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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.
TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:03 PM WE HAVE MET QUORUM AND THIS MEETING IS NOW BEING CALLED TO ORDER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS PRIOR TO PROCEEDING WITH ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, WE KINDLY ASK THAT YOU TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON AND KEEP IT ON AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LASTLY, WE ARE AWARE THAT COMMISSIONERS IN THIS ROOM HAVE MANY CONCERNS THEY WISH TO SHARE.
WE HEAR YOU, BUT WE KINDLY ADVISE YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO GIVE THOSE IN THE ROOM OR JOINING US VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING, THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND SHARE THEIR REMARKS.
I WILL NOW BEGIN BY WITH A ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED, PLEASE SIGNIFY YOUR ATTENDANCE BY SAYING PRESENT, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASSCOCK.
DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT TWO IS VACANT.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CANDACE WICK, DISTRICT THREE, DISTRICT THREE.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WHITE, DISTRICT NINE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BRYCE BANKS, DISTRICT 11.
COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSKA, DISTRICT 13 PRESENT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ASHLEY LINDSAY.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN CAL CONLEY, MAYOR APPOINTEE, DISTRICT 15.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING AND ATTENDING THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.
AS, AS USUAL, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ONGOING DEDICATION TO OUR BODY AND ITS EFFORTS.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, HOWEVER, WE DO ASK YOU YOU TO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND STATE YOUR NAME SO WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
GIVEN THAT WE HAVE NO INDIVIDUALS PRESENT AT THIS TIME, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE AND, AND MENTION ALL, AND I WANT TO, UM, BRING THIS TO ALL COMMISSIONERS.
IN FACT, TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, INVITE INDIVIDUALS FROM YOUR CIRCLES WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ISSUES THAT PERTAINS TO DISABILITIES AND INCLUSION.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON, ON THE AGENDA IS WE ARE DOING VOTING ITEMS, NUMBERS FOUR AND FIVE.
WE ARE NOW APPROVING MINUTES FOR BOTH OCTOBER AND SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
SO SEPTEMBER 23RD AND OCTOBER 29TH, 2025.
WE ARE GOING TO START BY APPROVING THE MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 23RD.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THE MINUTES BEFORE THEIR APPROVAL? STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK? DISTRICT ONE? NO.
COMMISSIONER WICK DISTRICT THREE? NO.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE? NO.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE? NO.
COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11? NO.
AND COMMISSIONER, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA
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DISTRICT 13.IN THAT CASE THEN, I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025 BE APPROVED AS READ.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 29TH, 2025.
AND AGAIN, I'LL BE CALLING ON EACH COMMISSIONER TO ASK IF THERE ARE ANY EDITS THAT YOU WISH TO BE INCLUDED, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, NO.
COMMISSIONER WIX, DISTRICT THREE, NO.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE? NO.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA DISTRICT 13? NO.
IN THAT CASE THEN I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 29TH, 2025 BE APPROVED AS READ.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITHOUT EDITS, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 29TH, 2025 HAVE BEEN APPROVED, HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE FY 20 25, 26 MEETING DATES.
AS IT STANDS, OUR MEETINGS TAKE PLACE ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 2:00 PM TO 3:45 PM HERE IN THE SAME LOCATION.
THEN IN COUNCIL BRIEFING ROOM 60 S.
AND ALSO FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO JOIN US, POINT OF ORDER OUR VIDEO CONFERENCE, EXCUSE ME, POINT OF ORDER.
OUR MEETINGS GO TO THREE 30, NOT 3 45.
WELL, IT ACTUALLY DEPENDS BASED ON IT'S TRUE, BUT IT ACTUALLY DEPENDS ON THE BRIEFING ITEMS AND HOW LONG THE PRESENTER TAKES.
SOMETIMES PRESENTERS, UM, RUN A LITTLE OVER, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY I GIVE THAT TIME RANGE.
BUT THE SET TIME IS TWO TO THREE 30.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, MOVING THE MEETING TIME, PERHAPS TO AN EARLIER TIME OR LATER.
SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS TO DISCUSS IN TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IN, WITH REGARDS TO CONDUCTING OUR MEETINGS FOR NEXT YEAR, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED TIME TO THE ONE O'CLOCK TIMES, BUT I'M OPEN TO WHATEVER, UM, THE COMMISSION WANTS TO DO WITH THE WHOLE.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DATES, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT TWO O'CLOCK WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE BECAUSE CITY STAFF IS JUST COMING BACK FROM LUNCH AND ONE O'CLOCK MAY POSE A PROBLEM, UH, IF WE HAVE, UH, WEATHER ISSUES OR TRAFFIC AND SO FORTH.
SO I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE US TO STAY WITH THE 2:00 PM UH, START TIME.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR SHARING THAT.
WE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP IT IN MIND, BUT NOW, NOW LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND GET FEEDBACK FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
I'M, UH, I WOULD HOPE TO AMEND THESE, UH, TIMES.
I'M OKAY WITH THE DATES, UH, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD BE MEETING LATER IN THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING TO ALLOW MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, AT A TIME, PERHAPS AFTER FIVE OR 6:00 PM OKAY.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS THAT LATER AS WELL.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE, DISTRICT NINE.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF SIX 30, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK, IT'S NOT INTERRUPTING YOUR DAY.
I THINK WE MIGHT GET MORE COMMISSIONERS THAT WAY, PLUS, UM, THE PUBLIC, IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR THEM FOR THE SAME REASON, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO TAKE OFF WORK.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11.
UM, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER WHITE.
UH, I, I'M FINE WITH THE DATES, BUT I THINK THAT AFTER 5:00 PM POSSIBLY SIX 30, I THINK THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE,
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UH, THE BEST FOR ANY, ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ACTIVELY WORKING OR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND BUT CAN'T DURING THE WORK HOURS.UM, NEXT WE'LL GO TO LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, I SHOULD SAY, I WILL BE ASKING COMMISSIONER PUSHKA TO OFFER FEEDBACK.
UH, NO OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED DATES, AND, AND I'M FLEXIBLE AS TO TIMING.
I DID WANNA MENTION ONE THING.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME, AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, A LOT OF COMMISSIONERS ARE WANTING TO DO LATER IN THE DAY, LIKE SIX 30.
BUT I, THAT CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WORK WITH MY SCHEDULE BECAUSE I HAVE A COMMITMENT THAT I WILL HAVE TO GO TO AFTER THIS.
SO I SUGGEST THAT WE EITHER KEEP THE 2:00 PM TIME OR, OR MOVE OR PUSH BACK THE START OF OUR MEETING TIME FROM 2:00 PM TO 1:00 PM.
THAT WAY ALL OF US CAN, UH, BE A, A ALL OF US ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING, AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M BEING CONSIDERED OF OTHERS AS WELL.
SO, DO ANY OF YOU WISH TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS? I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
UM, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
DO YOU WISH TO PROVIDE FURTHER COMMENT? UM, NO.
I JUST WILL REITERATE WE GET STARTED TOO, BUT I DO, UM, HEAR THE, UH, CONCERNS OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
DO YOU WISH TO PROVIDE FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS? YEAH, ONLY THE, AGAIN, MY MEMBERS OF MY DISTRICT WOULD BE MOST ABLE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AT A LATER TIME.
UM, COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUSH IT DOWN TO SIX 30 TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR ALL THE WORKING PEOPLE, WHICH I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE IN SCHOOL, BUT ALL THE WORKING PEOPLE, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM, THEN WE NEED TO STAY AT TWO.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS.
I, I'M OKAY WITH ONE O'CLOCK OR TWO O'CLOCK.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE CHAIR'S, UH, COMMITMENT LATER IN THE DAY.
UM, BUT I, I, I'M, I'M PERSONALLY QUITE FLEXIBLE FOR ANY TIME, SO, UH, I'LL, I'LL TAKE A VOTE ON WHATEVER THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS PREFER.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSHKA OR COMMISSIONER HUSHKA.
I I, I ECHO COMMISSIONER BANKS SENTIMENTS.
UH, THE DATES WORK FOR ME AND I'M FLEXIBLE AS THIS TIME.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS FURTHER, WE HAVE TWO, WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS WHO ABSOLUTELY WANT TO KEEP IT AT TWO AND SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE FLEXIBLE AND CAN PUSH BACK THE TIME EITHER AT TO 1:00 PM SO I'M GOING TO BE CALLING ON A VOTE FOR TWO OF THESE PROPOSED ITEMS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD A QUOTE ACCORDINGLY.
FIRSTLY, I'LL BE CALLING ON A VOTE FOR OUR MEETINGS TO TAKE PLACE AT 1:00 PM STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT THREE, OR COMMISSIONER WICKS? NO.
COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11? NO.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PUSHKA DISTRICT 13? UH, NO.
NOW WE WILL VOTE FOR THE SECOND POST TIME, WHICH IS TO KEEP THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETINGS AT 2:00 PM AND THIS TIME I WILL CALL ON COMMISSIONER.
I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER, UH, GLASSCOCK AGAIN.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE OF SIX 30, THEN I VOTE FOR TWO.
UM, THEN WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSKA DISTRICT 13? YES.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE VOTED YES FOR TWO.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY.
I VOTE THAT WE KEEP THE MEETING AT 2:00 PM AS IS JUST LIKE WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
SO AS IT STANDS, WE HAVE SIX YESES AND ONE AND ONE.
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KEEPING.SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE KEEP THE MEETINGS ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 2:00 PM ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, PLEASE SIGNIFY, ACTUALLY, ONE HAS TO SECOND RIGHT, SO I MAKE THE MOTION AND I PASS IT ON.
ALL IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING AT 2:00 PM PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO, BUT, BUT THE YESES HAVE IT.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE MOTION HAS PASSED AND WE WILL KEEP THE MEETINGS AT 2:00 PM ON TUESDAYS.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS BRIEFING ITEMS. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SEVERAL BRIEFING ITEMS THAT WE'LL BE DOING.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A, A VERY EXCITING AGENDA.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE BRIEFING ITEMS, STARTING WITH THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
I WILL BEGIN BY SHARING MY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
ON NOVEMBER 13TH, I ATTENDED A PANEL DISCUSSION ENTITLED, DIGNITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THIS EVENT WAS HOSTED BY HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
WE ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENTS HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS AND FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
IT WAS A DISTINCT HONOR, NOT ONLY TO REPRESENT THE COMMISSION, BUT ALSO JOIN AS A PANELIST AND SHARE MY INSIGHTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCUSSING DISABILITY RIGHTS IN CONNECTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS.
THIS PROGRAM BROUGHT TOGETHER LEGAL EXPERTS, DISABILITY ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO EXPLORE THE HISTORICAL AS WELL AS THE CURRENT STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY AMONG MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS PANEL DISCUSSION FOSTERED AN INCLUSIVE DIALOGUE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF A DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, ADDRESSED ONGOING CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING FULL INCLUSION IN SOCIETY, AND STRATEGIZED ON FUTURE EFFORTS TO ADVANCE ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR WORKPLACES, COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND.
I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE HAVE MORE EVENTS LIKE THIS TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS DRIVING FORCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER.
AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
IF YOU WISH NOT TO PROVIDE A REPORT, YOU MAY INDICATE SO WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED, I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 4 24 VETERAN STATE PROGRAM.
UH, IS THE JACK B SWAIN, UH, POST, AND THE COMMANDER IS COMMANDER COREY FIELDS.
AND, UM, I WAS HUMBLED TO, UH, UH, ALSO, UH, BE IN THE COMPANY OF MY CITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
I SUBMITTED MY REPORT IN WRITING TO EVERYONE.
UM, BUT DO YOU NECESSARILY HAVE A REPORT FOR NOVEMBER? WHAT YOU SHARED WITH US IS YOU SHARED WITH US GOALS AND ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO BE INCLUDED ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH WE'LL BE DISCUSSING NEXT.
BUT DO YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A REPORT IN NOVEMBER IN TERMS OF ANY ACTIVITIES THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN OR JOINED? I BELIEVE THAT WAS, UH, SENT TO EVERYONE.
UH, CHRIS IS SAYING THAT'S CORRECT.
EVERYONE DID RECEIVE MY NOVEMBER REPORT, UH, BUT I CAN BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE IT IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
YES, YOU CAN PLEASE DO SO JUST SO WE HAVE IT FOR THE RECORDS.
SO I, I MET WITH, UH, ANITA SWANSON FROM THE TEXAS TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, WHERE WE DISCUSSED, UH, A NUMBER OF TOPICS, BUT ONE IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, UH, IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA.
UH, I MET WITH ISHA SMITH FROM THE DEAF ACTION CENTER, UH, AND WE DISCUSSED OUR OFFERINGS FOR FREE TRAINING, UH, FOR ORGANIZATIONS,
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UM, THAT NEEDED HELP WITH ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING.UH, ALSO MET WITH DYLAN RAF FROM THE NORTH TEXAS DISABILITY CHAMBER, UH, WHERE WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IN THE DISABLED COMMUNITY.
UH, ADDITIONALLY I SPOKE WITH COREY ALLEN FROM THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF AMERICA AT DFW CHAPTER, UH, WHERE WE DISCUSSED, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO POTENTIALLY PARTNER TOGETHER, UH, AND RAISING AWARENESS FOR, UH, ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE WHO WERE DISABLED.
UH, I ALSO SPOKE WITH JAKE STEINMAN FROM TRAVEL ABILITY AS WELL, UH, WHERE HE, UH, INDICATED A FEW WEBSITES AS WELL AS OTHER RESOURCES FOR THOSE WHO TRAVEL, UH, AND PARTICULARLY POINTING OUT FROM THE CHALLENGES AROUND OBTAINING A DA HOTEL ROOMS. UH, LASTLY, I SPOKE WITH STEPHANIE DUKE FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS, WHERE WE SPOKE ABOUT, UH, THE TEXAS PARTNERS FOR INCLUSIVE ACCESS, UH, WITH HER FOUR PILLARS OF ADVOCACY, WHICH WERE ACCESS TO BROADBAND PUBLIC HEALTH, WORKFORCE, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
UH, COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT, UM, GETTING REPAIR DONE ON A CURB RAMP, UH, IN MY DISTRICT OVER AT GREENVILLE AND SMU BOULEVARD.
I BRING IT UP BECAUSE THE CONCERNING PART IS I HAD TO GET MY COUNCIL MEMBER INVOLVED.
AND EVEN SO IT'S TAKEN ALMOST A MONTH FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT, AND I FIND THAT REALLY, UH, UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, SHE HAS A VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UM, CLIENT THAT, UM, DOG GETS CONFUSED.
IT'S SO DAMAGED SHE CAN'T GET ACROSS THE STREET THERE, AND THEY'RE JUST NOW GETTING AROUND TO CHECKING OUT THE SIDEWALKS.
AND I, I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.
UM, I ALSO HAD A, A NEIGHBOR REACH OUT TO ME.
HE'S GETTING HIS DEGREE IN ADDICTION COUNSELING, AND I CONNECTED HIM WITH, UH, VARIOUS LEVELS OF, OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEAL WITH ADDICTION, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR DIRECTIVES AND, UH, FOR HIM TO TALK WITH THEM.
AND, UM, THAT WAS GREENHOUSE YOUTH 180 24 HOUR CLUB AND HOMER BOUND.
AND I BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO GET A JOB WITH YOUTH 180, WHICH TICKLED HIM TO DEATH.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IS HAVE RESOURCES, UM, FOR, WELL, AGAIN, THAT'S ON OUR DIRECTIVE, UH, RESOURCES FOR WHEN PEOPLE NEED THOSE KIND OF, UM, RESOURCES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
THE CONCERN, THE ISSUE YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUAL WHO'S TRYING TO GET ACROSS THE STREET WITH HER DOG, BUT IS NOT ABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF INACCESSIBLE CURB GUTS CUTS IS ABSOLUTELY CONCERNING.
AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE FURTHER.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS, DISTRICT 11.
NOTHING TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER ISHKA, DISTRICT 13.
THIS CONCLUDES THIS PORTION OF THE SECTION.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM IS GOING TO BE GIVEN BY THE STAFF FROM HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION, OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, OR OHCE.
THEY WILL PROVIDE A REVIEW OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES 2024 ANNUAL REPORT, ALONG WITH AN OVERVIEW OF REQUIRED COMPONENTS FOR THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, THE ANNUAL REPORT IS ESSENTIALLY A DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THE PURPOSE AND GOALS IN ADDITION TO THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
IT ALSO INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S, GOALS, AND PRIORITIES, NOT ONLY THE ONES THAT THAT COMMISSIONERS WANT TO SEE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, BUT ALSO THE ONES THAT THEY WORKED ON AND ADOPT AND ADOPTED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN THE, IN THE PROCEEDING YEAR.
SO, AND IN THAT CASE, IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE MR. CHRIS GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FROM THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND HE'LL BE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
MR. GRAVES, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION CHAIR.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
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THIS PART OF THE BRIEFING IS INTENDED TO BE REALLY JUST A SHORT OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT THE CITY CODE SAYS AS FAR AS THE ANNUAL REPORT, JUST SO YOU KNOW WHAT'S REQUIRED, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE SECTIONS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON COMMISSIONER INPUT AND COMMISSIONERS COMING TOGETHER TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANNA FOCUS ON.AND I'LL VERY BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT LAST YEAR'S REPORT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS INCLUDED, BOTH FOR THIS YEAR'S ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THE GOALS THE COMMISSION HAS SET FOR ITSELF.
SO TO BEGIN WITH, WE'LL JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT CHAPTER EIGHT, WHICH IS JUST THAT PART OF THE CITY CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND ITS STUDENTS.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME VERY STANDARD PARTS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT STAFF WILL HANDLE.
THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE A COVER LETTER, A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
THERE IS A MISSION STATEMENT AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES, BUT LARGELY WE TAKE THAT FROM THE ENABLING ORDINANCE OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
NOW, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT WHERE WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION VOICING THEIR INSIGHTS AND DISCUSSING WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE COMMISSION TO FOCUS ON.
SO THOSE THREE COMPONENTS INCLUDE A SUMMARY OF THE YEAR JUST COMPLETED, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTS OF OBJECTIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE NEXT IS A LIST OF OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMS FOR THE COMING YEAR, INCLUDING REVISED GOALS.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THE GOALS THE COMMISSION'S GONNA SET FOR ITSELF IN THE NEXT YEAR? FINALLY, THE THIRD COMPONENT, A SUMMARY OF THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING A SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MINORITY, IF THERE ARE THE MINORITY REPORT.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO MAKE KNOWN TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND TO CITY COUNCIL, THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE TO DO THAT, FOR THE COMMISSION TO COME TOGETHER TO DECIDE WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
THERE IS A FINAL COMPONENT TO THE ANNUAL REPORT, AND THAT'S LARGELY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSION.
IT STATES OTHER INFORMATION DETERMINED TO BE NECESSARY BY THE BOARD.
SO THE COMMISSION HAS SOME DISCRETION ABOUT WHAT INFORMATION THAT IS, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THE COMMISSION FEELS PARTICULARLY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT'S NOT COVERED IN THESE REQUIRED COMPONENTS, THAT WOULD BE THE SPOT WHERE THE COMMISSION COULD INCLUDE THAT.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A HIGHLIGHT OF THIS YEAR'S ACTIVITIES.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THE COMMISSION WANTS TO MAKE KNOWN TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE CORE COMPONENTS.
AND THEN AL JUST ALSO STATE THAT IT'S REQUIRED BY CITY CODE THAT WE DELIVER THE FINAL APPROVED ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE COMMISSION TO DISCUSS AND DECIDE ON ITS RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIORITIES.
NEXT, I'M GONNA BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION IN 2024.
SO BY REFERENCE, THIS IS ON PAGE SIX OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
SO WHEN THE COMMISSION LAST DISCUSSED THE ANNUAL REPORT, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON FOUR MAIN ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, EDUCATION, AND DISABILITY RIGHTS LAWS.
SO THOSE WERE THE FOCUS OF THE YEAR'S ACTIVITIES.
FROM THAT, THE COMMISSION DECIDED, AND THE CHAIR DECIDED ON A SCHEDULE OF BRIEFINGS THAT WOULD MEET THE NEED FOR THOSE PARTICULAR PRIORITY AREAS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE PRIORITY AREAS, DISABILITY RIGHTS LAW, THERE WAS A CORRESPONDING BRIEFING FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS, TEXAS.
ONE OF THE FOCUS AREAS WAS ON EMERGENCY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
SO THERE WAS A CORRESPONDING BRIEFING FROM OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
IN ADDITION TO BRIEFINGS, THE COMMISSION ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THREE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE THAT WERE OF NOTABLE SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE COMMISSION.
THE FIRST WAS ACTUALLY THE CITY'S FIRST A DA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CHAIR PAUL CONLEY BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE COMMISSION DECIDED TO RECOMMEND TO THE DEPARTMENT TO EXECUTE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SUPPORTED.
AND SO WE WERE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION IN HOSTING THE CITY'S FIRST EVER A DA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ON JULY 26TH, 2024, WE MENTIONED THAT EMPLOYMENT WAS ALSO A PRIORITY AREA, SO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITY ALSO WAS AVAILABLE AT THE EMPLOYABILITY CAREER RESOURCE FESTIVAL.
FINALLY, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ADVANCE PRIORITIES STATEWIDE.
AND SO THE CHAIR OF OUR COMMISSION, CHAIR O' CONNOLLY, PROVIDED TESTIMONY AT THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FORUM.
THAT WAS IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO FROM THOSE FOUR PRIORITY AREAS, THE COMMISSION REALLY HONED IN ON TWO IN PARTICULAR, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT AS ONE AREA.
IN THE ANNUAL REPORT, THE COMMISSION FURTHER TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION THAT CAN INCLUDE HIRING, DISCRIMINATION, FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND IT ALSO ADVANCED POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON, INCLUDING INVESTIGATING FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AS WELL AS FOSTERING ACCESSIBLE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS.
IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, THIS WAS A FOCUS OF THE COMMISSION IN 2024.
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WORK WAS DONE TO NOT ONLY ASSESS ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO TO PROPOSE THE CREATION OF A VOLUNTEER PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM AND REALLY EXPLORE OTHER AVENUES FOR TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING MICRO MOBILITY PROGRAMS LIKE LINE ACCESS.SO THAT, THAT, THAT FIRST PART IS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE YEAR 2024.
NOW WE'RE MOVING TO RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE COMMISSION HAD FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS IT BROUGHT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION WAS A, A BROAD RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES WITH DISABILITIES IN VARIOUS SPHERES OF LIFE, FROM HOUSING EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PROPOSE THE CREATION OF A VOLUNTEER PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM THAT WOULD UTILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO ISSUE CITATIONS WHEN THERE WERE VIOLATIONS OF A DA, UH, PARKING CAPABILITIES.
THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GET TO KNOW CITY DEPARTMENTS, SO THAT WAY THERE WAS INCREASED AWARENESS OF CITY DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE COMMISSION.
AND THE COMMISSION COULD BETTER LEARN ABOUT WHAT CITY DEPARTMENTS DO AND WHERE THERE'S THE INTERSECTION FOR THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE THINKING OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS PROMOTING BRAILLE LITERACY ACROSS COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT'S THE SECOND PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN THE FINAL COMPONENT IS A FORWARD THINKING 2025 PROPOSED OBJECTIVE.
AFTER A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION LAST YEAR, THE COMMISSION DECIDED THAT IT WANTED TO FOCUS ON QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
AND SO ALL WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION, ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BY RECOMMENDING POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT WAS THE, THE, THE SINGLE FOCUS IN TERMS OF AN OBJECTIVE THAT THE COMMISSION DECIDED TO TAKE ON FOR 2025.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE THIS PORTION OF THE BRIEFING.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS INTENDED JUST AS A VERY SHORT REVIEW AND AS A SPRINGBOARD TO A MUCH LARGER DISCUSSION WHERE THE COMMISSION DECIDES ON WHAT IT WANTS TO HIGHLIGHT, WHAT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, AND WHAT ARE ITS OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRAVES, FOR GIVING THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AS IT HELPS GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NEW NEWLY APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE NEW TO THE PROCESS.
AND SO IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM TO BE BRIEFED ON THIS INFORMATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GRAVES? I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE? NO.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER WHITE, DISTRICT NINE.
UM, MY QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT.
DID, DID THAT EVER GO ANYWHERE? THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
IT DID GO TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WE ALSO KNOW SEPARATE FROM THAT THERE WAS INTEREST FROM ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER IN POTENTIALLY EXPLORING THE ISSUE.
THAT WAS BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WILLIS.
SHE HAD SEEN COVERAGE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAD A SIMILAR VOLUNTEER PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.
SO AS STAFF, WE WORKED GONNA PROVIDE A ONE PAGE TO DEPUTY MAYOR EMIS.
AND ALSO WE DID LET HER KNOW THAT THIS WAS A TOPIC THAT THE COMMISSION HAD BEEN EXPLAINED FOR THE LAST YEAR, HAD REACHED OUT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND IT ALSO HAD SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH TRANSPORTATION.
SO THAT IS CURRENTLY STILL IN PROGRESS.
AND THE NEXT STEP IS FOR US TO DELIVER THAT NOTE TO DEPUTY MAYOR POTIS AND LET HER KNOW THAT ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER WEST WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THE RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
THANK YOU MR. GRACE FOR ANSWERING.
UH, SO IS COMMISSIONER BLACKMAN INTERESTED IN IT? UM, SO IT'S STILL ONGOING? THAT IS CORRECT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS, DISTRICT 11.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PUSHKA DISTRICT 13.
AND MR. GRAVES, THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY.
I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AT THIS TIME, SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND NOW I WILL TAKE OVER FROM HERE FOR THIS ONE.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE 2025 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES COD ANNUAL REPORT.
NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD OF ALL THE REQUIRED ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, THIS, THIS MEETING IS A GREAT TIME FOR COMMISSIONERS TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE TO BE INCLUDED ON THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2025.
I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE,
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I THINK ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT.THAT WAS A BIG ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DONE IN EMPLOYMENT.
THAT IS ACTUALLY A, UH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A BIG ISSUE.
UM, WE'LL CERTAINLY, UM, MAKE SURE TO HONE IN ON THIS FURTHER.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WIX, DISTRICT THREE.
ANY ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCLUDED ON THE ANNUAL REPORT? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, I DID READ THE, UH, THE NOTES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BEING THAT THIS IS MY SECOND MEETING, I WILL YIELD TO THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION THAT HAVE HAD MORE EXPERIENCE, AND I WILL DEFINITELY CHIME IN FOR THE NEXT ONE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WICK FOR YOUR, YOUR SHARING THIS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
AGAIN, I'VE SHARED MY, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, UM, MS. GRAVES, UH, SHARED WITH EVERYONE.
SO, UM, I WOULD ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS YOU WISH TO BE, YOU WISH TO BE, HAVE INCLUDED ON THE REPORT? I HAVE TWO ACTUALLY.
UH, ONE OF 'EM PERTAINS TO PARKING.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES I HAVE FOUND IS THAT WHEN DEVELOPERS BUILD APARTMENTS, AND THEY DO 51% OF IT LOWER INCOME, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S REDUCED.
UH, THEY HAVE TO HAVE, UH, FIVE UNITS THAT ARE HANDICAPPED AND TWO THAT ARE, UH, HEARING AND OR VISION IMPAIRED.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE IS DESIGNATED HANDICAPPED PARKING FOR THOSE UNITS.
SO WITH THE REDUCED PARKING THAT THE CITY HAS DONE, UM, WHERE NORMALLY THERE MIGHT BE FIVE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEM.
AND IT'S KIND OF NECESSARY IF YOU'VE GOT A HANDICAP UNIT TO HAVE SOME DESIGNATED PARKING.
I'M ALSO LOOKING INTO THE FACT THAT, UH, ENTERTAINMENT AREAS SUCH AS DE BEUM DO NOT HAVE ANY A DA PARKING ON THE STREET.
UH, CITY SAYS, WELL, YOU CAN PARK IN, IN THE METERS FREE.
THAT IS, IF THE, IF THE POLICE ARE AWARE THAT YOU CAN BE FREE, UH, YOU CAN COME TO COURT AND WE'LL, WE'LL TOSS YOUR TICKET.
BUT THAT'S STILL NOT A DA COMPLIANT.
AND THE OTHER FOLLOWS UP ON, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELLS, UM, ABOUT ADDICTION.
UH, OUR, OUR DUTY IS TO, UM, ADVOCATE, EDUCATE, DEVELOP, AND PROVIDE RESOURCES ON PROGRAMS AND POLICIES.
UH, I'M TALKING ABOUT ADDRESS THE ISSUES PERTAINING TO ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABU ABUSE THAT IS NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE SOBER, THAT IS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET SOBER.
IT DOES NOT SAY A DA OR ANYTHING ELSE IN THERE.
IT SAYS ADDICTION, AND IT'S, UH, PARTICULARLY OPIATES ARE A HUGE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS ALSO AS A POINT THAT WE ADDRESS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR SHARING YOUR ITEMS. IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE NEXT.
WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS, DISTRICT 11.
UM, I THINK THAT MOST OF MY, UH, CONCERNS HAVE BEEN COVERED ALREADY, UH, BY THE EXISTING NOTES, ESPECIALLY, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWALL.
UM, THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST YEAR ON THE COMMISSION, SO I WILL, I'LL DEFER TO THOSE WHO HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
UM, SO I, AT THE MOMENT, I THINK THAT IT'S ALL ESSENTIALLY BEEN COVERED FOR ME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS YOU WANT TO SEE ON THE ANNUAL REPORT? UH, YEAH, I, I JUST WANNA USE A LITTLE BIT OF MY TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONERS LINDSAY AND ROCKWELL FOR THEIR, THEIR THOUGHT PROVOKING SUMMARIES THAT THEY SENT AROUND.
THEY CLEARLY PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO IT.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY, UH, HAS BEEN A, A STAPLE OF THIS COMMITTEE SINCE YOU JOINED, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK AND COMMISSIONER WALK.
PAUL, I KNOW YOU'RE NEW, BUT YOU'RE CLEARLY PUTTING IN THE EFFORT.
SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, I WILL REITERATE, UM, FROM COMMISSIONER LYNN'S RECOMMENDATION, THE ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION RECOMMENDATION, I THINK FALLS SQUARELY WITHIN OUR MANDATE.
IT'S ACHIEVABLE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS DEFINITELY GONNA MAKE, IN MY OPINION, UH, QUITE A BIT OF IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
AND SO, UM, WHILE I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS, THE THINGS I FEEL MOST STRONGLY ABOUT, INCLUDING IS, UH, THE ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE PROPOSED
[00:40:01]
BY COMMISSIONERUM, SO THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY, AND AFTER READING THROUGH SOME OF THE REPORTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SOME COMMISSIONERS SHARED, I AM IN, I'M, I AM IN AGREEMENT.
AND AS IT, AS ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DO ALIGN WITH OUR DUTIES, UM, I, I DO HOWEVER, WANT TO INCLUDE ONE MORE SECTION, AND THAT IS PERTAINING TO ADVOCACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
ACTUALLY, I WOULD BE CALLING THE SECTION EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY, BUT WE WOULD ALSO BE DOING SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKING HERE AS WELL.
UM, ONE ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES TO BE PARTNERING WITH ADVOCACY GROUPS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN THE DALLAS AREA TO PROMOTE POLICY CHANGES AND REALLY EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO BE BETTER INVOLVED WITH THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAPPENING.
ONE ORGANIZATION, I THINK IN PARTICULAR THAT COMES TO MIND IS HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHOM WE CAN COLLABORATE ON IN WITH REGARDS TO POLICY CHANGES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
ONE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OR ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCLUDED UNDER THE EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY SECTION IS PERHAPS HOSTING COMMUNITY FORUMS WHERE WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE, BECAUSE WHILE WE CALL OURSELVES THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW, WHAT PURPOSE ARE WE SERVING? I FEEL LIKE ONE AREA THAT IS LACKING IN OUR COMMISSION IS THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UM, ADDRESSING THE, THE REAL CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE FACING ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO I CERTAINLY AM IN AGREEMENT WITH COMMISSIONER LINDSAY.
I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER LINDSAY WHO RECOMMENDED THAT WE CREATE LIKE AN ONLINE, UH, DATA PLATFORM, OR WE CAN COLLECT INFORMATION THROUGH SURVEYS.
BUT I EVEN THINK EVEN HOSTING COMMUNITY FORUMS WOULD BE VERY USEFUL IN TERMS OF GATHERING THE FEEDBACK AND, UM, AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, FIRSTHAND THE CHALLENGES PEOPLE FACE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I AM, I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CREATE, PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGNITY AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT DISABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
SO ONE AREA THAT COMES TO MIND IS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOSTING ADVOCACY TRAININGS FOR EMPLOYERS AND HOUSING PROVIDERS WITHIN THE DALLAS AREA SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF LAWS LIKE THE AMERICANS OF DISABILITIES ACT, OR SECTION 5 0 4, THE REHABILITATION ACT AND OTHER LAWS.
AND JUST SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW ON BY THESE LAWS, UNDER THESE LAWS, THEY CANNOT DISCRIMINATE IN, YOU KNOW, IN ON THE BASIS OF A DISABILITY WHEN PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR, FOR THE REPORT.
NOW, WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THE ANNUAL REPORT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A BRIEFING DISCUSSION.
SO WE, YOU GUYS, YOU COMMISSIONERS HAVE SHARED YOUR, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE WILL BE WORKING ON THIS.
THE STAFF AND MYSELF WILL BE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ON THIS REPORT, AND WE WILL GO ACCORDINGLY AS PLANNED.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, I BELIEVE YOU HAD A COMMENT.
AND AS YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, SOCIAL JUSTICE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ENCOURAGE US TO CONSIDER THAT WE AT LEAST DO, UM, ONE EVENT IN SOUTH DALLAS AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER AND ONE AT THE WEST DALLAS CENTER.
THOSE ARE BOTH OWNED BY THE CITY.
AND, UH, I'M VERY SURE THAT THOSE, UH, DIRECTORS WOULD MAKE THEMSELVES AMENABLE TO US TO HOST SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH THEIR, UH, WITH THEIR BOARDS.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUGGEST.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, NOW WE HAVE A, A BIG EVENT COMING TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I WAS, UM, NOW THAT YOU JOGGED MY MEMORY, I, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOTELS WHERE I KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO FILL UP AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, FULL CAPACITY, BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE USING THE A DA ROOMS AND PUTTING ABLE BODIED PEOPLE IN THOSE ROOMS WHEN THEY SHOULD BE RESERVED SOLELY FOR THE USE OF THOSE THAT ACTUALLY NEED THOSE ROOMS. SO AT SOME POINT, MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, VISIT
[00:45:01]
DALLAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT, UM, ENTITIES HERE IN THE CITY ARE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STILL PROVIDED, UH, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED.AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION WITH DART, WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE ONCE WE HAVE THIS GREAT INFLUX OF PEOPLE? AND SO AT SOME POINT, MAYBE, UH, OUR CHAIR COULD ATTEND THE, UH, GENERAL BOARD MEETING OF DARTS TO EXPRESS TO THEIR BOARD THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS MEMBERS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSIBILITY, WHEN WE HAVE EXTREMELY LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE COMING TO THE, TO OUR CITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER WICKS, FOR ADDRESSING THIS.
UM, THE, THESE ARE ALL GREAT SUGGESTIONS, AND I CERTAINLY AM IN AGREEMENT AND WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME THE IDEA, UH, TO, OF ATTENDING A DARK BOARD MEETING.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION, HOWEVER, REGARDING THE EVENT THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
UH, AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO? OR WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF? THANK YOU.
I THINK IF WE, UM, GO THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, AND START WITH THE, UH, THE SOUTH DALLAS AREA, UH, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER, OF COURSE SERVICES, THE ENTIRE DALLAS COUNTY, NOT JUST THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF DALLAS.
AND SO IF WE HOST A FAIR OF SOME SORT, UH, IN, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, THAT'S JUST AN, YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE AND, UH, DO IT IN SOUTH DALLAS AND DO ONE IN WEST DALLAS, DO ONE IN NORTH DALLAS.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE DISTRICT FIVE.
HE CAN FIND SOMEWHERE FOR US TO DO IT ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
BUT IF WE HAVE MANY WORKSHOPS WHERE, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR SPECIAL POPULATION CAN COME AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS WITH US, I KNOW THAT THAT IS A PRACTICE THAT THE DART, UH, PARATRANSIT BOARD DOES, WHERE THEY MEET IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS SO THAT THE PEOPLE CAN COME AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, UH, A MODEL FOR US TO DO SO THAT, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY CAN SEE OUR FACES OUTSIDE OF BEING, YOU KNOW, ON THE SCREEN.
I THINK THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
AND I CERTAINLY AM IN AGREEMENT OF, YOU KNOW, GOING AROUND TOWN, AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, YOUR EFFORT REALLY IS AIMING TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DISABILITY ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE NOTE OF IT AND, AND, AND PROCEED FORWARD ACCORDINGLY AS WE SPEAK.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COMMENT, UH, JUST TO POINT TO, UH, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UH, MY LAST NAME IS PRONOUNCED ROCKWELL, UH, WITH A E UH, I THINK MANY OF ME CONFUSED WITH THE CITY ADJACENT TO DALLAS.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
OUR NEXT, NOW WE'RE, IF WE, IF WE HAVE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT BRIEFING ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THE TITLE OF THIS SESSION IS DALLAS EXCUSE.
UH, ONE COMMENT, EXCUSE ME, ONE COMMENT TO COMMISSIONER WICK.
UH, WHEN I WAS ON SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, WE DID THOSE KIND OF, UH, FORUMS REGULARLY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEY WERE VERY WELL ATTENDED.
SO I THINK IT'S A, A WONDERFUL IDEA.
I RECOMMEND HARRY STONE, WHICH IS IN EAST DALLAS.
IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT, BUT OKAY.
UM, IT'S WHERE I WENT BY WHERE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT, UM, THEY'RE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL OR WERE FOR SENIOR AFFAIRS, SO I THINK THEY WOULD BE FOR US AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER WICKS, DO YOU, DO YOU WISH TO COMMENT ON COMMISSIONER WHITE'S THOUGHTS? NO.
UM, I, I WELCOME HER COMMENTS AND I'M IN AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS, CAN WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA? THE NEXT BRIEFING ITEM, THIS ACT, THIS TITLE, THE TITLE OF THIS BRIEFING SESSION IS DALLAS ISD SPECIAL SERVICES, EDUCATING ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS.
WE ARE VERY HONORED TO HAVE MS. KIMBERLY WHEELER, SUPERVISOR FOR TRANSITION SERVICES WITH DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR DISD.
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SHE WILL PRESENT ON DISD SPECIAL SERVICES AND, AND THE PROGRAMS THEY OFFER TO STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES.MS. WHEELER, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS, MA'AM.
I AM THE TRANSITION SERVICES MANAGER FOR DALLAS ISD.
UM, I AM GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY.
I KNOW WE HAD TO POSTPONE A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT I FINALLY MADE IT TO THIS PRESENTATION AND I THANK YOU FOR INVITING, UM, OR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU OF WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN DALLAS, ISD TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTERING THOSE POST-SECONDARY GOALS.
THE TITLE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS DALLAS, ISD, SPECIAL SERVICES, EDUCATING ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS.
IS SOMEONE ELSE CLICKING ON IT? AM I CLICKING ON SOMEONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, SO OUR VISION HERE IN DALLAS, ISD IS TO SEEK TO BECOME A PREMIER URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE, EDUCATING ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE HERE IN DALLAS, ISD WE'RE EDUCATING ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT, WELCOME, UM, MS. WHEELER.
UM, FOR THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY, I DO KINDLY ASK THAT YOU PLEASE SAY NEXT SLIDE AS YOU ARE MOVING THROUGH THE ITEMS SO THAT IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR US TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH YOU.
OKAY, MS. WHEELER, YOU MAY PROCEED WITH YOUR PRESENTATION.
LET ME PULL UP THE TR UM, THE SLIDE ON MY END SO I CAN REMEMBER WHAT I PUT ON HERE AS A POINT OF ORDER CHAIR.
IT SEEMS THAT THE, THE SLIDES ARE NO LONGER BEING SCREEN SHARED WITH THE CALL.
THEY ARE, ARE YOU COMMISSIONER HUSKA? OH, NOW THEY ARE.
I'M NOW THEY'RE COMMISSIONER BANKS NOW.
ALRIGHT, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, DALLAS SIDE D SERVE OVER 17,000 STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SERVICES, UM, WHO HAVE DISABILITY EACH DAY.
UM, STUDENTS RECEIVE SERVICES AT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, AS WELL AS ESPECIALLY SCHOOLS.
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230 SCHOOLS HERE IN DALLAS.AND EVERY SCHOOL THAT I COULD THINK OF AT THIS TIME HAVE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ON THEIR CAMPUSES.
UM, WE ALSO SERVE STUDENTS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS 'CAUSE BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS DO ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THERE ARE CERTAIN SERVICES WE MUST PROVIDE.
AND TRANSITION SERVICES IS ONE OF THOSE SERVICES.
SO SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS HERE AT DALLAS, ID OH, I'M SORRY, DALLAS, ISD.
WE HAVE ADAPTIVE PE, WE HAVE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICIANS, CAMPUS SUPPORT, CHILD FIND EVALUATIONS, EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND HOSPITAL HOME BOUNDS.
TO CONTINUE OUR PROGRAMS, WE HAVE INCLUSION, WHICH OUR STUDENTS ARE IN OUR GENERATED CLASSES.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE CAREERS, MAGNET CENTER, WHICH IS A SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 18 AND OVER.
WE HAVE OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY REGIONAL DAY SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THE DEAF IN WHICH INCLUDES STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE DFW AREA.
WE HAVE SPECIALIZED PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS CALLED ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, FUNCTION OF DAILY LIVING SKILLS AND TOTAL COMMUNICATION.
WE HAVE SPEECH, VISION PROGRAM, AND DYSLEXIA SERVICES.
SO I AM THE MANAGER FOR TRANSITION SERVICES AND PRETTY MUCH MY JOB IN A NUTSHELL IS THAT I MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THEIR POST-SECONDARY OPTION.
UM, HERE IN DALLAS WE HAVE, UM, A PROGRAM IN WHICH WE CALL TRANSITION SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE CAREERS MAGNET CENTER, BUT EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS MUST, MUST INCLUDE TRANSITION SERVICES.
TRANSITION SERVICES STARTS AT THE AGE OF THREE YEARS OLD OR WHEN THEY IDENTIFY THE NEEDED SERVICES, UM, OR HAVING A DISABILITY.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
ONE OF OUR, UM, BIGGEST SUPPORTERS IS TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A COUNSELOR THAT COMES TO OUR SCHOOLS TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE MEETING THEIR POST-SECONDARY GOALS.
WE ALSO WORK WITH METROCARE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WHO ARE IDD WHO HAVE OTHER DISABILITIES? DART PARATRANSIT, AGAIN, IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS.
OUR STUDENTS COULD NOT GET AROUND, UM, IN THEIR COMMUNITY OR THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH DART PARATRANSIT.
ALSO, WE HAVE PROJECT SEARCH, WHICH IS A NATIONAL PROJECT RIGHT NOW, THIS YEAR OUR PROJECT SEARCH IS HOUSED AT BAYLOR HOSPITAL.
UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT, UM, PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS COLLEGE.
UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL KIDS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
ONE PROGRAM IS CALLED PROGRAM INSPIRE, IN WHICH THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE 18 AND OVER AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODWILL BRIDGES, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, YOUNG, YOUNG LIGHT, AND TEXAS A AND M.
CRI MAGNET CITY IS ONE, THE PROGRAM I OVERSEE.
IT IS HOUSED, UM, NEAR IN DALLAS, ISD ON RUST AVENUE, WHICH IS AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOL 75 AREA.
THIS SCHOOL IS STRICTLY ONLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 18 AND OVER.
THIS MEANS THESE STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY HAVE TO RETURN BECAUSE A, UH, COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT QUITE READY TO ENTER THE REAL WORLD WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO HERE AT THIS SCHOOL, WE OFFER SEVERAL PROGRAMS, SEVERAL SUPPORTS, AND WE'LL GO OVER SOME OF THOSE SUPPORTS IN A MINUTE.
THE DALLAS ISD SPECIAL SERVICES.
TRANSITION FAIR IS ONE OF OUR MAIN, UH, EVENTS HERE IN DALLAS THIS YEAR WILL BE HELD MAY THE SECOND AT ADAMSON HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I, WE INVITE PARENTS AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT, FROM OTHER DISTRICT ALSO, WE DON'T LIMIT IT TO JUST OUR PARENTS WHO KIDS ATTEND DALLAS, ISD.
SO ANY PARENT WHO WANTS TO ATTEND, THEY COULD COME TO GET A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.
WE HAVE VENDORS, WE HAVE, UM, RESOURCES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND ADULTHOOD.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR EVENTS HERE, UM, IN DALLAS, ISD FOR OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES.
I WANNA GO BACK TO MULTIPLE CAREERS MAGNET CENTER.
UM, I THINK THIS SLIDE IS MISSING.
UM, BUT THIS SCHOOL PARTNERS WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE LEAVING SUCCESSFULLY.
UM, OUR STUDENTS DO COME TO SCHOOL, UM, WHEN THEY CAN.
SOME STUDENTS GO TO WORK, SOME STUDENTS GO TO COLLEGE.
SOME STUDENTS DO ATTEND SCHOOL EVERY DAY, BUT THEIR SCHEDULE IS NOT BASED ON A BELL TO BELL SCHEDULE, MEANING THEY DON'T SIT IN THE CLASSROOM ALL DAY.
THEIR CLASSROOM IS THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE STRESS THAT ONCE STUDENTS ENTER THIS, THIS FACILITY, THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THEY ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
[01:00:01]
SLIDE PLEASE.I NOTE I'LL SENT THREE QUESTIONS.
SO I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. WHEELER, FOR THIS VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE, HOWEVER, WAS THE, SO THE, THE, THE SCHOOL YOU'RE MENTIONING WHERE YOU PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT BE READY TO TRANSITION YET INTO OUT LIFE OUT OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL.
IN PLANO, ISD, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A VARIETY OF ABILITIES, THEY MAY NOT BE READY TO TRANSITION.
SO WHAT THEY DO IS, RATHER THAN STAYING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WALK ACROSS THE STAGE DURING GRADUATION AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND RECEIVE SERVICES AT COLIN COLLEGE.
IS IT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT OR ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES? YES, IT'S SIMILAR.
UM, PLANO, ISB, RICHARDSON, GARLAND, WE ALL MEET TOGETHER AND WE GO TO REGION 10.
SO YES, WE HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THAT, BUT OUR PROGRAM INCLUDE MANY MORE ASPECTS WITH US HERE IN DALLAS.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS OVER 250 STUDENTS WHO FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST HOUSED AT THIS SCHOOL.
THIS SCHOOL ONLY HAS 75 STUDENTS.
SO I ALSO HAVE TO WORK WITH TEACHERS ON ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPS.
SO, AND TELL WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, DO THEY GO TO COLLIN COUNTY? YES, THEY GO TO EASTFIELD.
I HAVE A COMPONENT WHERE OUR STUDENTS GO TO EASTFIELD TO ATTEND SCHOOL, BUT ALSO HAVE 'EM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE OVER 60, 60 PARTNERSHIPS OUT THERE IN THE CITY, WHICH OUR KIDS MAY GO TO WORK FOR PAID OR NON-PAID EMPLOYMENT.
UM, THEY JUST MAY BE DOING SHADOWING DIFFERENT, UM, DEPARTMENTS OUT THERE IN THE CITY.
SO IT'S A LOT TO ENTAIL IN WHICH I, UM, I THINK I MISSED THAT COMPONENT OR THAT SLIDE WAS NOT IN HERE.
BUT YES, WE DO HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM.
AND BEFORE I PASS IT ON TO COMMISSIONERS, I DID WANT TO ASK ONE FINE, ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, FOR MOST STUDENTS, THEY, THEIR MAIN POST-SECONDARY OPTION OR THE, THE ONE THAT THEY CHOOSE IS ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL OR NOT HIGH SCHOOL.
ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY CHOOSE TO GO INTO HIGHER EDUCATION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE ANY SERVICES THAT, UH, HELP STUDENTS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EXPOSING THEM TO COLLEGE LEVEL, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM PREPARE FOR THE SAT EXAMS AND OTHER, OTHER AREAS LIKE THAT SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY TRANSITION INTO HIGHER EDUCATION.
SO ON EACH OF ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES, UM, THE DISTRICT HAVE TWO, UM, PROGRAMS. THEY EITHER HAVE A EIF OR DON'T ASK ME WHAT THEY MEAN.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO IS HIRED BY THE DISTRICT TO WORK WHERE OUR STUDENT WITH HIGHER EDUCATION.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT, UM, OUR, UH, SUPERINTENDENT STEPHANIE ZALES, SHE MADE SURE THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE PROGRAM HAD A, UM, MADE SURE THEY ARE EXPOSED TO OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
'CAUSE IN THE PAST THEY MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT.
SO NOW ONLY DO THEY HAVE COUNSELORS ON THEIR CAMPUS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THEM, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY MAY GO THROUGH, UM, DIFFERENT TYPE OF SCHOLARSHIPS.
UM, I ACTUALLY, MY DEPARTMENT TAKES STUDENTS OVER TO COLLEGES TO THE, UH, ABILITY OFFICE SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND ONCE THEY ENTER COLLEGE, WHAT TYPE OF PAPERWORK THEY NEED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENTS TO IT, BUT YES, WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES, I JUST DID A PRESENTATION FOR OUR PARENTS TALKING ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION, ACTUALLY LETTING 'EM KNOW WHAT IS THE PROCESS, HOW THEY COULD FIND THE APPROPRIATE CAMPUS OR COLLEGE FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
SO THERE'S MANY AVENUES WE MAKE SURE WE WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BY GETTING THEM TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. WHEELER, FOR THOSE RESPONSES.
I WILL NOW PASS THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK DISTRICT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF MS. WHEELER.
I DO KNOW MS. WHEELER AND I DO LIVE IN OAK CLIFF.
AND SHE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY, VERY INVOLVED, AND SHE IS VERY INTERESTED IN EXPOSING HER STUDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS DISABLED STUDENTS SOMETIMES GET, UM, THE SHORT END OF THE STIGMA WHEN IT COMES TO EXPOSURE, BUT NOT WITH MS. WHEELER.
UH, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE, THAT I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, ASSIST YOU AND TO SUPPORT YOU IN THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
[01:05:01]
MUCH.NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, KIMBERLY FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND PUTTING THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND COMING BEFORE US.
UH, I DID SUBMIT THOSE THREE QUESTIONS TO YOU, UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON WHAT I WAS, UH, THINKING ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THOSE.
BUT I THINK YOU HAVE THEM, IF YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THEM.
SO I WANT, THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, UH, WHAT IS MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROS AND CONS OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION CHOICE SCHOOL BEING BETTER SERVE, BETTER SERVING STUDENTS? UH, AND I I AM IN FAVOR OF CHOICE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT PARENTS WANT STUDENTS, I, I UNDERSTAND.
I WAS ACTUALLY, UM, ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOL WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY.
WHAT I DO ENCOUNT DAILY IS PHONE CALLS FROM PARENTS FROM PRIVATE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, WE ARE MANDATED TO DO THINGS, BUT NOT THAT WE ARE JUST MANDATED.
WE HAVE A PASSION TO MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES.
THEY NEED TO BE, UH, SUCCESSFUL AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT WHEN I RECEIVE THE CALLS FROM PARENTS, FROM PRIVATE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS ASKING WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP, THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT I'M NOT JUST WORKING FOR DALLAS, ISD, I'M WORKING FOR STUDENTS ALL OVER THIS, THIS METRO CLASS.
AND WHAT I DO WITH THOSE PARENTS, EITHER I BRING 'EM INTO MY OFFICE, I TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEP.
UM, WE HAVE PARENT MEETINGS, UM, EVERY TUESDAY IN DALLAS.
AND WHEN IT RELATE TO TRANSITION, I MAKE SURE THEY GET THOSE EMAILS TO COME TO THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE THING THAT I SEE THAT MANY TIMES, EVEN THOUGH THE STUDENTS ARE PROBABLY RECEIVING MORE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION AND INSTRUCTION WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSITIONING TO LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, THOSE, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUCH AS TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION OR METRO CARE OR ANY OTHER PARTNERS, THE PARENTS DO NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE STILL IS REQUIRED TO SERVE PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO WORKING WITH THOSE SCHOOLS AND PARENTS, DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL? YES.
UH, DO YOU NEED ME TO REWRITE THEM? OKAY.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION WAS, UM, HOW CAN FAMILIES FIND THE RESOURCES ABOUT MEDICAID WAIVERS AND ECI, WHICH IS EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTRUCTION? THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I JUST PRESENTED TO PARENTS AND AGAIN, SOME PRIVATE SCHOOL PARENTS ATTENDED THIS, UM, TRAINING BECAUSE THERE IS INFORMATION OUT THERE ON OUR WEBSITE, DALLAS, ISD, UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE SPECIAL SERVICES WEBPAGE AND, UM, CLICK TRANSITION AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THE MEDICAID WAIVERS.
ALSO ON REGION 10, UM, THERE IS A, UM, A DOCUMENT CALLED THE TEXAS TRANSITION EMPLOYMENT GUIDE, WHICH TALK ABOUT MEDICAID WAIVERS.
BUT WE KNOW OUR PARENTS NEED MORE THAN JUST DOCUMENTS OUT THERE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS' ANNUAL MEETINGS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GIVE THE PARENTS THE INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICAID WAIVERS.
UM, ALSO, AGAIN, MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS OPEN.
I JUST WENT OVER TRAINING, DISCUSSING MEDICAID WAIVERS AND SOME OF THOSE PARENTS WAS IN TEARS KNOWING THAT THERE IS SERVICES OUT THERE THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAVE INTO, SO MY HOMEWORK TO ALL THOSE PARENTS WAS TO CALL THAT MEDICAID METROCARE INTAKE NUMBER AND DON'T LET, I DON'T WANT PARENTS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY QUALIFY FOR METROCARE.
LET THEM TELL YOU WHAT YOU QUALIFY FOR.
AND ONCE STUDENTS TURN 18, A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS BASED ON THE CHILD INCOME.
SO THE CHILD NORMALLY HAVE AN INCOME OF ZERO AT 18 IF THEY'RE WORKING PART-TIME MAYBE.
SO THAT'S MEAN THEIR MEDICAID WAIVERS ARE, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE INCOME.
UM, AND SO I HAVE MANY PARENTS NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THE WEBSITE IS OUT THERE, BUT THEY CAN ALWAYS CONTACT MY OFFICE.
I CAN DO THAT ONE-ON-ONE WITH PARENTS ALSO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PROBLEM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? YES.
HE HAD ONE MORE QUESTION AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION.
THERE'S A NEW STATE MANDATE WHERE IT ACTUALLY BEEN OUT PROBABLY A YEAR NOW ABOUT TEXAS DRIVE WITH DISABILITY.
AND ACTUALLY WHAT IT DOES, IT WILL ALLOW, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMUNICATION IMPEDIMENT, UH, WITH MAYBE WITH PEACE OFFICERS LIKE FIRE PEOPLE AND, UM, POLICE OFFICERS.
THERE COULD BE A STATEMENT PUT ON THEIR ID AND DRIVER'S LICENSE TO LET THEM KNOW, HEY, YOU MAY NEED TO CALL SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE THIS PERSON HAVE A COMMUNICATION DISORDER.
AND HIS QUESTION WAS, HOW DO WE GET THAT OUT TO THE PARENTS? WELL, AGAIN, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT EVERY PRESENTATION I PRESENT TO PARENTS, THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING I MAKE SURE THEY KNOW OF.
[01:10:01]
ALSO, UM, HAVE A DISTRICT PROGRAM WHERE WE TAKE THE STUDENTS OUT TO DPS.SO ANY HIGH SCHOOL IN DALLAS CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME.
WE WOULD SET THAT UP WITH THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE ON 20, UH, I CAN'T THINK OF THIS OUT THERE ON 20, IN OAK CLIFF, THEY SHUT DOWN THREE STATION FOR US.
WE TAKE OUR KIDS THROUGH THERE AND ALSO THE PARENTS KNOW WHAT PAPERWORK THEY NEED, THAT PIECE OF PAPER, THEY NEED TO GET THAT, UH, STATEMENT PUT ON THEIR ID OR DRIVER LICENSE IS WITH THEM.
UM, BUT WE JUST MAKE SURE OUR PARENTS KNOW.
'CAUSE WE DO WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE SAFE AND OUR ADULTS TO BE SAFE OUT THERE AND ON AND ONLY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOME TYPE OF STATEMENT THEY HAVE ON THEIR ID OR THEIR DRIVER LICENSE.
SO YES, THIS IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR, MAJOR COMPONENT AT THE AGE OF 13 AT EVERY ANNUAL MEETING.
THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO GIVEN TO THE PARENT AT EVERY MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MOVE TO COMMISSIONER WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE.
UM, DO YOU SERVE 5 0 4 AS WELL AS SPECIAL ED? I DON'T, BUT UM, I DO WORK WITH TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, WHICH INCLUDES 5 0 4 STUDENTS, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT FOR THAT.
IT'S IN MY DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT PERSON.
AARON GRACIE AND I THINK Y'ALL KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN GRACIE, THAT'S HIS WIFE.
SHE'S ACTUALLY OVER THE 5 0 4 PROGRAM HERE.
UM, MY DAUGHTER WAS 5 0 4 IN DALLAS.
I'M A DALLAS PRODUCT TO BRIAN ADAMS. AND UM, I GOT A LEARNING DIFFERENCE DIAGNOSED WITH HER.
SHE HAD TYPE ONE DIABETES, SO THAT'S WHY SHE WAS 5 0 4.
AND, UH, SHE GOT DIAGNOSED WITH DISCULA AND THE TEACHER TOLD ME SHE WAS TIRED OF, UH, PARENTS USING MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AS AN EXCUSE FOR POOR PARENTING.
UM, I'M HOPING Y'ALL ARE EDUCATING TEACHERS.
UM, ERIN GRACIE IS OVER THAT PROGRAM.
AND ACTUALLY NOT JUST PARENTS, BUT THE DISTRICT HAVE TO TAKE AN ANNUAL TRAINING EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS INTERESTING NOW 'CAUSE IT HADN'T HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
AND THAT TRAINING TEACH YOU HOW TO WORK WITH PARENTS, HOW TO WORK WITH STUDENTS, THE LAW ABOUT 5 0 4.
MY SON RECEIVED SERVICES HERE AT DALLAS, ISD AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE FOR ME.
NOW, I WORK HERE NOW, BUT AGAIN, I TELL MY PARENTS IN WHICH THEY, THEY REALLY, UM, GLAD THAT I'M A, I'M VERY TRUTHFUL WITH THEM.
I LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.
UM, NOW SOMETIMES I BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I'M GONNA LOSE MY JOB TODAY, BUT, OH, WELL WE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THIS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO BE TRUTHFUL WITH OUR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES SENDING US THESE KIDS EVERY DAY AND THEY SENDING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN AND THEY WANT US TO BE THE EXPERT.
SO, YES, I, I VERY, UM, COMPASSIONATE ABOUT STUDENTS AND ESPECIALLY WITH SITUATIONS THAT YOU HAD, BECAUSE WE HAVE 'EM HERE, BUT AGAIN, WHEN THEY DIAL MY NUMBER, WE ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE STATE FAULT.
THAT'S, IT'S NOT THAT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR.
I HELPED WRITE FIVE OH FOURS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR MM-HMM
KIDS WITH TYPE ONE DIABETES AND, UM, ACTUALLY HELPED CHANGE THE LAW HERE IN TEXAS.
YOU'RE DOING WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL WORK.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INCREDIBLE PRESENTATION.
UH, I THINK WE CAN ALL TELL THAT YOU'RE EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE SERVICES AND I THINK THE COMMI THIS COMMISSION ESPECIALLY REALLY APPRECIATES THAT.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, THE SPECIAL SERVICES TRANSITION FAIR THAT YOU MENTIONED NEXT YEAR.
UM, IS THAT FAIR? UH, IS IT OPEN TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS? UM, I, I HAVE A, UH, A NONPROFIT THAT I WORK WITH THAT, UH, DOES, UH, VOCATIONAL SERVICES FOR, UM, SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, ADULTS WITH, UH, INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS.
AND, UM, I I, I THINK THAT THEY MAY BE VERY INTERESTED IN POTENTIALLY BEING ABLE TO GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SET UP A BOOTH.
IS THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLE? IT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU HAVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS HERE ON THIS PRESENTATION.
EMAIL ME, UM, EVERYONE OFF, EVERYONE ELSE IS OFF TODAY.
NOW I'M IN THE BUILDING BY MYSELF.
UM, BUT AS SOON AS WE COME BACK ON MONDAY, UM, MS. MONTGOMERY SHEATH IS THE CHAIRPERSON OVER THE COMMITTEE.
SHE WOULD EMAIL YOU THE INFORMATION, BUT DEFINITELY, AND IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER PARTNERS WHO WANNA, OR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, PLEASE SEND US.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS IS GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION THEY CAN.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER
[01:15:01]
HUSHKA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. WHEELER? UH, NO QUESTIONS.JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
IN, IN THAT CASE THEN THIS CONCLUDES THE BRIEFING SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SINCERELY APPRECIATE MS. WHEELER FOR TAKING HER TIME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATIVE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH US.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND SINCERELY WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
UM, AS MY MOM ALWAYS SAYS, EDUCATION NEEDS TEACHERS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AS TEDIOUS AS IT MAY SEEM, I FEEL LIKE EDUCATION IS TRULY THE ONLY TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO, UH, CHANGE THE WORLD AND SHAPE PERSPECTIVES.
AND IT REALLY REQUIRES HAVING A PASSION TO HELP STUDENTS AND SERVE AND SERVE THOSE WHO MAY BE IN NEED.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, MA'AM.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE NOW MOVING TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS PORTION OF OUR SECTION.
UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, I SHOULD SAY NOVEMBER, IS NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS THESE INDIVIDUALS MAKE ON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THEY CERTAINLY PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO SOLELY RELY ON THEM FOR SUPPORT.
NOVEMBER ALSO MARKS EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 200, OVER 2.9 MILLION ADULTS AND 470,000 CHILDREN ARE IMPACTED BY THIS CONDITION.
EPILEPSY CAN BE CAUSED BY VARYING FACTORS INCLUDING GENETIC DEFORMITIES, BRAIN INJURIES, RESULTING FROM TRAUMA AND OTHER CONDITIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO IT SUCH AS A STROKE.
LET US TAKE THIS MOMENT TO RAISE AWARENESS, PROVIDE SUPPORT, AND SHARE RESOURCES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AS THERE MAY BE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NEED THEM.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL NOT BE MEETING IN DECEMBER, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE IT'S JANUARY 24TH AND OR JANUARY 27TH.
AND THEN UNTIL THEN, I, UNTIL THEN, I CERTAINLY WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON, AND I WILL HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY AT MY CLOSING REMARKS ONCE WE ADJOURN.
BUT FOR NOW, THIS CONCLUDES MY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO PASS THE, THE MIC OVER TO COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FROM DISTRICT ONE IF SHE HAS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
DO YOU HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
CERTAINLY COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE, UM, TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ONE WAS THE DISABILITY EXPO, UH, THAT'S COMING UP DECEMBER 5TH THROUGH THE SEVENTH.
UH, IT'S FOR EACH OF THE PUBLIC.
IT'S EARLY ACCESS FOR THOSE WITH SENSORY, UH, DISABILITIES.
DISABILITIES STARTING AT 10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH.
UM, THIS IS A GREAT EXPO FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, WORK WITH SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, TO EXPERIENCE THEM.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, THERE WAS INVITATION TO TEXAS PARTNERS FOR INCLUSIVE ACCESS, WHICH MEETS THE THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, UH, AT 1:00 PM UH, THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING NEXT YEAR.
UH, THIS WAS A INVITATION FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE, DISTRICT NINE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11.
NO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSKA DISTRICT 13.
IN THAT CASE THEN I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THEM A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'M GOING TO CALL ON A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR? I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK.
ACTUALLY, ONE HAS TO, SECOND ONE HAS TO SECOND.
COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE? AYE.
COMMISSIONER WIX, DISTRICT THREE.
COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
AND COMMISSIONER BANKS DISTRICT 11.
AND LAST, BUT, UH, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER SKO DISTRICT 13.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING FOR NOVEMBER.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MEETING HAS ADJOURNED.
[01:20:01]
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER CLOSING REMARKS BEFORE, UH, BEFORE YOU ALL ARE RELEASED AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR OTHER COMMITMENTS.OUR COMMISSIONER HAS GAINED ANOTHER YEAR IN AGE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY OUR PRESIDING MAYOR, ERIC L. JOHNSON, TO WHOM, UH, WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.
THIS COMMISSION IS THE VERY FIRST OF ITS KIND EVER IN DALLAS.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE SINCE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE HE CREATED ONE.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT TO HIM FOR THE DOING THIS.
AND OUR COMMISSION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW.
AND CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT DALLAS COUNTY IS, UH, AMONG THE HIGHEST, UM, THAT HOLDS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POPULATION, UH, IN TEXAS AS A WHOLE, DALLAS COUNTY IS AMONG, IT'S, IT'S AMONG THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF HAVING A, A LARGE POPULATION, WHICH MEANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU, WORKING WITH YOU, AND LEARNING FROM YOU IN THE COMING YEAR.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY SAFE, HAPPY, AND JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON EACH YEAR WHEN THE HOLIDAY SEASON COMES, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT I'M THANKFUL FOR AS I REFLECT ON ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME.
AND ONE OF THE BLESSINGS THAT I'M THANKFUL FOR IS MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON, A JOYOUS TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND A VERY BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU BACK HERE IN JANUARY, RIGHT AFTER THE NEW YEAR BEGINS.
AND JUST FOR REFERENCE OR FOR THE RECORDS, THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT 3:25 PM THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND ITS ONGOING EFFORTS.