here.

Hauth: Celyn Brown? Trevor Garcia? Joseph Becker. And let me see. Who am I -- who am I leaving out? Any other -- any other managers I didn't call on the line?

Jaynes: Did you say Steve Gordon?

Hauth: Steve Gordon? OK. Any other managers? OK. How about --

Bird: Randy?

Hauth: -- members of the public? Yes, Jerry?

Bird: I was just going to say maybe we should say that -- help managers and trainees and all that know that if you miss more than a couple of meetings a year of our meetings, you can't bid on anything new. So I don't know if they are aware of that, but anyway, thanks.

Hauth: OK, thank you. Any other persons that want to identify themselves as being present?

Hall: Yeah, Randy, this is Vance Hoddle with Canteen and I'm here with -- hi, everybody.

Hauth: Hey, Vance.

Jaynes: Hi, Vance.

Hauth: Welcome. Welcome.

Miranda: Hi, Vance.

Hauth: Yeah, it's been a while, but welcome. Thank you. And Eric, you're here obviously, correct?

Morris: I'm here, Randy.

Hauth: Anyone with you?

Morris: Let me check. No, nobody's with me.

Hauth: That took a -- that took a while. You better put your glasses on next time.

Morris: There might be somebody in the closet.

Miranda: You did have one more visitor though, Chairman Hauth.

Hauth: OK. Who is that?

Jenks: This is Danielle Jenks with Salem Canteen.

Hauth: Hi, Danielle. Welcome.

Jenks: Randy, we've got a few people --

Hauth: OK.

Verschueren: Randy?

Hauth: Yes.

Verschueren: Hi, it's Lynne with Canteen in Portland and I've got Augie Rittenberg and Matt Ellerbrook with me.

Hauth: Hey, hey, welcome, Matt and Augie and Lynne. What a team. That's like the wrecking crew right there, by golly, I tell you what. Anyway, we'll go ahead and -- we'll go ahead and -- go ahead and move forward. I don't know, Lin, if you have the agenda pulled up, if you were able to get that. If you can help me step through that, that would be great, so.

Jaynes: Yes, we've done roll call, adoption of last minute -- meeting minutes, and then public comment.

Hauth: OK. OK. Do I have a motion to adopt the last minutes as recorded?

Jaynes: I motion.

Hauth: OK. Motion's been made. Do I have a second?

Jackson: Second.

Miranda: Second.

Hauth: OK, Steve Jackson seconds. OK. OK, we've got -- we've got seconds, we've got thirds and everything coming [inaudible]. So we'll go ahead and take a yea or nay vote. Derrick Stevenson?

Derrick Stevenson: Yea.

Hauth: Derrick? OK. Thank you. Art Stevenson?

Art Stevenson: Yes.

Hauth: Lewanda Miranda?

Miranda: Yes.

Hauth: Lin Jaynes?

Jaynes: Yea.

Hauth: Steve Jackson?

Jackson: Yes.

Hauth: And I'll vote yea as well, so motion passes. Moving on to public comment. If you'd like to make a public comment, just identify yourself and I'll call on you.

Hoddle: This is Vance Hoddle with Canteen Vending.

Hauth: Hey, Vance. You have the floor.

Hoddle: Alright. Well, I just wanted to -- I'm not telling anybody anything that you don't already know, but as far as the -- the whole pandemic thing has been a big hit to our business, but even a -- a bigger problem is it's a -- a big shot to all of you's income and I'm acutely aware of this and I'm feeling for all of you is the -- hopefully with -- the thing'll get off the ground here and we'll start to get a grip of the rip [inaudible]. And just so you know, as -- as the, you know, state and facilities start to open up, Canteen has a very robust reopening sanitation protocol and procedure, and we can send that out to you if you have an interest in that, but we certainly have that, you know, at our fingertips. So when clients call and request and tell us that they're going to reopen, you know, we'll -- we'll be able to fire off our procedures to them and we'll be ready to go.

Hauth: Thank you, Vance, very much. Any other comment? Identify yourself.

Jaynes: Lin Jaynes.

Jackson: Steve Jackson. Oh, sorry.

Hauth: Lin Jaynes. Ladies first.

Jaynes: Thank you.

Hauth: Go ahead, Lin.

Jaynes: My question -- my question would be to, I believe Augie -- August, to find out or -- has he had -- gotten any information at all about the federal prisons, as far as any active COVID located within them?

Hauth: Yeah, Vance -- Vance might be able to -- or, you know, Vance or Eric might be able to share that. But, Vance, go ahead if you would like.

Hoddle: It's a -- it's a little bit dated material. I think it dates back to April 14th, but there were several cases at the federal prison. I think you and -- Lin, you and I discussed this yesterday.

Jaynes: Mm-hm. Yeah.

Hoddle: I'm not sure what the current action is, but Danielle will -- will be checking in with the prison again tomorrow and -- and she'll...she'll fire off an email to us and let us know how things are going there.

Jaynes: Alright, thank you.

Hoddle: Yeah, you bet.

Hauth: Alright. Steve -- Steve Jackson? Steve, go ahead. You're on mute, Steven.

Jackson: My bad, sorry, my screen went blank. I thought it was --.

Hauth: That's alright. Can you hear me?

Jackson: Yeah.

Hauth: Alright. 

Jackson: Well, I know it's supposed to be a comment, but it's kind of a question too. It's -- it's about the fact that I asked Eric to help me call my contact at my building to help coordinate me getting back in and he said Tom Pileggi was going to do it, and I'm just curious. I don't understand why he couldn't help, but I still haven't received any word from my building and I'm just -- I'm just trying to stay in contact with my building and they're not -- the people in my building don't contact me first or second. Like, they're so busy doing everything else that I learn everything last, I guess is what I'm trying to say. But...I just want to get into my micro-market 'cause it's set up perfect for individual people and people have been using it, I've seen it being used...and I need to check dates. It's real important for me to get in there and take in -- inventory of the dates of everything and get rid of the old and -- anyways, that's about it. I just -- I just need more communication. Thank you. Thank you.

Hauth: Alright. Yeah, and, Steve, I think you're on the agenda. There's this -- I've looked at both agendas. I think you're on the agenda. Is that correct?

Miranda: Yes.

Jaynes: Yes.

Hauth: OK. Yeah. So, you know, thanks for bringing that up.

Jackson: I just wanted to get it off my chest.

Hauth: Yeah.

Jackson: I just wanted to --

Hauth: No worries.

Jackson: -- hear from Eric later about it. Thank you.

Hauth: Sure. Yep. You bet. OK. Alright. Any other comments?

Bird: Jerry Bird.

Hauth: Jerry?

Bird: Yeah, I'd just like to have a quick comment to Canteen. I appreciate them for their service and their loyalty and with that said, jeez, Vance, you can't give us all our regular checks and then just get a loan from the government and then--?

[laughter]

[various]: [inaudible]

Bird: What's going on here?

Jackson: I'll take mine now.

Bird: Thanks anyways, guys.

Hauth: OK. Thank you, Jerry. I like that idea. Anybody else?

Young: Chairman Hauth, this is Harold.

Hauth: Hey, Harold.

Young: Hey, Randy. I was just going to make a few comments. I don't know that if you know that I've -- this is my third week of being back open. I was closed down for a month. 'Cause I'm one of the lucky ones: I'm in the Employment Building, which that's where they're doing the --

[laughter]

Young: -- unemployment claims. Anyhow, I spoke with my health inspector before I came in and opened up and one of the big things is there's social distancing in the delis and cafeterias, of course, sanitizing and wiping things down and washing your hands a lot. I mean, I probably wash my hands fifty times a day now, but it's better than getting somebody sick or myself sick. But anyhow, yep, I've been doing 'er for almost three weeks now. Anyway, that's all I got to say. Thanks.

Hauth: You know, you're one of those front line guys, bud, so I give you a lot of -- I mean, I know it's your livelihood. Well, I'll give you credit. You probably have some trepidations and concerns as well, you know, because no matter -- obviously, in the news, this -- this virus is so contagious. So, you know, it can happen to anybody at any time and regardless of all the precautions you take, the, you know...the chance is there. So, but anyway, I'll give you -- give you credit for being there and doing what you do, so.

Young: OK. Thank you.

Hauth: Anyone else? Anyone else like to make a comment? Art, you usually make a comment, are you good?

McKinzie: Chairman -- Chair Hauth, this is Char.

Hauth: Hey, Char, welcome.

McKinzie: Hey. Sorry, I -- I was involved watching Jonas work on one of our machines that's down right now. Anyway -- and then I forgot the time, but --

Hauth: Yep, no worries.

McKinzie: -- we're kind of -- we're kind of getting pushed to open, too. They keep asking when we're going to open. We're about maybe 100 people in the building. So if I did it would be for limited staff, but I think -- whoops, I'm about to fall backwards. Sorry, I had to come outside so I could take off my mask. But anyway, I'm thinking at the least -- and Harold, I think, should have too, we need to have -- just like the grocery stores, we need to have some plexiglass up for the cash registers. I don't think this is going to go away anytime soon and at the very least that would protect us some and so I'm hoping the commission is going to be working on that. That would be one thing I would ask before we reopen, at least for the person running. 'Cause there's no way you can stay six feet away and pay money. So, you know, that should be the very least that we should do before we open. And Marion County --

Hauth: Yep. Tha -- thank you --

McKinzie: -- has one of the highest -- highest counts. In fact, we're not level one yet, even, because of, you know, the [inaudible].

Hauth: Yeah. Yeah.

McKinzie: Yeah. So anyways, that was my comment.

Hauth: Thank you -- thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, Char, and I know we'll probably have more discussion about this and, you know, look around the room and all of us or most all of us are in that vulnerable age category and also --

McKinzie: That's for sure.

Hauth: -- being -- being blind or, you know, visually impaired is, you know, even another level of concern there where you're not exactly sure where somebody might be or where they are, you know, so yeah, I'm sure we'll have more talk about it and, you know, see -- see where the agency is in assisting managers to make sure that they remain safe as far as, you know, plexiglass or, I mean, whatever. I don't know exactly the proper procedures and protocol, but I would agree with you, this is not going to go away fast. Some people won't be impacted by it at all, but case in point, if there's a blind manager out there and they're not being protected properly and they get the virus, you know, I believe there's probably some liability there that the state would have upon itself. So anyway, so I know it needs to be discussed and acted on. So it looks like everybody, you know, it looks like everybody's been trying to play catch up here, right, you know. And so hopefully we can get that -- get that taken care of for you and the others. Anybody else like to make a comment? Art, I just want to make sure I don't go past you. Are you -- are you --

Art Stevenson: Hey, Randy. Randy, I --

Hauth: Yeah.

Art Stevenson: -- can talk for an hour. I could talk for an hour about things, but anyways, I'll -- I'll save my remarks as we definitely move through the agenda. However, I will say yes, there are a lot of our managers who have medical conditions and, you know, those issues need to be addressed. I know in the past the agency has kind of not had any concern about that, and I think that definitely needs to change, especially if our laws and rules and regulations allow for adjustments to be made. OK. I'm done.

Hauth: OK. And so if nobody else has a comment, I would like to make a comment, but anybody else have a comment? So my comment is this: I'm would like -- you know, I -- so weekly I've been on various calls with managers across the land. There have been a couple of Randolph-Sheppard persons connected with the program that have died due to COVID-19. So again, some people aren't going to be impacted at all, you know, physically. I think we're all impacted, or almost all impacted financially. However, this -- this is a reality. One of the things that I've noticed since the shutdown, and I'm not begrudging our state employees, but the state employees were allowed to go home for the most part, receive full pay, full benefits, while the blind managers suffered, right? We've lost our livelihoods, or a good portion of our livelihoods, and we've basically been, you know, sent to fend for ourselves. Really hasn't been much information coming out from the agency. There have been some things that have come out but, you know, as far as even the vision or the leadership of the agency saying, hey, lookit, this is what's going on, this is what we're expecting, this is what, you know, we'll -- we can offer and help and support. Again, I believe we've been left to fend for ourselves, but what I can share is, you know, I look back over the last two, three, four, you know, thirty years and the blind vendors are the impacted persons within this program. So as we move forward together over the years or even in the near years to make decisions, program decisions, I believe it just hammers home why the voice of the members and the voice of the committee should be considered. I think the board would suggest that most of the time our positions aren't taken seriously and our voice is not considered for the most part, and we are the ones impacted: case in point, state employees are receiving their pay and their benefits; blind managers are suffering. So I would just encourage, as we go forward, that the agency's administration really consider and give credence to the frontline vendors who are now suffering and how they should consider our goals and our position relative to program matters. So I just wanted to get that out there, so. What do we have -- what do we have next?

Jaynes: Alright, next on the agenda is self-service initiative.

Hauth: OK. Self-service initiative. Who would like to speak on this? Let me -- let me just -- let me just share something real quick if I may. So just -- just for the record, the self-service initiative, I've heard some -- I've heard and I've seen some written correspondence...that identify the self-service initiative in a light other than accurate. I've seen some correspondence from A. A. G. Merrill, I've heard some dialogue communications from Director Johnson that identify things that I haven't seen as fact-based as far as requirements for vendors to self-service vending machines and actually [inaudible] deadlines, compliance matters. You know, if a vendor isn't self-servicing their vending machines, fifty vending machines, then they're in noncompliance, and I believe also Director Johnson had identified recently that the legislation and legislators required self-service of the blind vendors to self-service these vending machines and as a participant back in 2017 or whenever it was, in all the meetings, along with our sub-contracting teaming partners, that was far from the truth. Anyway, this was something the agency -- as you all know, the agency came up with, created, and dictated and I just wanted to share that. I did reach out to Executive Director Johnson asking for verification on where these -- where these identifiers were, and Director Johnson refused to respond, basing, you know, the COVID-19 crisis, I guess for not having enough time to respond, but I just wanted to share that out there with you, that, you know, at least my concern from my perspective as being a blind vendor and a member of this elected committee is that there is information being shared out there that is less than accurate, by the administration. So anybody else want to speak on the self-service initiative or you have any issues, items around it?

Art Stevenson: Randy? Art.

Hauth: None? Yeah? Art?

Art Stevenson: [laughs] OK. Well, let me say that there seems to be a ignoring of the complete law. Obviously the law was passed that we had to develop a subcontractors list, an approved subcontractors list, that we would have to follow as managers and only use subcontractors who qualify on that list, and of course we all worked very hard to make sure that we complied to that part of the law and that was a good thing, but I do know that there's a part of the law that says that the agency may allow subcontracting or at the request of the blind licensed manager, and that part of the law seems to be ignored. And I do believe that we need to make sure that all the law is complied to and just not pieces of it. I know there are a managers who have said, if I'm mandated to do 50 machines, I'm going to lose money, and -- and therefore have said, you know, either you're going to allow me to do all of my machines so there may be profitability there, but not -- not limit me or any individual to do that. And so I do believe that the elected committee does need to make sure that all the blind license managers' rights under the law are adhered to and -- and all the laws are followed. And -- and so, Randy, I don't know how we as a body want to address that, but I do believe that the agency is required to allow the managers all their rights under the law and not just the agency gets to pick and choose which laws are going to be followed and which laws are not going to be followed. And so the self-service initiative, and I know there has been concerns, managers have voiced their concerns, and the agency has ignored the profitability of their mandate and the livelihoods of the blind licensed managers. So we need to make sure all the laws are adhered to and the managers have their rights protected under the state statutes, Randy, so I don't know what we want to do as a body concerning this, but we need to make sure that our managers are -- are given all their rights.

Hauth: Sure. Yeah. Well, thank you, Art. So just let me update real quickly with everyone. So if you know or don't know, I have been systematically stepping through since, I believe, the last part of June [inaudible] part of July doing self-service initiative, which I call a mandate, and had been working through the process, doing my due diligence to make sure that...you know, my IEP -- my IPE was crafted properly and, you know, so forth and so on. I have run into a few stumbling blocks, we seem to have worked through those, but it's been a long, long process. I know some managers have said, lookit, this isn't proper, I'm going to lose money, I'm going to be harmed so, you know, I can't do that. I think there's a varying degree of managers out there and varying degrees of this plan. However, what I -- what I will share is with a seventeen percent projected -- I saw -- I saw recently there was a 17-percent requested budget cut for all state agen -- agencies to be submitted to the governor, which I think the agency is going to be part of, right? So there's going to be a 17 percent, at least, it looks like, unless things change, reduction in funds. I know I could share with you that the agency has probably spent about $90,000 on me alone, and I know the other managers that are involved in the self-service initiative, I would think the same rings true for that, which, personally, I think is just a ridiculous waste of taxpayers' money. And then including that, not only have the agency going to spend $90,000 on me, but then there's another $250,000 on machines that, you know, again comes from taxpayers' money but, you know, point being is, I'm going through the initiative and so -- but in these trying times, what's going to happen, you know? Where's the funding going to come from, is there going to be enough funding there? I think the agency is currently, even in this situation, from what I've seen and what Linda has looked at at their budget is, you know, struggling. So well, I guess we'll -- I guess we'll have to see, I don't know, you know, what -- what the agency's position is going to be and, you know, what happens. I mean, some of the experts say, lookit, this is going to come back in fall. And so, like in Art's instance and Lewanda's instance and others, I know that they've suffered great hardships because their businesses have closed down. They've lost inventory, you know, so forth and so on. What's going to happen if people are forced into this initiative and they end up shutting down, you know, in fall or winter, they end up shutting down again by the mandate. You know, how are we going to address that? So I know there's a lot of discussion that needs to occur around this, but, well, probably not -- well, I don't know, like, somebody had talked about the cleaning. You know there's going to be cleaning protocol and you know these buildings are going to establish cleaning protocol. There's going to be social distancing protocol. Lookit, if they're closing, you know, they're closing these major events like they are every day on the news, this isn't a joke, right, so. Yeah, Art, I know -- I know what you're talking about and I don't know. That's a discussion we'll have to have and...have with the agency, you know, and, Eric, I don't know what the agency, if you have had any discussions around, you know, funding concerns in this initiative, or any other concerns on getting people back to work, you know, but, you know, the floor is yours if you have any thing to add in on that.

Morris: Well, Randy, I think -- the things you shared, I think everybody in society is concerned about. The -- the cuts that were asked to be done by the governor, the 17 percent is actually eight-and-a-half percent for the rest of this biennium and then eight-and-a-half percent going into the next biennium, so the cuts that the agency is going to take here in the next year are mainly around our IT project that we had going for a new case management system and then some vacancy savings. You can find that cut list on the agency's website. I think it's under News and Updates; I think that's where it was going to get posted. So all -- all state agencies were asked to go through that eight-and-a-half percent cut for the rest of this biennium and there's 17 total percent. And as you can imagine, the eight-and-a-half percent for our agency is -- pales in comparison to what eight-and-a-half percent would be at ODOT or DAS or places like that. But the governor's authority is to order across-the-board cuts for all agencies. She can't pick and choose which and how much for each one. The legislature can, so there's lots of chatter about the legislature coming back and trying to address some of the -- the financial crisis that's looming on the horizon that we've heard -- I think everybody's probably heard the same chatter that we'll probably get a better idea about next week. So...but yeah, the -- the opening of state government, the reopening of state government and all government is a major concern and, you know, we're -- it's not like the agency is -- you know, we're not just sitting back going, geez, what are we going to do? We're following the governor's lead, is what it amounts to. 'Cause as a state agency we -- we follow the governor's lead on these things. So that's where we're at right this second.

Hauth: OK. Thank you. Are there any talks about furloughs? You know, I know in some states...I mean I know this eight-and-a-half and eight-and-a-half is just a starting point because nobody really realizes the financial impact that this is going to have. You know, I -- obviously they can forecast it and I know on the 20th or the 21st, whenever that is, the forecast comes out, but...have there been any discussions about furloughing employees in the commission's offices?

Morris: Not at the --

Hauth: Do you know?

Morris: No. I -- Randy, there hasn't been any talk about furloughs and quite frankly, furloughs and those kinds of discussions are at a much higher level than, like, agency heads. It's also the fact that, you know, the state has one of the biggest unions in the entire state. So any kind of furloughs and stuff like that would have to be negotiated between labor and management at the -- at the bargaining table, they call it. So ...you're seeing lots of city governments and stuff taking extreme measures pretty darn quickly cause they can see what's coming, and cities and local municipalities have a lot less flexibility. They, you know, most cities don't have rainy -- rainy day funds. It sounds like City of Portland doesn't, so. But agencies like Lottery and Oregon Travel, those guys are semi-independent agencies, so they've taken action already ahead of time. 'Cause I was kind of like well, why is lottery cutting 60 jobs all of the sudden when most of the state government is submitting their plans and waiting to hear what -- what the -- what the marching orders are? Well, like, Lottery we found out is a semi-independent organization and is taking action immediately because they have lost a massive amount of funding due to shutting down the l -- the lottery, basically.

Hauth: OK. Well, thank you. I, you know, I just want to make -- I just want to make one more mention that's kind of connected with this. Even though I'm going through the self-service initiative mandate I'm doing so I'm under fear of reprisal by the agency. I mean, case in point, I think that there's eight managers that were issued temporary operating agreements to...I guess, you know, for the agency's position, ensure that those managers are going to go through with the self-service initiative. And even, case in point, even if the agency was not ready to fully support those managers and being able to do that by providing the, you know, vehicles and equipment and all the other things necessary, the agency's still taking a position that those managers were non-compliant, which I personally disagree with. Again, I don't believe that mandating positions is proper and, you know, specifically in -- I mean, not in all instances, but specifically in several, how devastating that can be to their...to those blind vendors. If this is, again, it should be a choice on how managers want to operate their businesses. I think to limit a manager from a higher level of management is a discriminor -- discriminatory practice. That's -- that's my belief. And one other point is, recently we were provided an assigned vending list. I don't know if you were able to see that at all, but it looks like there is a ton of companies on there, and I don't know that all those companies that are doing business with the agency have been vetted and are on the approved subcontracting list. Maybe Eric can speak to that, but it looks to me like there's food trucks out there, it looks to me like there's other operations that have been opened up without the knowledge of the community, and it also looks like there's been companies out there that have been paying late, paying, you know, in our -- in our required initiative by the agency, they established a certain requirement for the blind vendors: you need to do this and you need to get this and you need to do that. And again, maybe Eric can share this with me, but it -- to me, correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like all those companies have been vetted and also it doesn't look like all those companies have the same requirements that the blind vendors do, and my thinking is that's because we are blind and they are not, so I don't know if you have anything to, you know, clear up there, but that's what I'm seeing on my initial take.

Morris: Yeah. Randy, I don't have anything to add.

Hauth: Do you know -- can you tell me, do you know if all those companies on that unassigned vending have been established through the vetting process, through the, you know, procurement list or on the procurement list?

Morris: Yeah, I don't know, Randy.

Hauth: OK. Anybody else. Anybody else? So I believe -- Lewanda, did you bring something to me...I'm trying to remember, was there something that dealt with one of the managers that either you represent or that you know who maybe is going to be suffering from -- well -- we're all going to be suffering, but --

Miranda: Yeah, so it's Char McKinzie. Yeah, it was Char McKinzie and --

Hauth: OK.

Miranda: -- we were talking about the fairgrounds. She's going to be losing, like, a lot of money and she was really wanting to get more machines because her route, it's hard to hire a full-time person when she doesn't have a full route. But, Char, do you want to mention that? Do you want to respond to that? Char?

Hauth: Well, if she -- 

Jackson: She might be working

Hauth: -- if -- if she -- if she comes back on -- you know, if she comes back on then we can --

McKinzie: I'm here now.

Hauth: -- we can address that. OK.

McKinzie: Can you hear me?

Hauth: Yes.

Miranda: Yes.

Jackson: Yep. We can hear you.

McKinzie: So I w -- was kind of listening to Jonas right then. Yeah. Are we talking about my --

Hauth: Yeah, Char, just to recap --

McKinzie: Yes.

Hauth: -- we -- we were talking about your concerns relative to losing business and what your thoughts might be --

McKinzie: Right.

Hauth: -- or what your request.

McKinzie: You know, I honestly don't know. It's leaving Jerry and I to do it now. There's no way I can pay. Pe -- well, number one, with people all getting unemployment and an extra $500 a week, I'm not sure who wants to come back to work, but besides that, with the fairgrounds down, that's thirteen machines, and last year during the state fair, I sold fifteen thousand dollars. And so all of those machines, I'm just turning off to save, well, money for the tracking and stuff because we know there's not going to be anything there for six months at least. And so right now I really don't have enough hours to even have a vending driver or...and so I don't exactly know how I'm going to deal with that, except having Jerry and I do it, and to be honest, we're a little too old for -- for that, you know, and so it's -- it's a great concern. Unless I get different machines for -- should be able to -- some -- to build some different machines, I -- it's going to be a real struggle. So...which I would be happy to have. I would seriously be happy to have more machines. Outside of that, I really don't have anything else to -- if anybody's got any ideas or wants to share a position with me for a vending driver, that'd be great, so.

Hauth: OK. [inaudible]

Bird: Char, do you --

Hauth: Jerry, go ahead.

Bird: Do -- do you self-serve the prison that you have?

McKinzie: No, I never have gotten the prison. I wish I -- I'm -- I guess I don't wish I have it now, but I really had asked -- wanted the visitor's center at least. That would have, you know, done...that would have helped a lot and it will help if that ever does happen. It's -- I'm very grateful for what Vance is even, you know, doing now. There at least I have a little bit of money coming in for -- for the yard, you know, which that seems to be the problem is getting the fingerprints. But I wouldn't think you'd need that for the visitor's center, 'cause you're not even there when there's visitors and stuff. I know Art and Nikki is in a situation like that and they're able to do theirs so it seems like that would be a real help if I could get those -- 'cause that adds up; that's about, oh, nine thousand dollars more a month in sales, and with losing the fairgrounds kind of, and some of my other machines haven't been ever very profitable. So I guess it would be helpful to maybe look at some different sites, maybe even some different unassigned vending sites, that might help me to, you know, get more business. That would be great. 'Cause we're willing -- we're willing and ready to work, but anyway, yeah. Thanks, Jerry.

Hauth: So let me just ask real -- real quickly here, and I know, you know, I know that we've talked about this previously a number of times. Eric, I just don't quite understand. I know -- you know, knowing -- recently going through the unassigned vending list, I believe I counted over 300 vending machines and I know with Gordon Smith retiring and unfortunately -- and I know we're going to talk about that other matter, the southern Oregon that's on the agenda, so we need to move forward, but did you -- and the food trucks and, you know, the new rest area that opened at Memaloose. Can you tell me what the agency -- why the agency is not assigning those vending to managers like Char and, you know, Jerry, and others, what the mindset is on the agency just bringing those in-house?

Morris: Well, Randy, we've talked about this numerous times over the years and I think the thing that I keep reiterating is, the elected committee and the agency needed to come to an agreement about how we're going to do that. You know, so the -- well, as we talked about that, you know, one site isn't a facility; it would fall under the facility assignment rules that we have. So we need to come up with a fair and equitable process that everybody can agree on to assign this stuff out.

Hauth: Do you know --

Bird: Randy?

Hauth: -- do you know how we -- do you know how we would do that, Eric? 'Cause like you said, we've been talking about this for a while and my position, the agency is reluctant to do that and they're relying on the money. If that's right or wrong, that's kind of how I'm seeing it. So...and it doesn't look like the agency has been pushing to get this done and, you know, even on the -- I mean, so how -- how do we do that?

Morris: I think it's a great question, Randy. I think I -- I came up with some ideas, it seems like a lifetime ago, a long, long time ago. Of course, a month and a half seems like a long time ago. You know, many years ago we talk -- we kicked some things around. There was some complaints about what we did. I -- I'd like to hear from the committee to see what you guys think is fair and equitable and, you know, then we could work through it and see what we can come up with.

Art Stevenson: Randy?

Hauth: Well...yeah, Art, go ahead and then we do need to move on because I think we only have like 45 minutes left and I know we have some important things, too, on this. So go ahead, Art.

Bird: Jerry also had a comment.

Art Stevenson: Well -- well --

Hauth: Yes, I -- s -- sorry, Jerry. I will get to you.

Art Stevenson: Um...Jerry -- was Jerry up first?

Hauth: Yeah, Jerry, go ahead.

Bird: Alright. But, you know, it just seems to go on and on and who doesn't do this and who doesn't do that, but it's clear the statute says that they don't -- they can't subcontract if there's a -- a person available. Eric's, he was saying about, well, they have -- ya gotta open up a whole new facility, don't believe it's true, but that's their opinion. But what I want to ask is what's it been, about a year now or so? We, the board, and everybody come up with opening up two vending routes. I mean, you guys had these 300 machine. You can open up one maybe Salem and park down there and one -- one up in Portland. There's only one in Portland and it was supposed to be done. Oh, we -- we can have this going by, shoot, by Christmas and that was like four or five months. Oh, shoot, that's doable. Well, then all of a sudden here we are knowing that's like we never even had that discussion. What's going on? Why don't we open up two vending routes with [inaudible] all solved? What -- why -- why are we just -- we -- we shut up and it just goes on for a year and then, like, oh, did we do try to solve that? But I don't know why. I think it's kind of on the board. We're supposed to keep pushing a little bit. There's my comment on the -- on the side of vending. Thank you.

Hauth: Go ahead, Art.

Art Stevenson: Am I off mute, Randy?

Hauth: Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

Art Stevenson: OK. Well -- well, let me -- let me say a couple of things concerning this. Number one, I believe we haven't established the two vending routes because there seems to be controversy about the --

Hauth: You're kind of fading out a little bit, Art.

Art Stevenson: OK. I'm sorry. Anyways, there's been a lot of controversy about the rules and nothing -- the ru -- as we all know, the rules aren't complete, and the agency seems to make up policies as we go along and there's nothing set in rules and one of the reasons I know why we haven't gone ahead and established the two vending routes is because of the fact that if a person bids on a location, then the agency gets to decide whether they can keep both their loca -- both of their facilities, et cetera, et cetera, and that's been a great controversy, and obviously we've tried to address those issues. However, the agency believes that, you know, the rules are done, set in stone and -- and we're not going to make any changes unless RSA says they have to make changes, and -- and of course, here we sit again without having complete rules, and policies get made up and things change all the time, and things get implemented even though they haven't been OK'd by RSA. So, you know, I -- I know the elected committee has tried to work with the agency on, you know, enhancing the income of managers, et cetera, and of course all of our recommendations are, well, that's not active participation, so we're not going to allow you to give input or anything on it. So I'm just going to stop at that right now --

Hauth: OK.

Art Stevenson: -- but let's move on.

Hauth: OK. What's next on the agenda?

Jaynes: Next is inventory recovery fund.

Hauth: OK, inventory recovery fund. Art?

Art Stevenson: Well, it's not actually inventory recovery fund, it's...it should have read, you know, inventory...setting up a fund, a blind licensed manager to be able to put money aside when all of this problem and is over to be able to increase their inventory back up to normal instead of having to take out a loan from the agency and -- and so that's the controversy, Randy. I wanted to set some of my money aside from the last funds to be able to build up a fund so I could reinvest that money in inventory when the time co -- came that I needed to, and I was told I was not -- I could not do that. I could not take some of my money and set it aside so I wouldn't have to take out a loan from the agency and then have to maintain a workable inventory plus pay back money to the agency, who was going to give me a loan. And -- and I don't think that's right. I think a manager, if they want to -- don't want to go into debt and they don't want to have to pay -- you know, keep their inventory up to a workable level plus pay the agency back money, they shouldn't have to be -- they shouldn't be required to do that. They should be able to run their business, you know, and make that decision on their own. And so I -- I do believe that as managers, we have the right to set some of that money aside so when we do need to bring our inventory level back up, God knows when that's going to be, then we don't have to go into debt to do it.

Bird: Alright.

[undetermined]: [inaudible]

Bird: Can you tell me what the heck that is?

Art Stevenson: What's that, Jerry?

Bird: What right is that is that we have a right to put aside money. Are -- are you saying to satisfy -- instead of paying set-aside, you put that aside? Is that what you're saying?

Art Stevenson: No, not set-aside money. To take some of the money that I got from, you know, my subcontractor, to replace the inventory that I lost when the time comes, instead of taking a loan out from the agency and then having to pay that back, Jerry.

Bird: Well, I'm still kind of lost, because whenever the -- your third-party pays you is your money after your deduction, so you have -- you have the right to put aside your money for sure. I'm a little lost on -- you mean put that aside -- take -- put that aside and then, as a deduction, and then pay set-aside with that removed? I'm -- I'm a little lost on...

Art Stevenson: What it -- what it would -- Jerry, what it would be is -- is that, you know, I would build up a fund to replace the inventory that I know I'm going to need when things open back up to be able to buy that inventory. Instead of going into debt with the commission and take out a loan from them, I want to be able to set some of that money aside so that --

Bird: From what fund?

Art Stevenson: -- I don't have to go into debt.

Bird: From what fund? What money are you setting aside?

Art Stevenson: From -- from...it would actually be some of the money that I made from my third-party contractor.

Bird: Your commission? You want -- you want to put some of your commission money aside for a backup on inventory before you pay set-aside on it, is that where you're at? Because it don't matter if you put your money aside.

Jaynes: It's your money.

Bird: Yeah, that's why I'm still a little lost on...maybe I'm just not getting it, Art. Sorry, but --

Art Stevenson: OK. Well --

Hauth: Hey, hey, you guys, hold on, hold on just -- hold on just a second. I think it is what Art [inaudible] -- I -- it doesn't look like we're ready to kind of act on this. I know you wanted to bring it up and I think you posed this to the agency and the agency said no, you couldn't do it, but is it, like Jerry says, prior to -- or -- or outside of paying set-aside on it, you'd be able to put some of that aside? Is that kind of the -- the thought, or...?

Art Stevenson: Well, you have to show it on the books, Randy, OK, as...to balance your books. And what I wanted to do was set up an inventory replacement fund and put a certain amount of the money that I had aside in a -- instead of going into debt. You know, companies do that all the time. If they -- if they know they're going to need something for the business in six months, you know, hold that money out so when it comes time to purchase it, you have the money to be able to purchase it instead of going into debt.

Hauth: OK. Hey, Eric --

Derrick Stevenson: Derrick.

Hauth: -- are -- are you familiar with --. Derrick, go ahead.

Derrick Stevenson: Yeah. I think what possibly needs to be done is that Voc Rehab should help managers come up with that money and they don't have to make a manager pay -- pay that back. I think the -- making the exception that they're going to help a manager reinvest in their inventory and not pay that money back would be, you know, a doable thing and I don't know why -- I mean, I think the main reason they make us pay it back is because they get matching funds for it or something. But I think, you know, it wouldn't be out of the realm for us to ask the commission to -- to help the managers get back up to where they need to be and not make them pay that money back.

Hauth: Thank you. Hey, Eric, have you had any conversations? I mean, I know since March there's been a lot of different phone calls and email, you know, chatter, but I've heard a little bit about the possibility of federal funds being used to pay back inventories of people who's lost inventory or other funds. What can you tell about what your understanding is?

Morris: Well, the --

Hauth: Have you had any?

Morris: Yeah, no, there was some information released today by -- I don't know if it's RSA -- it's RSA that released the information. I was trying to think if it was the Department of Ed, but RSA released some information guidance on not only VR information, but on the Randolph-Sheppard act, talking specifically about this issue and that VR-110 funds could not be used for inventory replacement. So that -- that came out...I think that was this morning that that came out.

Hauth: Yeah, I think -- I -- I -- I think I saw that. It also talks about the consent of the elected committee and making decisions on policies and that, right? Did you read that part?

Morris: Yeah, I think that's the same one. Yeah.

Hauth: Yeah, it's in there. Yeah, it's in there. Yeah. Anyway, so --

[undetermined]: [inaudible]

Hauth: Yeah, I'll send it out to everybody. Anyway, so yeah, I don't know...so -- so, Eric, what's -- what's -- you have any thoughts or options on, like...

Morris: Yeah.

Hauth: -- I don't know, on what --

Morris: Sure, I could -- I could --

Hauth: -- Art's talking about?

Morris: -- I could talk about it a little bit, as much as I know. What Art's proposing is not a generally accepted accounting procedure and basically I asked Gail, I said, Gail, is this something you've heard of? There's nothing that limits a manager from saving money, but I think to Art's point, he wants to basically, you know, set it aside, not -- not pay the tax on it or set -- pay the set-aside on it; I think that's what his -- what his thought process is, and maybe -- maybe it's not and I just don't understand it...but ultimately when you spend money on inventory, you write it off when you -- when you buy that inventory. So if there's -- if there's other states that you guys have heard that are doing this and somehow, you know, doing a different type of accounting to allow for it, I -- I'd be happy to hear that, but generally, you know, your ability to save money is -- that -- that's just your ability to save money. So...that -- that's what I know at this point.

Hauth: So, Art --

Art Stevenson: Randy?

Hauth: -- do you want to -- do you want -- yeah. Before you make your -- before you make your comment, we have about a half hour here, so if you're not ready, you know, go ahead and make your comment and then we can move on, please.

Art Stevenson: Randy, here's the situation, OK. I had inventory and I sold some of that inventory at cost, didn't make a profit on it, to some of the other managers, mainly Char and Harold, and what I wanted to do was put that money aside and count it as inventory replacement and when I needed to buy the inventory, that I could do it instead of going into debt with the agency. Now, you know my accounting [inaudible], you know, and this is just -- just to balance the books, OK, and not have to pay set-aside on something I didn't make a profit. It wasn't a profit. I was just fortunate enough that Char and Harold needed some product, I sold it to them at cost, and now I -- when I need that money to replace my inventory, when business picks back up, that's when I want to be able to use that money that I got from that, you know, selling that inventory to them when -- when the time came that I -- I needed to increase my inventory again, instead of going into debt with the agency. And my accountant, you know, wrote the agency and said, you know, it's...it balances the books, it sets that money aside to be able to purchase the stuff instead of going into debt to the agency or Voc Rehab or wherever, however they were doing to make arrangements to do the inventory replacement. I'll just leave it at that, Randy. I believe, you know, it's totally -- totally acceptable for a business to set money aside if they can't afford to purchase something right at this point in time, to set it aside and build up an account so the money is up to the point so I could bring my inventory back up to the level pre...you know, pre this damn thing that has occurred. But anyways, you know, obviously...you know, the agency has a problem because they want me to -- they -- I didn't make any profit on that stuff, but evidently they want me to pay set-aside because -- on it, even though it wasn't -- you know, there wasn't any profit there.

Derrick Stevenson: Quick question.

Art Stevenson: Alright. Let's --

Hauth: Art? Yeah, Art, I just want to say real quickly, I think the only requirement to pay set-aside on is from the profits or proceeds from the vending machines. So, I don't know if that plays into your...you know, I think selling products to Char might be a different scenario. But anyway, I mean, I'd be -- I'd be happy to --

Art Stevenson: Well, that's why -- that's -- that's why I wanted the agency, OK, to...so that I had balanced books and stuff, to tell me how they wanted me to handle the situation, and --

Bird: We need to move on.

Art Stevenson: Let's go.

Hauth: OK.

Bird: Randy, one real quick thing on -- on this. You know, we -- we need to consider, because the way I remember we have to pay our -- I think everyone's right that the Rehab is -- can pay for our beginning intor -- inventory. In fact, that's what usually helps [inaudible] get started, and you don't pay that back because you never get your inventory back till you end. So therefore --

[undetermined]: Chair --

Bird: -- and the only reason -- and the only reason we have to pay it back now is cause I think Mr. Young made a policy -- and I think Eric knows this, they made a policy that -- that we will pay it back. So I think we maybe need to reverse that and make a policy that we don't have to pay it back to give it to the blind commission to get matching funds, which we don't get. Thank you.

Hauth: OK, thanks Jerry.

Jaynes: Chairman Hauth?

Hauth: We'll -- we'll talk about that again. Let's move -- move on. Yes. Go ahead, Lin.

Jaynes: Alright, that's --. Never mind. Next on the agenda is the responses to BECC motions.

Hauth: OK. Art, I think you wanted this on there, responses to BECC motions.

Art Stevenson: Yeah, Randy. OK. First, let me say that I'm very concerned that we have rules and regulations in this program that aren't being followed by the agency. When we make recommendations, our motions, we're supposed to be notified 30 days...30 days on the determination of the agency. That, number one, has not been occurring. You have addressed that issue several times and it still is a problem and we're not getting explanations on why the decision made by the agency benefits the program or any -- any of that. It's just, most of the time, a canned response that that's not subject to active participation, and -- and no explanations or anything, which obviously is a violation of the law. Number one, we're not getting our -- we're not getting responses in 30 days like required, and then we're not getting any explanations except for the fact that that doesn't -- that doesn't -- isn't acceptable active participation and -- and that's it. In the last responses that we got, we made a motion that we wanted better training to the managers on their rights and responsibilities and the reason I made that motion is because several of the new managers did not know their rights and responsibilities, and so when I made that motion, I wanted to make sure that our new managers were getting appropriate training on their rights and responsibilities and had a complete understanding of that. The canned answer we got was that's not subject to active participation. Well, the law specifically states, the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act, that we're supposed to have active participation, in the training...development of training and retraining and all of that, and therefore the answer that we got to that was that's not right for active participation, when the federal law says it is our right under the law. And so --

Hauth: We have eighteen minutes, Art, just to let you know if you want to do a motion so we're on --

Art Stevenson: Right. Right. Right. And -- and -- and so the agency is violating the law and continues to do so concerning providing responses in a timely manader -- ma -- manner and giving the -- the reason why it would not benefit when those things are not being addressed by the agency. So the laws and rules and regulations of the program are being broken. And so I would like to make a motion that we take action, the elected committee take action, and either file a complaint or whatever to ensure that our rights under the law are being followed. I mean, rules are -- rules are being broken and everything and it just seems to continue and there is no concern for the agency -- by the agency to follow the laws and rules and regulations of our program.

Hauth: OK, bud, if you would make a -- if -- if you make a -- a quick motion then we'll introduce that. We'll vote on it. So.

Art Stevenson: Well, I guess I would say that we need to file a complaint. I would like to motion -- make a motion that we file a complaint that the agency is not -- well, I guess it's more Director Morris isn't following the laws, so I'd like to make a motion that we file a complaint as a body to make sure that our director is providing us with all the stuff he's supposed to under the law.

Hauth: OK. So a motion's been made. Do I have a second on that?

Derrick Stevenson: I'll second it.

Hauth: OK, a second's been made. Any discussion around that?

Jackson: Can I ask you a silly question or make a statement? Is --

Hauth: Sure.

Jackson: Steve Jackson.

Hauth: Steve, go ahead.

Jackson: I -- I really don't think this is -- this motion will go anywhere if it's -- you know, if you think ahead, it's -- he's going to respond, it's going to be no to [inaudible]. I mean, if you think about who the motion is about and who writes the responses. I -- I...maybe could be a little more a friendly, like, I don't know, suggestion, maybe the -- the motion could be somehow more productive instead of confrontational. I don't know. Just a thought.

Derrick Stevenson: This is Derrick.

Hauth: Any -- OK. A -- go ahead, Derrick.

Derrick Stevenson: Yeah, I'm -- I've been thinking that it's time to -- to address the OCB Board and bring it up to the attention these -- these -- these failures of -- of Commission staff to not do their duties as they -- as they should. And that would include Ms. Dacia Johnson's mis -- misinforming statements that the law requires, says we can't do su -- subcontracting and stuff. I think it's time to dump this in the OCB Board's lap and -- and force them to -- to deal with the -- with the problems and with the misinformation and, you know, little white lies or just leaving -- conveniently leaving parts of the law out. I think, you know, we need to get the Board to start addressing these things because, you know, they're -- they're supposed to make sure that our program is being ran fiscally sound and -- and with all of these things happening, you know, it's costing the state, you know, hundreds and thousands of dollars, and it's all because these employees don't want to do their jobs or want to pick and choose which laws they want to adhere to.

Hauth: OK. So we have a motion. We have a second. We have discussion. We have fifteen minutes left. Hopefully we can get through these other items. I'm going to go ahead and call for the question on this, yea or nay. Art Stevenson -- or, Derrick Stevenson, I'm sorry. Derrick?

Derrick Stevenson: Yea.

Hauth: Think you're on mute -- OK. Art?

Art Stevenson: Yea.

Hauth: Lewanda Miranda?

Miranda: Yea.

Hauth: Lin Jaynes?

Jaynes: Yea.

Hauth: Steve Jackson?

Jackson: Yes.

Hauth: And I'll vote yea as well. Motion passes. What's next on the agenda?

Jaynes: Food trucks in rest areas.

Hauth: Anybody want to talk about that? I don't know if that's a moot issue or not right now.

Morris: Randy, I can talk about it.

Bird: Jerry.

Morris: Go ahead, Jerry.

Hauth: Yeah, let's hear from -- let's hear from Jerry and then Eric. Go ahead, Jerry.

Bird: Yeah. I -- I kinda -- I found out that even though that mine and Steve Gordon's was the target for food trucks and that was kind of a concern, 'cause I keep my machines out there for the truckers and that, but, you know, you try to understand that stuff even though there's a truck stop a couple miles down the road...but the thing that concerns me is without even discussing it with the ones whose properties it's assigned to, this agency, 'cause I bet they would do a -- a food truck and -- and they'll have the food truck pay -- pay the blind person ten percent of the profits. Now -- and then out of that, I got to pay eleven percent to the blind commission. You know, don't -- it -- I don't know who their top negotiator is, but it's not me. But, you know, that's ridiculous because they're going to come up with every little thing to deduct. You know, that's why Canteen, we don't -- let them do that, you know, and they pay a reasonable amount. And so I was a little -- it's like they're always fighting for the bli -- for the sighted people, and kind of the blind people, you just do whatever we decide and -- and good luck, you know, so, but I don't think they're out there. They weren't out there last time we were. So maybe that's what Eric's going to say, but we go out again tomorrow, but last Friday, they were not there and actually this weekend, I mean, jeez, I was down to like thirty dollar days when I used to be two hundred dollar days. So...a little bit of weather and I don't know where they came from, but it's there for two days and went up quite a bit, but that's what concerns me most is food trucks, because all they do is take away your sale. Even if they pull up to somebody's coffee shop or cafeteria, people going to come out and use them instead of you and that's why we have these rights on these properties. So -- and -- and they never even got with us on who does it. For all I know, it's Tom's brother or something doing it, you know? Seems like [inaudible]. But anyway, that's just -- that's just saying why they're a concern to everybody and that it should be something the Board agrees on, and...

Hauth: OK.

Bird: Anyway, thanks.

Hauth: Eric?

Morris: Yeah, Randy, let -- I'm going to go over a couple of things before we run out of time 'cause I do have a hard stop at 2:30. I'll -- I'll talk about food trucks in just a second. Char brought up the barriers, the Plexiglas barriers. We should have those in...we should be receiving those early next week for all the locations. So just stay tuned for that. I know we've prioritized Harold at un -- at employment 'cause he is open, and we've got those coming right now. So we were fortunate to be able to find those and get 'em -- get 'em ordered. So that's a good thing. Um, we --

McKinzie: Thank you. Yay!

Morris: Yeah, you're welcome, Char. Yeah, DMV needs to get their act to -- DMV needs to get going 'cause I got to redo my license, too. Or my ID card.

McKinzie: [laughs] Yeah.

Morris: Just to circle back with Steve Jackson, 'cause I've -- we're probably going to run out of time on that. Steve, hey, I think Tom just sent you a note a little while ago talking about Michael Brand. So please reach out to Michael Brand at the facility there and it sounds like they'll be able to get you in.

[undetermined]: [laughs] Jeez.

Morris: And if for some -- if for some reason you can't get in or get a hold of Michael, please let me know. And then with the food trucks, so --

Jackson: Hang on.

Morris: I'm sorry? With food trucks, so just -- just to bring everybody -- 

[background noise]

Morris: -- bring everybody back up to speed on food trucks.

Miranda: Someone's not muted.

Morris: Thank you. The Federal Highway Administration, about eight or probably nine weeks ago now, made a change to allow for food trucks in rest areas across the nation. And so what DOT, ODOT and the Oregon Travel Information Council, OTIC, or...what's the other acronym they -- I -- OTE goes, they -- they actually run the rest areas, came to us and said hey, we want to implement this. You know, what -- what kind of a process could we put in place to do it? And initially they said hey, we want to have a process in place in case we do it, which is what I communicated with our -- with Lewanda, Jerry, and Steve about, saying, hey, we're working on this process so that if they pull the trigger on it, we can start doing it. Well, jump forward to today. We started doing it I think about four weeks ago now, maybe five weeks ago. And we've had food trucks at the -- let me look at my list here real quick -- the Suncrest rest area, French Prairie in both directions, the -- mainly French Prairie northbound, and then recently there was another one that started doing the southbound. And Jerry, I -- I'm not sure exactly what hours are out there. The OTE people were managing that piece of it. So...you know, it's up to them how much they want to be there, how much they don't. We've had one place out in Boardman for a while now, for about three weeks, and then one -- one at Weatherby also, so they're -- they're out there but they're not -- I don't think they're pulling 12-hour shifts out there doing that. The -- the issue of a percentage, basically OTE and ODOT would have asked them not to pay anything. They just would have permitted them to come out and do it. So we asked for a percentage that seemed reasonable, not to gouge either side, but to give something to offset, hopefully Jerry, Lewanda, and Steve's locations so that if, you know, with the -- especially with the reduced amount of civilian, non-essential traffic out there, and I think it's down a huge amount, that it would help offset that. Now, those food trucks are going to be having their payments coming in here at the 15th. That's tomorrow. And when we get those payments for those rest areas, that money go -- will go right back out and go to Jerry, Lewanda, and Steve. So that's what's going on with food trucks.

Hauth: OK. Hey, you guys, we have six -- we have -- thank you, Eric. We have six minutes left. Lin, can you tell me what's left on the agenda?

Miranda: Well, can I -- can I make a comment on the trucks real quick?

Hauth: Yeah, yeah, please. Please, Lewanda, go ahead. Yes.

Miranda: OK. So, you know, four of my visitor's areas in the prisons were shut down, so my commissions are hardly nothing, and then I have the rest areas. So we were hanging onto those by our nails and that was the only thing that we had, and I expressed all of that before they allowed the food trucks, and they allowed 'em in there anyway. I feel really insulted by that. I feel like -- like they didn't care about us. Also, we got $3,000 last month, all of us, to help us out, with the set-aside money, and the same month Eric reaches out to the board wanting to increase our set aside from eleven percent up. However, these sighted people that they have placed in our rest areas are paying only ten percent. Also, I think that we should be able to see the contracts, because if the -- if -- if they reopen, we need to know that they're going to be out in a certain amount of time and make sure that that happens. But we haven't seen a contract or anything. We don't even know if we're going to be able to.

Hauth: And Eric and --

Derrick Stevenson: Lewanda --

Hauth: -- I appreciate -- hey, hold on just a second. I appreciate your comments, Lewanda and again, it goes back to what I -- please -- it goes back to we're being treated differently because we're blind, and nobody can tell me otherwise. I don't see that otherwise. The agency is giving greater allowances to these sighted companies to basically do whatever they want. I've gone through some of these food trucks and I've seen that they're issuing checks to the agency for a $1.65 and $3.95 and they're paying late and, I mean, you know, I understand that Eric didn't have control over ODOT or OTIC and whatever they wanted to do, but in my opinion, he certainly should have come to you who run those areas and try to negotiate a better percentage for that. Derrick, go ahead.

Derrick Stevenson: Yeah, I just want to -- I think this could kind of fall under the realm of commercializing rest areas and I do not think that's something that should be -- should be allowed, plain and simple.

Hauth: Well, I think, Derrick, so, just so you know, I've been on national calls. It's -- it's not the agency that allowed for this, it's an emergency order and the understanding through the Department of Transportation nationally is that these are going to go away once the...you know, so we just have to make sure of that once the crisis is over, so.

Derrick Stevenson: OK.

Hauth: OK. So is there anything else? I know we have a few minutes. Lew -- Lin, can you -- and Lewanda I don't know if you want a -- a response from Eric, or... but go ahead if you want that, so.

Morris: Randy?

Miranda: Sure, if he has one.

Morris: Yeah. So, Lewanda, on the food truck permits, we're -- we're permitting them week to week with the idea that once the...once the feds say hey, it's not allowed anymore, they'll be gone. So it's not like we gave them a long-term con -- it's not like we gave them a long-term contract. So I -- I could see that ending almost immediately as soon as the feds say hey, it's done, it'll be done. So I think that's the -- that's the good news. But unfortunately I think what we're all seeing across the nation is that I'm not sure when it will be done. I mean, just stepping back from just the food truck issue, you know, state government opening back up and everything else is -- is -- there's no firm plan for that right this second.

Miranda: Will the managers impacted being able to see those contracts with the -- the truck drivers?

Morris: Sure.

Miranda: The food truck operators?

Morris: I'll get them out to you tomorrow.

Miranda: I'd appreciate that. Thank you.

Morris: Guys, I -- I really have to run.

Jackson: Chair Hauth, can I say one -- one thing? Can I say one thing?

Art Stevenson: Um --

Hauth: Sure.

Jackson: When I used to get commissions from people selling jewelry in the Portland State Building, I got 20 percent and they were selling something different than I was selling and they still realized that they had to give me 20 percent 'cause they were right next to my kitchen, my --. Anyways, I think Eric should work on that, myself. I think you should ask for more money, please.

Morris: Alright, guys --

Jaynes: I have a question. [inaudible]

Art Stevenson: Randy? [inaudible]

Hauth: Yes? Go ahead.

Art Stevenson: Randy?

Hauth: Yes?

Art Stevenson: We [inaudible]

Hauth: I know there's a lot of back -- I know there's a lot of background noise and somebody is not muted.

Jaynes: Yeah, I had a quick question, Chairman Hauth.

Hauth: Go ahead, Lin. Go ahead.

Jaynes: Alright, and perhaps Art -- Art knows this because he's so good with some of the OARs and -- and all of the regulations, but we have a -- a non-compete rule of so many feet if we're in a building that they can't set up selling food or soda or crackers or whatever we have. It's non-compete. Why is it -- why is it not the same way with the food trucks coming into a manager's rest area?

Bird: Well, because they want to feed the truckers, is the idea. They want the truckers, 'cause they're bringing their food and you know, they -- there's no place for them to stop, which is, you know, makes it sound OK. But then -- then there is. Usually you pack your own lunch like I used to have to do, but --

Jaynes: Yeah.

Bird: So --

Jaynes: [inaudible]

Bird: -- the idea is it's for the truckers but -- but yet the truckers, like I say, they don't -- they don't get it at night. It seems like the food trucks only give a little bit of time that they want to do it when they feel like it, instead of staying there, being -- being -- being there for when a trucker needs it. Thank you.

Morris: Randy, I got to go.

Jaynes: Yeah, but what --

Hauth: Art, go ahead. OK, hey, you know what --

Art Stevenson: Randy?

Hauth: Go ahead.

Art Stevenson: Hey, we need to address these other issues. We need -- am I off mute?

Jaynes: Yes.

Hauth: Yes.

Art Stevenson: OK. We need to address these other issue -- we need to address these other issues before the 21st, you know, most definitely...because they're important. They need to be addressed, so.

Hauth: OK. Well, I know. I -- I -- I would agree with you. So, you know.

Brown: Chairman Hauth?

Hauth: Yes --

Art Stevenson: We should call an emergency meeting then.

Hauth: Yeah, Char, go ahead.

Brown: It's Celyn actually, and I just wanted to --

Hauth: Oh, Celyn.

Brown: -- I missed the roll call but I've been here for the -- mo --

Hauth: OK. OK.

Brown: -- I chimed in right after roll call. I just wanted to let you know I was here.

Hauth: OK. Well, listen, thank you very much. So I just want to say in closing, we'll go ahead and close this meeting out. I know Eric has to go, but my concern is this: I know we were only offered an hour and a half, but with all of our units, or almost all of our units being closed down, I don't know what, you know, will be taking so much time from Eric that he would only be allowed an hour and a half for this, but nonetheless, I do appreciate it, wish it could have been a little bit longer time, and we'll go ahead and close out this meeting and I guess we'll plan another one.

Art Stevenson: Randy?

Hauth: Thank you very much.

[inaudible]: Randy --

Bird: Does -- does Eric got to catch a bus tonight? It's always Eric's time that it ends.

Art Stevenson: There needs to be --

 

Motions Passed

1. “…to adopt the last minutes as recorded.”

Proposed: Lin Jaynes. Seconded: Steve Jackson & Lewanda Miranda. Passed unanimously.

2. “…that we file a complaint as a body to make sure that our director is providing us with all the stuff he's supposed to under the law.”

Proposed: Art Stevenson. Seconded: Derrick Stevenson. Passed unanimously.

Transcription by Marsha Steverman-Meech at Dictate Express

Edited by Katherine Peace at OCB

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