ICOIL (IN SILC): It Feels Pretty Powerless...

One ICOIL Council member's 'It Feels Pretty Powerless' List
(I wish it could have been an Empowerment List) 
By: Ramona Harvey - Former ICOIL Secretary 
Also my poem 'Empowerment Hell' at 
http://www.onecandream.com/writings/EmpowermentHell.htm 


	In March of 2007 the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council
(ICOIL) had a facilitated discussion.  Until recently, I was an officer on
this council.  The facilitated discussion as it was publicly advertised
was open to the public and no indication w as given that the public could
not participate, or even introduce themselves.  After I, a concerned
citizen the council is supposed to be representing, traveled three hours
at my own expense to get to this meeting, I was not even allowed to
introduce myse lf.  Instead the council voted to call the police. 
Fortunately for me, the building people did not allow this and instead
asked the council and subsequently the public to leave.  Video online at
http://www.everybodycounts.org/icoil.htm

	But before we left Melissa Madill (who is the CIL director at
IRCIL in Indianapolis) said that as a council member it feels pretty
powerless to vote on something and then have that vote ignored. 

	I got to thinking about that statement and my experience on and
with this council.  How I began believing that everyone really wanted to
change things. How I made considerable efforts to try and make that happen
not just for the council, or the centers in Indiana that are grossly
under-funded, but the people in Indiana with disabilities.  People often
not heard, but rather ignored by the very people who pretend to represent
them. 

	People like me who don't have the services they desperately need. 
People who want to change their situation for themselves and others and
are willing to be actively involved. People who want to do and not just
talk about doing.  People who should be empo wered but instead they are
exploited not for their own gain, but for someone else's and/or they get
beat up and become too tired or discouraged to continue. 

	It really does feel pretty powerless sometimes.  Believe me, I
now.  That is why I created my own "it feels pretty powerless" as a
council member list.  This list is in no particular order and
unfortunately is not all inclusive and may not even be my top 10. 

_____________________________________________________________________

As a council member:

1) it feels pretty powerless to be elected Secretary of a council at risk,
even when you write accurate minutes in the hopes of protecting not only
yourself, but other innocent council members. To voluntarily spend time
creating minutes and then be critic ized on typographical errors and
length (not accurate content).  To then make all requested corrections
that the council asked for, and to honestly modify how minutes were
written based on their will.  But to be disrespected so much the council
ignores yo ur repeated official request that substantial changes to the
minutes that are not consistent with the source documentation needed to be
voted on, and not an arbitrary decision of one person. 

2) it feels pretty powerless to be a member of the by-law committee that
pushed bylaws through by abusing Roberts Rules, and taking advantage of
the fact not everyone fully understood what was going on.  Especially when
prior to the meeting you were lead to believe something else would happen. 
(See the June Bylaw Committee Report. 
http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/officialjune2006min.doc )

3) it feels pretty powerless to be elected into office, but to have your
executive committee meeting, which was open to the public, nullified
because four center directors could not figure out how to use the phone or
ask the operator for help.  (See the E xecutive Committee Report (Debate
Summary) in the original August Minutes written using source documents
http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/ICOILminAug2006.doc )

4) it feels pretty powerless when you have to try three times to make a
motion, and then can't get a second the council would accept. So the
motion can be discussed.  The motion: that the council acknowledge that
people do matter, and that council meeting s be open to the public and
that the public be notified in advance of the meeting in a manner
consistent with the Open Door Law and any other governing laws.  (See
Discussion on Policy of Public Notification of Meetings in the original
July http://www.one candream.com/ICOIL/documents/ICOILminJuly2006.doc )

Note: I am sure Jodi James who was the official ICOIL chair would say it
feels pretty powerless to try and second a motion, but to have the council
refuse her second, because she was on the phone as an ADA accommodation
after her power chair broke. 

5) it feels pretty powerless when as an officer of the council you try to
ensure that an official ADA complaint by a council member was read aloud
in accordance to that council members request, the Chairs will, and as an
accommodation to blind individuals in the audience, and to not be allowed.
(See ADA complaint letter from Teresa Torres in the Original July Minutes
http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/ICOILminJuly2006.doc ) Note: I
doubt Teresa Torres feels powerless, but given the fact that the council
still has not purchased an audio-loop despite $3000 having been allocated
in July specifically for that purpose, I don't blame her for her
frustrations on this issue. (See July Finance committee Report)

6) it feels pretty powerless to go to meet with and correspond with the
Feds asking for immediate assistance and help in enforcing their rulings
and making sure the council is compliant with the law, knowing that part
of the reason it is so bad is because nobody believes they will step in. 
Then finding out for yourself that the Feds do not particularly care and
would rather sweep it under the rug, pretend it isnt that bad, maintain
the status quo, and of course keep their jobs. 

7) it feels pretty powerless when you go to the Governor and meet with his
staff.  For several meetings over the course of several days.  When you
provide his staff with all the documentation requested and give your
personal word that you will do your best to bring the council in
compliance with the law, and then your word is ignored and you instead
receive a removal letter signed not by the Governor, but by someone you
never met or spoke with. (See http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents )

8) it feels pretty powerless to be removed from office when you are not
even present to address concerns, because you are in Washington DC talking
with the Feds on how to get the council compliant with there report of
findings.  ( visit http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents to learn
more about the September Gathering), One positive thing: While we were
being slandered without due process at an officially cancelled meeting
that the public was not notified of, and where no interpreters available,
we got to advocate for important legislation as part of ADAPT. 

Note: the meeting was cancelled in accordance to our bylaws and other
governing laws and I based my agreement on canceling the meeting not on
whether I was able to attend, but on a reasonable belief there would not
be a quorum See ICOIL Councilmember att endance record for May to November
http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/ICOILmembershipattendancemay-nov.doc
)

9) it feels pretty powerless to have the council call the police and
violate your first amendment rights (October Meeting), rather then to have
a reasonable discussion where evidence of the slanderous accusations is
provided and everyone agrees to follow the bylaws and other governing law
with regards to such things like elections. (Watch the October meeting for
yourself at http://www.everybodycounts.org/icoil.htm )

10) it feels pretty powerless to have a full business agenda and not be
able to address that agenda because of lack of quorum. The same people who
had to meet in September, and called the police in October, refused to
attend in November prohibiting a mee ting from taking place.  Note the
weather was not bad.  (Watch the November meeting at
http://everybodycounts.org/icoil.htm also see relevant attendance record
http://www.onecandream.com/ICOIL/documents/ICOILmembershipattendancemay-nov.doc
)