Executive Committee Meeting
October 23, 2025
DRAFT Meeting Minutes

Action items: 
•	Committee member should consider how they would like to move forward with Ms. England’s evaluation for her work in 2025. 
•	Ms. England will forward information from the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), and the National Association of State Independent Living Councils (NASILC) about their response to the Federal shutdown. 

1.	Call to Order 

2.	Introductions
Susan Rotchy – SILC Chair/Executive Director, Independent Living Center of Solano and Contra Costa County (ILCSCC) 
Shannon Coe – SILC Vice-Chair
Roque Alas Bucton – C and C Chair
Alan Cruz – Governance Chair
Tink Miller - SPIL Chair/Executive Director, Placer Independence Resource Services (PIRS)
Lisa Hayes - SILC Member/Executive Director, Rolling Start Inc. 
Brandi Bluel – Elected ILC Representative (Pending)/Executive Director, Resources for Independent Living (RIL) 
Sarah Harris – Chief, Independent Living, Assistive Technology, and Traumatic Brain Injury Section (ILATS), Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)
Carrie England – SILC Executive Director
Allison Viramontes-Nhan – SILC Legislative Specialist
Danielle Hess – SILC Office Manager 

3.	Public Comment
None

4.	SILC Member Updates
None

5.	Approval of the Draft Minutes from the September 25, 2025, Executive Committee Meeting
Mr. Alas Bucton motioned for approval of the Draft Minutes from September 25, 2025, and Ms. Miller seconded the motion. This passed unanimously through a roll-call vote, with one abstention by Mr. Cruz. 

6.	SILC Operations Updates
a.	Executive Director Updates
Several candidates, including elected ILC representative Brandi Bluel, have been submitted to the Governor’s office and are waiting for official appointment. If all recommended candidates are appointed, the SILC will be full. 

The Funding Formula demonstration has been recorded with Robert Jeromin and Michael Galvan, and the recording has been shared with SILC members and ILC directors. IL community members are asked to attend the November Funding Formula and Equity meeting on November 17 to ask any questions and discuss the formula. This will be followed by a survey of IL network members to determine the next steps for this project. 

Ms. England will be meeting with DOR staff on Friday, October 24, to give a training on the role of the SILC and how DOR and the SILC can work together. 

The needs assessment for the next SPIL is being developed. SPIL Committee members have been asked to provide feedback at their November meeting. 

All SILC meetings moving forward are expected to be virtual due to budgetary constraints, with the next one scheduled for December 9 and 10, 2025. Ms. England has discussed this difficulty with DOR leadership and they will be assisting her to work with the California Government Operations Agency to try to reduce the Department of General Services (DGS) Contracted Fiscal Services (CFS) fees. 

Alan Cruz has been elected as chair of the Governance Committee. SILC Staff will be working with him on the responsibilities of that position. 

Ms. England has scheduled a new member orientation for January 13, which should be after any new members are appointed. Due to widespread confusion about the SILC’s place in the IL network, the first half of the day will be a general training that is open to other network members on what the SILC is and how it works, with the second half being more administrative logistics for new members. 

At this time, there is no actionable information on the potential impacts of a prolonged government shutdown. If it lasts past the middle of November, it is possible there won’t be any funds left to pay SILC staff. SILC members would still be responsible for developing and implementing the SPIL. Ms. England will keep staff and members updated as she gets more information about what is likely, and members discussed several possible scenarios. 

b.	Monthly Budget Report
Ms. Hess reported that there have been no changes to the budget report since the September report. 

7.	Working Committee Updates
a.	Communication and Collaboration
i.	Legislative Updates
Ms. Viramontes-Nhan reported that the Bagley Keene bill was signed on October 1. She will have additional updates on other bills at the November C and C meeting. 

ii.	Other Committee Updates
This committee did not meet in September. 

b.	Governance
i.	New Member Recruitment Updates
Several members have been referred to the Governor’s office for appointment. Former Department of Social Services (DSS) Ex-Officio, Director Kim Johnson, is no longer with DSS, and the Governor’s office is working to fill that position. Ms. England reported that the SILC is only required to have two ex-officio positions, one of which is reserved for DOR. If the SILC chose, they could replace the DSS ex-officio with another member of the public. 

ii.	Other Committee Updates
Ms. England reported that Mr. Cruz has been elected as Chair. SILC Staff will work with him to orient him on his duties as committee chair. 

c.	SPIL
i.	Independent Living Center (ILC) Representative Selection and Appointment (Informational)
Brandi Bluel has been selected as the ILC representative, and the Governor’s Office is working on her appointment. It has been shared that with the special election, this may take longer than usual. 

ii.	2025-2027 SPIL Updates from DOR
1.	Transition and Diversion Grant
The Transition and Diversion Fund is fully encumbered, with $100,253 invoiced out of the $238,943 authorized for this grant. 

2.	Systems Change Network Hub Grant
The Marin Center for Independent Living (MCIL) Systems Change Grant started on February 1st with a total of $233,333 for the remainder of FY25. So far $118,905 has been spent.

3.	Tier Augmentation Grant
A total of $758,460, or 89.44%, of the tier augmentation grant funds have been expended. 

iii.	2027-2029 SPIL Development
Ms. Bluel shared that the committee is reviewing the last needs assessment, and they have been asked to bring any suggested changes to the November meeting. There is also a draft timeline that will allow the next SPIL to be submitted in June of 2027. 

8. Future Council Meetings
a.	December 9-10, 2025 (Virtual)

9. Summary of Activities Requiring Follow-Up at Next Meeting
a.	Next Meeting January 22, 2026
The Committee chose to cancel the November and December Executive Committee meetings because of their conflict with holidays. If there is an issue with Federal Funding that needs to be handled, a special meeting can be scheduled to determine how to move forward. 

10. Adjourn