Department Of Aging And Disability Services (ADS) Bureau Of

department of aging and disability services (ads) bureau of education and services for the blind (besb) statewide committee of blind vendor

Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS)
Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB)
Statewide Committee of Blind Vendors
Minutes of the March 30, 2021 Meeting
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DRAFT
Welcome and Roll Call: Chairman Haley called the meeting to order at
1:00 p.m. and asked Mr. Sampson to take a roll call for attendance.
Committee Members Present: Mr. Keith Haley, Mr. Chad Farr, Mr. Amos
Fatorma, Ms. Shelly McDermott, Ms. Carmella Ferreira, Mr. David
Pelaggi, Mr. Angel Torres (second alternate)
Committee Members Absent: Mr. Steve Hillyer, Mr. Anthony Ford (first
alternate)
Others Present: Mr. Brian Sigman, Mr. Tyrell Sampson, and
Ms. Brenda Lamarre
Rocky Neck State Park 2021 season (concession manager): Discussion
took place regarding the need to decide on the operation of this
location for the 2021 season. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still
prevalent, Chairman Haley suggested that the committee consider
continuing with the temporary arrangement that was put in place for
last season and then offer the location to a permanent assignment
through promotion and transfer for the 2022 season.
A motion was made by Mr. Farr and seconded by Mr. Fatorma to keep the
current operator at Rocky Neck State Park for this season. Motion
carried unanimously.
Randolph-Sheppard Financial Relief and Restoration Payments (FRRP):
Mr. Sigman informed the committee that Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) is requiring responses to each of the eight
questions listed on the Randolph-Sheppard Financial Relief and
Restoration Payments (FRRP) Appropriation Form in Section B,
Assurances and Use of FRRP Funds. He pointed out that on a recent call
with RSA, their staff stated they were looking for the responses to
explain the process used to verify losses and how it was established
that the losses were not otherwise compensated. He also stated that
the minutes of this meeting containing RSA’s questions and the
committee’s responses will serve to document how this plan was
developed.
Chairman Haley indicated that emails were sent to all of the vending
facility managers seeking their input and recommendations prior to
this meeting so that their perspectives could be known by the
committee. Chairman Haley mentioned that the funds are for losses and
that no vending facility manager can receive more than the total of
their losses.
Mr. Sampson suggested the Committee go through the eight questions in
order for the minutes to document the committee’s recommendations for
each specific question. Chairman Haley concurred.
Q1. Explain briefly how the SLA will distribute the FRRP funds to
blind vendors to offset losses incurred during the 2020 calendar year.
(Example - proportional to losses incurred, based on losses due to
vendor’s spoiled or expired stock, etc).
The committee recommends using the Business Reports for the entire
year of 2019 compared to 2020. Using the Business Report template
categories, a comparison of the amounts reported for income and losses
in 2020 versus 2019 will establish documented losses. Additionally,
the committee recommends the inclusion of documented losses for
perishable inventory (any item that has an expiration date).
Q2. Does the SLA anticipate using any of the FRRP funds to cover
administrative costs?
Mr. Sigman indicated there are sufficient program funds available to
cover this. The committee agreed so the response to this question is
“no.”
Q3. If yes, what percentage of the FRRP funds do you antici-pate
expending on administrative costs?
The committee concluded the response to this question is “not
applicable.”
Q4. How will the SLA ensure blind vendor losses were not previously
compensated (e.g., attestation, financial reports, inventory reports,
documentation of losses due to spoilage, etc.)?
The committee concluded that Business Reports already serve as
documentation of each vending facility manager attesting to their
monthly profits and losses. Perished inventory will be documented by
Field Representative reviews of invoices for products that the vending
facility manager is reporting as a loss due to expiration.
Additionally, the committee recommended the following:
a.
The first $10,000 in Unemployment Insurance payments will be
exempted from consideration of other compensation because that
amount is not considered as taxable income. Unemployment Insurance
payments beyond $10,000 in calendar year 2020 will be counted as
other compensation and will reduce the amount of funding through
the FRRP funds available to the vending facility manager by an
equivalent amount. The IRS form 1099 will be obtained from each
vending facility manager who indicates receipt of Unemployment
Insurance payments in calendar year 2020 to confirm the amount
that will be considered as other compensation.
b.
Any funds received from the Vocational Rehabilitation Program to
reimburse a vending facility manager for inventory that perished
in calendar year 2020 will be deducted from the amount of perished
inventory that is claimed for compensation with FRRP funds.
c.
Paycheck Protection Program funds (PPP) will be excluded from
consideration as other compensation since these funds are
considered as non-taxable income; may need to be paid back as a
loan at a future date depending on circumstances that cannot be
known at this time; and these funds can be used to pay for a
variety of things to fund the business upon reopening.
d.
Vacation payments made to vending facility managers in lieu of SLA
field representative coverage for one week of managerial coverage
at vending facilities to allow the vending facility manager to
have a one-week vacation in 2020 shall not be considered as other
compensation. The vending facilities were closed and therefore no
option existed to provide for a one-week vacation coverage in
2020. This payment for the equivalent value of one week of field
representative coverage was deemed by the Statewide Committee of
Blind Vendor to be an alternative form of compensation for a
benefit that was provided for annually per state regulations.
e.
Fair Minimum Return payments will not be counted as other
compensation because this was available to vending facility
managers on an annual basis based on earnings at the vending
facility and it has not been deemed as income to offset losses
resulting from the pandemic.
f.
Grants awards from the Connecticut Department of Economic and
Community Development shall not be included as other compensation
since these funds were not utilized in calendar year 2020. These
funds will be used for current and future expenses in 2021 going
forward.
Q5. Does the SLA anticipate having any FRRP funds remaining after
distributing funds to the blind vendors to cover losses incurred in
calendar year 2020?
Based on a review of the losses that have been reported, the committee
does not anticipate that any funds will remain after disbursement for
vending facility manager losses. It was further recognized that if the
FRRP funds are not sufficient to cover all documented losses at 100
percent, that a straight pro-rata percentage will be applied equally
so that every vending facility manager would receive the same
percentage of compensation for their losses.
Q6. If yes, please identify for which authorized set aside purposes
under 34 C.F.R. § 395.9 the SLA anticipates using the funds (check all
that apply):
Based on the response to Q5, the committee concluded the response to
this question is “not applicable.”
Q7. Explain briefly how the SLA actively participated with the State’s
Elected Committee of Blind Vendors to develop the Use of FRRP funds
under Part B of this document and the result of their active
participation (e.g., was there consensus on the use of the funds).
Documentation, such as meeting minutes when the use of FRRP funds was
discussed, must be available upon request.
The committee meeting was duly noticed and publicly held. Minutes of
the committee’s recommendations document the active participation of
the Statewide Committee of Blind Vendors.
Q8. Please identify the date by which the SLA anticipates obligating
all FRRP funds, making sure all funds will be obligated by September
30, 2022.
Recognizing the need to offset the vending facility manager losses as
soon as possible, the committee is recommending that these funds be
obligated by August 31, 2021 if possible.
Mr. Haley asked for a roll call vote on these proposed recommendations
on the use of the FRRP funds.
A motion was made by Ms. McDermott and seconded by Mr. Farr to accept
the proposed uses of the FRRP funds as discussed by the committee
members.
Mr. Farr – YES; Ms. McDermott – YES; Ms. Ferreira – NO;
Mr. Fatorma – YES; Mr. Pelaggi – YES; Mr. Haley – YES
The motion carried with 5 in favor and 1 opposed.
Adjournment: A motion was made by Ms. McDermott and seconded by Mr.
Pelaggi to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The
meeting adjourned at 2:47 p.m.
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