Public Meeting Notice  MCB Statutory Advisory Board (SAB) Meeting

SAB Attendees: Brian MacDonald, Blair Wong, Nancy Rumbolt-Trzcinski, Kathy Petkauskos, and Kerlyne Pacombe

MCB Staff Attendees: John Oliveira, Justine Muir, Nathan Skrocki, and Lucy Evangelidis

Meeting held via Zoom, recording available to the public on the MCB YouTube channel

Public invited to participate through Q&A at the end of the meeting

Once a quorum was reached, Brian made a motion to approve the June, July, and September minutes. The motion passed unanimously.

Note: A quorum was actually present in July (Blair experienced technical issues but was present for the full meeting).

Commissioner Update – John Oliveira

• Staff are acclimating well to MCB’s new office space. There are several walk-ins weekly, and visitors are easily locating the office.
• Desk reservation system is functioning effectively. Tuesdays through Thursdays are the busiest in-office days; Mondays and Fridays have lighter attendance.
• MCB ID machines are fully operational, and COBs continue to be issued.
• Due to the federal government shutdown, communication RSA is limited. One RSA contact remains available to respond to urgent questions.
• MCB has sufficient funding through January 2026. If the shutdown persists, the agency will continue using state funds and develop contingency plans as needed.
• Funding is received every eight weeks through state allotments, allowing operations to continue smoothly.
• Staff morale remains high following a successful annual staff meeting with over 100 attendees. Feedback focused largely on improving communication; leadership is reviewing suggestions for implementation.
• Staffing updates: One new hire begins mid-October, and another is expected to start in late October or early November.

Programs & Services Update – Justine Muir

• Visions of Employment Webinar (Sept. 10): Focused on best practices for employers hiring individuals who are legally blind. Strong turnout; the session was recorded and shared with registrants and will be reused as an ongoing resource.
• Reverse Virtual Job Fairs: The first session was held earlier today, with employers meeting job-ready legally blind candidates. Employment staff will facilitate follow-up interviews. The second session is scheduled for October 21.
• White Cane Awareness Day Celebration: Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24 at the State House. Registration remains open but is nearing capacity.
• Older Independent Blind Program: New peer support groups launched in Canton, Hingham, Weymouth, and Provincetown/Truro, bringing the statewide total to 52 groups. MCB collaborates with MABVI and Sight Loss Services to host these meaningful groups.
• Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program: Established a new partnership with Fooda, expected to expand vending opportunities and restore locations affected by COVID-19 closures.
• Community Outreach & Education: Between September 2024 and August 2025, MCB staff conducted 388 in-services and trainings statewide, including sessions at senior centers, schools, multicultural organizations, Lions Clubs, etc.

Discussion and Questions

• Peer Support Groups:
  • Groups are open to all individuals with blindness or low vision; attendees do not need to be MCB-registered consumers.
  • Groups are organized primarily through MABVI and Sight Loss Services. Meetings are typically held at senior centers and often include guest speakers.
  • Members discussed adding a link on the MCB website to help the public locate group information; staff will coordinate with MABVI and the Communications Coordinator.
  • Kerlyne expressed interest in facilitating a group, as she is a licensed clinician.
• Use of MCB ID Cards:
  • Blair shared positive feedback on using the MCB ID card internationally, including at museums in Paris.
  • Nathan encouraged members to report any issues using the ID at local businesses or pharmacies so that staff can provide clarification calls.
  • Blair gave a reminder that TSA requires a passport or Real ID for travel, but the MCB ID is recognized at many accessibility programs abroad.

Dashboard Update – Nathan Skrocki

• Current Active Consumers:
  • SR Children: 898
  • SR Adults: 3,323
  • VR Youth: 211
  • VR Adults: 756
• Closures:
  • SR (CY25): 65 children (most transitioned to Pre-ETS) and 1,864 adults closed.
  • VR (FY26 to date, July 1-Sept 30): 35 successful and 26 unsuccessful closures.
  • 45 additional consumers employed, pending successful 90-day closure status.
• Registrations and Documents:
  • 6,651 COBs issued.
  • 888 MCB IDs produced.
  • Over 1,300 new registrations completed in 2025.
• Metrics remain consistent with prior years, with a slight increase in COB volume.

Meeting adjourned. 

1.    Opening requirements:   
a.    Notification and Confirmation: This meeting is being held via Zoom under a law signed by Governor Baker on July 16th, 2022 granting authority for virtual meetings. It was extended by Governor Healey through June 30, 2027.
b.    Confirmation that MCB records SAB meetings, allows for local recordings and makes such recordings available to the public. 
c.    Welcome to members of the public attending the meeting and instruction about Q&A period.

2.    Vote to accept minutes of the SAB meeting: June, July and  September 2025

3.    Commissioner Report :  John Oliveira

4.    Deputy Commissioner Update: Justine Muir

5.    Program Updates: Nathan Skrocki
a.    Review of Dashboard on Registrations, Process, and Outcomes.

6.    SAB Members additional questions or comments.

7.    Comments or Questions from the public

8.    Public Meeting Adjournment