[Dallas Commission on Disabilities on February 27, 2024.]
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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.
TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2024, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS TWO IS 2:03 PM WE HAVE MET QUORUM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, A COUPLE HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING REMOTELY, WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MEETING IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, IF ANY COMMISSIONER WISHES TO ASK A QUESTION, SPEAK OR MAKE A COMMENT, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE SPEAK LOUDLY AND CLEARLY SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO THE OFFICIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE, UM, ROLL CALL.
I AM CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY, DISTRICT 15.
PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY STATING YOUR NAME AND THE DISTRICT YOU ARE FROM.
COMMISSIONER GAY REVY, DISTRICT ONE, COMMISSIONER CHRISTINA HUY, DISTRICT EIGHT COMMISSIONER ROD H****R, DISTRICT THREE.
COMMISSIONER CHRIS BALLOU, DISTRICT 10, COMMISSIONER BEVERLY PARSON WHITE, DISTRICT NINE, COMMISSIONER NICOLE MUNOZ.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR THE ROLL CALL.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WE DO HAVE THE SEPTEMBER 23RD, UH, SIXTH, 2023 MEETING MINUTES, AND WE ALSO HAVE JANUARY THE MINUTES FROM LAST YEAR.
WOULD ANY COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO MAKE EDITS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES TO BEFORE THEY ARE APPROVED? YES.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER CHRISTINA POE, DISTRICT EIGHT.
I HAD REACHED OUT TO, UM, STAFF AND EVEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BECAUSE WHEN WE HAD THIS MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, 2023, UM, WE LOST QUORUM.
AND SO I WAS INFORMED AT THAT TIME THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, MINUTE MEETINGS.
WHEREAS, HOWEVER, IN OUR LAST MEETING THAT WE HELD NOVEMBER, 2020, UH, THREE, UH, THE MEETING WAS RECORDED AND AS WERE THE MINUTES AND WERE APPROVED AND INDICATED THAT WE LOST QUORUM.
SO IN ALL FAIRNESS, TO BE CONSISTENT, UH, WHETHER WE LOSE QUORUM OR NOT, IT IS, UM, IN BEST PRACTICE TO NOTE, UM, THAT EVEN IN SEPTEMBER WE HAD, UM, PRESENTERS HERE, UM, ONE BEING, UM, ENVISION, UM, DARNING SOCIAL SECURITY HAD TO COME BACK.
BUT ONCE THIS WAS, UM, PRETTY MUCH WELL PUT TOGETHER, MIGHT I SAY IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH, UM, IT DOES INDICATE THAT THE MEETING WAS PAUSED AS STAFF AND CHAIRWOMAN PUA ATTENDED TO REESTABLISH QUORUM, AND THEN IN THE ADJOURNMENT IT DOES END.
SO I, I WANNA SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THAT AND THOSE ARE THE MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE, UM, INPUTTED, UM, FOR JANUARY 23RD, 2024 UNDER THE MEETING SUMMARY.
UM, I, I GET IT THAT PEOPLE TRANSCRIBE NOTES, UM, BUT SOME VERBIAGE NEEDS TO BE EXACT, NOT JUST FOR NOTE KEEPING, BUT FOR RECORD KEEPING.
UM, IT INDICATES HERE BECAUSE I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
UM, AND, AND, AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, 'CAUSE I AM A BLACK WOMAN, I'LL ALWAYS SAY BLACK AND BROWN, NOT BROWN AND BLACK.
SO THIS READS LAWS AND POLICIES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR BROWN AND BLACK THAT SHOULD READ FOR BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS.
AND IN THE LAST SENTENCE IT READS, COMMISSIONER POEY ALSO ATTENDED THE MLK DAY EVENT THAT CELEBRATED CIVIL RIGHTS UNREST AND DISPARITIES THAT ARE STILL HAPPENING TODAY.
I DID MEET BRIEFLY WITH, UM, SELENA MEEKS AND REQUESTED THAT SHE INDICATE EXACTLY WHAT THAT MLK EVENT WAS, BUT I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK.
UM, THOSE ARE, UH, THE EDITS IN REFERENCE TO THE MEETING MINUTES.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KUIA FOR THOSE EDITS.
UM, UM, I, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A MINOR EDIT, UM, IN THE MEETING SUMMARY WHERE, UH, IT SAYS, CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY DISCUSSED HIS PASSION FOR EDUCATION.
AND I DO READ THERE'S A, THERE'S A WHAT THERE.
SO IT SAYS, CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY DISCUSSED HIS, UH, PASSION FOR EDUCATION AND, UH, WHAT DISABILITY RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES.
I THINK THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE BEST TO LIST IT PROPERLY AS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY DISCUSSED HIS PASSION FOR EDUCATION, CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, DISABILITY RIGHTS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
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THAT IS THE EDIT I HAVE.COMMISSIONER REVY, DISTRICT ONE IN THE MINUTES ON PAGE TWO, LINE NINE, PLEASE MENTION THE WORK THAT HER AND COMMISSIONER OLSON THAT SHOULD BE MENTIONED, THE WORK THAT SHE AND COMMISSIONER OLSON.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER REY FOR THAT EDIT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO, UM, REQUEST ADDITIONAL EDITS BEFORE THE MEETINGS ARE APPROVED? I'LL MOVE THE MEETING AS SUBMITTED.
UM, I SECOND, ARE WE MOVING THE MINUTES AS READ OR WITH EDITS? CORRECTION, THE MINUTES AS READ.
SO THEN, UM, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
UM, MAY I ASK WHO'S SPEAKING? THIS IS COMMISSIONER BALLOU.
CONSIDERING MYSELF AND MAYBE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO KNEW THAT WERE NOT PRESENT IN THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, CAN WE SEPARATE THE VOTES ON THESE TWO INTO TWO SEPARATE VOTES? 'CAUSE I CANNOT APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM A MEETING.
YES, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE EDITS? WELL, I THINK IN ALL FAIRNESS, SINCE THEY WEREN'T HERE, AND THAT'S A GREAT POINT, THAT STAFF SHOULD PROVIDE THEM THE AUDIO OF THAT MEETING SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
WELL, THAT'D BE GRACE FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES, BUT I BELIEVE THAT AS FAR AS BEING IN PRESENT AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THAT, EVEN WATCHING A REPORT ON THE COMMISSION.
I SHOULDN'T BE APPROVING THOSE MINUTES, ACTUALLY.
YES, YOU DO BRING UP A GOOD POINT.
UM, I, I DID NOT VOTE IN THE LAST MEETING ON THE PRE, ON THE NOVEMBER MINUTES BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN THAT ATTENDANCE.
UM, COMMISSIONER BALU, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL EDITS, THEN UM, I, I SECOND IT.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A AYE.
SO THE, THE MINUTES MADE WITH THE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTIONS ARE APPROVED AS READ.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PUBLIC SPEAKERS CHAIR.
MAY I ASK WHO'S SPEAKING PLEASE? COMMISSIONER WHITE.
DID WE JUST VOTE ON SEPTEMBER OR JANUARY? UH, WE VOTED FOR BOTH OF THE MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR BOTH SEPTEMBER AND JANUARY.
OH, I THOUGHT COMMISSIONER BALLOU ASKED THAT THEY BE SEPARATED FOR VOTING PURPOSES.
WELL, HE ASKED FOR HIS VOTE TO BE SEPARATED.
ONE ON THE SEPTEMBER AND ONE ON THE JANUARY.
I WAS NOT A COMMISSIONER IN SEPTEMBER.
THEREFORE, I CANNOT APPROVE THOSE MINUTES.
I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT, UM, THE EMAIL THAT I WAS, IF I'M, IF I'M INCORRECT IN HOW THIS WORKS, THEN PLEASE CORRECT ME.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY OPINION.
I FELT LIKE THAT WAS IGNORED WHEN YOU WENT TO VOTE ON THE BOTH MINUTES AT ONCE.
IF, IF I MAY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CHAIRMAN, CALL CONNIE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT I WANNA, I KNOW THAT I MAY HAVE HEARD IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT WHEN IT WAS MENTIONED FOR SEPTEMBER AND JANUARY, UM, HE DID ASK, UM, IF THERE THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WANTED TO EDIT FOR BOTH SEPTEMBER AND JANUARY, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU DID SAY AND SPEAK THAT SINCE YOU, YOU WANTED TO SEPARATE YOUR VOTE.
SO WHEN HE ASKED ALL IN FAVOR, UM, HE WAS ASKING ALL IN FAVOR OF BOTH.
SO SINCE YOU WERE SILENT, THERE WAS NO VOTE ON THAT.
ARE YOU ASKING THAT HE SEPARATE AND SAY SEPTEMBER AND THEN WAIT, AND THEN DO JANUARY AND THEN WAIT? YES, I WAS UNCLEAR.
I DID NOT CATCH THE, WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
I THOUGHT HE WAS SAYING, I I COULDN'T TELL IF WE WERE VOTING ON MY PROPOSAL TO SPLIT IT.
I WAS REALLY UNCLEAR, BUT I, AND I DON'T MEAN TO BOG US DOWN, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S TWO DIFFERENT MINUTES.
IT REQUIRES TWO DIFFERENT VOTES.
I DO NOT HAVE TO THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE VOTE, I'M ONE PERSON, SO, OR I CAN JUST ABSTAIN FROM IT AND IT'LL STILL PASS.
BUT POINT OF ORDER IS I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON SOMETHING WHEN I WASN'T A COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER WHITE? YES, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
I DIDN'T VOTE EITHER BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE
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WE WERE VOTING ON SINCE HE ASKED FOR HIM TO BE SEPARATED.NOT HIS VOTE, BUT FOR THE VOTE, VOTE MEANING ONE, VOTE FOR EACH SEPARATE VOTES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER SAYS.
DON'T HAVE MY BOOK IN FRONT OF ME.
THIS COMMISSIONER HUSKA, I'D LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER HUSKA FOR BRINGING THAT POINT.
I THINK THAT IS A PRETTY FAIR ONE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I SIT ON OTHER BOARDS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES, WHETHER KIND OF MUCH PROCEDURES WE FOLLOW.
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD, MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR JUST TO KIND OF REFRESH, YOU KNOW, TO BE CLEAR ON MOTIONS, WHAT PROCESS WE FOLLOW.
I ALSO AGREE ON MY OTHER BOARDS, WE SEPARATE OUT MINUTES MOTIONS BY THE DATE SO THAT COMMISSIONERS THAT WEREN'T PRESENT ABSTAIN ON THE MINUTES THAT THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE AT OR THEY WEREN'T PRESENT AT.
SO WHEN PEOPLE MAKE MOTIONS, JUST BE CLEAR.
I'M THE PARLIAMENTARIAN ON TWO OF MY BOARDS, SO THAT'S, I'M JUST KIND OF, THAT'S PROBABLY JUST ME.
UH, YOU DID RAISE A A VERY GOOD POINT, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA.
ARE THERE ANY MORE, UM, QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE REGARDING THIS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS? I'M, I'M SORRY.
I, I WANNA REALLY QUICKLY, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, I WANNA RESPECT ALL THREE OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK AND REDO THE VOTE SO THAT THERE'S CLARITY.
SO THAT COMMISSIONER, UM, BELOW COMMISSIONER WHITE AND COMMISSIONER HUSKA SINCE, UM, WE ALL, UH, IN FAIRNESS, UM, THEY HAVE VALID POINTS.
THAT WAY IT'S NOTATED AND DOCUMENTED THAT WE FIRST MENTIONED SEPTEMBER, 2020, EXCUSE ME, SEPTEMBER, 2023.
AND THEN AFTER WE COMPLETE THAT, THEN WE GO TO JANUARY, 2024.
UH, COMMISSIONER, I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP THEN, IN THAT CASE THEN WE'RE STEPPING BACK.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AND VOTE ON THE SEPTEMBER 20, 23 MINUTES WITH THE EDITS.
APPARENTLY THERE IS NO OPPOSITION.
SO THEN WE, UH, THEN I WOULD SAY WE GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT THE SEPTEMBER 20, 23 MINUTES AS READ NOW, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE, UM, TO ACCEPT THE JANUARY 20, 24 MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTIONS AS READ.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, THE MOTION PASSES, THE MINUTES WITH THE CORRECTIONS FOR JANUARY 20, 24 HAVE BEEN READ.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MR. CHRISTOPHER GRAVES.
HE IS THE NEWLY APPOINTED HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
PRIOR TO JOINING THE CITY OF DALLAS, MR. GRAVES WORKED FOR THE HOUSTON'S, UM, CITY OF HOUSTON MAYOR'S OFFICE.
HE HELD SEVERAL POSITIONS THERE, INCLUDING SERVING AS HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM COORDINATOR, SENIOR STAFF ANALYST, AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT MR. GRAVES TRANSFERABLE COMPETENCIES WILL ENSURE DALLAS IS FULLY A DA COMPLIANT AND REMAINS FIRM TO ABIDING BY ITS HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I PASSED THE FLOOR TO MR. GRAVES TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT HIMSELF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN K CONLEY, AND HELLO COMMISSIONERS.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION, AND THE WORK YOU DO IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ADVANCE THE, THESE NEEDS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO, AS CHAIRMAN ALCOM SAID, I'M THE NEW HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION.
MY MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOCUSED ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, AND THAT I WAS LATER PART OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS SUBCOMMITTEE FOR HOUSTON SPIT FOR THE WORLD CUP.
AND WITH THAT, MY FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS BROADEN TO WORKERS' RIGHTS, MIGRANTS, BUT ALSO RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO CONTINUE THIS WORK FOR DALLAS AND, AND DALLAS' WORK TO ADVANCE ITS A DA TRANSITION PLAN AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT LOOK FORWARD COMPLIANT.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION.
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GRAYS FOR THAT BRIEF INTRODUCTION.WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND COLLABORATING WITH YOU AS WE WORK DILIGENTLY TO MAKE DALLAS AN INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE CITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS, ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
UM, AS, AS I HAVE STATED LAST MONTH, I DO ADVISE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO INVITE ANY INDIVIDUAL THEY MAY KNOW IN THE DISABILITY CIRCLES TO ATTEND OUR MEETINGS AND PROVIDE COMMENTS AND INSIGHTS ABOUT ISSUES PERTINENT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THEIR VALUES AND INSIGHTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED AS WE STRIVE TO, UM, WORK TIRELESSLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULLY COMPLYING, UH, AND ACHIEVING THE STRATEGIC, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WE SET FOR OURSELVES, FOR THE CITY AND EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS OFFICER REPORTS.
I WILL BEGIN BY SHARING THE CHAIR'S REPORT ON FEBRUARY, UH, 17TH.
I WAS VERY HONORED TO ATTEND THE 15TH ANNUAL RESEARCH, ART AND WRITING GRADUATE CONFERENCE HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS.
THIS CONFERENCE IS HOSTED BY GRADUATE STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL DISCIPLINES PRESENT ACADEMIC PAPERS ABOUT ISSUES RELATED TO THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES.
I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF PRESENTING A PAPER I WROTE ON THE NAZI PERSECUTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THIS YEAR'S THEME WAS VERY, ELECT WAS VERY REFLECTIVE, AND IT ALLOWED DIS DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS AND PRACTITIONERS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THINK ABOUT THE UGLY PARTS OF HISTORY MAKE AND, UH, TO REALLY DIVE DEEP INTO WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE STUDY THESE, THESE HISTORIES THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN AS BAD IN, IN SOCIETY.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE EDUCATION COMES INTO PLACE.
IT'S, UH, AS, AS I SAY, IT MAY SEEM TEDIOUS AT TIMES, BUT I THINK IT'S TRULY STRONGLY IMPORTANT THAT WE EDUCATE FUTURE GENERATIONS ABOUT THE DARK MOMENTS OF HISTORY, UM, AS WE WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN LESSONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE ATROCITIES DO NOT REPEAT THEMSELVES EVER AGAIN.
THIS CONFERENCE WAS VERY ENGAGING AND I AM STRONGLY CONFIDENT THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED HAD A LOT TO LEARN FROM AND, AND TAKE BACK WITH THEM ALL THE THINGS, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT, UH, FOR THIS MONTH.
I NOW TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, CHRISTINA POEY, DISTRICT EIGHT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
AND BY THE WAY, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
UM, SO FEBRUARY THE FIRST, I WAS HONORED TO ATTEND THE INSTALLMENT OF REVEREND DR.
FREDDIE HAYNES AS THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE RAINBOW BUSH COALITION.
I HAD THE DISTINGUISHED HONOR TO, UH, MEET REVEREND JESSE JACKSON, WHO HAS A DIAGNOSIS OF PARKINSON'S.
IT WAS AN AMAZING, UH, MOMENT, HISTORICAL MOMENT, EPIC MOMENT.
UM, I CAN'T REALLY PUT THAT INTO WORDS.
UM, MEETING SOMEONE WHO'S A PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ON FEBRUARY THE 15TH, THERE WAS THE BLACK BEAUTY EFFECT, RED CARPET PREMIER.
ANOTHER EVENT THAT I WAS HONORED TO ATTEND.
IT IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT IS ACTUALLY, UM, ON NETFLIX, WHICH EXPLORES HOW INFLUENTIAL BLACK PROFESSIONALS IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY WERE CHALLENGED AND REDEFINED THE STANDARDS AND REPRESENTATION OF HAIR, SKINCARE, COSMETICS, AND BEING INCLUSIVE.
UH, LEAH FRAZIER IS WITH THINK THREE MEDIA.
SHE WAS A PR, UM, AND SHE LIVES IN DALLAS ON FEBRUARY THE 17TH.
IN MY HOME DISTRICT OF DISTRICT EIGHT, THERE WAS A BLACK HISTORY EVENT AT OUR SENIOR HILLS REC CENTER HONORING OUR BLACK LEADERS, UM, WITH BLACK HISTORY AND, AND, AND THEIR LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THOSE HONOREES, UH, REALLY QUICKLY WAS THE HONORABLE LEN GIDDENS, WHO'S A FORMER STATE REP.
UM, YOU HAD CURTIS KING, WHO IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE BLACK ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS, ROLAND PARISH, WHO IS THE OWNER AND CEO OF THE PARISH.
UM, ALSO HAHA WILLIAMS, WHO IS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF WILLIAMS CHICKEN.
THERE WERE MORE HONOREES, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS MORE SO SPECIFICALLY, IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR, UH, TO BE IN THEIR PRESENCE AND TO KIND OF PICK THEIR BRAINS A LITTLE BIT.
ON FEBRUARY THE 24TH AT THE THANKSGIVING TOWER, THERE WAS A STEVEN GAU WHO WAS A DESIGNER.
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THAT SHOW IS A OU WILLIE JOHNSON II WITH J THREE PRODUCTIONS WAS THE SHOW PRODUCER.AND THEN THAT EVENING WAS THE ELITE NEWS, THE 49TH ANNUAL AWARDS, UM, NIGHTS WHERE THEY ALSO HONORED SOME LEADERS.
A FEW THOSE WERE CONSTABLE EDDIE BROWN, JUDGE LISA GREEN IN DALLAS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT.
ALSO SEAN REED WITH THE DALLAS MAVERICKS, UM, CONSTABLE DEANNA HAMMOND, WHO'S, UH, NEWLY ELECTED.
AND THEN ED GRAY, THE COMMISSION, OTHER HONOREES.
UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY IS A NOTE.
I KNOW A LOT OF US, UH, TALK ABOUT 3 1 1.
I I DON'T THINK SOMETIMES WE FOLLOW UP.
WHEN YOU CALL 3 1 1, PLEASE ASK FOR A CR, EXCUSE ME, SR NUMBER.
THAT IS YOUR SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER.
SO WHEN YOU FOLLOW UP, IF THEY TELL YOU THAT THE ITEM HAS BEEN CLOSED, PLEASE ASK WHEN IT WAS CLOSED AND IF THE, UM, INFORMATION, UH, WHO IT WAS FORWARDED TO, AND IF THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE WAS A, A DOG THERE WAS WEARING LOOSE IN YOUR, UM, YOUR YARD, IF ANIMAL SERVICES DID PICK IT UP.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PIA FOR YOUR REPORT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS? COMMISSIONER WHITE.
UH, I HAVE A FRIEND THAT SERVES ON THE MLK BOARD AND HE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION SOMETHING THAT HE HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT.
AND IT INVOLVES THE, UH, FOOD DESERT IN DALLAS.
ASK EVERYONE IF, UH, THEY CAN HEAR AND SEE IT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT SOUND CAME FROM, BUT CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT YOUR POINT? YES.
UH, MY FRIEND ON THE MLK BOARD TOLD ME ABOUT A, UM, PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE, UH, FOOD DESERT IN SOUTH DALLAS, AND IT'S BEING RUN BY KROGER.
SO I REACHED OUT TO THE MAN THAT REPRESENTS HIM ON THAT.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DELIVERING FOOD TO A CENTRALIZED DISTRICT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF SOUTH DALLAS WHERE THERE'S NO DELIVERY FEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND PEOPLE CAN GO PICK UP THEIR GROCERIES.
THEY'RE NICE, HEALTHY, JUST LIKE ANY OF THE REST OF US.
AND I, I DID ASK HIM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, THE DISABLED, UH, SENIORS, ET CETERA, AND HE SAID THEY WERE GOING TO ADDRESS HOME BOUND.
AND I SAID, THAT'S WONDERFUL, BUT NOT ALL DISABLED PEOPLE ARE REALLY HOME BOUND.
IT'S JUST THAT SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES IS DIFFICULT FOR THEM.
AND HE SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HOPING TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL TO WHERE THEY HAVE, UH, FREE DELIVERY AND HELP GETTING THE FOOD INSIDE FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
I'LL, THAT IS, I HEAR ANYTHING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR ADDRESSING THIS.
UM, I DO COMMEND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT PROGRAM IN TERMS OF DELIVERING GROCERIES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO OTHERWISE ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD FOOD FOR THEMSELVES.
AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE, UM, WORKING ON ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO, UH, ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ALSO MAY HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING AROUND DUE TO SOME BARRIERS THAT MAY BE IMPACTING THEM.
THEY, THEY, IT'S NOT FREE FOOD, IT'S JUST FREE DELIVERY.
BUT, BUT, UM, IT IS OUR HOPE THAT SOME ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN THIS EFFORT.
WELL, IT'S CALLED GROCERY CON CONNECT AND IT'S POWERED BACK KROGER.
I HAVE HEARD, I HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROGRAM BEFORE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS? I DID HAVE ONE LAST THING.
UM, I SENT AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE ON JANUARY THE 30TH TO OUR, OUR CHAIR, CAL COUNTY.
I ALSO REACHED OUT TO STAFF WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT.
I AM AWARE THAT A FEW OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAD NOT BEEN APPOINTED AT THAT TIME IN OUR MEETING, VERY SPECIFICALLY UNDER BRIEFINGS.
I INDICATED, UM, HOW WE SHOULD SEPARATE THE MEETING, EXCUSE ME.
THE, THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAD, AND NOT JUST FOR QUANTITATIVE DATA, BUT TO SHOW THE, THE PROGRESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, EVEN THOUGH THESE DATES WERE ADDED, THEY DON'T START UNTIL MAY THE 23RD OR 2023 WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, FEBRUARY OF 2023, WE HAD THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COME AND PRESENT ALL ROBERT RULES OF ORDER AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS.
SO THERE'S STILL DATA THAT'S MISSING, AND I WANTED TO COME BACK TO, UH, TO DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A COMPLETE REPORT.
COMMISSIONER POYA, THANK YOU FOR VOICING
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YOUR CONCERN REGARDING THIS.UM, REGARDING THE CORRESPONDENCE IN WHICH YOU WERE INCLUDED ON JANUARY 30TH, UM, DR. LINDSEY WILSON, UM, WHO, UH, IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION RESPONDED BACK AND AS STATED BY HER AT, AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE, THE ANNUAL REPORT HAS ALREADY BEEN READ AND HAS BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY NO, NO FURTHER ACTION CAN BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME REGARDING THIS.
WELL, NO, ACTUALLY, ALSO, UM, DR. LINDSAY INDICATED TO ME THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH INDIVIDUALS IN REFERENCE TO THIS REPORT, AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS SHE HAD, THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGES MADE.
I, AS THE COMMISSIONER DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE FROM THE CHAIR.
UM, AND I SHOULD HAVE, BUT THE REASON WHY THAT IT WAS INDICATED THERE'D BE NO CHANGE, IS BECAUSE IT'S A CHAIR.
IT WASN'T APPROVED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.
WHEN IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD INCLUDE EVERY SINGLE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER PYA, UM, TO FURTHER ADD ON, WE DO HAVE TO MOVE TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITEM OF ORDER OF BUSINESS HERE.
BUT, UM, BECAUSE THIS, THE REPORT HAS BEEN VOTED ON, UM, LAST, THE, THAT TIME WHERE THIS ANNUAL REPORT WAS READ WAS REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY EXPRESS THOSE CHANGES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE, BUT I DID THOSE CHANGES.
WELL, THAT WAS NOT HEARD BY ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND 'CAUSE OF THAT NO OTHER, UNFORTUNATELY, NOTHING CAN BE DONE AND DISCUSSED AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE DATE INDICATES MAY OF 2023.
SO I JUST WANTED NOTED, UM, AND EVEN INDICATED THAT THE REPORT WAS NOT A FULL REPORT.
COMMISSIONER OR COMMISSIONER PUYE, UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO OFFER A REPORT REGARDING THIS MONTH'S REPORTS? UH, COMMISSIONER HUSKA, DISTRICT 13 HAS A REPORT.
UH, I'VE BEEN, UH, WORKING WITH FAMILIES PRO BONO WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES TO COME UP WITH, UH, A LIST OF, UH, LEGAL, UH, ISSUES THAT THESE FAMILIES NEED AND HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER A PRO BONO CLINIC THROUGH THE DALLAS VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY PROGRAM TO WORK WITH FAMILIES AND FOLKS WITH DIS WITH EITHER CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS THEMSELVES TO PUT TOGETHER A CLINIC TO HELP THEM WITH, UM, SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST AND OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT THESE FAMILIES NEED FROM A LEGAL SERVICES PERSPECTIVE.
SO, UM, I AM WORKING ON THAT AND I HOPE TO HAVE A, A DATE FOR THIS NEXT MEETING.
BUT IF YOU KNOW OF FAMILIES THAT ARE IN NEED OF LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO THEIR DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL NEEDS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO ME SO I CAN ADD THOSE TO THE LIST OF SERVICES WE NEED TO FIND ATTORNEYS TO PROVIDE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA, FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND WE SINCERELY WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK WITH THIS PROJECT AS YOU CONTINUE TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE IN, UM, IN DESPERATE NEED OF IT.
WE ARE NOW MOVING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS BRIEFINGS.
IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR TO WELCOME MR. CHRISTOPHER MCGREAL, AN ATTORNEY FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS.
WE ARE MOVING NOW TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH ARE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS.
UM, AND NOW I INVITE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO, UM, SHARE ANY REPORTS THEY MAY HAVE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER REVY DISTRICT ONE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE.
THIS WILL BE A CRASH COURSE FOR NEWCOMERS AND A BRIEF REFRESHER FOR OLD TIMERS.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE SECTION 6 8 1 ENABLES MUNICIPALITIES TO TRAIN VOLUNTEERS TO, UM, ISSUE CITATIONS FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATIONS.
SEVERAL CITIES HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS.
IT'S A FOUR HOUR COURSE, AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE THE FIRST.
AND THE STATE HAS ALREADY FIXED A FINE FOR THESE VIOLATIONS FROM THE CITATIONS.
THE FIRST VIOLATION IS $500 PLUS COURT COSTS.
THE SECOND VIOLATION IS $750 PLUS COURT COSTS.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE THAT EDUCATION IS A PRELUDE TO ANY ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO ON YOUR AGENDA, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE ROUNDED UP SOME PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT DEAL WITH VIOLATIONS OF HANDICAPPED PARKING RESTRICTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS DONE IN SPANISH.
WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT LOCALLY.
THE SECOND ONE IS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I LIKE THAT ONE BECAUSE IT'S A FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE.
THE THIRD ONE IS FROM KNOXVILLE.
NOW, THIS IS ONE WITH A REALLY GREAT POSSIBILITY FOR US.
I'D LOVE TO FIND A LOCAL RAPPER TO DO THIS AND TURN HER LOOSE WITH
[00:30:01]
IT.AND THEN NUMBER FOUR IS THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI COMMUNITY COMMITTEE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THIS IS DONE IN A SL, WHICH I DON'T SEE NEARLY ENOUGH OF TODAY, SO I'M GLAD TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.
EACH OF THESE IS 30 SECONDS, AND THERE WILL BE A SHORT QUIZ AFTERWARDS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER REED FOR SHARING ARE OKAY? YES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS OR SUBCOMMITTEES? THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER H****R HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, REGARDING THE SUBCOMMITTEES, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO JOIN THOSE SUB SUBCOMMITTEES? UM, IT IS ADVISABLE THAT YOU REACH OUT TO STAFF ABOUT THIS, AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU FURTHER THEIR GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT AND HOW ON HOW YOU CAN PROCEED.
UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER BALLOU.
DO WE HAVE A LIST OF WHAT SUBCOMMITTEES THERE ARE? UM, UH, WE, WE DID AT ONE POINT, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND, AND HAVE IT SHARED WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
JUST AS A NEW PERSON ON THE COMMISSION.
I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO HAVE THAT, THAT ITEM SENT TO OR SHARED WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
IF I MAY REALLY QUICKLY SPEAK CHAIR? YES.
UM, I DO HAVE IT NOTED HERE, BUT, UM, THEN YOU CAN ALSO STILL HAVE IT, UH, SENT TO YOU IF THAT'S STILL YOUR, UH, PREFERENCE.
UM, WE HAD SUBCOMMITTEES AT THE, AT THE TIME, 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A NEW CHAIR, SO HE MAY CHANGE THAT.
THE THREE, UM, PRIORITIZED WERE HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND TRANSPORTATION.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE EDUCATION AND EQUITY, ARTS AND CULTURE, GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PU FOR BRINGING THAT POINT.
ANY OTHER, ARE WE READY? YEAH.
WE'RE NOW MOVING FORWARD TO THE NEXT I.
YOU GET THE IDEA, THE LINKS ARE ON YOUR AGENDA AND YOU CAN VIEW THEM AT HOME OR ON YOUR COMPUTER.
I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR NEXT STEP, THE CHAIR AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IS TO MEET WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS TO MOVE FORWARD AND FIND OUT WHAT OTHER ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, TO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR PARKING, HANDICAP PARKING VIOLATIONS.
BUT WE NEED TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND EXACTLY HOW WE MIGHT PROCEED.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER REVY FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS
[00:35:01]
IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, INDIVIDUALS ARE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSIBLE PARKING.AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU ON THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE NOW READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE BRIEFING SECTION OF THE AGENDA.
IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR TO WELCOME MR. CHRISTOPHER MCGREAL, AN ATTORNEY FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS.
THE MISSION OF DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS IS TO PROTECT, ADVOCATE FOR AND DEFEND THE BASIC CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH DIVERSE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.
TODAY, MR. MCGREAL WILL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LEGAL SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION RIGHTS AS IT RELATES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I NOW WELCOME MR. MCG TO GIVE HIS PRESENTATION.
I, AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEE FOR, UM, HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? UM, OR AM I COMING THROUGH? OKAY.
UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME.
UH, SO I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT, UH, DO, DO APPRECIATE IT.
UH, MY, UH, SCOPE OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS VERY AT THE 60,000 FOOT LEVEL OF THE BASIC FI UH, FEDERAL RIGHTS UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PRIMARILY TITLE TWO, UH, DEALING WITH, UH, PUBLIC ENTITIES.
BUT WE'LL TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT OF TITLE THREE, WHICH DEALS WITH PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, SUCH AS YOUR TAXI COMPANIES OR RIDE SHARES SUCH AS UBER AND LYFT.
UH, UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CONTROL THIS PRESENTATION OR, UM, I INDICATE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'VE NEVER REALLY DONE THE WEBEX MEETINGS BEFORE.
UM, SO DO, UH, I WASN'T SURE IF THERE'S A WAY FOR ME TO CONTROL IT.
UM, IF NOT, UH, YOU CAN SIGNIFY BY SAYING NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE HEARING ME SAY THAT A LOT.
SO THIS IS JUST A, A BOILERPLATE, UH, BUT ALSO NOT NOTHING TODAY IS LEGAL ADVICE.
SO, SPECIAL DISCLAIMER, JUST SETTING OUT, UM, UH, DISCIPLINARY RIGHTS TEXAS', UH, VIEW OF THE, UH, UH, REQUIREMENTS UNDER, UH, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT.
UH, WE SHOULD CONSULT WITH, UH, YOUR OWN ATTORNEYS OR, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY OR, OR WHATNOT.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WE MORE THAN INVITE, UH, ANY OUTREACH FROM, UH, YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, TO, UH, WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING.
UH, FURTHER, TODAY IS JUST A GENERAL PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR, UH, UH, UH, OUR VIEW OF THE, UH, BASIC FLOOR THAT IS OUT THERE, WHICH IS THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
IS IT, UH, CONCERNS TRANSPORTATION AND IS THE MAIN LAW THAT IS IN THE, IN THE UNITED STATES THAT GOVERNS TRANSPORTATION AS IT RELATES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, AND THIS, WE, UH, I THINK WAS ALREADY ENCAPSULATED WITH OUR, UH, INTRODUCTION, SO THANK YOU.
BUT MISSION OF DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE FOR PROTECT AND ADVANCE THE LEGAL, HUMAN AND SERVICE RIGHTS, UH, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO BEFORE I GO INTO THIS, AND IT MAY BE IN THE, I FORGOT IF IT'S IN THE, THE, THE COMING SLIDES.
UM, BUT, UH, EACH STATE HAS WHAT'S CALLED A PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
IT CAME OUT OF ACTS OF CONGRESS IN THE 1970S, UH, AND HAS EXPANDED SINCE THEN.
OUR, UH, CASE PRIORITIES AND THE PARTICULAR, UH, UH, AREAS THAT WE COVER.
UM, SO EACH STATE WILL HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A P AND A OR PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION THERE.
SO THERE IS A DISABILITY RIGHTS, OKLAHOMA, THERE'S A DISABILITY RIGHTS IN CALIFORNIA, DISABILITY RIGHTS FLORIDA.
EACH STATE HAS ONE AND IS DESIGNATED THE, UH, GOVERNOR OF EACH STATE DISABILITY RIGHTS.
TEXAS, FORMERLY, FORMERLY ADVOCACY INC.
UH, WE HAVE A BOARD, UH, WHICH, UH, 'CAUSE WE ARE A NONPROFIT, UH, UH, EVEN THOUGH FEDERALLY DESIGNATED, UH, VIA THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, WE ARE, UH, RECEIVE, UH, FUNDING THROUGH FEDERAL SOURCES AS WELL AS OTHER SOURCES.
AND WE, WE THEREFORE, THROUGH A NONPROFIT, HAVE OUR OWN BOARD THAT SETS UP OUR CASE PRIORITY, UH, PRIORITIES EACH, I BELIEVE EVERY FOUR YEARS.
[00:40:01]
WE DEAL WITH ARE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION PROTECTION, CIVIL RIGHTS, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, VOTING, FOS, FOSTER CARE, AND, UH, DISASTER ADVANCED PLANNING.UH, THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT WE COVER, SUCH AS ALSO GUARDIANSHIPS, UH, UM, THERE RESTORING, UH, AND INDIVIDUALS CAPACITY.
WE ARE, UH, THAT NO LONGER NEEDS A GUARDIANSHIP, OR THE GUARDIANSHIP WAS PUT ON IMPROPERLY.
UH, BUT OUR, UH, THESE ARE THE MAIN CASE PRIORITY AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP BY OUR BOARD AND THAT WE, WE DEAL WITH HERE TODAY.
OF COURSE, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
SO, DISABILITY, RIGHTS, AND TRANSPORTATION.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER, WE'LL JUMP RIGHT IN, UH, TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE A DA.
THIS IS THE MAIN LAW THAT CO COVERS INDIVIDUALS, UH, WITH DISABILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION.
UH, TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN A, UH, HALLMARK IN ALL AREAS OF CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
UH, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UH, UH, MANY OF THE MAJOR MOVEMENTS IN CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, PRECURSOR TRANSPORTATION WAS A SYMBOLIC BUT ALSO NECESSARY, UH, IN THE 1950S, UH, 1940S, 1950S, CULMINATING THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN 1964, UH, A LOT OF WITH, UM, BUSING, UH, UH, AND PROTESTS AROUND RELATED TO BUSING IN, IN OTHER AREAS AND OTHER PROTECTED GROUNDS.
UM, SUCH ONE AS PREDOMINANTLY AS, AS RACE.
UH, THEN CULMINATING IN THE 1980S, UH, UH, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WOULD, UH, U TRANSPORTATION BECAME SYMBOLIC IN THAT AREA, UH, DUE TO INACCESSIBLE, UH, BUSES, UH, GREYHOUND BUSES FOR OVER THE ROAD BUSES, BUT ALSO, UH, IN, UH, BUSES OR, UH, UH, RAILS, UH, AND OTHER SERVICES, UH, IN, UH, UH, MAJOR CITIES, TO THE POINT WHERE INDIVIDUALS IN MOBILITY DEVICES OR WHEELCHAIRS WOULD CHAIN THEMSELVES TO INACCESSIBLE, UH, BUSES TO, TO DEMONSTRATE A POINT OF, HEY, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS THE SAME THING AS SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION ISN'T ACCESSIBLE OR OPEN, BUT THEREFORE, OPEN TRANS, UH, OPENLY DISCRIMINATORY.
BUT THEREFORE, IN, IN 1990, UH, UH, THE AMERICANS CIVIL DISABILITIES ACT WAS PASSED WITH, UH, MAJOR PROVISIONS AND DI DIVIDED INTO, UH, TITLES.
TITLE ONE DEALS WITH DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT.
TITLE TWO DEALS WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES SUCH AS C CITIES, UH, STATES, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.
UH, TITLE THREE DEALS WITH PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO THINK OF YOUR MO, UH, MOVIE THEATERS, YOUR RESTAURANTS, UH, PRIVATE BUSINESSES, UH, PREDOMINANTLY, UH, AND, UH, TRANSPORTATION HAD ITS, UH, PARTICULAR FUNCTION, UH, UH, AN AREA 'CAUSE IT WAS A, NOT ONLY SYMBOLIC, BUT A MAJOR TOUCHSTONE OF INACCESSIBILITY WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, SO THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PRESENTATION WILL MAINLY FOCUS ON, UH, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND THE, UH, UH, BUSES AS WELL, UH, AND THE BUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS RAILS BECAUSE WE, WE DO HAVE HERE, UH, RAIL SYSTEM HERE IN, UH, CITY OF DALLAS, SUCH AS DART, UH, BUT ALSO ALL THE, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT COME WITH THAT, OF, OF HAVING A FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM, WHICH WE'LL GET TO IN A, A, A FEW MOMENTS.
UH, THE MAJOR, UH, ENTITY THAT DEALS WITH, UH, REGULAR, REGULAR REGULATION AND REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AS THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WHICH THEN, UH, DELEGATED FURTHER MANY OF THE RE REGULATIONS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT, OR REGULATORY OVERSIGHT TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, JUST AS, AS EOT, UH, DELEGATED, UH, AIRLINES TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION IS THE ONE THAT MAJORLY OVERSEES THE FEDERAL, UH, UH, LEVEL.
UH, MANY OF THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, UH, OF THE AADA.
A UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO THE MAIN PROVISION OF TITLE, THE A DA IS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED 42 USC 1 21 32.
IT'S VERY BROAD, UH, BUT COVERS A LOT OF AREAS.
UH, BUT IT SAYS, SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF SUB CHAPTER, NO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY SHALL BY REASON OF SUCH DISABILITY BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN,
[00:45:01]
OR BE DENIED THE BENEFITS OF THE SERVICES, PROGRAMS, OR ACTIVITIES OF A PUBLIC ENTITY, OR RE SUBJECT SUBJECTED TO DISCRIMINATION BY ANY SUCH ENTITY.UH, KEY TAKEAWAY FROM HERE IS A QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THEN SERVICE PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES, UH, NATURALLY OUTTA TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, SERVICE PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES COULD BE YOUR BUS ROUTES, BUT ALSO COULD BE, UH, THE SIDEWALK LEADING TO YOUR BUS, UH, BUS STOP, WHICH WE'LL TALK, UH, MORE ABOUT AT, UH, AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
BUT IT CAN BE THE BUS STOP ITSELF.
MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE, UH, WHETHER THERE'S COVERING OR NOT, WHEN THAT CAN BE, UH, WHEN THAT'S REQUIRED.
UH, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE ELEMENTS OF THE RAIN, ELEMENTS OF THE, UH, UH, ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS RAIN, UH, TOO MUCH SUN DURING THE HEAT AND EVERYTHING WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR A BUS STOP, THAT CAN CLEAN FOR THE OTHER PROVISIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO.
BUT THIS IS THE MAIN ONE THAT DEALS WITH TITLE TWO OF THE A-D-A-D-A APPLYING TOWARDS, UH, PUBLIC ENTITIES.
UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, WHO QUALIFIES AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY? UH, THE TERM QUALIFYING INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITY MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITY, WHO, WITH OR WITHOUT REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS TO RULES, POLICIES OR PRACTICES, UH, UH, REMOVAL OF ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS, COMMUNICATIONS OR TRANSPORT BARRIERS, OR THE PROVISION OF AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES MEETS THE ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RECEIPT OF SERVICES OR THE PARTICIPATION AND PROGRAMS OR, UH, ACTIVITIES PROVIDED BY A PUBLIC ENTITY.
UH, ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THIS IS THE A DA, UH, DIVIDES DOWN INTO, UH, UH, TWO TYPES OF, UH, CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
ONE'S WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WITH PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS, SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT AND MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT, UH, THAT SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTED MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY.
AND LIFE ACTIVITY, UH, CAN RUN THE GAMUT OF, UH, SOMETHING SUCH AS, UH, WALKING, UH, SLEEPING, UM, UH, TO, UH, CONCENTRATION, UM, UH, AND BEING ABLE TO FIND, SO THERE'S A, A, A WIDE GAMUT.
UH, UH, A DIAGNOSIS IS NOT ITSELF SOMETIMES PER SE, UH, CREATE A PERSON WITH A DIS MEAN A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
BUT THERE'S BEEN AN EXPANSION OF THE A DA SINCE IN ACKERMAN 1990 THAT SOME DIAGNOSIS NOW ARE, PER SE, UH, QUALIFY A PERSON, UH, A A AS A, UH, PERSON WITH A DISABILITY UNDER THE A DA, SUCH AS A DEVELOPMENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, HERE IS WHAT IS A PUBLIC ENTITY AS COVERED UNDER THE TITLE II? GIMME ANY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ANY DEPARTMENT AGENCY, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT, OR OTHER IN INSTRUMENTAL INSTRUMENTALITY OF A STATE OR STATES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN THERE'S THE RAILROAD PROVISION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, GOES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING OF THE RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION, BUT TITLE TWO, UH, APPLIES, YOU KNOW, CITIES, YOU KNOW, YOUR PUBLIC ENTITIES, THE STATE, UH, THINK OF TITLE THREE AS APPLYING TO YOUR PRIVATE BUSINESSES, UH, YOUR RESTAURANTS AND MOVIE THEATERS.
TITLE ONE IS MORE BROAD, IT'S EMPLOYMENT AND APPLIES TO, UH, BOTH PRIVATE AND, AND, UH, UH, UH, PUBLIC, UH, ENTITIES.
SO, THE A DA WAS A MET ACTUALLY IN 2008 AND CREATED BROADER PROTECTIONS.
AND WHAT IT, IT DID WAS IT EXPANDED.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IT DID WAS EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF WHO QUALIFIES A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
UH, SO NOW, UH, AS I MENTIONED, A MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY CAN BE, UH, CONCENTRATIONS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT.
UH, THAT BEFORE PRE 2008 HAD BEEN, UH, UH, DEBATED IN THE COURTS AND ALL OF THAT.
NOW IT'S A BIT MORE STREAMLINED.
UH, AND THE A DA WAS AMENDED IN 2008 THROUGH AN ACT OF CONGRESS, UM, TO, TO HELP CLARIFY AS TO WHAT MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES THAT HELPED EXPAND THAT DEFINITION FURTHER.
AND IT ALSO HELPED TO, UH, UH, INCLUDE SOME PER SE DISABILITIES THAT, UH, W IF THERE IS A LEGAL DISPUTE OR IF THERE IS A, YOU KNOW, ENTITIES TALKING BETWEEN EACH OTHER WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF A PERSON WITH DISABILITY, BUT CERTAIN DISABILITIES, IT, IT'S, NO, IT'S NO NEED TO REALLY, UH, UH, QUESTION THAT, THAT FIRST THRESHOLD OF WHETHER THE PERSON'S WITH A DISABILITY.
AND ONE OF THE EXAMPLES WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMEBODY WITH A INTELLECTUAL OR, OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.
[00:50:01]
THE NEXT SLIDE.UH, SO NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO THE MAIN STRUCTURE SET UP OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. UH, THESE ARE USUALLY SET UP BY PUBLIC ENTITIES, BUT THERE COULD BE, IN THEORY, A PRIVATE ENTITY, UH, THAT COULD SET THIS UP.
SO, UH, ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UH, I COULD SEE A UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR A, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY, UH, SOME OF THIS COULD BE EVEN RUN THROUGH A, A SHUTTLE SERVICE THAT A, A PRIVATE HOME DOES BACK AND FORTH TO AN AIRPORT.
SO, UH, THERE, IT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CONFINED TO, UH, LET'S SAY DALLAS AREA, RAPID TRANSIT OR ANYTHING.
UH, SO THERE, THERE, THERE COULD BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM COULD, COULD RUN INTO THE PRIVATE EMIA, BUT THERE ARE REALLY TWO TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS UNDER THE A DA, UH, ONE IS A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.
SO THAT IS YOUR, WE HAVE A FIXED ROUTE, AND LET'S SAY WE HAVE 10 STOPS ALONG IT, AND THE BUS GOES ROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND AND HAS SET TIMES TO BE WAITING FOR THE BUS.
A DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM IS ANYTHING THAT, LITERALLY THE DEFINITION IS ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.
SO, DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM, THINK OF IT AS PARATRANSIT, BUT ALSO RIDESHARES SUCH AS UBER OR LYFT, YELLOW CAB COMPANIES.
UM, OR IT COULD BE A, ANYTHING THAT'S NOT SET ON A SPECIFIC ROUTE.
UH, SO THIS IS REALLY ANYTHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.
UM, IF A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM IS PROVIDED, UH, SO THIS HAPPENS, YOU CAN LOOK THIS UP ON THE DARKS WEBSITE, OR THERE'S ANOTHER SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A FIXED ROUTE, UH, SYSTEM BACK AND FORTH.
UM, THAT SYSTEM HAS TO PROVIDE WHAT IS CALLED PARATRANSIT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, AND THAT IS A DEMAND RESPONSE, UH, THAT PICKS UP AN INDIVIDUAL FROM ONE CERTAIN LOCATION, AS LONG AS THAT LOCATION IS WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE, UH, OF THE, UH, OF THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM.
NOT JUST THE, UH, BUS STOP, BUT WHERE THE ROUTE GOES AND CAN TAKE THAT PERSON TO ANY LOCATION, UH, THAT IS WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF THAT BUS ROUTE SYSTEM.
IT ACTS AS A, UM, COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, AS WE'LL SEE IN A FEW, UH, IN ANOTHER SLIDE THAT ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS, UH, THE MAIN, UH, FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.
SO, PRIOR TRANSIT, TRANSIT SERVICE INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT USE THE FIXED SPROUT BUS OR RAIL SERVICE.
SO I ALSO MEAN THAT ALSO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE, UH, THE, THE RAIL SYSTEM AND THE SERVICE MUST BE PROVIDED WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE, UH, OF A BUS ROUTE OR, OR RAIL STATION.
UH, AND THIS IS, YOU KIND OF THINK OF IT AS, UH, YOU KNOW, DRAW ONE LINE OF YOUR FIXED ROUTE AND THEN GO TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE ONE WAY, THREE QUARTER MILES OF ANOTHER WAY.
AND ANYTHING WITHIN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS, THE PARATRANSIT, IF THE INDIVIDUAL IS PARATRANSIT ELIGIBLE, THE, THE, UH, UH, THE TRANSIT PROVIDER MUST PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICE WITHIN THAT CORRIDOR.
UM, SO WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSIT BUS SERVICE? UH, CANNOT NAVIGATE THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, UH, INDEPENDENTLY, UH, LACK ACCESSIBLE.
UH, WELL, THIS WOULD BE IN THE EARLY DAYS, BUT STILL COULD BE POSSIBLE IF THE PARTICULAR TRANSIT PROVIDER DOESN'T HAVE ANY ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES OR BUS STOPS, THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROBLEM NOWADAYS.
UH, THIS WAS MORE OF DURING THE, UH, GRACE PERIOD OF, UH, TRANSIT PROVIDERS GIVING THEM ENOUGH TIME TO GET UP AND RUNNING TO THE A DA REQUIREMENTS, NEW TRANSIT PROVIDER, ENOUGH TIME TO GET UP AND RUNNING.
UH, THE THIRD ONE, IS THERE OBSTACLES PREVENTING THE INDIVIDUAL FROM THE FIXED ROUTE BUS STOP? SO THAT COULD BE ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS.
UH, THERE'S A, JUST A, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALKS MIGHT BE IN DIS CAUSE A PERSON TO HAVE TO BEGIN THE STREET WITH CARS, WITH THEIR MOBILITY DEVICE, OR, UH, PERSON WHO IS BLIND OR HAS A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT.
IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS FOR THEM TO MAKE IT TO THE, UH, THE FIX ROUTE BUS STOP.
UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC ISSUES WITH TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS NOWHERE A A COMPLETE LIST THAT SOME THINGS THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ENCOUNTERED.
[00:55:01]
THIS PRESENTATION, UH, 'CAUSE I USED SOME, SOME OLD ONES OF, UH, UH, PRE AND THIS A LITTLE BIT OF A DATED, UH, PRESENTATION.UH, WE'VE ENCOUNTERED MANY, MUCH SINCE THEN, EVEN ONES DEALING WITH SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND, AND TRANSPORTATION AND INTERSECTION WITH, WITH HOUSING, UM, UH, UH, A AND WHATNOT.
BUT THESE ARE NOWHERE TO MEAN A, AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUES WITH THE A DA AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL, WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO THEM.
AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M, I'M USED TO IT FROM, UH, BEING IN COURT, WHETHER IT BE BE AT, UH, DISTRICT OR THE APPELLATE LEVEL OF, UH, JUDGES, UH, JUMPING IN WITH QUESTIONS.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS GOING FORWARD FROM HERE ABOUT ANY OF THE SPECIFIC AREAS OR YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, UH, ONES THAT AREN'T ON THE LIST, PLEASE JUMP IN, ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTARY.
I'M, I'M USED TO, UH, BEING, UH, ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE FLY.
UH, SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE.
AND PLEASE FEEL FREE, DON'T HAVE TO HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE END.
UM, SO FIRST ONE MIGHT BE SELF-EXPLANATORY, DRIVERS BEING RUDE OR RUDE BECAUSE OF YOUR DISABILITY.
BUT THERE IS ACTUALLY A FEDERAL REGULATION SAYS THIS, THAT YOU CAN, THAT YOU HAVE TO TREAT WITH NOT ONLY COURTESY, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE TRAINED.
SO THERE IS ACTUALLY IN FEDERAL LAW A REGULATION, UH, THAT ADDRESSES, UH, DR, UH, DRIVER BEHAVIOR AND, UH, UH, TRAINING AND ALSO DEMEANOR TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITIES.
SO LITERALLY, YOU COULD BE VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW, UH, THE DRIVER, UM, BY JUST BEING MEAN OR RUDE IF IT'S ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY.
UH, ANOTHER ONE COULD BE TOLD YOU TOLD YOU MUST HAVE TRAVEL TRAINING BEFORE YOU RIDE A BUS.
UH, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT.
THERE'S NO PRESUMPTION THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES NEED TO HAVE ANY KIND OF TRAINING BEFORE THEY, UH, UH, NEED TO ASSIST A TRAIN, UH, A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OR, OR, OR WHATNOT.
UH, RESTRICTIONS BEING PLACED ON YOUR TRIP.
I HAVEN'T DEALT WITH THAT ONE IN A WHILE, BUT THERE, THERE COULD BE, UH, ONES WHERE, UH, UH, TRANSIT PROVIDERS, THE MORE IN A DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM, UH, WOULDN'T REALLY BE A, A FIXED ROUTE ISSUE.
BUT I, I COULD SEE HOW POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE, BUT RESTRICTIONS BEING PLACED ON TRIP, UH, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MOST CLASSIC, AND WE'LL SEE THIS IN ANOTHER BULLET POINT, WOULD BE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS A SERVICE ANIMAL.
AND THE, THE DRIVER'S NOT GOING TO ALLOW THE SERVICE ANIMAL, UH, TO ACCOMPANY THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBER OF TRIPS YOU WANT TO TAKE.
UM, CAN SEE THIS, UH, IN PARATRANSIT, UH, IF SOMEBODY CAPS THE NUMBER OF TRIPS, UH, YOU MAKE FIVE PARATRANSIT RIDES, AND THE, THE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER COMES BACK AND SAYS, WELL, WE CAN ONLY DO FOUR.
THAT WOULD BE, UH, A CAPACITY CONSTRAINT ISSUE THAT WE WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S NO CAP ON THE NUMBER OF TRIPS, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, YOUR RIDE SHARE SUCH AS UBER AND LYFT OR YELLOW CAB.
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE, THE SENSE OF IF THERE'S A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS REASON.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC CAP, UM, DENIED PARATRANSIT BECAUSE NOT A RESIDENT OF THE CITY, UH, YOUR PARATRANSIT SERVICE CARRIES OVER FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER.
UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN DEEMED PARATRANSIT ELIGIBLE BY ONE, UH, PARA, UH, ONE CITY, UH, ONE PARTICULAR TRANSIT PROVIDER, UH, AND ALSO, UH, IT, UM, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE A RESIDENT.
YOU COULD THEORETICALLY BE OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENT OF THAT CITY, BUT COME INTO THAT PARTICULAR CITY THROUGH ANOTHER WAY THROUGH, LET'S SAY, UM, SOMEBODY WERE TO DRIVE YOU INTO THAT CITY, AND THEN DURING THAT DAY, YOU NEEDED A PARATRANSIT SERVICE TO MOVE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
UH, THEY CAN'T, YOU CAN'T BE DENIED A PARATRANSIT TRIP JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A RE YOU'RE NOT A RESIDENT OF THAT CITY.
UM, BEING PLACED ON A WAITING LIST FOR PARATRANSIT WAITING LISTS IN GENERAL, IF YOU HEAR THAT WORD, UH, UH, BECAUSE OF A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY MAY NEED A SERVICE ANIMAL OR WHATNOT, UH, MOBILITY ADVICE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES, THAT'S WORRISOME.
AND THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, TO GET OUT THE WORD OUT THERE, IF YOU EVER HEAR THE WORD WAITING LISTS OR WE DON'T HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE READY, SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LONGER WAIT TIME THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, THAT PEAKS OUR EAR UP.
AND ALSO TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
[01:00:01]
THAT FROM ANYONE, PLEASE, UH, LET 'EM KNOW THAT WE'RE OUT HERE, UH, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO INVESTIGATE THEIR CASES.UM, STOP PARATRANSIT VEHICLE WHERE YOU WOULD'VE TROUBLE GETTING OFF.
THIS ALSO CAN APPLY TO, UH, UH, DEMAND RESPONSE, UM, THROUGH UBER AND LYFT ALSO, UH, AND, AND OTHER, UH, TAXI CAB TYPE SITUATIONS.
UH, SO BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES.
UH, AND SO IF THE, UH, PARATRANSIT VEHICLE OR OTHER DEMAND RESPONSE VEHICLE DOESN'T TAKE YOU EXACTLY TO YOUR DESTINATION AND THEN DROPS YOU OFF, UH, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY, UH, EVEN A HUNDRED FEET AWAY OR, OR WHATNOT, THEY HAVE TO TAKE YOU TO WHERE THE LOCATION IS.
UM, UH, AND I, AND IT ALSO HAS TO BE WHERE, UM, UH, UH, THERE IS AN ACCESSIBLE WAY OF A DROP OFF, LET'S SAY IF, IF YOU'RE, UH, IN A MOBILITY DEVICE, UH, AND BEING TRANSPORTED THAT WAY, THAT JUST CAN'T LET LEAVE YOU OFF WHERE THERE'S AN ACCESSIBLE PATHWAY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
UH, ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, UH, TIE DOWN AND SECURING SOMEBODY'S WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY DEVICE THAT HAP THAT, THAT DOES HAPPEN.
UH, NOT ONLY ON DEMAND RESPONSE, BUT ON FIXED ROUTE BUSES.
UH, SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY TRANSFER TO A FIXED ROUTE SEAT, UH, ANOTHER SEAT ON THE FIXED ROUTE, UH, AND THERE, OR THEY MAY BE, UM, UH, REMAIN IN MOBILITY DEVICE.
YOU CAN'T TELL THEM WHERE TO SIT, UM, UH, UH, UNLESS THERE'S ALREADY OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE PREEXISTING FIX ROUTE BUS.
SO THERE AREN'T OTHER SPOTS, UH, AVAILABLE FOR MOBILITY DEVICES.
BUT, UH, SECURING THE MOBILITY DEVICE AND MAKING SURE, THIS GOES BACK TO THE FIRST BULLET POINT ON THIS, UH, SCREEN THAT DRIVERS NEED TO BE TRAINED IN, BEING ABLE TO SECURE THE MOBILITY DEVICE, WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL'S IN IT OR NOT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE GET TO LOOK OUT FOR.
IF YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT WHEELCHAIR LIFTS ON ANY KIND OF VEHICLE, IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THAT THIS COULD MEAN THAT VEHICLE MAINTENANCE ISN'T BEING RETAINED, OR THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, THE, UH, MAYBE NEED AND DO FOR REPAIR SO THAT, UH, ANYTIME WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH ANY KIND OF ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES, THIS, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE EVEN SOMETHING, UH, UH, COMPARABLE SITUATION TO, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE PLACE, HITTING THE BUTTON FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN THAT'S SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY OPEN AND IT'S NOT OPENING, OR IT'S SLOWLY OPENING.
THAT'S ANOTHER SIGN OF, UH, UH, THAT, UM, THE, IT HAD BEEN WORKING FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT, UH, THE BOLTS AND THE MACHINERY ISN'T, UH, UP TO WHAT IT NEEDS TO, UH, TOLD YOU HAD TO USE A CERTAIN SEAT.
SO YOU CAN'T BE CORDONED OFF TO BE IN A CERTAIN AREA OR, OR TOLD WHERE YOU, YOU HAVE TO SIT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
UM, AGAIN, THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS TO THIS.
IF YOU HAVE A CROWDED SITUATION AND THERE'S ONLY ONE SEAT AVAILABLE, THAT'S THE ONLY SEAT YOU'RE GONNA BE.
BUT YOU CAN'T SAY, OH, PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS CAN ONLY SEAT SIT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF THE BUS, OR THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF THE DEMAND RESPONSE VEHICLE.
UH, SO YOU CANNOT BRING A SERVICE ANIMAL.
SO THIS, THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, UH, BUT YES, UH, A SERVICE ANIMAL NOW IN THE AREA OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, IS THE, IS IN LINE WITH OTHER AREAS OF THE A DA.
UH, SO IT IS A, UH, IT IS A CANINE OR INTER HORSE THAT IS TRAINED, UH, OR IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TRAINED, UM, UH, TO, UH, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR THAT PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
AND THERE ARE ONLY CERTAIN QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED, UH, UH, UH, UH, AND CAN'T GO INTO FURTHER QUESTIONS BEHIND IT.
BUT THE MAIN QUESTIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THIS INDIVID? IS THIS A SERVICE ANIMAL? YES.
UH, AND, UH, REALLY IT'S LIMITED TO THAT.
YOU CAN'T START ASKING QUESTIONS, WELL, WHAT DOES IT DO? WHAT DISABILITY? THOSE START TO GET INTRUSIVE.
UH, SOME OF THESE OTHERS ARE VERY PARATRANSIT SPECIFIC, BUT, UH, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LEAVE WITH, UH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, LONG WAIT TIMES.
UH, THAT COULD BE A SIGN THAT THERE COULD BE PROBLEM WITH SCHEDULING PARATRANSIT SERVICES, BUT ALSO YOUR DEMAND RESPONSES, ESPECIALLY IF AS TECHNOLOGY, UH, EVOLVES, UM, UH, YOU COULD HAVE A RIDE SHARE SUCH AS UBER, LYFT.
I THINK NOW THAT YOU CAN, UH, INDICATE IF THERE IS A, YOU ARE NEEDING,
[01:05:01]
UM, THIS IS THROUGH SOME SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION THAT HAS OCCURRED IF YOU'RE NEEDING ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE.BUT IF THAT VEHICLE'S TAKING A WHILE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SYSTEM TO FIND YOU, SOMEBODY TO TRANSPORT YOU, THAT COULD BE A RED FLAG AS TO SOMETHING'S GOING ON THAT DRIVERS MAY BE NOT WANTING TO SERVE THAT PARTICULAR CUSTOMER.
UM, WHO IS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
UM, SAME GOES WITH INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE A SERVICE ANIMAL.
UM, UH, A A ANOTHER ONE ALSO IS IF THEY'RE BEING ON A, A VEHICLE FOR A WHILE, UH, UH, THIS REALLY DEALS MORE WITH PARATRANSIT, UH, FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS.
BUT HAD YOU DONE THE FIXED ROUTE AND THAT, THAT TRIP WOULD ONLY TAKE, SAY, 45 MINUTES OR AN HOUR TO GET YOU HOME, THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERNING ISSUE, THAT THAT MEANS THAT MAYBE THE, THEY DON'T HAVE PARTICULAR, DOESN'T HAVE AS MANY DEMAND RESPONSE OR PARATRANSIT VEHICLES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO, UM, ANOTHER, UH, THESE, SOME OF THESE ARE PARATRANSIT SPECIFIC, UH, UH, SPECIFIC, BUT I'LL TRY TO HIT ONES THAT KIND OF GO THROUGH.
UH, UH, ONES THAT MIGHT GO BEYOND PARA, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME YOU ARE RIDING WITH A PERSONAL ATTENDANT, UM, OR A COMPANION, UH, YOU NEEDED FOR, UH, UH, OR I WOULD SAY A PERSONAL ATTENDANT, PROBABLY YOU WOULD RUN INTO MORE WITH A, A RIDE SHARE.
UH, UH, BUT THE, THE CAN'T, A TRANSIT PROVIDER CAN'T LIMIT WHO COMES WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE, IF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS NEEDED FOR A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
AND PARATRANSIT, UH, UH, JUST BECAUSE YOU, IT, IT'S LOCKED.
THE TRIP IS LOCKED UNDER YOUR NAME, YOU'RE PERMITTED TO ALLOW AT LEAST A PERSONAL ATTENDANT OR A COMPANION TO COME ALONG WITH YOU.
UM, THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE AN ATTENDANT PRE-REGISTERED THAT, THAT ALSO CAN, UH, GO ALONG WITH, UH, RIDE SHARES SUCH AS UBERS AND LYFT.
UH, REST OF THESE DEAL WITH PARATRANSIT APPLICATIONS AND NOTICES OF APPEAL.
THERE'S A WHOLE ENTIRE PROCEDURAL PROCESS OF IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR PARA PARATRANSIT, THAT YOU ARE AFFORDED DUE PROCESS THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GO THROUGH IF YOU ARE DENIED PARATRANSIT, UH, AND AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
UH, WE CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO JUST A, UH, UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER AREA THAT WE DEAL WITH, UH, SOMEBODY WHO'S ALREADY, UH, DEALT WITH APPEALS AND COMPLAINING PROCESS THAT DEALS WITH PARATRANSIT, UM, MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLE AND LIFT SYSTEM.
IF YOU'RE SEEING, UH, IN ANY KIND OF SITUATION WHERE THE MACHINERY ISN'T WORKING FOR THE MOBILITY DEVICE AND WHATNOT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D LOVE TO, LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT.
AND THERE COULD BE A SIGNAL THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON.
CAPACITY CONSTRAINT PROBLEMS, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE ON THE BUS OR THE PARATRANSIT VEHICLE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.
IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO, TO TAKE THE RAIL OR THE FIXED ROUTE TO GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
UM, SO THERE, IT'S, YOU'RE READY TO GO FROM THE BUS STOP ONTO THE FIXED ROUTE, UM, OR OTHER VEHICLE.
UH, AND THEN RETALIATION FOR MAKING A COMPLAINT.
THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, 1 0 1 RIGHT THERE.
UH, EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO, UH, UH, TO ISSUE A COMPLAINT, WHETHER IT BE VALID OR NOT.
UM, UH, AND RETALIATION SEPARATE OF THAT IS ITS OWN PROBLEM.
SO EVEN IF THE UNDERLINING TURN OUT TO BE, UH, A, A, UH, 100% A VIOLATION OF THE A DA, BUT THAT TRANSIT PROVIDER, UH, RETALIATES, UH, ANYWAY, THAT RETALIATION IS ITS OWN SEPARATE VIOLATION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE UNDERLYING COMPLAINT WAS ABOUT.
UH, SO OTHER ISSUES WE DO TRANSPORTATION ARE SIDEWALKS, UH, WITH INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO, UH, ACCESS THE POINT OF THE DROP OFF OR PICK OFF PICK, PICK UP OR DROP OFF POINT.
SO ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS TO TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.
THESE COULD INCLUDE CURB CUTS IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF NEW CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.
ANYTHING THAT'S DEALING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ROADWAY.
THAT USUALLY MEANS THAT THE, UH, SIDEWALKS HAVE TO BE, UH, SMOOTHED OUT AND NEW AND CUTS PLACED IN AT THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF, UH, UH, OF THE SIDEWALKS LEADING TO THE NEXT WAY.
UH, OBSTRUCTION IS BLOCKING THE SIDEWALKS ON THE SIDEWALKS, A BOULDER OR JUST A SIDEWALK DETERIORATING AFTER, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS.
UH, I'VE BEEN TO TOWNS WHERE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE, UH, HAS NOT BEEN KEPT UP, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A, A MOVIE SET FOR, UH, THE AFTER EFFECTS OF AN EARTHQUAKE TYPE MOVIE AND EVERYTHING.
[01:10:01]
THESE WOULD BE, UM, VERY, UH, UH, THINGS THAT CAN, WE WOULD TAKE FOR GRANTED.BUT, UM, UH, WE, UH, THERE, THERE, THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE WHERE WE, WE INVITED A MAYOR, NOT, NOT, NOT OF, UH, DALLAS, BUT OF ANOTHER CITY, UH, TO TRY, UH, BE IN A MOBILITY DEVICE FOR AN AFTERNOON AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE ON YOUR SIDEWALKS IN YOUR TOWN.
UM, AND THAT WAS AN INTERESTING, UH, UH, EXPERIENCE FOR, UH, THE CIVIC LEADERS IN THAT AREA.
UH, SO, AND, AND THAT GOES INTO INACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS OR MOBILITY DEVICE STUFF THAT, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT MOBILITY ISSUES MAY, AND ALSO FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UH, UM, HAVE VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, ARE BLIND, AND OTHER ONES THAT, THAT OBSTACLES IN THE WAY, UH, OF SIDEWALKS THAT WE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT, THAT MIGHT NOT BE A BARRIER.
YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW IT UNTIL YOU'RE IN SOMEBODY'S SITUATION.
UH, SO NEXT TIME YOU'RE ON A SIDEWALK, YOU MIGHT, MIGHT WANT JUST BE THINKING TO YOURSELF, HOW, HOW GOOD IS THE SIDEWALK? AND HOW WOULD IT BE FOR SOMEBODY, UH, TRYING TO ACCESS, UH, A POINT THAT WILL GET, GET INTO A TRANSIT SYSTEM OF WHERE THEY'RE NEEDING TO GO? WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UH, THIS IS IN THE TRANSIT AREA.
UM, UH, AS THERE'S BEEN REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, UH, TO CLEAR UP SOME STUFF, ESPECIALLY WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY IN THE END, UH, QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES CAN REQUEST REASONABLE MODIFICATION OF ME, UH, PUBLIC ENTITIES AND TRANSIT, UH, UH, UH, TRANSIT PRIORITIES OR TRANSIT ENTITIES.
REASONABLE MEANS THAT WOULD NOT CREATE AN UNDUE BURDEN OR FUNDAMENTALLY ALTER SERVICES.
SO, UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE, I'M JUST GONNA USE ONE PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, UH, WOULD BE PARATRANSIT, UH, THAT HAS ONLY CURB TO, UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE TRANSIT PROVIDER WILL ONLY PICK UP, UH, AT THE CURB AND NOT GO BEYOND THE CURB.
WELL, NOW, UH, INDIVIDUALS CAN ASK MODIFICATIONS OF A, OF THAT CURB TO CURB POLICY AND ASK FOR WHAT'S CALLED DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE IN THAT THE TRANSIT, UH, DRIVER WOULD LEAVE NOW, CAN LEAVE THE TRANSIT VEHICLE, UH, UH, UH, UNDER A MODIFICATION REQUEST, AND THE DRIVER WOULD'VE TO GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR TO THE INDIVIDUAL IF THEY NEEDED, BASED ON, UH, THE PERSON'S DISABILITY.
UH, SO NOW INDIVIDUALS AND TRANSIT AGENCIES, UH, HAVE TO ENTERTAIN MODIFICATION REQUESTS.
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UM, UNREASONABLE BY THE FTA PARATRANSIT SERVICES ARE A RIDESHARE SERVICE.
SO AN INDIVIDUAL DISABILITY COULDN'T REQUEST A SPECIFIC PARATRANSIT VEHICLE WHERE IT'S JUST THEM ON THE PARATRANSIT VEHICLE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN HAVE UP TO THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE INDIVIDUALS ON THAT TRIP, SO YOU CAN'T REQUEST, UM, THIS WOULD BE, UH, A, A, AN UNDUE BURDEN.
AND EVEN THE FT A SPELLS THIS OUT, UH, THAT YOU GET YOUR OWN, UH, SECLUDED PARATRANSIT VEHICLE TRIP.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, MAIN CONTACT, THOUGH.
UH, WE ARE AVAILABLE@WWW.DRX.ORG.
UH, I SAW THERE, THERE WAS A QUESTION.
I APOLOGIZE, I NOT USED TO WEBEX, SO, UH, I'LL GET BACK TO THAT.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A STATEWIDE VIDEO ON VIDEO PHONE.
AND THE BEST WAY TO ENGAGE US IS THROUGH OUR INTAKE LINE.
AND, UH, UH, UH, WE HAVE A, UH, INTAKE SERVICE THAT RUNS FROM NINE TO, I BELIEVE FOUR EACH DAY.
WE ALSO DO WEB INTAKES, UM, UH, AND OUR WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO GET US ONE, YOU, YOU CAN'T GET US THROUGH OUR, UH, AND TALK TO ONE, ONE OF OUR INTAKE SPECIALISTS.
SO, I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CHAT IS.
UH, I'M NOT GOOD AT THIS PIECE OF TEAMS AND ZOOM, SO I DUNNO IF SOMEONE COULD READ THAT FOR ME.
I I CAN'T FIND THE, UH, THE QUESTION.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WHILE OKAY.
UM, MR. MCGREAL, WE SINCERELY WISH TO APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, THIS PRESENTATION WAS VERY ENGAGING AND INFORMATIVE, AND I'M SURE MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, WILL TAKE SOMETHING AWAY FROM THIS.
UM, MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY RE IS RELATED TO THE COMPLAINT PROCESS, UM, PROCESS.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'D BE KIND ENOUGH TO ELABORATE ON HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S SAY A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, UM, WHETHER ON EITHER A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM
[01:15:01]
OR ON A DE UH, DEMAND, DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM FILES A COMPLAINT, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THE DRIVER DID NOT ALLOW MM-HMM.SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, ONCE THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED, WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS TO THE DRIVER? DOES THE DRIVER GET A WARNING OR DO THEY RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING? UM, HOW DOES THIS WORK? UH, THAT IS A, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S, UH, A I'LL, I'LL USE MY STOCK TRADE.
IT'S DEPENDS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AND ALSO IT DEPENDS ON HOW BAD THE SITUATION WAS.
UM, UH, BUT WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE, THE TRAINING, A LOT OF THAT IS LEFT UP TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THE FTA AND SETTING UP THESE REGULATIONS HAS, GIVES A LOT OF LETTER DISCRETION TO THE LOCAL TRANSIT COMPANY, UH, TRANSIT ENTITIES.
UH, AND THERE, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S SET OUT IN THEIR INTERNAL PROCEDURES OF HOW THAT'S HANDLED OR WORKING CONTRACTS WITH THEIR DRIVERS.
UM, SO IT COULD DIFFER HOW TRAINING IS HANDLED FROM ONE TRANSIT ENTITY TO ANOTHER.
UM, I, I'D HAVE TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THOSE THOSE ARE AND WHAT THE SITUATION IS, HOW EGREGIOUS THE SITUATION IS.
UM, UH, BUT THE FDA HAS A REGULATION ABOUT IT, BUT THEN IN, IN, IN ITS COMMENTARY TO APPENDIX D OF THAT, UH, OF THEIR REGULATIONS, THEY THEN PROCEED TO SAY, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO YOU LOCAL ENTITY TO COME UP WITH WHAT THAT TRAINING WILL BE.
SO YOU HAVE TO REQUIRE TRAINING.
BUT WHAT IS THAT TRAINING? AND I, I, I THINK A LOT OF IT DEPENDS.
WHAT I WOULD LOOK AT IS HOW REPEATED THE BEHAVIOR IS AND HOW EGREGIOUS IT IS.
UH, UM, BUT, UH, AND IDEALLY ALSO THE COMPLAINT PROCESS, UH, THAT SHOULD BE BUILT IN THAT THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE PASSENGER, UH, THE PERSON WITH A DISABILITY SHOULD BE PROVIDED SOME SORT OF CLOSURE OF TRAINING WAS PROVIDED.
UH, AND THE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION IF THEY, IF THEY REQUEST, OR HOPEFULLY A TRANSIT PROVIDER GIVES THEM AN IDEA OF, OF WHAT TRAINING WAS PROVIDED.
UH, AND THEN IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF DOES IT HAPPEN AGAIN? IS THERE ANOTHER ENCOUNTER WITH THAT DRIVER? UM, BUT USUALLY A, UH, UH, IT'S GIVEN, YOU KNOW, TO THE DISCRETION OF THE LOCAL TRANSIT AGENCY OF WHAT STEPS THEY'LL TAKE AS FAR AS DISCIPLINARY.
UH, BUT A REPEATED PROBLEM TIME, UH, THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS TO GET INTO.
YOU START TO EXAMINE, WELL, DOES, DOES THIS PARTICULAR TRANSIT AGENCY HAVE SUFFICIENT IN-HOUSE TRAINING TO DO IT? OR DOES THERE NEED TO BE SOME FURTHER MM-HMM,
YES, THAT IS A VERY CLEAR ANSWER, AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION I HAVE WOULD BE, THIS IS REGARDING THE DOOR TO DOOR ASSISTANCE.
SO IF REQUESTING DOOR TO DOOR ASSISTANCE IS A REASONABLE MODIFICATION, UM, AND LET'S SAY THE DRIVERS, UM, ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THAT.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN MOMENTS WHEN, UM, DRIVERS HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DOOR TO DOOR ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND SO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY, FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW TO RESPOND TO, UH, AN, A SITUATION LIKE THAT? SO IF THE, UH, UH, HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, IF THE REQUEST IS REASONABLE, IF IT IS A REASONABLE MODIFICATION TO MODIFY A CURB TO CURB, UH, POLICY TO A DOOR-TO-DOOR POLICY, UM, AND THE TRANSIT AGENCY THROUGH ITS DRIVER IS NOT, UM, GRANTING THAT MODIFICATION AND HONORING THAT MODIFICATION, ONE WOULD BE TO, UM, UH, COMPLAIN TO THE TRANSIT AGENCY.
YOU MAY, YOU MAY HAVE A ROGUE DRIVER FILE AN FTA COMPLAINT, UM, WHERE THEY CAN CONTACT DRTX TO LEARN FURTHER ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND EVERYTHING.
UH, UH, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NOW HAS MOVED PRE 2015.
[01:20:01]
MUDDLED GRAY AREA POST 2015.IT, IT, IT'S NOT ANYMORE GIVEN THAT THE FT A HAS MM-HMM.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS INFORMATION, MR. MCRI.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TURN TO, TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO ASK QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER HUEY HERE, DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, CHRISTOPHER.
UM, MCRI, REALLY QUICKLY, I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD ASKED SEVERAL TIMES, WE TRY TO GIVE EACH OTHER GRACE HERE.
I BELIEVE SELENA MEEKS AND MIKE JUST WASN'T CAUGHT ON, BUT I'M GLAD THAT COMMISSIONER REVY WAS ABLE TO LET YOU KNOW TO TURN THE NEXT PAGE, BUT OUR PAGES DON'T HAVE A PAGE NUMBER.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
SO, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A PAGE NUMBER, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A PAGE NUMBER ON THE PAGE, WHICH I WOULD THINK WOULD BE, SORRY ABOUT THAT,
THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT FOR NEXT TIME ABOUT PAGE NUMBER.
SO I WAS TRYING TO, IS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW, UM, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE PAGE FOUR UNDER CURRENT CASE PRIORITIES.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UNFORTUNATELY WE DO TALK ABOUT, WE OWN, EXCUSE ME, WE ONLY TALK ABOUT EQUITY, BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT DISABILITY EQUITY.
AND UNDER COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MOVING FROM INSTITUTIONS, UNFORTUNATELY, A JAIL IS CONSIDERED AN INSTITUTION.
AND, UM, LIKE THE DALLAS COUNTY JAIL IS ONE OF THE HUBS FOR EVEN PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WE NEED PREVENTIVE SERVICES.
UM, ALSO IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, SOME OF US MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF IT, THE CLASS PROGRAM, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY THOSE LISTS ARE NOT UPDATED, THEY'RE OUTDATED.
UM, AND THERE'S REALLY NO RESOURCES.
SO I WANTED TO JUST COMMEND YOU FOR THAT PAGE.
BUT MY QUESTION ON OTHER ISSUES AND SIDEWALKS UNDER THE FIRST BULLET, UM, ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS TO TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, WOULD THAT ALSO INCLUDE, UM, BUILDINGS, UM, ALSO WITH PARATRANSIT AND ALSO WITH WITH SCHOOLS? BECAUSE, UM, I SAID THIS BEFORE, I WAS PULLED OVER BY A DART POLICE OFFICER.
I'M GLAD I WAS, BECAUSE NOW AT 1200 CORINTH, THEY ARE WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS AS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND DART.
UM, OF COURSE THERE WAS A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH, BUT AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR EVEN COMMISSIONERS, WHAT COULD WE DO AND WHAT WOULD THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR US TO SAY, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SIDEWALK THERE.
I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE WIDENED FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR NEED A CAN OR IN A WHEELCHAIR.
YEAH, THAT IS, UH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE THE, ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS WE DO THAT THE, ONE OF THE HARDEST CASES THAT WE RUN INTO IS WHERE A SIDEWALK DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, AND WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST, I MEAN, ONE SIDEWALK DOES EXIST.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU GUYS GO OUT THERE AND EXAMINE IT.
UH, SO IF I, IF I GET AN INQUIRY WITH REGARD TO AN EXISTING SIDEWALK, UM, UH, BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, INACCESSIBLE BARRIERS, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS IN STATE OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO LOOK AT IT, EXAMINE IT A AND EVERYTHING, UH, BECAUSE OF, I I, IF IT, IF THERE ARE BARRIERS IN THE WAY, WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO, UH, TELL A STORY TO IT AS WELL AS TO, UH, WHAT THE SIT SITUATION IS, WHERE THERE ISN'T A SIDEWALK THAT IT, THAT'S REALLY GONNA COME FROM.
WHETHER, WHETHER YOU HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE INDICATED THAT THAT IS AN AREA THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO, TO FIND OUT THAT'S HOW WE'VE ENGAGED.
UH, SO I CAN ONLY SPEAK TOWARDS THAT, UM, EXPERIENCE THAT CONSTITUENTS AND ENOUGH OF THEM, BUT EVEN, EVEN FOR JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL, IF THEY CAN SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR SIDEWALK IS DENYING THEM ACCESS TO A PROGRAM BENEFIT OR SERVICE MM-HMM.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING OF, UH, UH, WE WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTACT US OR TO LISTEN TO.
'CAUSE THAT IS ASKING FOR THE INNOCENCE, A MODIFICATION, UM, UH, OF, OF THE CITY'S SERVICES, UH, TO, TO BRIDGE THE GAP OF, OF CONNECTING THAT INDIVIDUAL TO THE
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PROGRAM'S BENEFITS AND SERVICES OF THE COMMUNITY.UM, IT'S A HARD SITUATION 'CAUSE THERE ISN'T A SIDEWALK ALREADY EXISTING, BUT SOME OF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DUE TO A NO NO, THAT WE DISRESPECT, BUT OUT OUT OF DATE PLANNING BECAUSE THAT AREA HAS NOW DEVELOPED AND NOBODY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WAS UNDEVELOPED LAND LONG AGO.
AND NOW THERE'S APARTMENT COMPLEXES, A HOUSE HOUSING AREA, UH, UH, AND NOW A SHOPPING CENTER AND OR, UH, A HOSPITAL AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S GROWN UP IN THE, THE PAST TENSE.
AND WHEN THE SIDEWALKS WERE BEING THOUGHT OF BY THE LITTLE
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, UH, SOMETHING TO, TO THINK ABOUT.
AND THEN IT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO, TO PREPLAN WHEN THERE ARE PROJECTS IN THE MAKING.
UM, ARE THERE, ARE THERE STRIPS AWAY TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING INTO A, A NEW PROJECT THAT'S GOING UP, UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOME ADVANCE PLANNING THAT WE WOULD, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, LOVE FOR THAT TO BE LOOKED AT, UH, UH, TO KIND OF SEE WHERE THE CONNECT THE DOTS ARE, ARE MAYBE NOT BEING MET AND EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE IT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE OVERLOOKED INNOCENTLY.
AND, AND, AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR.
I ACTUALLY, MY VEHICLE TO YOUR POINT, UM, WAS ON TOP OF THE RAILROAD CROSSING THAT WAS COMPLETELY FADED.
SO YOU COULD SEE IT OR SEE THE ACCESSIBILITY, BUT TO YOUR POINT THAT YOU MENTIONED THE L WORD, UM, INDIVIDUALS HAD BEEN HIT BY A TRAIN AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BECAUSE THE, UM, ARM THAT COMES DOWN WASN'T WIDE ENOUGH.
UM, AND PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS DIDN'T KNOW LIKE WHERE TO CROSS.
SO AGAIN, UM, I HAVE A WHOLE MAP.
THEY'RE WIDENING SIDEWALKS, THEY'RE WIDENING, THEY'RE ADDING, UM, YEAH, THEY'RE PUSHING THE TRAFFIC BACK SOME, AND THEN THEY'RE ADDING, I MAY HAVE THE WRONG VERBIAGE FOR THIS OR EVEN THE, THE, THE NAME OF THE PAINT, BUT I ALSO LIKE A REFLECTIVE PAINT SO THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE VISUALLY IMPAIRED CAN SEE THAT.
BUT MY, MY LAST QUESTION WAS ON MODIFICATION REQUEST.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS READS REASONABLE MEANS.
WOULD NOT CREATE AN UNDUE BURDEN OR FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED SERVICES.
WHEN I, WHEN I HEAR UNDUE BURDEN, I THINK OF FINANCIALLY AN UNDUE BURDEN.
TO WHOM? IS IT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S REQUESTING THE MODIFICATION? BECAUSE I KNOW HOW WE HAVE THE 50 50 PLAN IN DALLAS FOR THE SIDEWALK FOR A RESIDENCE HOME.
OR ARE YOU, ARE, ARE YOU, IS IT A LITTLE BIT OF PUSHBACK OF PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO SPEND MONEY IN A BUDGET TO MAKE THE MODIFICATION? YEAH, IT WOULD BE UNDUE.
IT'S EITHER UE, ADMINISTRATIVE OR FUNDAMENTAL BURDEN TO THE ENTITY THAT'S BEING ASKED TO MAKE THE MODIFICATION.
UH, SO I DO A LOT OF HOUSING, UM, UH, WORK ALSO SO I CAN, UH, MODIFICATIONS IN THE AREA OF TRANSPORTATION IS RELATIVELY NEW IN THE, THE FIELD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN OUT THERE SINCE 2015.
BUT, UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, UH, AND HOUSING, UH, SOMEBODY MAY NEED TO TERMINATE THEIR LEASE EARLY ON THE BASIS OF A DISABILITY, UM, TO MOVE IN WITH FAMILY, UM, TWO STATES AWAY FOR SOME FOR, FOR DISABILITY RELATED REASON.
AND THEY NEED TO TERMINATE THEIR LEASE AND THEY'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THEIR LEASE.
UH, AND THIS PARTICULAR HOUSING PROVIDER OWNS AN APARTMENT COMPLEXES WITH 500 APARTMENTS TO EACH ONE AND BRINGS IN REVENUE OF LET'S SAY FIVE TO $7 MILLION A YEAR.
ESPECIALLY RENTAL MARKET, THE WAY IT, UH, IT, IT IS, BUT EVEN JUST ONE LEASE WITH SIX MONTHS LEFT IS NOT GONNA BREAK THAT, THAT COMPANY OR THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX.
SO I THINK YOU HAVE, I LOOK AT THAT THROUGH THAT PRISM OF WHAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN, UH, UNDUE FINANCIAL BURDEN.
THIS VERSUS WHAT, WHAT IS THE NEED FOR, I DON'T WANNA SAY WHAT IS THE, UH, THE, THE MODIFICATION REQUEST REQUESTS? THE, THE, THE OTHER END, THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM THAT I USE IS, UH, UM, UH, FOR HOUSING TO, TO, UH, USE IT BY ANALOGY.
UM, YOU HAVE, UH, UH, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, AND THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED 'CAUSE, UH, TO NECESSARILY HAVE A, UM, AN ELEVATOR UNDER THE FHA AND OTHER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO THERE'S NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE THAT.
AND A TENANT REQUESTS AN ACCOMMODATION OR MODIFICATION FOR AN ELEVATOR TO BE PUT IN, THAT
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WOULD BE UNREASONABLE.WELL, THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE FIRST FLOORS.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE PRESENTATION AND YOU ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, DOES ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS? APPARENTLY NOT.
WELL, MS. MR. MCRI, WE SINCERELY, ONCE AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU FOR DEVOTING YOUR TIME TO SPEAK TO US TODAY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
YES, PLEASE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO, TO ME OR MY ORGANIZATION.
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME.
UH, SORRY AGAIN, BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT THANK YOU.
AND I, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR TIME.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER NINE ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THIS IS THE, THE, THE ITEM BEFORE ADJOURNMENT.
AS MOST OF YOU IN THIS ROOM MAY BE AWARE, IN 2026, THE FIFA WORLD CUP WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN NORTH AMERICA AND SOME OF THE MATCHES WILL BE PLAYED IN DALLAS.
NOW BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS, HAS BEEN OR WILL BEGIN WORKING ON INITIATIVES TO MAKE THIS EXPERIENCE MORE EQUITABLE AND MEANINGFUL FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AS A COMMISSION.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OF COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ENSURING THAT THE FIFA WORLD CUP EXPERIENCE IS MEANINGFUL AND ACCESSIBLE AND SOMETHING TO BE REMEMBERED IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AND SO IF ANY COMMISSIONERS WISH TO COLLABORATE WITH ME ON THIS, UH, WE COULD WORK TOGETHER.
WE CAN CONTACT APPROPRIATE PEOPLE AND, AND, UM, INQUIRE ABOUT THE INITIATIVES CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON.
THAT WOULD VERY MUCH BE APPRECIATED.
UM, AND WE ARE WELCOMING, UM, SOCCER HERE IN DALLAS.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED THE PRESS CONFERENCES ALSO THIS SUMMER.
I AM NOT A MEMBER OF DIVINE NINE, BUT, UM, APA KAPPA APPLE SORORITY INCORPORATED, WE'LL BE HAVING THEIR BOULE HERE, UM, JULY THE 11TH.
SO I DO HOPE THAT THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR A DA MANAGER AND OUR STAFF WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION TO ENSURE THAT THESE BUILDINGS HAVE THE A DA ACCOMMODATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THERE'S NO WIRES FOR WHEELCHAIRS ROLLING OVER AND THAT, UM, THERE'S ENOUGH SPACE AND THE ELEVATORS ARE WORKING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF LADIES AND EVEN THEIR HUSBANDS AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
UM, THEY WOULD BE PAINTING DALLAS, UM, PINK AND GREEN AND MORE SO SPECIFICALLY SALMON PINK AND APPLE GREEN.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PIA FOR SHARING THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
DO DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WISH TO SHARE BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? I HAVE ONE BRIEF, ONE I'VE BEEN READING A LOT ABOUT.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER REVY, DISTRICT ONE.
I'VE BEEN READING A LOT LATELY ABOUT A NEW SKATE PARK FOR DALLAS.
LORD KNOWS THESE KIDS NEED A GOOD PLACE TO, TO SKATE.
WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS ARE BEING MADE FOR DISABLED PERSONS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS? I UNDERSTAND IT ISN'T EVEN BEING PLANNED YET.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A VOICE ON THIS BEFORE TOO MANY PLANS GET TO QUOTE, SET IT IN CONCRETE.
THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT THAT YOU ADDRESSED THERE, COMMISSIONER VY AND I CERTAINLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THIS IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER PROJECTS YOU MAY NEED HELP ON.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? OKAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I CALL THE MEETING, I CALL, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE IS NONE.
THE MEETING HAS BEEN ADJOURNED.
AND FOR THE RECORDS, THE TIME IS 3 30, 3 30 7:00 PM THANK YOU.