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Public presses MCB over Boston Globe report; commissioner says controls and interagency agreement are being strengthened
Summary
During public comment, a resident asked about a Boston Globe article tied to the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Commissioner John said personnel matters prevent detailed public discussion but described steps to improve monitoring and to negotiate a written agreement with the Registry; board members urged proactive outreach and positive publicity around White Cane Day.
A public commenter at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's virtual meeting asked for the agency's response to a Boston Globe story tied to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, prompting the commission to address recent operational concerns and media relations.
Nona, a member of the public, said she had read a Boston Globe article and asked whether MCB had a comment about issues connected to the RMV registry. Commissioner John replied that the agency had faced 'significant issues' during the period when he was acting commissioner but said he could not discuss personnel matters in public. 'Because it's related to Personnel I can't really discuss them,' he said, adding that procedures have been changed and that the agency has added monitoring and reporting redundancies.
John told the public that a written agreement with the Registry is being drafted to clearly assign responsibilities, timelines and reporting frequencies. He said that historically the relationship had been 'more general' and that a more detailed agreement should 'make things flow much more smoothly.'
Board members and public commenters also urged the commission to pursue more proactive outreach to highlight positive work. Several members suggested pitching upcoming events such as White Cane Day and recent hiring success stories to local media. Deputy Commissioner Justine and others said White Cane Day will host more than 270 in-person guests at the State House and will be live-streamed by the Talking Information Center.
The meeting closed without a board vote on prior meeting minutes; members said they would likely vote on minutes at the next scheduled meeting (first Tuesday of each month at noon, noted as November 5).
