[00:00:02]
UM, IN[Dallas Commission on Disabilities Meeting on August 22, 2023. ]
DISTRICT EIGHT, WHICH IS WHERE I'M A COMMISSIONER, UM, THERE WAS A BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT.IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE CHILDREN, UM, AND EVEN ADULTS WHO DISABILITIES, WHETHER THEY WERE PHYSICAL, UM, OR EVEN, UM, MENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN RECEIVE SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
THAT WAS AT THE ING HILLS RECREATION CENTER.
AUGUST THE 12TH, I ATTENDED ANOTHER BACK TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY EVENT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO OUR NPOS, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICERS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL.
UM, WE'RE AT THE AUGUST 11TH, BUT ALSO, UM, AND I FORGET THEIR CHANNELS.
I THINK IT'S CHANNEL FOUR, CHANNEL SEVEN.
UH, I MAY NOT BE ACCURATE IN THE INFORMATION, BUT IN DISTRICT SEVEN, WHICH IS IN SOUTH DALLAS, NEAR THE FAIR PARK, UM, THAT WAS AT THE M L K CENTER.
AUGUST THE 14TH, I HAD TWO SITE VISITS.
ONE WAS WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, WHICH IS ALSO SOUTH DALLAS.
UM, A LITTLE COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET.
AND I ALSO, UM, HAD A SITE VISIT AT ENVISION, AND THE EMPLOYEES THERE ARE, UH, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND THEY ALSO ANSWERED 3 1 1 CALLS.
ALSO, ON AUGUST THE 15TH, I ATTENDED A BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING THAT IS REALLY IMPERATIVE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, PLEASE CHECK THE SCHEDULE OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER SO THAT YOU GET INFORMATION ON THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AND 2024.
UM, AUGUST 19TH, ANOTHER COMMUNITY EVENT FOR BACK TO SCHOOL, AGAIN WITH OUR NPOS, UH, WITH SOUTH CENTRAL.
UM, AUGUST 25TH IS MY MEETING THAT I HAVE SCHEDULED WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURAL DIVISION AGAIN, TO, UM, DISCUSS NOT JUST A D A ACCOMMODATIONS, BUT ALSO TO GET MORE INFORMATION, UM, TO, UH, FOR THE ELECT, UH, FREEMAN AWARDS FOR 2024.
AND ON AUGUST THE 26TH, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A DISTRICT EIGHT COMMUNITY MEMBER.
HOWEVER, UM, THERE IS AN INAUGURAL UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY FAIR AND CELEBRATION.
IT WOULD BE STATE REPRESENTATIVE TONY ROSE, WHICH SHE REPRESENTS DISTRICT ONE 10.
MAYOR PRO TEM TENNELL ATKINS, DISTRICT EIGHT, DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM CAROLYN, KING ARNOLD, DISTRICT FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE IN GRACIE, DISTRICT THREE AND MAYOR YANCY NELSON WITH THE SOUTH SU DIVISION, WHICH IS OUR, UH, SUBSTATION WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMUNITY WALK THAT MORNING.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A PET, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE FREE, FREE MICROCHIP CLINIC AT THE SINGING HILLS PARK, WHICH IS AT 1919 CROUCH.
UM, THERE'S ALSO FREE DOCUMENT SHEDDING, SHREDDING, EXCUSE ME, UM, AT THE RECREATION CENTER AT 68 0 5 PATROL WAY.
AND THEN FROM NINE TO ONE, THERE IS A RESOURCE FAIR IN LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, ALSO AT THE SINK HILLS RECREATION CENTER IN DISTRICT EIGHT AT 68, UM, ZERO FIVE PATROL WAY SOME OF THE SPONSORS AND DEPARTMENTS, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, UM, CITY OF DALLAS, DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION, K 1 0 4, UH, METHODIST HOSPITAL, STATE FARM, UM, OUR AUSTIN CULTURE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND A FEW OTHERS.
SO, UM, PLEASE COME OUT, UM, AND CELEBRATE THIS.
THAT IS WHAT I HAVE, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR VICE CHAIR.
OKAY, THIS IS WILLOW SANCHEZ FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I'M SORRY, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, GET IN THERE.
FROM THE PUBLIC'S VIEW, WE CANNOT SEE WHO THE OTHER COMMISSIONER MEMBERS ARE.
THEY'RE NOT VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
ARE THEY VISIBLE TO YOU ALL IN THE ROOM THERE? NO, MA'AM.
AS A REMINDER, I KNOW WE, THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING REMINDER.
I WANT EACH COMMISSIONER TO UNDERSTAND THAT A PART OF THEIR ROLE OR RESPONSIBILITY IN MEETING QUORUM, YOUR CAMERA HAS TO BE ON AT ALL TIMES.
SO MANY OF THEM IN THE CHAT ARE SAYING THAT THE OPTION FOR THEM TO TURN ON THEIR VIDEO IS NOT AVAILABLE.
ARE WE STILL HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES? MAY I BEGIN? NO, SIR.
BUT IF WE CANNOT SEE THESE, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS, YOU GUYS DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT SEVEN PEOPLE PHYSICALLY IN YOUR, UH, BRIEFING ROOM RIGHT NOW.
I JUST RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM COMMISSIONER SHAW.
UM, SHE INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE NO OPTION FOR VIDEO AT ALL.
THEY JUST CANNOT TURN ON THEIR VIDEO, AND THAT DOES NOT MATTER FOR THE OAKLAND PUBLIC.
WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M INDICATING IS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING A TECHNICAL ISSUE FOR OVER 30 MINUTES, WHICH IS LAID OUR MEETING.
UM, AND SO IT'S NOT ON THE COMMISSIONER SIDE, IT'S ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND, AND RESOLVED.
[00:05:01]
UNTIL THEN, YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, UNFORTUNATELY.I JUST WANTED TO GIVE CLARITY FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE LISTENING.
I'M WILLING TO TURN IT ON FOR YOU TOO.
I JUST, IF I SEE YOU REACHING COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU SIGNED IN AS AN ATTENDEE, IT WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE ACCESS.
PLEASE RE-SIGN IN AS A COMMISSIONER WITH YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR DISTRICT.
SO, COMMISSIONER SA, YOUR DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, WHITE, YOUR DISTRICT, IF YOU WANNA PUT D FOR EXAMPLE, D SEVEN, D 10.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPELL THAT OUT, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE PROPERLY, UM, SIGNING IN.
AND IF YOU HAVE SIGNED IN AS COMMISSIONER, THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU.
BUT THAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE, UM, STATED FOR THE RECORD, WILLOW, WHEN WE REQUEST A RECESS, OR IS THAT ALSO NOT AN OPTION? WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE TECHNICAL ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED? UH, BECAUSE EVEN FOR OUR MICS, MY MUTE BUTTON ISN'T EVEN WORKING ALSO FOR VICE CHAIR.
UM, FOR MONTHS WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING THAT HIS BRAILLE NOT BE REMOVED FOR HIM TO BE IN, IN, YOU KNOW, UM, ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE MEETING, I KNOW, AGAIN, THAT WE HAVE A SHARED SPACE, BUT I JUST HOPE THAT PEOPLE HAVE SOME COMPASSION AND EMPATHY NOT TO, IT'S A SMALL LITTLE STICKER THAT THEY DON'T REMOVE THAT.
SO THAT, UM, UM, HE'S NOT DISCOURAGED, UM, AND THAT HIS POSITION IS RESPECTED AS WELL.
SO WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING THE BRAILLE FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW.
COMMISSIONER SHAW, IS YOUR CAMERA ON? PERFECT.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, IS YOUR CAMERA ON COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ? IS YOUR CAMERA ON? OKAY, WILLOW, WE GOOD TO PROCEED? OKAY.
THERE'S NO, UM, YAY OR NAY FROM THE WILLOW.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WILLOW, UH, CHATTED THAT SHE CANNOT UNMUTE HERSELF.
THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES,
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE SEVEN NOW.
WELL, FOUR, FIVE, AND THREE OF YOU IN THE ROOM.
THIS IS WHERE WE LEARN PATIENCE AND GIVE EACH OTHER SOME GRACE
[00:10:01]
US.SO WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH VICE CHAIR CONNIE'S REPORTS.
THANK YOU CHAIR PUGA FOR HANDING THIS OVER TO ME.
SO ON AUGUST 4TH, I PARTICIPATED IN A MEETING HOSTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROMOTES THE WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL THROUGH VARIOUS INITIATIVES.
UM, THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY, ADVANCING HUMAN RIGHTS, ENDING HUNGER, AND REDUCING POVERTY.
UM, THE UNITED NATIONS IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE WORK IT DOES THROUGH THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
AND AS I HAVE SHARED BEFORE, THE, THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ADDRESS A VARIETY OF ISSUES.
UM, I AM, UH, I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF THE U UNITED STATES, U N A U S A DALLAS CHAPTER SPECIFICALLY, AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL OFFICE ON AUGUST THE FOURTH, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS.
AND SPECIFICALLY WITH PARTNERSHIPS, I'M TALKING ABOUT BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH U N A U S A AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF THE UN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, INDEED THIS ORGANIZATION IS FULFILLING ITS OBLIGATIONS TO PROMOTE PEACE, JUSTICE, PROSPERITY, AND EQUALITY IN THE WORLD.
IN THAT MEETING, I SHARED WITH MEMBERS ABOUT THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES BECAUSE, UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE ARE A FAIRLY NEW COMMISSION, AND MY GOAL AS VICE CHAIR IS TO, UH, SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OUR COMMISSION AND WHAT IT DOES, AS WELL AS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN COLLABORATIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENVIRONMENT SO THAT EVERY PERSON IS ABLE TO PROSPER IN, NOT ONLY IN DALLAS, BUT ALSO GLOBALLY.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION OF MY REPORT FOR AUGUST.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, WHICH I DO HOPE THAT THERE IS A REPORT, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD JULY AND WE'VE HAD AUGUST, UM, WHETHER YOU PARTICIPATED IN ATTENDING A BUDGET MEETING, UM, A COMMUNITY EVENT, WHETHER YOU HAVE, UM, AND WE'LL GET TO THE SUBCOMMITTEES LATER IN THE AGENDA, BUT WHETHER YOU HAVE INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IN OUR CONCERNS, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR.
GAY REVY, COMMISSIONER ONE, DISTRICT ONE.
I'M A BIG FAN OF THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR AND USED TO VOLUNTEER THERE, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE PRESENT AT THAT FAIR TO FIND OUT WHAT PARENTS ARE FACING WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN DALLAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YES, MA'AM.
SO WE HAVE ALREADY HAD THE MAYORS BACK TO SCHOOL FOR, FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT MOVING FORWARD IN 2024, UM, BEING A COMMISSIONER, YOU'LL ALWAYS WELCOME, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME.
BUT PARENTS DO HAVE TO SIGN UP, UM, WITH THEIR INFORMATION SO THAT THEIR CHILDREN OR THEIR CHILD, UM, CAN RECEIVE SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
UM, BUT YES, WE DEFINITELY SHOULD DO THAT NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE AGAIN, IN DALLAS, I S D, WHICH THEY SCHOOLS DO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW AT THAT FAIR, UM, WHERE THEY WOULD KIND OF LOOK LIKE FOR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING WHO MAY HAVE SOMETHING, UM, LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
COMMISSIONER SHAW FROM DISTRICT 12.
UM, I'D, DURING THE, THE SUMMER, I HAVE VISITED SOME FACILITIES IN DISTRICT 12, UM, SPECIFICALLY, UM, REC CENTERS.
AND I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS AMPLE HANDICAP PARKING AND ACCESSIBILITY IN THESE LOCATIONS.
THERE'S RAMPS, UM, PARKING SPOTS ARE IDEAL.
THE, THE, THE ISSUE THAT I AM SEEING IN QUITE A FEW PLACES NOW, NOT IN YOUR LARGER PLACES, BUT A LOT OF THESE SMALLER FACILITIES, THERE ARE NO AUTOMATIC DOORS AND THE DOORS ARE, ARE OLD AND THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN.
EVEN ME AS A FULLY ABLED PERSON STRUGGLED TO GET THE DOOR OPEN.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S A COSTLY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THESE FACILITIES BECAUSE WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE'RE OPENING UP THESE EXPERIENCES TO OUR DISABLED CITIZENS.
UM, BUT I'M THINK JUST BRAINSTORMING, I, I'D LIKE FOR US TO PUT THIS AS AN AGENDA ITEM TO SPEAK TOGETHER ABOUT, UM, POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
ONE OF WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HAVING LIKE A RING DOORBELL
[00:15:01]
OR SOMETHING, A VIDEO DOORBELL WHERE, UH, THE GUEST COULD JUST PUSH THE BUTTON AND WHOEVER'S WORKING THE FRONT DESK CAN SEE IF SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE AND THEN THEY CAN SEND SOMEONE TO LET OPEN THE DOOR FOR THEM.UH, AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A REAL SIMPLE SOLUTION TO MAKING THOSE BUILDINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE.
UM, TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT AND JUST TO ALSO INFORM THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, WHILE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE GREAT, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE REMINDED EXACTLY WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS, UM, WE CAN DO, MEANING THAT LIKE A, A RING DOORBELL.
UM, THEN YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES, LIKE CHILDREN PRESSING IT OR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT DISABLED.
UM, THAT'S NOT AN ACTUAL, UM, REQUIREMENT.
IT MAY BE A REQUEST, BUT I DO AGREE WITH YOU IN REFERENCE TO THE DOORS.
UM, SO WE WOULD START THAT WITH FIRST, UM, CREATING A LIST OF THOSE REC CENTERS THAT YOU DID VISIT.
UM, THEN ALSO FORWARDING THAT INFORMATION TO OUR A D A MANAGER AND STAFF SO THAT WE CAN DO A SITE VISIT TO, TO CHECK THE PRESSURE OF THE DOORS.
THEN, UM, THERE'S A 3 1 1 REQUEST, WHICH GIVES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT REQUEST LOOKS LIKE, THEY MAY BE 30 DAYS, IT MAY BE 60 DAYS FOR THE, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO GO OUT AND TEST THE PRESSURE OF THOSE DOORS, UM, LOOK AT THE MEASUREMENT OF THOSE DOORS, AND THEN, UM, COMPLETE UNRESOLVED THOSE ISSUES.
UM, I DID HAVE THAT HAPPEN IN DISTRICT EIGHT IN ONE OF OUR REC CENTERS, AND, UM, TOOK PICTURES AND DID A SITE VISIT AND 3 1 1.
AND OUR A D A MANAGER, UH, COMPLETED THAT REQUEST.
SO IF YOU COULD GET THAT, UM, TO GARY COPELAND, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT MAY HAVE A CONCERN? UM, SOME GOOD NEWS? YES, MA'AM.
SO GO AHEAD, PRESS YOUR SPEAKER, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UM, SHELLY OLSON FROM DISTRICT 10.
UH, YEAH, UH, SHELLY OLSON FROM DISTRICT 10.
UM, I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON THE, THE, UM, NOT EXACTLY THAT PLACE.
UM, AUGUST 13TH I VISITED, UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, WHO WAS ALSO DISABLED, UM, VISITED IRVING MALL, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE AN, AN ELEVATOR EXCEPT ONE IN MACY'S THAT WAS BROKE DOWN.
WE WENT TO GO VISIT A FRIEND, UM, WHO HAD, UH, HE IS A COMIC BOOK ARTIST, AND HE HAD A, HE HAD A EVENT AT IRVING MALL, AND WE WENT AND WE WANTED TO GO DOWNSTAIRS FOR SOMETHING BEFOREHAND.
AND WE LOOKED ALL AROUND FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
I DON'T KNOW THE, WHAT COULD WE BE DOING AS A GROUP ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THAT JUST KIND OF BOTHERED US
SO, IRVING MALL, UH, IT MAY BE SOME ZIP CODES THAT MAY BE IRVING MALL IS NOT CITY OF DALLAS, BUT TO YOUR POINT, UM, WE CAN LOOK INTO, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD ASK IS IF YOU FOLLOWED UP AND SENT INFORMATION AND FOUND OUT WHO THOSE CONTACT INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE TO PROVIDE A D A ACCOMMODATIONS SECOND, THAT GIVES THE CITY OF DALLAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE AND TO ENSURE AND HAVE SOME SITE VISITS AT OUR LOCAL MALLS TO MAKE SURE, UM, WHETHER IT IS NORTH PARK, WHETHER IT IS, UH, REIMAGINED, REDBIRD, UM, WHETHER IT IS GALLERIA.
'CAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, SEVERAL MALLS TO ENSURE THAT OUR ELEVATORS ARE WORKING.
THAT THERE ARE SOME A D A ACCOMMODATIONS IN PLACE, UM, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE JUST, UM, ABLE, UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS NOT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, UM, IT DOES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT WITH, IN THE CITY OF IRVING.
SO, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, FINDING OUT WHO THAT CONTACT PERSON IS, IF THEY HAVE A DISABILITY COMMITTEE, UM, SEND AN EMAIL AND THEN FOLLOW UP.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE RESULTS LOOK LIKE.
WELL I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR OFFICER'S REPORT.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
WE WERE HERE FROM A FEW CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THE, THE KINKS TODAY, UM, ON THEIR INITIATIVES AND THEIR PROCESSES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR THOSE RESIDENTS AND ANY RESIDENT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, WITH DISABILITIES.
I'M GOING TO ASK IF ALL PRESENTERS, UM, WOULD STEP TO THE PODIUM AND ALSO KEEP THEIR PRESENTATIONS TO 10 MINUTES.
FIRST, WE HAVE TANYA MCCLARY WITH THE OFFICE
[00:20:01]
OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT.SHE'S THE DIRECTOR SPEAKING ON OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICING OVERSIGHT INTERACTIONS WITH COMMUNITIES AND DISABILITIES.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME, UH, TO, UH, PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS VERY EXCITING AND, UH, ISSUED THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
AND SO I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH A LOT OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS BACKGROUND.
I KNOW THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER PU WANTED ME TO, UM, SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BOARD AND THE OFFICE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FOCUS MOST OF THE PRESENTATION ON, UM, SECTION FOUR.
SO I THINK, UM, I SENT THE PRESENTATION FORWARD, SO I'M WAITING FOR IT TO COME UP ON THE SCREEN.
AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING REALLY QUICKLY, UM, MY LAST NAME IS SPELLED P U G A, UM, FROM MY RESEARCH, THERE'S FIVE ORIGINS.
IT IS PRONOUNCED POOL A, AS IN WE NEED THE POOL, A AS IN APPLE.
SO PEOPLE SAY PUGA, HOWEVER IT IS PO AGE IS FOR THE RECORD.
COMMISSIONER, UM, COMMISSIONER POEY, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA JUST START OUT WITH JUST SAYING A BRIEF THINGS ABOUT, SO IN, UH, CITY OF DALLAS, YOU ALL HAVE TWO, UH, DEPARTMENTS OR TWO AGENCIES THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF OVERSIGHT.
AND SO, PARDON, EXCUSE ME, PARDON OF THE INTERRUPTION.
UM, IF WE COULD ALSO SAY WHAT PAGE WE'RE ON.
SO COMMISSIONERS WHO CAN FOLLOW.
'CAUSE WE ALSO HAVE VICE CHAIR WHO'S VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
SO HE WOULD KNOW WHAT PAGE WE'RE ON.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE FIRST PAGE.
SO PART ONE, WE'RE GONNA BE ON PAGE TWO.
PART ONE IS THE BACKGROUND ABOUT THE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
AND THEN PAGE THREE IS PART TWO, WHICH IS THE HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT.
PAGE THREE, WE'RE JUST GONNA BRIEFLY LOOK AT OVERSIGHT OF CIVILIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN PAGE FOUR, THAT SECTION, UM, WE ARE GONNA FOCUS, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA FOCUS THE MAJORITY OF OUR PRESENTATION.
AND THAT'S ON THAT SLIDE FIVE.
SO IN ON SLIDE NUMBER SIX, THE OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN APRIL OF 2019 TO FORM A COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
AND SO, UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAD ACTUALLY HAD A REVIEW BOARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IT MIGHT'VE JUST BEEN A NAME CHANGE, BUT IT ACTUALLY WASN'T.
IT ACTUALLY WAS A NEW SET OF, UM, THINGS THAT THIS PARTICULAR OVERSIGHT BOARD NOW, INSTEAD OF REVIEW BOARD WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, ON PAGE ON SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, UH, THE BOARD IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF 15 MEMBERS.
UM, THEY ARE EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT AND THE MAYOR, UM, INCLUDED ON THIS IS THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR BOARD, OUR CHAIR, JASON, ROB JAA, ROBO, AND ARI JR.
AND OUR VICE CHAIR, JOSE REVIS.
UM, DISTRICT THREE IS FOR THE CHAIR.
AND THE VICE CHAIR REPRESENTS DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, WE'RE JUST, THE PURPOSE OF THIS NEXT SESSION IS JUST TO REALLY FOCUS VERY BRIEFLY ON THE, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD.
AND I'M REALLY SPEEDING THROUGH THIS 'CAUSE YOU'LL HAVE IT ALL THERE.
UM, AND SO ON SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, NEXT SLIDE.
SOME OF THE HIGH LEVEL THINGS THAT THE BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS IS ACCESSIBLE, UH, WORK WITH ME AROUND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE INPUT TO, TO CITY COUNCIL AROUND ISSUES OF POLICING.
THEY ALSO REVIEW FACTS AND EVIDENCE OF CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS GONNA BE SLIDE 11.
UM, AND WE CAN SKIP THAT SLIDE.
UM, THEY ALSO RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT PROCEDURES.
WAIT, I'M SORRY, CAN WE GO BACK TO SLIDE 11? MM-HMM.
UM, THE SECOND BULLET THAT READS, UM, DIRECT THE DIRECTOR MONITOR TO INITIATE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF CRITICAL INCIDENTS OR EXTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS AND NOT SATISFIED WITH I A D FINDINGS.
THAT'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, IN REFERENCE TO THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, UM, DOES THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAVE AN INVESTIGATIVE DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT, OR WHO ACTUALLY IS IN CHARGE OF THAT? OR MY OFFICE, THAT'S WHY IT SAYS DIRECT TO MONITOR.
SO I HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR ON MY TEAM THAT DOES THE INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS SLIDE NUMBER 12, THEY ALSO RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO DEPARTMENTAL PROCEDURES, AND THAT DEPARTMENT MEANS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE
[00:25:01]
RECOMMENDATIONS GO TO THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE CITY MANAGER.AND THEY ALSO SERVE AS AN ADVISORY BOARD TO THE POLICE CHIEF, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
LIKE I SAID, I'M PROBABLY NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EVERY BULLET POINT, BUT IF THERE'S ANY THAT COMMISSIONERS ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO HAVE THAT.
I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A TEACHER, SO I LIKE TO GIVE PEOPLE FULL INFORMATION, BUT I'M TRYING TO SPEED THROUGH TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SLIDE NUMBER 13 IS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE OFFICE.
SO WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED IN 2019 UNANIMOUSLY TO REVAMP THE, UH, REVIEW BOARD TO MAKE IT AN OVERSIGHT BOARD, THEY ALSO VOTED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME TO HAVE AN OFFICE OF COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN I DO PRESENTATIONS, I FEEL LIKE I'M A 30 YEAR, UH, DREAM IN THE MAKING.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE, UM, C THE COMMUNITY OF DALLAS SAID, WE WANT AN ACTUAL STAFF, PAID STAFF OFFICE THAT FOCUSES ON THESE ISSUES.
AND SO MY OFFICE CAME INTO EXISTENCE, UM, UM, IN OCTOBER OF 2019, ALONG WITH THE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE OFFICE.
SO, WHEN THE OFFICE FIRST WAS ENVISIONED, IT WAS ONLY GONNA BE THREE STAFF.
IT WAS GONNA BE A DIRECTOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND AN INVESTIGATOR.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GROW THE OFFICE NOW TO SEVEN STAFF.
AND SO WE NOW HAVE A COMPLAINT INTAKE SPECIALIST.
WE HAVE A MEDIATION MANAGER, WE HAVE A POLICY ANALYST AND A COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST.
AND SO WE NOW HAVE AN OFFICE OF SEVEN.
UH, THE MEDIATION MANAGER IS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE THAT IS A BRAND NEW, UH, UM, WAY TO RESOLVE COMPLAINTS THAT'S GONNA BE COMING TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO, UM, COMING HOPEFULLY BY NEXT SPRING, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT FILE COMPLAINTS WILL BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THEIR COMPLAINTS, UM, IF THEY CHOOSE TO BY HAVING A MEDIATION WITH THE OFFICER, UM, THAT THEY'RE FILING A COMPLAINT ON.
I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, IT'S NOT FOR THINGS LIKE USES OF FORCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, THAT ARE VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL.
THOSE WILL CONTINUE THE TRADITIONAL COMPLAINT PROCESS.
BUT THIS IS VERY EXCITING AND THIS VOLUNTEER MEANING THAT THE PERSON, THE COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT IS FILING A COMPLAINT HAS TO AGREE TO DO IT, AND THE OFFICER HAS TO AGREE TO DO IT.
WE FOUND THAT FORCE MEDIATION DOESN'T WORK,
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT COMING TOGETHER TO HAVE THAT AS AN OPTION FOR HOW, UM, COMPLAINTS CAN BE RESOLVED IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
QUESTION ON PAGE 15, FOR THE OFFICE STRUCTURE MM-HMM.
MOST DEPARTMENTS DON'T PUT THE STAFF ON THERE.
MOST OF THEM JUST INCLUDE THE DIRECTOR OR MAYBE IF THERE'S OTHER SENIOR LEADERSHIP, LIKE, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEN WHERE THEY LIST THE ENTIRE STAFF.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO.
OUR BOARD, HOWEVER, DOES LIST AND THAT WE'RE TWO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, WE'RE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.
SO THE OFFICE DOESN'T LIST ALL THE STAFF, BUT THE BOARD HAS ITS OWN, UH, WEBSITE.
AND THAT DOES LIST ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE ONE VACANT POSITION ON OUR BOARD.
AND THAT'S, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT.
IN REFERENCE TO THAT VACANCY, SINCE I REPRESENT DISTRICT EIGHT.
WHAT TIME ARE YOUR MEETINGS? OUR MEETINGS THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 5:30 PM THANK YOU.
AND SO THESE ARE, I'M JUST GONNA GO OVER REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND WE'RE RIGHT ON THE FIFTH FLOOR, WROTE RIGHT DOWN THE HALLWAY FROM CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AND OPEN RECORD.
SO WE'RE PRETTY EASY TO FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC KNOW THOSE TWO OFFICES.
I BELIEVE, ARE WE HAVING ANOTHER TECHNICAL SITUATION, WHICH WOULD BE SLIDE 18? UM, IT WOULD BE DIRECTOR MONITOR DUTIES PER ORDINANCE.
SO WE PROVIDE FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
WE ALSO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN PERFORM, UM, FULFILL THEIR DUTIES, UM, THAT THEY ARE IN CHARGE WITH THAT WE JUST FINISHED GOING OVER, UM, I REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER.
[00:30:01]
AND SO I ALSO, UH, INFORM HIM OF ISSUES THAT ARE COMING, UM, DOWN THE PIKE THAT MIGHT BE OF CONCERN TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.AND THEN I PERFORM OTHER DUTIES AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY MANAGER, THE ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL, AND ALSO THE BOARD.
I'M JUST GONNA KEEP GOING 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
AND THIS IS, UM, A BACKGROUND JUST ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'M JUST GONNA READ THIS QUOTE 'CAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IN DALLAS, BUT I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHY CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO GAIN LEGITIMACY WITHOUT IT.
HOWEVER, IT IS DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE POLICE TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND SO I THINK THAT I WOULD PUT THIS IN CONTEXT FOR YOU ALL.
SO CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES SOMETHING THAT JUST POLARIZES THE WORLD, UM, TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
AND SO FOR MANY OF US THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, THAT CAME IN THE FORM OF THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, THE MURDER OF JUDGE FLOYD.
UM, AND HE, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE HAD 100 STRAIGHT DAYS OF PROTEST.
SO PEOPLE PROTESTED FOR 100 STRAIGHT DAYS.
AND OUR OFFICE, UM, HELPED WORK BETWEEN THOSE COMMUNITY, UM, ACTIVISTS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY.
WE MONITORED PROBABLY ABOUT 85 TO 90% OF THOSE.
WE SET UP A, I'M SORRY, I WANTED TO INTERRUPT.
SO IN THOSE PROTESTS, WERE THERE ANY ENGAGEMENTS WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES? I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
THEY DIDN'T CAPTURE, THEY DIDN'T CAPTURE THE, WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES DATA IN THAT WAY, THEY DIDN'T BREAK DOWN WHETHER THE PROTESTERS HAD DISABILITIES OR NOT.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD BE GATHER WOULD BE ANECDOTAL FROM COMPLAINTS THAT WERE FILED WITH OUR OFFICE, BUT THEY DON'T CATEGORIZE THE INTERACTIONS IN THAT WAY BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE SELF-REPORTED.
BUT BEING THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, NOT THAT ALL CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS DON'T MATTER, BUT WE TRY TO CAPTURE INFORMATION VERY SPECIFICALLY, UM, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES SO THAT WE CAN CREATE AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO WORK WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET TO THAT PART, AND THAT'S THE NEXT PART.
FOUR IS ACTUALLY FOCUSED ON ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP, BUT IN TERMS OF THE PROTEST, THEY DIDN'T CAP, THEY DIDN'T CATEGORIZE IT IN THAT WAY, WHETHER THE PROTESTERS HAD DISABILITIES.
AND, AND, AND WITH THAT, LET ME ADD, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ABIDE, UM, WITH THE RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN TO WHAT WE CAN DISCUSS, UH, DUE TO LIABILITY.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE PERMISSION, UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE, UM, INFORMATION, IF SOMETHING IS A PENDING INVESTIGATION THAT CANNOT BE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY.
UM, SO SOME OF THE OTHER, SO WE'RE ON SLIDE NUMBER 19.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, THINGS ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT IS THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE THAT DO THIS WORK, OR NOT SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SO ANYBODY, WHETHER HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN OUR SISTER CITY OF FORT WORTH.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S FOUR PLACES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE OVERSIGHT.
DALLAS, FORT WORTH, AUSTIN AND HOUSTON.
SO SOME PEOPLE ARE FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT YOU CANNOT BE CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BE DOING CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT JUST BY ITS DEFINITION.
UM, CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT, WE'RE, WE'RE ON SLIDE NUMBER 20.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF IT AS, UM, NOT PROACTIVE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THESE THINGS COME ABOUT WHEN I TALKED ABOUT GEORGE FLOYD, SO MANY CITIES NOW ARE COMING ON BOARD AND ASKING HOW CAN WE HAVE OVERSIGHT IN OUR CITIES? BUT TRUE OVERSIGHT IS PROACTIVE AND REALLY WORKED WITH CITIES TO TRY TO KEEP THEMSELVES OUTTA LAWSUITS.
WE DO RISK MANAGEMENT AND OTHER THINGS.
AND SO IT REALLY IS A PROACTIVE TOOL.
UM, WE ARE ON SLIDE 21 AND IT TALKS ABOUT JUST WHY OVERSIGHT IS NECESSARY.
SO IT PROTECTS HUMAN RIGHTS, IT PROMOTES CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING.
I'M SORRY, I WANNA INTERRUPT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND BECAUSE AGAIN, A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LISTENING AND EVEN IN OUR COMMISSION, UM, AND I KNOW YOUR TITLE IS DIRECTOR, BUT WHEN WE HEAR WORDS LIKE LAWSUIT, WE WANNA KEEP THAT VERBIAGE OUT OF OUR MEETING.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS, UM, SOME, UH, A GRIEVANCE THAT WE HAVE, I, I SOLELY, WE SOLELY REPRESENT THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO, UM, BE THE ANTAGONIST OR DISENGAGE ABOUT, UH, GEORGE FLOYD OR AH, MAUD ARBERY OR ANY, EVEN CIVILIANS OR, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, WHO MAY HAVE HAD THOSE INTERACTIONS, UH, WITH DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
[00:35:01]
MANY OF US DON'T HAVE, NOT THAT IT'S NOT, UM, PRESENTED IN FACT AND FINDINGS, BUT THOSE VERY SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS ARE, SHOULD BE, UM, STRICTLY FOR, UH, THE POLICE OVERSIGHT CHIEF GARCIA IN DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.'CAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR THERE TO BE A SCREWED INDICATION.
UM, AND WE START GETTING INTO OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE FEEL PERSONALLY ABOUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ANY PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE FROM ANY DEPARTMENT, UM, DOES NOT PRESENT THAT INFORMATION AS SUCH, SO THAT WE STAY IN GOOD TROUBLE, BUT NOT BE IN TROUBLE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THE CONTEXT.
SO WHAT I WAS ONLY SAYING TO THE COMMISSION WAS THAT AFTER GEORGE FLOYD, A LOT OF CITIES ARE ASKING HOW CAN THEY HAVE OVERSIGHT? SO I'M NOT COMMENTING ON MR. FLOYD, I'M NOT COMMENTING ON ANY LAWSUITS HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMISSION TO KNOW, BECAUSE IF THIS WAS FIVE YEARS AGO AND YOU DID A MAP OF OVERSIGHT OFFICES IN THE COUNTRY, YOU WOULDN'T SEE AS MANY AS YOU SEE NOW.
SO I'M GIVING THE, THE COMMISSION WHAT WAS THE CATALYST FOR MANY CITIES TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEEDED TO LOOK INTO OVERSIGHT FOR THEIR CITIES.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I JUST SAY FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYONE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME EDUCATION.
EVERYONE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME AWARENESS AND INFORMATION, AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE A MISCONCEPTION OF WHAT THAT IS.
AND ALSO JUST FOR CLARITY, EVEN HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE ARE ALLOWED TO MENTION INCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE ALSO JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY HIT THE NEWS.
SO WE MENTION INCIDENTS, BUT WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAY THE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING IT RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE'S NO OTHER INFORMATION WE CAN GIVE YOU ABOUT IT.
SO IF I REFERENCE ANY CASE TODAY, THAT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE REFERENCING IT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S MADE THE NEWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING, OR OUR OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING, SO WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GO INTO ANY DETAILS.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED SO CIVIL.
UM, SO OVERSIGHT PROTECTS HUMAN RIGHTS.
IT PROMOTES CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING.
IT INCREASES PUBLIC CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN THE POLICE.
IT BRIDGES, UM, THE GAP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PUBLIC.
IT SUPPORTS EFFECTIVE POLICING, IT ENSURES GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT ENHANCES RISK MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THE COMMON GOALS OF OVERSIGHT ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT COMPLAINT PROCESSES ARE ACCESSIBLE AMONG SLIDE NUMBER 22, UM, TO ENSURE THAT INVESTIGATIONS ARE FAIR AND THOROUGH TO IMPROVE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE.
YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D LOVE TO NOT HAVE TO HAVE IN THE CITY, RIGHT? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED AND CONFIDENT IN WHAT THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
SO PART OF OUR JOB IS TO HELP PEOPLE DO THAT, IS TO HELP PEOPLE HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE, AND ALSO TO ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY AND ALSO ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THEN ON SLIDE 23, WE HELP TO IMPROVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, HOW THINGS ARE HAPPENING ARE EFFECTIVE AND CONSISTENT.
WE REDUCE LEGAL LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, OFFICER MISCONDUCT.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT OFTENTIMES IT'S THE GOAL OF AN OVERSIGHT BOARD TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS AND PRACTICES.
AND SO WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS AND PRACTICES, UM, AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACT ON THOSE, IT HELPS KEEP DOWN LEGAL LIABILITY THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH MISCONDUCT.
AND IT HELPS US TO UNDER HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND POLICE POLICY TRAINING AND PRACTICES.
AND THEN THIS PAGE, UM, PAGE NUMBER 24, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OVER, BUT IT LISTS THE 13 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.
SO THE MAIN PART OF THIS PRESENTATION IS GONNA BE THE OVERSIGHT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M ON SLIDE NUMBER 25.
AND SO BACK IN 2014, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SET UP A TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING.
AND SO FROM THAT TASK FORCE, IT WENT INTO EFFECT ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2014, HE DID AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND HE PUT TOGETHER A PANEL OF PEOPLE TO LEAD THE NATION AROUND LOOKING AT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE 21ST CENTURY POLICING.
AND THE GOAL OF THAT COMMISSION WAS TO IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES, UM, AND OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW POLICING PRACTICES SHOULD BE PROMOTED EFFECTIVELY FOR CRIME REDUCTION WHILE BUILDING THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND SO I'M NOW ON SLIDE NUMBER 26.
UM, AND SO OUT OF THAT, THEY CAME UP WITH BEST PRACTICES AND THE BEST PRACTICES WERE CATEGORIZED INTO SIX AREAS.
AND THE ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT DISABILITIES FALLS UNDER, UM, BEST PRACTICE AREA NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS OFFICER TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
AND SO ON THAT SLIDE, THERE'S A COPY OF THE FRONT PAGE OF THE REPORT.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT'S REALLY INTERESTED TO GO AND DOWNLOAD THAT
[00:40:01]
REPORT.AND THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY USE AS A METRICS WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO DECIDE IF THEY NEED TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR POLICIES OR TRAININGS AND PROCEDURES.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, WE, UH, LOOK AT PILLAR NUMBER FIVE, AND THAT'S OFFICER TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
AND SO TODAY'S LINE OFFICERS AND LEADERS MUST MEET A WIDE VARIETY OF CHALLENGES.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE DEALING WITH.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES, UM, RISING IMMIGRATION, UM, CHANGING LAWS, NEW CULTURES.
AND ONE OF THE GROWING AREAS IS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING OUR OFFICERS TO TAKE ON A LOT TO HANDLE THESE THINGS.
AND SO, UM, THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES REQUIRE A HIGHER LEVEL OF EDUCATION.
AND SO YOU'LL BE SURPRISED YOU ARE NOW SEEING OFFICERS WITH MASTER'S DEGREES AND OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO THIS FIELD WITH JUST MORE ACADEMIC, UM, EDUCATION AND ET CETERA, AND DEALING WITH A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
AND SO, UM, WHEN THE TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS FOR MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY FELT LIKE RECRUITS SHOULD HAVE, AND, UH, IN SERVICE, WHICH IS THE TRAINING FOR OFFICERS THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE FORCE, THEY CAME UP WITH SEVERAL CATEGORIES, AND I LISTED THEM FOR YOU ALL.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT CRISIS INTERVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
SO RECOMMENDATION 5.6 TALKS ABOUT MAKING CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING.
SO YOU MIGHT HEAR PEOPLE SAY C I T TRAINING, UM, AS PART OF THE BASIC RECRUIT AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR OFFICERS.
AND SO THAT IS THE TRAINING THAT OFFICERS GET, JUST WHAT IT SAYS ON CRISIS INTERVENTION.
SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN A CRISIS, SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PROTESTS, THIS IS LIKE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT? AND SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY, UM, CAME ABOUT AND DEVELOPED IN MEMPHIS IN 1988.
AND IT HAS BEEN GROWING ACROSS MANY DEPARTMENTS, MANY DEPARTMENTS NOW BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR 21ST CENTURY POLICING ACTUALLY DO CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING.
AND SO, UM, WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND IS THAT AFTER COMPLETING C I T ORIENTATION IS THAT MANY OFFICERS FELT ENCOURAGED TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE SUFFERING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND TO DELAY THEIR OWN RUSH TO RESOLUTION.
BECAUSE BEFORE THIS TRAINING, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE OUT THERE JUST NO RIGHT, NOT RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT JUST MAKING THEIR OWN ASSESSMENTS ABOUT WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.
AND SO NOW THIS HAS GIVEN OFFICERS MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT COME UP WITH THEM WHEN THEY'RE ON, UM, PATROL.
AND SO I THINK THAT, SO JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, OUR NEXT SLIDE IS THAT, UM, DALLAS DOES OFFER THIS TRAINING.
SO OUR POLICE CADETS THAT IN THE ACADEMY GET C I T TRAINING.
AND FOR OUR OFFICERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, UM, ON, UM, THE DEPARTMENT, THEY ALSO GET IT AS PART OF THEIR IN-SERVICE TRAININGS.
THEY HAVE TO DO CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING ALSO.
AND I KNOW THEY CAME AND PRESENTED TO YOU ALL.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE A RIGHT CARE TEAM.
THIS IS ALSO 21ST CENTURY POLICING.
SO MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN LIKE, CAN WE HAVE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO DEALING WITH PEOPLE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS? AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE RIGHT CARE HERE.
DIRECTOR ODOM IS JUST AWESOME.
UM, AND THAT, SO PEOPLE COME OUT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND A SOCIAL WORKER WHEN THEY, WHEN IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT SOMEBODY'S HAVING A POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ALSO, UM, THEY OUTSIDE OF, UM, RIGHTCARE, THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTIONS ALSO HAS C I T INTERVENTION TEAMS. SO NOW PEOPLE CAN GO OUT.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THE LAST BULLET POINT ON THAT PAGE, OUR OFFICE WORKS WITH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENTS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE THAT WE SEE CONTINUALLY.
WE GET A LOT OF, UM, REPEAT COMPLAINERS.
A LOT OF THEM DO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND SO WE WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTION TO FIGURE OUT, CAN WE SEND A C I T TEAM OUT TO THIS PERSON? CAN WE SEE IF THEY NEED ASSISTANCE, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, UM, ET CETERA.
AND SO DALLAS I THINK IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO RESPOND TO PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ISSUES.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED, UM, AP PAL.
AND SO YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY SOMEBODY WAS AP PALS AND BASICALLY THAT'S A P O W W AND IT ACTUALLY STANDS FOR, UM, A APPREHENSION BY A POLICE OFFICER WITHOUT A WARRANT.
AND SO BASICALLY, IF WE GET A CALL, WELL, NOT WE, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS A CALL.
MR. CLARY, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT WE WERE DELAYED ALMOST 30 MINUTES IN OUR START.
[00:45:01]
ARE GIVING EACH PRESENTER, UM, 10 MINUTES.TO SAVE ROOM FOR Q AND A FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS AND ANYONE WHO MAY BE LISTENING.
UM, I WANT TO RESPECTFULLY GIVE TIME TO OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT YEP.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A, A NORMAN KIKI HERE WHO TRAVELED TO BE HERE.
UM, IF THERE IS, UH, ANY MORE INFORMATION REAL QUICKLY THAT YOU WANT TO ADD, 'CAUSE WE ALL DO HAVE A HARD COPY OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO A PAL IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS BASICALLY, IF THE POLICE GETS A CALL THAT SOMEBODY IS HAVING A CRISIS, THIS IS WHEN THEY COME OUT.
AND THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF TENSION HAPPENS BECAUSE IN MANY TIMES THE PERSON IS HANDCUFFED AND SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING ARRESTED, BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY ARE NOT.
THEY'RE NORMALLY HANDCUFFED FOR OFFICER SAFETY, THEIR SAFETY, AND THAT THEY'RE TRANSPORTED TO PARKLAND IN MOST PLACES, UM, ET CETERA.
AND SO A LOT OF OUR COMPLAINTS COME IN FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN AP BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN ARRESTED, THEY'VE BEEN HANDCUFFED, THEY'VE BEEN PUT IN THE BACK OF A POLICE CAR, BUT ACTUALLY, UM, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN, THEY'VE JUST BEEN, UH, TRANSPORTED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SAFETY.
AND SO THE LAST FEW SLIDES ARE JUST ABOUT THE NUMBERS, UM, THAT YOU SEE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE APD ANNUALLY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL JUST SAY AS I WRAP UP AND, UM, CONCLUDE IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS SO COMPLEX BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS IS, SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED, SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOT.
UM, PEOPLE THAT HAVE SCHIZOPHRENIA OFTEN HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT IDEOLOGY.
SO THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SOMETIMES BE LIKE THE F B I IS FOLLOWING ME AND THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A COMPLAINANT THAT WOULD FILE COMPLAINTS ALMOST EVERY WEEK, AND HE WAS A VETERAN.
AND ONE DAY HE CALLED US FROM THE VA AND HE WAS JUST HYSTERICAL AND TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE.
THE DALLAS POLICE WERE IN HIS ROOM.
I SAID, PUT THEM ON THE PHONE.
AND OF COURSE IT WASN'T D P D, IT WAS A NURSE, BUT IN HIS MIND HE WAS SEEING AN OFFICER.
BUT THAT ALSO DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE PEOPLE CAN'T BE, POTENTIALLY HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE POLICE, RIGHT? SO WE TAKE EVERY COMPLAINT VERY SERIOUSLY WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, AND WE LOOK INTO IT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, WHETHER SOMETHING IS GOING ON OR NOT.
AND SO, AND ALSO WE SEE FROM PEOPLE THAT OFTENTIMES SOMETIMES THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE DIAGNOSIS OR THEY'RE NOT ON THEIR MEDICATIONS, AND SO THEY FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT'S SO REAL FOR THEM.
AND SO HOW DO WE TREAT THEM WITH HUMAN DIGNITY? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THEY'RE SAYING IS HAPPENING IS OR IS NOT HAPPENING? AND SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH.
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, MS. MCCLARY, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, 'CAUSE WE ARE AT THREE 18.
TYPICALLY OUR MEETING ENDS AT THREE 30, SO WE MAY GO OVER A LITTLE TO, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
SO, BUT I STILL WANNA GIVE EACH PRESENTER 10 MINUTES.
AND, UM, WE DON'T WANT A NARRATIVE.
WE REALLY JUST WANT FACTS AND FINDINGS.
UM, VICE CHAIR, YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS PRESENTATION, MS. TANYA.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS AS IT STANDS, BUT VERY INFORMATIVE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO MAY HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR MS. MCCLARY? NO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? YES, SIR.
I KNOW YOU CAME TO OUR LAST MEETING, UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO CUT THAT SHORT.
SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT YOU MAY PROCEED FROM WHERE YOU LEFT OFF.
AND HE IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, SPEAKING ON THE TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES RELATING TO CROSSWALKS AND THE SIGNALIZE INTERSECTIONS.
UM, AURA MAJUMDAR, I'M THE, LIKE YOU SAID, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION IS A BIG FIELD AND WE GET INVOLVED WITH EVERY ELEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERY PROJECT.
UM, WHETHER IT'S, UH, CITY OF DALLAS PROJECTS OR
UM, ONE OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND SAFETY AND MOBILITY OF ALL USERS, ROAD USERS IS OUR PRIORITY.
SO, UH, FOR THIS SPECIFIC MEETING I'LL GET INTO, UH, IN A TRUE SPECIFIC ISSUES IS CROSSWALKS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND HOW, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WORKS, UH, TO ENHANCE BOTH SAFETY AND MOBILITY AND, UH, IN, UH, REGARDS TO, UM, MEETING A D A STANDARDS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE TOUCH MEETS CURRENT A D A STANDARDS.
[00:50:01]
START WITH CROSSWALKS.WE HAVE OVER 8,700 APPROXIMATELY CROSSWALKS.
UM, WE INSTALL NEW CROSSWALKS EITHER WITH NEW PROJECTS AT THAT TIME.
WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, ALL THE BFR, THE BARRIER FREE RAMPS ARE INSTALLED AND ARE ACCESSIBLE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SIDEWALKS.
UH, AND THEY MEET, UH, CURRENT A D A STANDARDS.
WE ALSO INSTALL, UH, SIDEWALKS WHEN PEOPLE, I MEAN CROSSWALKS, WHEN PEOPLE REQUEST THEM AND WHEN THEY'RE REQUESTED, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER BFR INSTALLED WITH THEM.
WE WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO DO THAT.
WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? I'M ON PAGE, UH, SIX.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, PRETTY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, CROSSWALKS THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED FOR VISIBILITY.
UM, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WE WENT FROM, UM, JUST TWO HORIZONTAL LINES FOR A CROSSWALK TO WHAT WE CALL THE HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALK, WHICH IS THE LADDER KIND CROSSWALKS.
THEY HAVE BOTH THE VERTICAL AND THE, UH, HORIZONTAL LINES.
AND, UH, SO WE'VE BEEN, UM, INSTALLING THOSE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT, WE WERE REDOING ABOUT 500 OF THEM A YEAR, BUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT NUMBER HAS GONE UP TO AROUND 1300.
SO, UH, WE ARE STILL ON ABOUT A SIX OR SEVEN YEAR CYCLE.
I MEAN, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, REDUCE THAT, UH, AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE CONCERNED, BUT IT'S MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE, UM, THE LADDER KIND, THE HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS HAVE OBVIOUSLY MUCH HIGHER VISIBILITY.
SO, UM, AND, UH, AND UH, EVERY TIME WE INSTALL A NEW CROSS CROSSWALK, AGAIN, WE, UH, INSTALL BFR.
UM, AS FAR AS TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE CONCERNED, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UM, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM OF UPGRADING OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, 80% OF OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS WERE 30 YEARS OR OLDER, UM, BEYOND THEIR, UM, USEFUL LIFE.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT A D A COMPLIANT.
SO, UH, BUT WE HAVE TAKEN, TAKEN ON THE TASK OF, UM, NOT ONLY INSTALLING NEW SIGNALS, BUT ALSO, UM, RECONSTRUCTING AND BASICALLY REPLACING OUR OLDER SIGNALS.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE A SIGNAL PROJECT, WE ENSURE THAT THEY'RE ALL, UH, ALL E D A, UH, THEY'RE ALL E D A COMPLIANT AS FAR AS AS, UH, ACCESS TO THE PUSH BUTTONS ARE CONCERNED.
UM, THE BFR ON THE SIDEWALKS AND, UH, THEY HAVE PEDESTRIAN PACING NOW WITH PEDESTRIAN HEADS AND A P SS PUSH BUTTONS, UH, WHICH, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 231, UM, TRAFFIC SIGNALS NOW THAT HAVE THE A P S.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER A HUNDRED TRAFFIC SIGNALS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THEY WILL ALL HAVE A P SS AND 250 MORE WIND DESIGN RIGHT NOW, OR VARIOUS STAGES OF PLANNING AND DESIGN.
SO WHEN WE HAVE ALL THOSE IN PLACE, WE HAVE, WE WOULD'VE MADE, UH, BIG DENT INTO UPDATING OUR TRAFFIC CENTERS.
BUT THAT, UM, UH, AND THAT IN MY PRESENTATION, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
THAT WAS SWIFT AND QUICK AND BRIEF REALLY QUICKLY.
WE DID RECEIVE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM YOU AND PAGES, AND I KIND OF WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ON THE HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS.
UM, I RECEIVED A LIST OF, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ONE, UH, THE NUMBER THIRD, NUMBER THREE, CAMP WISDOM DRIVE IN UNIVERSITY HILLS, BILL BOY, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT EIGHT, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, BUT IN LOOKING AT THIS LIST, MAJORITY OF THESE INTERSECTIONS ARE NORTH DALLAS.
UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOUTH OF 30 IN THE TRINITY RIVER, UM, WE HAVE LESS THAN THE VISIBILITY THAT'S IN NORTH DALLAS.
AND SO, UM, FUTURE DISCUSSION ON ENSURING THAT WE HAVE, UH, FAIRNESS ACROSS THE BOARD, PUN INTENDED, RIGHT? SURE.
CROSS WALKS, UM, A LOT OF THESE LIKE COLE AVENUE, THAT'S MC AROUND MCKINNEY, NORTH DALLAS, UH, CEDAR SPRINGS.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE, UM, SOME CONTEXT OF THAT INFORMATION.
I ALSO REALLY QUICKLY, UM, THERE'S A LIST OF INTERSECTIONS.
THERE IS, UH, 231 INTERSECTIONS MM-HMM.
AND EACH ONE OF THESE INTERSECTIONS HAS A LETTER Y AS IN YES.
OR I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FOR YIELDING.
COULD YOU JUST QUICKLY EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? UH, SO THE A P S STANDS FOR AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS.
AND THE YES IS ACTUALLY, THIS IS, WE HAVE A, UH, THIS IS, UH, WE HAVE A DATABASE OF ALL SIGNALS
[00:55:01]
MM-HMM.'CAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND JUST HAVE, UH, PICK THE ONES WITH THE A P S.
BECAUSE WE WANNA ENSURE THAT IN EACH DISTRICT, UM, FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, REGARDLESS OF THE DISABILITY, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE THESE CROSSWALKS IN PLACE.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE A P SS.
AND CROSSWALKS, EVERY NEW PROJECT WE HAVE MM-HMM.
WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHERE WE HAVE MORE TRAFFIC, THEY'RE WARRANTED.
I MEAN, WELL, THERE'S 90,000 PEOPLE IN EACH, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, AND I'M SURE PEOPLE HAVE HAD BABIES SINCE THEN.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR NEW CENSUS.
HOWEVER, UM, WE CAN MEET OFF CAMERA AND OFF RECORD ON THIS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE COME BACK TO HAVE A SECOND MEETING THAT THERE'S SOME CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT.
AND WE ARE SEEING THAT BECAUSE MM-HMM.
WE'LL SEE MORE AND MORE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SIGNALS MM-HMM.
THAT ARE NEW SIGNALS THAT WE'RE BUILDING ARE IN THE SOUTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE DEMAND IS.
SO, JUST QUICK EXAMPLE, UH, THE, UH, WORKFORCE SOLUTION IN DISTRICT SEVEN WHERE THE BUILDING ACTUALLY SETS, THEY CALL IT A COMPLEX OR A COMPOUND RATHER.
UM, YOU HAVE CITY SQUARE, YOU HAVE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, YOU HAVE A FOOD PANTRY.
THERE IS A DART, A BUS STOP ON EACH SIDE.
BUT I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS AND NO ONE DRIVES THE SPEED LIMIT.
AND MY CONCERN IS INDIVIDUALS WHO CROSS THE STREET TO COME TO THE BUILDING, THERE'S NOTHING THERE CROSSWALKS TO PROTECT THEM.
SO THOSE ARE SO F Y I THAT'S A VERY GOOD OBSERVATION.
AND THE WAY WE ACTUALLY UNDERTAKE STUDIES TO INSTALL TRAFFIC SIGNALS BECAUSE, UH, IN A TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATION HAS TO FOLLOW FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
UH, AND THE WAY WE UNDERTAKE THE STUDIES IS WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY ASK US WHAT, UH, AND WE'LL BE DOING THAT
WE'LL, WE'LL UNDERTAKE A STUDY.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND COMING BACK.
UM, AND AGREEING, UH, TAKING OUT THE TIME TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS, VICE CHAIR, ANY COMMISSIONER MAY HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OR A COMMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION VICE CHAIR? UM, THIS IS AGAIN, A VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS AS OF NOW.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE A QUESTION? ANY COMMISSIONER WHO MAY HAVE A QUESTION? DON'T BE SHY.
I'M SORRY, WHO'S SPEAKING? COMMISSIONER SHAW DISTRICT 12.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE, THE RAPID RESPONSE, GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO US.
UH, THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THOSE REPORTS AND GET ALL THAT INFORMATION ON THE CROSSWALKS IN THE SIGNAL IN THE CITY.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, AFTER ALL THESE QUESTIONS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE NORMAN KIKI COME UP FROM THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE.
HE IS THE OUTREACH AND INFORMATION SPECIALIST ON DISABILITIES.
AND HE'S GOING TO DISCUSS AND OPEN UP, UH, HIS PRESENTATION ABOUT THE 2024 LEX FREED.
LEX FRIEDMAN AWARDS AND EMPLOYABILITY JOB FAIR.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOUR MIC, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR MR. KIKI ONLINE? THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU ON YOUR MIC.
IT'S, IT'S BRIGHT GREEN LIGHT
UH, IF YOU CAN FIND THE SLIDE FOUR, THE BANNER, IT'S OKAY.
BUT IF NOT, UH, EVERY OCTOBER, THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
[01:00:01]
WE PARTNER WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, SPECIFICALLY THE HIRE ABILITY CAMPAIGN THAT IS THE, UH, SEGMENT OF, UH, TEXAS WORKFORCE THAT DEALS WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT FINDS EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.WE DO THE EVENT IN OCTOBER 'CAUSE IT'S RELATED TO, UH, AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH IS OCTOBER
SO WE DO OUR EVENT IN OCTOBER.
IT'S A FOUR HOUR EVENT AT THIS POINT.
UH, IT'S A NICE, UH, MIDDAY FUNCTION WITH A LUNCH.
WE HAVE A KEYNOTE SPEAKER, UH, AND IT ALL WRAPS UP WITH LEX FRIEDEN HIMSELF FROM HOUSTON.
HE'S A INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN GENIUS ON, UH, DISABILITY ISSUES AS WELL AS EMPLOYMENT, UH, OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
HE'S, HE'S QUITE A PRESENCE, UH, IN A ROOM.
UH, SO WE NAMED OUR, UH, EMPLOYMENT AWARDS AFTER HIM.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING, UH, NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS RIGHT NOW, AS IS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
UH, WE HAVE A FANTASTIC COMMITTEE.
UH, THERE ARE, UH, SEVERAL, SEVERAL OF US FROM THE GOVERNOR'S, UH, OFFICE THAT, UH, SIT ON THE COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE THREE STATE LEVEL PEOPLE FROM WORKFORCE COMMISSION THAT HAVE THEIR REACHES ACROSS THE STATE AS WE MOVE AROUND THE STATE FROM CITY TO CITY.
THEY RECRUIT EMPLOYEES FROM WORKFORCE TO HELP US WITH THE LOCAL WORK AND TO DO THE DETAILS OF THE, UH, EVENT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN MEETING MONTHLY.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE MEETING, UH, THE EVENT PRETTY WELL, UH, SHAPED UP.
WE HAVE, UH, THREE OF OUR FOUR SPEAKERS LINED UP.
UH, WE HAVE THE AWARDS ARE, ARE GETTING UNDERWAY AS FAR AS WHO'S GOING TO WIN THE AWARDS.
WE ALSO TRY TO RECRUIT WHAT WE CALL, CALL A LOCAL, UH, SPONSOR OR CO-SPONSOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE IN EDINBURG IN OCTOBER WITH THE DISABILITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN EDINBURG.
IT'S ONLY ONE OF FOUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, THE LADY DOWN THERE IS ON OUR, UH, THE, UH, THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE.
UH, SHE'S ONE OF THOSE WOMEN THAT YOU THINK THERE MUST BE THREE OF HER 'CAUSE SHE GETS SO MUCH DONE.
SHE ZOOMS ALL OVER THE, UH, RIO GRANDE VALLEY TO DIFFERENT MEETINGS BECAUSE OF OUR CONNECTIONS.
UH, UH, SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT SOME SPONSORS FOR US FOR THE EVENT TO COVER A LOT OF OUR EXPENSES, WHICH WE DON'T REALLY NEED BECAUSE BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE AND WORKFORCE COMMISSION, WE COVER MOST OF OUR EXPENSES.
WE ALWAYS GET A FACILITY FOR FREE.
UH, UM, AND WE'RE HERE TO INVITE, UH, THE DALLAS COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES TO CO-SPONSOR BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM EMPLOYABILITY DALLAS TO SPONSOR THE EVENT.
UH, SO THAT THEY'LL EITHER SERVE AS THE, THE LOCAL SPONSOR OR IF WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, I THINK SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE EM EMPLOYABILITY DALLAS, MICHAEL QUESADA.
HE'S GOT HIS, UH, HANDS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIES AROUND DALLAS AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HIM.
HE CAME TO THE WORKFORCE COMMISSION, UM, UH, UM, AND ANNUAL MEETING IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS THERE.
AND WE MET AND SPENT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TOGETHER TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENT.
UH, SO THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH US AND WE HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN, UH, ENTICE YOU GUYS TO BE INVOLVED.
ALSO, WHAT WE REALLY DEPEND ON THE LOCAL COMMITTEE DO AS A CO-SPONSOR IS, UH, UH, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE LIKE FOR THIS YEAR, THE, THE, UH, DISABILITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THEIR LOGO IS ON ALL OF OUR, UH, UH, THE SAVE TO DATE POSTCARD.
IT'S ON THE, THE PROGRAM FOR THE EVENT.
THEY HAVE A PRESENCE AT THE EVENT WITH THE TABLE.
UM, BUT WHAT WE REALLY DEPEND ON THE LOCAL GROUPS TO DO IS TO BUILD OUR AUDIENCE TO CONTACT OTHER PEOPLE THEY KNOW IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND, AND TO, AND THIS YEAR, THAT WOULD BE THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY TO BUILD OUR AUDIENCE.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING PROBABLY ABOUT 250 PEOPLE FOR LUNCH, UH, AT THIS EVENT.
UH, THE, UH, EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS, UH, REGULAR DATES RESERVED AT A LARGE, UH, CONFERENCE CENTER DOWN THERE.
IT'S CALLED THE CONFERENCE, EDINBURG CONFERENCE CENTER AT RENAISSANCE.
IT'S A PA A NEIGHBORHOOD IN, UH, EDINBURG.
THEY'VE DONATED TWO OF THEIR DAYS FOR US.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DONATION FOR THE EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE OF, UH, THE, UH, OUR COMMISSION MEMBER WHO IS A VERY ACTIVE DOWN THERE, EVELYN CONNO.
UH, SHE'S ALSO, UM, WORKING VERY HARD.
SHE'S ON SOME OTHER COM COMMITTEES AT THE STATE LEVEL, WORKING TO GET THE GOVERNOR AT THE EVENT.
WE USUALLY HAVE A VIDEO ADDRESS FROM THE GOVERNOR.
UH, BUT SHE'S WORKING VERY HARD THROUGH HER CONNECTIONS IN THE VALLEY TO GET, UH, GOVERNOR ABBOTT TO BE THERE IN PERSON THIS YEAR.
SO THAT WILL BE, UH, QUITE A COUP FOR US TO, TO ACHIEVE THAT.
UM, WE HAVE THE MAYOR OF EDINBURGH ALREADY SCHEDULED, UH, TO BE WITH US.
WE WOULD BE EXTENDING THE SAME INVITATION, OR THE LOCAL
[01:05:01]
COMMITTEE, UH, WOULD EXTEND THE INVITATION TO MAYOR KIRK TO BE, UH, WITH US IN OCTOBER OF 2024.SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A YEAR FROM THIS OCTOBER THAT WE'RE APPROACHING YOU GUYS ABOUT.
UM, WE'VE GOT A GREAT COMMITTEE.
WE'VE GOT OUR, UH, AGENDA JUST ABOUT FILLED OUT FOR THE DAY.
UM, THE, UH, THE MEAL IS TAKEN CARE OF, OUR BUDGET.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE MANAGED WITH, UH, UH, LAST YEAR WE MANAGED TO CARVE $7,000 OFF OF OUR BUDGET.
UH, THE, THE, UH, 2021 BUDGET, WHICH WAS BEFORE MY TIME WAS A LITTLE OVER 22,000.
LAST YEAR WE SPENT ALMOST 15,000.
SO WE BROUGHT THE BUDGET DOWN $7,000, UH, WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALREADY.
UH, WITH A COUPLE OF, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DALLAS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS AGAIN.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO A, UH, AN ANNUAL EVENT OF THIS IMPORT.
UH, AND REDU KEEP REDUCING OUR COSTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE REPUTATION IS GROWING AND MORE PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE ARE WANTING TO BE INVOLVED, UH, WITH THE EVENT.
UM, I'VE KIND OF GONE VERY QUICKLY THROUGH WHAT I WAS, UH, PLANNING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON, BUT I'VE TRIED TO JUST GIVE YOU A BIG, HUGE PICTURE OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF THE LOCAL COMMITTEE, BASICALLY TO BE OUR, OUR OUTREACH INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH YOUR PERSONAL CONTACTS TO BUILD UP OUR AUDIENCE.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE FINANCIAL OBLIGATION, UH, A ANY, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION AT ALL FROM THE LOCAL COMMITTEE.
SO WE'RE WANTING TO PUT YOU UP THERE AND, AND, UH, BE ON ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
BUT HELP US WITH THE OUTREACH IN THE LOCAL, IN THE DALLAS AREA.
QUESTIONS, OR ANY MORE PERMISSION.
SO FIRST, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RECEIVED, UM, YOUR POINTS AND YOUR, UH, HARD COPY.
I, I WANTED JUST QUICKLY TO DEBRIEF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
'CAUSE YOU AND I HAD A, UM, A WEB MEETING, UM, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE ARTS AND CULTURE PART OF IT, UM, A COMPETITION.
UM, I AM MEETING WITH ARTS AND CULTURE BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE COMPLETELY ENGAGED AND HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PRESENTED, UM, THEIR ARTWORK, WHO HAVE DISABILITIES TO BE IN THAT COMPETITION.
UM, WE ALSO DISCUSS, UM, ENSURING THAT, UM, SO THAT IT'S AN EQUAL, UM, COMPETITION AND JUDGING BY THAT RUBRIC THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM ARTS AND CULTURE, AND ALSO OUR INDIVIDUAL, OUR COMMISSIONER, WHO'S ON THEIR ART AND CULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE THAT COMPETITION.
UM, YOU AND I HAD A SIDEBAR, UM, IN REFERENCE YOU CONTACTED A DALLAS I S D SCHOOL, BOOKER T WASHINGTON, FOR THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
I WANNA TREND LIGHTLY WITH THAT BECAUSE ALSO AS A DALLAS I S D, UH, NAP BOARD MEMBER, I REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX.
WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF MINORS.
UM, UH, BOOKER T IS NINTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE, SO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WHO MAY BE PRESENTING, UM, OR SUBMITTING THEIR ARTWORK, WE, THERE'S OTHER FORMS TO THAT.
YOU HAVE, UH, LIABILITY WAIVERS.
YOU HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MARKETING AND FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.
UM, YOU DID MENTION THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN DONE, BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT A CHILD HASN'T WON.
THAT'S UNFAIR BECAUSE IF A CHILD DOES, UM, SUBMIT THEIR ARTWORK, THERE SHOULD BE A CATEGORY, UH, EVEN AN AGE CATEGORY NOT TO DISCRIMINATE.
SO THAT, AGAIN, WHETHER IT IS AGE 14 TO 16, WHETHER IT IS AGE 16 TO 18, THAT THEY ARE, ARE REPRESENTED AS WELL.
UM, I DID REQUEST YOUR SPONSOR LIST SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER MICROMANAGING OR DOUBLE, UH, HITTING, UM, FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND WHILE YOU REPRESENT THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE, AND WE REPRESENT THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, WE TRY NOT TO LEAD WITH TITLE MEANS ENTITLEMENT.
WE TRY TO LEAD, WHICH IS PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, UM, IF YOU COULD GET THAT INFORMATION THAT CORRESPONDENT SENT OVER TO STAFF SO THAT I CAN MEET WITH THAT ART DIRECTOR OR THOSE ART PROFESSORS AND OUR TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS OVER AT BOOKER T SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE, UM, AGAIN, BEST PRACTICE THAT WHAT'S BEING SUBMITTED IS FROM STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE A DISABILITY, SO THAT WE SAY WITHIN THAT, THAT FRAME, UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER MEETINGS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU HAVE FOR PARTNERSHIPS HERE IN DALLAS, SO THAT, TO YOUR POINT, UM, THEY CAN BE WELL REPRESENTED IN 2024, WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANY COMMISSIONER, UM, HERE TO, UM, SPEAK TO, UH, MR. KIKI CHAIR? UM, YES.
UM, MR. KIKI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFOR VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENGAGING PRESENTATION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PREVIOUS QUARTERLY MEETINGS OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT ON A VARIETY OF DISABILITY RELATED ISSUES.
UM, I AM REALLY EMPOWERED AND, AND INSPIRED AND IMPRESSED BY THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH THE LEX FREEDOM EMPLOYMENT AWARD.
UM, ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT I DO HAVE IS
[01:10:01]
POSSIBLY TO, UM, INCLUDE A, THE EDUCATION CATEGORY IN EMPLOYEE IN THE, UH, LEX FREEDOM EMPLOYMENT AWARD.IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR PLACE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, TO BE RECOGNIZED, UM, AND AWARDED FOR HIRING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES, UM, ON THEIR STAFF, WHETHER THEY BE INSTRUCTORS OR STAFF OR FACULTY, OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM, UM, ANY ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS FROM MR. KIKI? NO.
UM, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH, UM, YOU AND YOUR OUTREACH, UM, DEPARTMENT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE FUN.
WE GET TO DRESS UP, WEAR A TUXEDO IN A FORMAL DRESS.
UH, WE WERE DISCUSSING MAYBE A, A HAPPY MEETING FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BE ATTENDING.
THAT'S A INTERESTING, UH, TOPIC.
UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS, BUT NOT WITHIN THE OFFICE FROM, FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH A LOCAL DISABILITY ORGANIZATION IN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, THE, THE EXPENSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN COVERED.
AND, UH, MY, MY FIRST YEAR WAS LAST YEAR WITH IT, AND, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT PEOPLE SEEM TO PUT MORE STOCK INTO AN EVENT IF THEY HAVE TO PAY EVEN A NOMINAL FEE TO ATTEND.
AND PLUS WE OFFER CEUS FOR THE EVENT.
SO IT'S, IT IS SOME VALUE TO THE, UH, WORKFORCE COMMISSION STAFF.
LAST YEAR WE CHARGED $25 IS KIND OF BASED ON THE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHERE YOU'RE EXPECTING AND THE COST OF A, OF A PLATE, UH, OF A PLATE OF FOOD IN HOUSTON.
THE COST IN, IN ENBERG IS LESS, UH, BUT WE'RE EXPECTING MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE OUTREACH OF EVELYN CONNO DOWN THERE AND THE DISABILITY CHAMBER.
SO WE'VE GONE FROM $25 TO $40 THIS YEAR.
WE TALKED ABOUT 50, BUT WE, UH, JUST AS MORE OF A COMPROMISE WE BROUGHT DOWN TO 40.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT THAT IN DALLAS AS WELL AND TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND IT'LL, IT'S ALL HAMMERED OUT IN THE COMMITTEE.
GARY MAY HAVE ATTENDED SOME OF THESE.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU AND I HAD OUR VIRTUAL MEETING, I SAID 45.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT BIG DALLAS ENERGY, AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING 200 PLUS PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE PAY MORE THAN THAT TO ATTEND GALA GALAS HERE AND DINNERS AS WELL, LIKE THE MARGARITA BALL.
UM, BUT THERE WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.
WE DO HAVE SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT THAT PRICE.
AND WE ALL, WE ALL PAY, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE A, HAVE A FREE TICKET ARE THE ART WINNERS AND THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UH, AWARD WINNERS.
AND ONE GUEST LAST YEAR WE COMPED 20 MEALS WAS ALL, AND THAT IS A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
AND, AND I, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE, UM, WHO ATTENDS REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR TITLE OR, UM, YOUR POSITION, WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO PAY IT FORWARD, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT TRIP TO COME DOWN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, REALLY QUICKLY, UM, SO IN REFERENCE TO THE RETREAT, UM, SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, I'M GONNA JUST CAPTURE THIS REALLY QUICKLY AND THEN HIGHLIGHT, UH, THREE DISABILITY, UM, AWARENESSES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
UM, SO AT THE RETREAT, COMMISSIONERS WERE DELEGATED TO OUR THREE FOCUS PRIORITY AREAS, BUT WE KNOW THAT IN OUR CITY WE HAVE MORE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IN THAT, UM, WHICH SHOULD ALL BE OUR FOCUS.
AND I HAVE DELEGATED THE FOLLOWING COMMISSIONERS TO THE REMAINING SUBCOMMITTEES.
SO ON EQUITY AND EXCUSE ME, ON EDUCATION AND EQUITY, IT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER APOL AND WHITE.
ON ARTS AND CULTURE, IT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ AND AMMERMAN ON GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
IT WOULD BE COMMISSIONER SHAW AND HUSKA HUSKA.
AND LAST BUT NOT NEED SOMETHING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT WOULD BE VICE CHAIR CALLED CONNIE AND COMMISSIONER AGAIN, UH, HUSKA.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO DID ATTEND, UM, FOR THOSE THREE TOP, WHICH WAS EMPLOYMENT, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING, UM, THOSE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SENT INFORMATION.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EACH COMMISSIONER, UM, COMMUNICATE, UM, BETWEEN YOURSELVES AND ALSO CC ME AS THE CHAIR SO THAT WE MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN, UH, WHAT'S REQUIRED OF US IN OUR ROLE OR RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE TO FOUR GOALS.
UM, WHETHER IT'S TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, WHETHER IT IS ACCOMMODATIONS THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE AND MORE SO, AND, AND EVEN SPECIFICALLY DATA THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
UM, AND I WANNA ALSO INCLUDE STAFF AND THAT CORRESPONDENCE AS WELL.
UM, SO IN REFERENCE TO THE THREE DISABILITY AWARENESS IS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WE HAVE SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY.
IT IS A GENETIC NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE THAT CAUSES
[01:15:01]
MUSCLES TO BECOME WEAK AND WAIST AWAY.PEOPLE WITH SS M A LOSE A SPECIFIC TYPE OF NERVE CELL IN THE SPINAL CORD THAT CONTROL THEIR MUSCLE MOVEMENT.
WITHOUT THESE MOTOR NEURONS, MUSCLES DON'T RECEIVE NERVE SIGNALS THAT MAKE MUSCLES MOVE.
THE WORD ATROPHY IS A MEDICAL TERM THAT MEANS SMALLER.
SO WITH SS M A, CERTAIN MUSCLES BECOME SMALLER AND WEAKER, AND APPROXIMATELY 10,000 TO 25,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS ARE LIVING WITH SS M A IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE SECOND ONE WE WANNA BRING AWARENESS TO IS WORLD CANCER SUPPORT MONTH.
IT'S OBSERVED ANNUALLY IN AUGUST.
IT STANDS AS A BEACON OF, UM, SO SOLIDARITY AND HOPE FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY CANCER ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THIS DEDICATED MONTH SERVICES A REMINDER OF THE IMMENSE STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, AND COMPASSION THAT UNITE INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES IN THE FACE OF THIS CHALLENGING DISEASE.
UM, BY FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT, UM, IN REFERENCE TO MEDICAL TREATMENT.
AND IT ONLY EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEALING, UM, WITH CANCER.
AND THE EMOTIONAL TOLL ON THIS DISEASE ON PATIENTS', FAMILIES, AND EVEN THE CAREGIVERS, UM, CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD.
WHILE WE MAY BE ABLE TO RELATE AND HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OURSELVES OR FRIENDS WHO DEAL WITH THAT, UM, IS VERY DIFFICULT, UM, FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS DEALING WITH CANCER.
AND THE THIRD, WHICH THIS IS NEW FOR ME, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THIS, BUT IT IS THE STEVENS JOHNSON SYNDROME.
UM, MAIN SYMPTOMS OF THE STEVENS JOHNSON SYNDROME IS THE FORMATION OF DUSKY RED PAINFUL PATCHES.
BASICALLY YOU LOSE YOUR SKIN, UM, WHICH LEADS TO AN EXTENSIVE SKIN, BLISTERING AND PILLING.
UM, IT IS A SERIOUS BUT RARE CONDITION, AND THE MOST COMMON CAUSE IS ADVERSE REACTION TO MEDICATION SOMETIMES OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATION.
UM, SO LOOK THOSE, UM, DIFFERENT DISABILITIES UP TO GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE ON THAT.
I JUST ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, SPEAK ON DIFFERENT DISABILITIES FOR EACH MONTH THAT WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS.
UM, I DO HOPE, MY HOPE IS THAT AS A COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND EVEN OUR SUBCOMMITTEES, THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO BRING THIS BODY, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD BE MADE TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN OUR CITY, AND EVEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, I WANNA, AGAIN, THANK, UM, THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND MR. UH, KIKI WITH THE OUTREACH WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO LIST FOR THE RECORD? NO.
THAT CONCLUDES THIS MONTH'S MEETING OF, OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU IN REGARD TO OUR, UH, COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD SEPTEMBER 26TH AT 2:00 PM SIX E S.
UM, PLEASE BE SURE THAT WE MAKE QUO, 'CAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PROGRESSIVE.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? THIS IS VICE CHAIR CALL CONLEY.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER REVY.
THE MOTION HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED TO SECOND, THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE AUGUST 22ND, 2023 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING AT 3:48 PM ALL IN FAVOR SAY A MEETING ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE.