Quarterly Meeting

August 22, 2019

Teleconference

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ATTENDANCE

Members Staff

Neil Romano, Chairman Lisa Grubb, Executive Director

Billy Altom Joan Durocher

James Brett Phoebe Ball

Benro Ogunyipe Keith Woods

Clyde Terry Anne Sommers

Andres Gallegos Netterie Lewis

Wendy Harbour Nick Sabula

Amy Nicholas

 Ana Torres-Davis

Amged Soliman

Stacey Brown

Ana Torres-Davis

Amged Soliman

Stacey Brown 

Absent NCD Contractor

Rabia Belt Anthony Simpson

Guests

Jim Baldwin, future NCD member

A. Welcome and Introductions

Chairman Neil Romano called the meeting to order at 11:05 AM (ET) and welcomed 

Council members, staff and the public. 

Mr. Jim Baldwin was welcomed as a new Council member and briefly addressed the 

Council. 

B. Approval of Minutes

MOTION: Mr. Clyde Terry moved to accept the minutes of the Chicago meeting.

SECONDED: Mr. James Brett

Roll Call Vote:
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Neil Romano: Aye

Billy Altom: Aye

James Brett: Aye 

Andres Gallegos: Aye 

Benro Ogunyipe: Aye

Clyde Terry: Aye

Wendy Harbour: Aye

C. Acceptance of the Agenda

MOTION: Mr. Gallegos moved for the approval of the agenda.

SECONDED: Mr. James Brett

D. Finance Report

Mr. Woods stated the Council is finishing the year on target and in the black. He stated 

that the Council is currently at 85% through the budget and spending at the rate of 78% 

of the budget.

Mr. Woods stated that there were two areas of focus being transportation and travel 

which was an increase of $109,125.00 because of the Puerto Rico Council meeting.

Contract services were reduced by $107,300 due to renegotiation of contracts.

MOTION: Mr. Altom moved to for the acceptance of the finance committee report.

SECONDED: Andres Gallegos

Roll Call Vote:

Neil Romano, Chairman 

Billy Altom: Aye

James Brett: Aye 

Andres Gallego: Aye 

Benro Ogunyipe: Aye

Clyde Terry: Aye

Wendy Harbour: Aye

E. Chairman’s Report

Mr. Romano stated that he has conducted long formatted interviews with the assistance 

of Nick Sabula to give people a better understanding of the what the Council’s function 

and what we do to continue to grow as an organization. Mr. Romano stated that over 

the last month he has been focused on the work the Council has done with healthcare 

and making it more accessible to people with disabilities.
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Mr. Romano asked Mr. Jim Brett to speak on the dental research that the Council has 

done. Mr. Brett referred to Mr. Soliman.

Mr. Soliman reported that the Council wrote a brief followed by recommendations. They 

were as follows:

• Revision of Code of Professional Conduct for dentists;

• Dental schools in the U.S. should train students to provide treatment or manage the 

treatment of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Mr. Soliman stated the Council is pleased that the Dental Association Commission 

voted to instruct that their trained people to treat people with intellectual and other 

disabilities.

F. Governance Report

Ms. Grubb submitted the report in Ms. Belt Stead. She stated that there has been one 

vote approved by the Council electronically since the last Council meeting for the 2019 

Progress Report. 

MOTION: Mr. James Brett moved to accept the governance report.

SECONDED: Billy Altom

Roll Call Vote:

Neil Romano, Chairman 

Billy Altom: Aye

James Brett: Aye 

Andres Gallegos: Aye 

Benro Ogunyipe: Aye

Clyde Terry: Aye

Wendy Harbour: Aye

Ms. Grubb provided updates on the following: 

• completing everyone’s performance reviews and financial reports;

• first biannual audit and conducting interviews to select the auditor;

• NCD lease expiration October 2021; very likely we will be staying at the same 

location;

• Everyone needs to submit all outstanding travel reimbursements;

• Attendance of a participating session at the Office of Civil Rights with Ana Davis 

Torres;

• ADA 30th Anniversary at the Kennedy Center in July 26, 2020
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G. Policy Report

Ms. Joan Durocher outline what is underway with the policy team. They were as 

follows:

• Interview with Disability Scoop;

• Amy Nicholas and I met with FEMA to gather better data on what is happening to 

disability following disasters;

• Negotiation of cooperative agreement for 2020 anniversary progress report; focus 

being on people with disabilities;

• Ability One Report-with the first report being on organ transplants followed by 

medical issues, discrimination and assistive suicide;

• 2019 Progress Report to be released in October-DOJ, HUD, SEC and the 

enforcement of disability rights laws;

• Participated in an advisory group teleconference 

H. Legislative Affairs Report

Ms. Anne Sommers reported the following:

• Encouraged Council members and staff to read monthly legislative updates;

• Monthly media reports which are a great way to see NCD’s work nationwide;

• Update of NCD’s appropriations status-Congress passed a budget deal which raises 

the spending cap and lifts the debt;

• Senators letters to the Office of the Attorney General in July which seeks updates on 

DOJ’s efforts to clarify how the ADA applies to websites;

• Extension for funding for Money Follows the Person home and community-based 

programs;

• Passage by the House of the Raise the Wage Act

• NCD’s monitoring of policy proposals which impact civil liberties for people with 

disabilities;

• NCD is in the process of planning a Congressional briefing in September on 

involuntary institutionalization report.

I. Unfinished Business

Ms. Grubb stated that the ADA celebration will commence at the Kennedy Center. The 

chairman will appoint members to the planning committee.

The upcoming council meeting dates are as follows:

• January 27, 2020 teleconference

• May 18, 2020 teleconference

• July 26, 2020 ADA 10th Anniversary Celebration-Kennedy Center

• July 27, 2020 Washington, DC 
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Mr. Romano stated that the Henry Schein Foundation, largest supplier of dental 

equipment will be in contestant contact with their doctors regarding the need to have 

more accessible equipment and offices.

Mr. Gallegos stated that the Council has conducted very successful town hall meetings

collecting data and information from the public and submitting it to Congress and the 

administration.

Ms. Sommers answered an inquiry from Mr. Terry regarding autonomous vehicles and 

stated that the Council has participated in a meeting with House and Senate staffers 

recently.

J. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 12:45 p.m.

Date Approved by the Council: January 27, 2020

Signature 

Neil Romano

Printed Name