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MEETING.[Commission on Disabilities on January 29, 2026.]
IS TU THURSDAY, JANUARY 29TH, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:37 PM WE HAVE FINALLY MADE QUORUM, AND THIS MEETING IS NOW BEING CALLED TO ORDER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS PRIOR TO BEGINNING WITH ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON AND KEEP THEM ON AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LASTLY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONERS IN THIS MEETING HAVE MANY CONCERNS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US.
WE HEAR YOU, BUT KINDLY ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER, AND DUE TO ALL THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE COMING IN, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS IN ORDER TO GIVE OTHERS, OTHER COMMISSIONERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND OPENLY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH ALL COMMISSIONERS A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.
MAY, 2026 BE A PRODUCTIVE YEAR FULL OF GROWTH SHARING AND WORKING TOGETHER AS THE CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
IT IS MORE THAN JUST ADVANCING ACCESSIBILITY.
OUR REAL AIM HERE IS TO CREATE SPACES WHERE LEARNING IS RIGOROUS, WHERE DIALOGUE IS CIVIL, RESPECTFUL, AND INCLUSIVE.
AND OF COURSE, WHERE DIGNITY IS ALWAYS AT THE CENTER OF EACH CONVERSATION.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE AS CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, THAT HUMAN RIGHTS IS A COMPONENT THAT MUST BE, UH, INCLUDED AS WE STRIVE TO, UH, REFLECTIVELY GOVERN OURSELVES AS A BODY.
IN OTHER WORDS, HUMAN RIGHTS IS THE ESSENCE TO EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE.
I AM NOW GONNA GET STARTED WITH ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, STARTING ON ITEM NUMBER ONE.
ACTUALLY, I JUST CALLED A MEETING TO ORDER.
NOW WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING PRESENT, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASCOCK.
DISTRICT THREE OR PART, EXCUSE ME.
UH, CANDACE WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
DISTRICT TWO IS VACANT PRESENT.
ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
COMMISSIONER BRYCE BANKS, DISTRICT 11 PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSKA FROM DISTRICT 13 HAS INFORMED US THAT HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
NEXT WE'RE GOING TO COMMISSIONER ASHLEY LINDSAY, DISTRICT 14 PRESENT.
AND THIS IS JOHN CAL, CALMLY, CHAIRMAN, MAYOR APPOINTEE, DISTRICT 15.
I WANT TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO COME JOIN US.
THE MORE VOICES WE HEAR, THE STRONGER WE CAN BE AND THE BETTER FORCE WE CAN BECOME IN DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE.
YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES IS ALWAYS VALUED AND APPRECIATED.
WE'RE NOW MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE, I DID WANNA INFORM YOU GUYS, OR WE DID WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT THERE ARE SOME ATTENDEES WHO ARE JOINING US AS ATTENDEES ONLY, NOT COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS THE TIME IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO DISABILITY.
KINDLY BE ADVISED THAT YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOUR TESTIMONY.
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OKAY.SO SHOULD I JUST GO AND CONCLUDE FOR THOSE ATTENDEES WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY ON WEBEX, IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND SO THAT YOU WILL BE KNOWN AND YOU'LL ALSO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY.
AND I, SO IN THIS CASE THEN, SINCE NO ONE HAS VOLUNTEERED, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
I KNOW I SAY THIS AT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO INVITE ANY INDIVIDUALS FROM WITHIN THEIR CIRCLES WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON ANY ISSUES PERTAINING TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, MAY WE ASK THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OBSERVING, IF THEY WOULD JUST LET US KNOW IF THEY ARE A CITIZEN OF THE CITY AND WHAT DISTRICT THEY LIVE IN.
FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ATTENDING AS GUESTS ONLY, CAN YOU PLEASE SIGNIFY YOUR NAME? AND CAN YOU PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING YOUR NAME AND YOUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT SO WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE? CARRIE PARK.
WHAT DOES SHE WANT ME? UM, WE HAVE MS. CARRIE PARKS FROM METROCARE, WHO I BELIEVE WISHES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, WE HAVE OUR TECHNICAL RESOURCE PANELIST.
CAN YOU PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT SO WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE? THEY CAN'T UNMUTE THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE UNMUTING THEMSELVES.
IT MAYBE IF SOMEBODY COULD UNMUTE THEM, WHO OWNS THE MEETING? OKAY.
FOR YOU GUYS, FOR YOU ATTENDEES AND GUESTS, MS. SELENA MEEKS HAS MADE YOU ALL PANELISTS, WHICH MEANS YOU ARE ABLE TO UNMUTE YOURSELVES.
IF YOU WISH TO SAY WHO YOU ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.
I'M TECHNICAL ADVISOR TO THE COMMISSION.
I JUST ATTEND ALL THE MEETINGS TO BE A SUPPORT FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.
I AM PLEASED TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THAT I AM NOW ON THE DART DIS UH, THE, UH, DART HANDY, UH, PARATRANSIT DISABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, MS. REVY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
IN THAT CASE THEN, WE, SINCE WE HAVE NOW WE KNOW WHO IS ATTENDING THE MEETING AS COMMISSIONERS AND GUESTS.
LET'S, WE'RE NOW READY TO MOVE TO I THE NEXT ITEMS, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.
IN IT MEETING MINUTES, ARE THERE ANY EDITS THAT COMMISSIONERS WISH TO MAKE? I WILL START BY CALLING EACH OF YOU, AND IF YOU WISH TO MAKE EDITS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO EXPRESS THEM.
IF NOT, YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME TO SAY NO IF YOU WISH NOT TO DO SO.
STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
UM, COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE, DO YOU WISH TO PROVIDES ANY EDITS? NO EDITS.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE, ANY EDITS? JUST THAT THE DATE BE CORRECTED ON THE MEETING MINUTES.
IT READS MAY 26TH, 2024 IN THE HEADINGS,
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AND IT SHOULD READ NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025.THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR THAT EDIT.
WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE NOTE OF IT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS, DISTRICT 11.
DO YOU WISH TO MAKE ANY EDITS TO THE MEETING MINUTES? NO.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER LINDSAY.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY AND MAYOR APPOINTEE.
I WISH TO MAKE NO EDITS AS WELL.
IN THAT CASE, I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 25TH, 2020 FIFTH, 2025 BE ACCEPTED AS READ AND EDITED.
PARDON ME? MAY I, CAN YOU PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT SO WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
COMMISSIONER WICKS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? IT'S A PARLIAMENTARY, UM, CLARIFICATION AND POINT OF ORDER.
UH, SINCE YOU, SIR, ARE THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THIS MEETING, YOU CAN ENTERTAIN MOTIONS, BUT, UH, MOTIONS NEED TO COME FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MOTION, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
SECOND, YOU CAN'T PRESIDE AND MAKE A MOTION.
ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THERE IS A MIS CLARIFICATION THERE.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENT.
BUT IN THE PAST, WHEN I, SINCE YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND IF NO COMMISSIONER VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE MOTIONS, THEN THE PRESIDING OFFICER DOES, AND THEN SOMEBODY HAS TO SECOND.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING OF ROBERT'S RULES IS THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE PRESIDING OFFICER, YOU ONLY ARE TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ENTERTAINMENT OF A MOTION.
AND THEN ANOTHER COMMISSIONER WILL ENTERTAIN, AND THEN ANOTHER COMMISSIONER WILL SECOND, AND THEN YOU WILL CARRY THE MOTION TO EXPEDITE THINGS.
I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE MINUTES.
I SECOND THE COMMISS WOULD LIKE TO SECOND SECONDED.
SO, A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025.
AS READ AND EDITED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ AND EDITED.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION OF AND CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES FY 2025 ANNUAL REPORT.
IF YOU MAY RECALL FROM OUR MEETING IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE ANNUAL, THE ANNUAL REPORT IS ABOUT.
IT IS ESSENTIALLY A DOCUMENT THAT, UH, HIGHLIGHTS THE MISSION AND GOALS OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
IT ALSO ADDRESSES THE, THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES, UM, FROM PRE THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AS WELL AS PROPOSED OBJECTIVES AND GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY.
BEFORE WE DISCUSS IN FULL DETAIL AND CONSIDER MAKING EDITS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, CHRISTOPHER GRAVES, TO OFFER A FEW WORDS.
CHRIS GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO BE ABLE TO THANK YOU CHAIR FOR LETTING ME SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO'S PROVIDED FEEDBACK TO THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COMMISSION DRIVEN REPORT WHERE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO COME TOGETHER TO DECIDE BOTH WHAT TO REPORT ON IN THE PAST FOR THE PAST YEAR, AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS WHAT TO PRIORITIZE FOR THE YEAR TO COME.
SO, EVEN THOUGH WE ASKED FOR FEEDBACK EARLY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T PROVIDE FEEDBACK DAY OF, WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE AN ORDERLY WAY TO INCORPORATE EDITS.
I DO WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT WHEN WE SENT THE REPORT OUT, WE ALSO INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL AND COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
AND IF THOSE ARE EDITS, YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THOSE TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND THEN I I JUST HAVE ONE SUGGESTION JUST SO WE, UH, PROCEED IN THE ORDERLY
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FASHION, AND SO WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING.IF, IF THERE IS AN EDIT, IF WE CAN FOCUS ON THAT EDIT AND THE MOTION MADE TO CONSIDER THAT EDIT.
AND THEN WITH OTHER EDITS, WE'LL TAKE THEM EDIT BY EDIT, SO THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE WE INCORPORATE EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, WE HAVE MS. SELENA MEEKS, WHO'S ASSISTING US.
SHE'S GONNA BE MAKING THE EDITS LIVE.
SO THAT WAY THE DOCUMENT WE END UP WITH AT THE END IS THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS.
AND SO SHE'LL BE USING TRACK CHANGES.
AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER QUICK NOTE THAT WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE APPROVED REPORT WITH EDITS BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT SIGNED BY, OF COURSE, CHAIR CALL CONLEY STAMPED BY THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
SO THAT'S WHY IN THE AGENDA IT SAYS, DISCUSSION OF CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO MAKE EDITS OR YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO BRING UP COMMISSIONER WHITE'S OR COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S EDITS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRAYS, FOR BRIEFLY GOING OVER WITH US, THE PROCEDURES FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO GO ABOUT ADDRESSING THIS.
SO, AS MR. GRACE HAD MENTIONED, IT WILL BE BEST TO, UH, SPEAK ABOUT AND EDIT ONE AT A TIME SO THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, CONFUSED.
YOU'RE EITHER WELCOME TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS YOURSELF, OR YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE EDITS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY BOTH COMMISSIONERS ROCKWELL AND WHITE.
I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
I'M SORRY, HERE, ARE WE JUST SAYING IF WE HAVE ANY EDITS TO THE ANNUAL REPORT? YEAH.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING EDITS THAT EITHER YOU, YOURSELF WANT TO MAKE TO THE EDITS, OR IF YOU WANT TO, WE COULD, YOU COULD BRING UP THE EDITS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY COMMISSIONERS WHITE AND ROCKWELL AND, AND YOU COULD SHARE OR DIS WE COULD DISCUSS THOSE AS WELL.
SO IT'S ULTIMATELY UP TO YOU IN TERMS OF HOW YOU WANT TO APPROACH THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY EDITS FOR THE REPORT.
UM, YES, COMMISSIONER WICKS, UM, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
SO DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR WAS IT JUST, I I THINK IT WAS, I HAVEN'T PUT IT DOWN FROM THE, UH, THE LAST, UM, COMMENT OKAY.
UM, COMMISSIONER WICKS, DO YOU WISH TO DISCUSS EDITS YOU WANT TO SEE MADE ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, OR DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS EDITS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY COMMISSIONERS ROCKWELL AND WHITE FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT? NO, SINCE COMMISSIONERS, UH, ROCKWELL AND WHITE WERE THE ONES THAT, UH, MADE COMMENTS, UM, I'LL WAIT.
NEXT WE'RE MOVING TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
YOU DID PROVIDE US WITH EDITS IN WRITING IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE MADE, BUT, BUT IN OR, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY, UM, IT WOULD BE BEST FOR YOU TO SHARE WITH US FOR THE RECORD SO THAT WE HAVE IT AND THAT WE COULD DISCUSS IT ABOUT IT AS A BODY.
UM, I'LL JUST QUICKLY SUMMARIZE SOME OF THOSE THINGS, BUT I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THEM IN WRITING.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WAS A RECOMMENDATION.
THAT APPOINTMENT OF ADVICE SHOULD BE MADE BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IN THERE I RECOMMENDED CANDACE WOODS, OUR COMMISSIONER FROM DISTRICT THREE.
THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR THE FILLING OF VACANT DISTRICT SEATS BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, GIVEN THAT OUR COMMISSION HAS A NUMBER OF VACANCY AT THIS MOMENT, UM, IT'D BE INCUMBENT UPON CITY COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS, BUT I THINK HAVING THIS BEING, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO ENABLE US TO CARRY OUT OUR WORK AS A COMMISSION, UH, WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL IF THE CITY COUNCIL DID IT.
UH, THE NEXT ONE WAS TO UPDATE THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THE WEBSITE ACTUALLY DOES NOT REFLECT, UH, THE CURRENT COMMISSIONERS FOR THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
UH, AND ALSO A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONS ACTUALLY DON'T REFLECT THEIR CURRENT, UH, APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN LASTLY, THERE WAS JUST A, UH, REORDERING OF SOME OF THE PROPOSALS, UM, THAT I PLACED IN THERE.
ONE WAS TO, I'LL JUST SIMPLY READ WHAT THE PROPOSED REORDERING IS, UH, WHERE ONE WOULD BE TO PROMOTE DISABILITY AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND CIVIC INCLUSION.
AND THEN TWO, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DATA INFORMED ADVOCACY.
AND THREE, UNDERSTAND ACCESSIBILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN FOUR, EXPAND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, HOUSING AND WORKFORCE I, POLLUTION.
AND THEN FIVE, ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ACCESS.
UM, I DID RECOMMEND THAT WE REMOVE
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ONE B UH, THERE AS WELL.SO THERE ARE A FEW OTHER SMALLER AMENDMENTS, UM, THAT I'VE PLACED INTO THAT DOCUMENT, UH, FOR REVIEW.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU FOR PROVIDING THOSE EDITS, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR MOST OF THE EDITS YOU PROVIDED ARE APPROPRIATE.
BUT FOR REFERENCE, COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT ONE B WAS? SURE.
ONE B WAS TO COORDINATE BRIEFINGS AND MAKE ADVISORY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES CAN ADVANCE THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BY TAKING ON A HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER APPROACH TO ITS WORK, WHILE ALSO REMAINING FOCUSED ON ISSUES INCLUDING ADDICTION AND OTHERS.
UH, MY RATIONALE FOR REQUESTING OR MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT BE INTRODUCED TERM TERMINOLOGY THAT DEVIATES FROM THE COMMISSION'S MISSION AS ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY CODE.
AND IT ALREADY DEFINES THE SCOPE, PURPOSE, AND ADVISORY ROLE OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S REDUNDANT.
UM, AT WORSE, I'M SORRY, AT BEST.
AND THEN AT WORST, IT COULD BE MISLEADING FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE LANGUAGE BEING USED IN ONE VIEW.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU WISH TO NOT MAKE FURTHER EDITS, I WILL BE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT COMMISSION, AND THAT WILL BE COMMISSIONER BANKS FROM DISTRICT 11.
UM, I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE ANY EDITS, UH, BUT I, I DO, UM, AGREE WITH ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THE CHANGES.
I, I, THE ONLY CLARIFYING QUESTION THAT I HAVE, UM, IS THE, THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IN COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S, UH, LIST IS, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UM, TO, TO RECOMMEND THE APPOINTMENT OF, OF COMMISSIONER WIX FOR THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, I, I, I THINK THE COMMISSIONER WICKS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT VICE CHAIR, BUT I AM, I'M WONDERING IS IT APPROPRIATE OR DOES IT MAKE SENSE AS FAR AS, BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST, UM, COMMISSION REPORT THAT I'VE SEEN, IT'S MY FIRST YEAR ON IT.
IS IT NORMAL FOR THE COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND THAT KIND OF THING IN THE, UM, YEARLY REPORT? AND ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT THE APPOINTMENT ITSELF IS DONE BY THE MAYOR AND NOT BY THE, THE CITY COUNT OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, IS IT, IS THAT APPROPRIATE TO HAVE IN IT? DOES IT? I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE KNOWS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER BANKS FOR CLARIFYING THIS.
SO IN TERMS OF HOW APPOINTMENT WORKS, APPOINTMENTS WORK, THE ONLY PERSON THE MAYOR APPOINTS IS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, WHICH AT THIS POINT IS MYSELF.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, IN TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED BY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICT.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE APPOINTED BY YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FROM YOUR DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE IN.
UM, JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO MORE RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
BUT I THINK YOU DO MAKE A VALID POINT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HONESTLY IS APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL REPORT BECAUSE APPOINTMENTS ARE ONLY MADE BY CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S SOMETHING WORTHY TO BE BROUGHT UP AND IT'S SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING.
BUT, BUT PERSONALLY, IT'S NOT WORTH, IT IS NOT, I WOULD SAY NOT, UH, NOT WORTH INCLUDING IN THERE.
AND, UM, I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER FOR US TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL, UM, IN THE FORM OF A, A MOTION THAT WE ACTUALLY DO IN A MEETING, PERHAPS.
UM, AND NOT NECESSARILY IN THE YEARLY REPORT, BUT I, I DO THINK IT'S A, IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA TO RECOMMEND TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY TAKE ACTIVE STEPS TO, UH, APPOINT VACANT SEATS IN THE COMMISSION.
BECAUSE THE WHOLE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, LIKE BASICALLY HALF OF THE DISTRICTS HAVE NOT HAD ANYBODY APPOINTED.
UM, THERE, THERE MAY NOT EVEN NECESSARILY BE A LOT OF PEOPLE APPLYING.
I'M NOT SURE IF THE ISSUE IS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T APPLYING OR IF THAT MAYBE THE CITY COMMISSIONERS AREN'T ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS.
BUT PERHAPS EVEN TO ADD ON TO THAT, IF THE ISSUE IS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T APPLYING, UM, MAYBE WE COULD REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION DOES NOT ADVERTISING PER SE, BUT MAYBE TRIES TO GET THE WORD OUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMISSION, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE WILL APPLY.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THAT WOULD BE DONE.
UM, BUT, BUT PERHAPS IT THAT COULD BE A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
AND YES, THE, THE, UM, THE WEBSITE ABSOLUTELY NEEDS CHANGES AND UPDATES, AND IT NEEDS TO BE, UH, IT NEEDS THE, THE WHATEVER PROCESS THEY ARE DOING TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE NEEDS TO BE EXTRADITED BECAUSE I, I HAVE EXPERIENCED CONSTANT ISSUES WITH THE WEBSITE.
IT'S, UH, VERY OBTUSE, DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE FOR APPLYING AND, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, ALL, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'D WANT TO DO WITH IT.
SO, UM, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL ON, UH, THOSE TWO ITEMS FOR SURE.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER BANKS FOR SHARING THEM, AND CERTAINLY, WE'LL, THIS IS WITH REGARDS TO MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPOINTING POTENTIAL COMMISSIONERS AS VICE CHAIR, SUCH AS COMMISSIONER CANDACE WIX.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'LL LOOK INTO FURTHER.
UM, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER WICKS WITH HER, HER BACKGROUND, HER WELL-PROVEN BACKGROUND WOULD BE A VERY GOOD FIT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT AT A LATER TIME.
NEXT, I'M GONNA GO TO COMMISSIONER LINDSAY, DISTRICT 14, OR ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR ANY EDITS SHE WANTS TO SEE, OR MAYBE BRING UP THE EDITS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP JUST RECENTLY.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL AND, UM, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER BANKS.
SO, MEANING, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT WE THINK WE MAY NEED TO MAKE SPECIFIC EDITS AROUND OUR WEBSITE AND UPDATING THOSE COMPONENTS, BUT ALSO TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S SUGGESTION OF NOMINATING A VICE PRESIDENT, I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE LEGACY OF THIS COMMISSION.
AND I WOULD DEFINITELY GET BEHIND THAT.
AND TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER BANK'S COMMENT THAT IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT FORMAL PROCESS THAN PLACING IT HERE IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT, THAT WE TAKE THOSE MOTIONS QUICKLY, UH, SO WE CAN BUILD OUT A LARGER COMMISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY, FOR SHARING THOSE EDITS.
THIS IS, AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN CAL CONLEY.
UM, I CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SOME EDITS FOR THE EDIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING EDITS THAT WERE MENTIONED, UH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS A COMMISSION IN ADDITION TO THE EDITS THAT WERE, THAT, THAT WERE, UM, DISCUSSED.
NOW, ALL THE EDITS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED ARE VALID.
UM, I DO NOT, HOWEVER AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S EDIT OF REMOVING ONE B FROM THE REPORT, JUST BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME, THAT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT USING LANGUAGE THAT MAY BE MISLEADING AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANNA STICK TO THE MISSION STATEMENT, BUT AS YOU HAVE ALREADY READ ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS TAKE ON, YOU KNOW, CONDUCT BUSINESS IN, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE IN EFFORTS OF THE COMMISSION WITHIN A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK, WHILE ALSO REMAINING FOCUSED, KEEPING IN MIND THE COMMISSION'S MISSION AND THE DUTIES THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT.
SO, AS I HAVE INDICATED AT THE BEGINNING OF, OF THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, NO MATTER WHAT GOVERNANCE OR WHAT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT YOU'RE IN, HUMAN RIGHTS IS ACTUALLY AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT THAT MUST BE INCLUDED.
IT CERTAINLY IS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, DUE DI DUE DILIGENCE, REFLECTIVE GOVERNANCE, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN FACT ENGAGING IN OUR EFFORTS WITH TRANSPARENCY.
WITH REGARDS TO COMMISSIONER WHITE'S EDITS, UM, SHE DOES MAKE GOOD POINTS, BUT ONE, ONE POINT THAT I DISAGREE, OR ACTUALLY A COUPLE POINTS I DISAGREE WITH HER ON HER EDITS ON IS RESPECTFULLY.
SO SHE WANTS, SHE HAD, SHE HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE THE PHOTOS AND, AND ACTIVITIES, UM, BECAUSE, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE EDIT THAT WAS MADE, IT STATES THAT IT WAS NOT, UM, THAT THOSE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES WERE NOT ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION, BUT RATHER INDIVIDUAL.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT ANYTIME A, A CHAIR OF A COMMISSION PARTICIPATES IN AN ACTIVITY, THOSE ARE NOT CONSIDERED INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THEY ARE MEANT TO REPRESENT THE COMMISSION AS A BODY AND, UH, OR THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT, THEY ARE MEANT TO REPRESENT THE CITY.
AND THE PHOTOS THAT, THAT, UM, IS THAT THEY'RE, THAT SHE'S WANTING REMOVED THOSE PHOTOS ARE PROOF OF SHOWING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO ONE A, UM, SHE DID SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN EVENT ABOUT HAVING, TAKING, HAVING THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES BE A PART OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS DAY UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
THAT'S CERTAINLY NO PROBLEM THAT COULD BE REMOVED.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ON THE ANNUAL REPORT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE AS A COMMISSION WON'T PARTICIPATE.
THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE COULD DISCUSS AT, AT A LATER TIME IN THE YEAR AS I THINK IT'D BE VERY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON DISABILITY RIGHTS AND, AND REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW THIS ASPIRATIONAL EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENT.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS RELATES TO ALL OF US, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN EVERY ASPECT.
[00:30:02]
BUT THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT I HAD.SO UNLESS ANY COMMISSIONER WISHES TO JUMP IN, UM, I'M HAPPY TO, I, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY EDITS, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WANNA JUMP IN AND DISCUSS FURTHER, I'M OPEN TO THAT AS WELL.
IF I MAY, UM, I, THIS IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I THINK THE, I, I'D BE FINE WITH THE USE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS LANGUAGE.
I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE DEFINED, UH, THE FRAMEWORK AND THE APPROACH ARE NOT WELL DEFINED IN MY OPINION, AND THEREFORE LEADS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR PEOPLE TO BE MISLED IN READING WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
UM, AND I THINK OUR WORDING IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THESE DAYS, GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN AND THE SCRUTINY NEED THAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE UNDER.
SO, UH, I JUST, IF WE'RE GONNA USE CERTAIN LANGUAGE, I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR, UH, WHAT THAT IS WHEN WE SAY HUMAN RIGHTS, UH, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS, WHICH ARE AGAIN, WELL-DEFINED IN THE, UH, TO CODE AS WELL AS IN OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M OPEN TO DOING THEN, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
WHAT I'M OPEN TO DOING THEN IS RATHER THAN SAYING THE, USING A COMM, DOING BUSINESS WITHIN A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK, MAYBE PERHAPS CHANGE THE TUR, THE, THE WORD FROM THE PHRASE FROM HUMAN RIGHTS TO DISABILITY RIGHTS, THEN WE COULD KEEP ONE BEAT.
BECAUSE I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF KEEPING ONE BEAT, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BE HEARD, RESPECTED, AND UNDERSTOOD, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AS INDIVIDUALS.
SO MAYBE CHANGING THE PHRASING FROM HUMAN RIGHTS TO DISABILITY RIGHTS, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT.
I WOULD TOTALLY BE IN SUPPORT OF THAT, BY THE WAY.
THIS IS ASHLEY IN DISTRICT COMMISSIONER WEDNESDAY IN DISTRICT 14.
I ALSO AM SUPPORT OF THAT CHANGE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? UM, YES, MR. UM, ARE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
MR. GRAVES WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY CONFIRM, SINCE OUR TEAM WILL HAVE TO DO THE EDITS TODAY, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CAPTURING ALL OF THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSION.
MY UNDERSTANDING SO FAR, CHAIR IS THAT OF, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
THE COMMISSION WON'T BE INCLUDING THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE VICE CHAIR SINCE THAT IS A CITY COUNCIL PREROGATIVE.
BUT WE ARE INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS TWO OR THREE.
AND THEN OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, IS THE COMMISSION PURSUING THOSE OTHER CHANGES AS WELL, OR JUST INCORPORATING THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS CHAIR JUST TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE, MR. GRAVES? I AM, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT CHANGES YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
COMMISSIONER, IF YOU CAN CLARIFY, THEN, THEN I WILL KNOW.
YEAH, THE OTHER CHANGES, JUST THE REORDERING, UM, AND A INCORPORATION KIND OF REINCORPORATING SOME OF THESE THINGS.
HOWEVER, UM, IF WE WANT TO KEEP THESE IN THE SAME ORDER JUST TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE CONFUSION, I AGAIN, WOULD BE FINE WITH THAT.
I JUST THINK IT'S, JUST TO EMPHASIZE WHAT I THINK MIGHT BE MORE IMPORTANT, IT SHOULD BE ORDERED, BUT, UH, IT'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THAT WAY.
AND MR. GRAVES, CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT YOUR QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? YES, THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO JUST TO, JUST TO CONFIRM, WE ARE KEEPING RECOMMENDATION TWO AND THREE.
THE COMMISSION WON'T BE PURSUING NECESSARILY THE REORDERING.
WE WILL MAKE THE CLARIFICATION AS FAR AS DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTERED APPROACH IN ONE B.
AND THEN I WAS ALSO CURIOUS, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL ALSO INCLUDED TWO ADDITIONAL CHANGES, THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION AROUND THE WORD ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THEN THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS ALSO OFFERED TO ONE OF THE ITEMS. IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.
THESE ARE ALL CORRECT AND TRUE.
AND IS THE CHAIR, IS THE COMMISSIONER PURSUING THOSE EDITS AS WELL? YES.
AND SO JUST FOR EVERYONE'S CONFIRMATION OF COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL'S RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FINAL REPORT THAT WE'LL BE EDITING AND THEN SUBMITTING FOR SIGNATURE, WE ARE INCLUDING RECOMMENDATION TWO ON PAGE TWO, RECOMMENDATION THREE.
ON PAGE THREE, WE ARE MAKING THE AMENDMENT AS FAR AS DISABILITY
[00:35:01]
RIGHTS, AND THEN WE'RE MAKING THE AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE.AND THEN WE'RE ADMITTING THE AWARD ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FY 26.
THANK YOU MR. GRAVES, FOR, TO YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING THE TIME TO CLARIFY ANY OTHER EDITS THAT COMMISSIONERS WISH TO MAKE OR DISCUSS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL REPORT? ANY VOLUNTEERS? UM, UH, THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER BANKS FROM DISTRICT 11.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO JUST A, A, A SMALL TECHNICAL THING.
UM, IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO EXCLUDE THE WORD ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY ALSO EXCLUDE THE WORD.
COMMISSIONER BANKS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO.
WE, WE WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR EDITS IN THAT CASE? THEN I AM GOING TO BE CALLING ON A VOTE TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE WILL BE APPROVING THE ANNUAL REPORT AS, AS READ, BUT ALSO MADE WITH SOME OF THE EDITS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP HERE IN THIS MEETING.
I AM GOING TO BEGIN CALLING THE VOTE, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK.
DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I'LL, I'LL DO THE MOTION IF YOU DO NOT MIND.
YEAH, NO, I DON'T MIND AT ALL.
I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE, UH, ANNUAL REPORT WITH THE EDITS AS MADE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE ANNUAL REPORT MADE WITH THE EDITS.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO OPPOSITIONS.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE ANNUAL REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ MADE WITH EDITS.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS BRIEFING ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM, OF COURSE, IS THE OFFICER'S REPORT.
I WILL BEGIN BY PROVIDING THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT FOR JANUARY 20, 26.
I HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE FIRST STATEWIDE LOCAL COMMITTEE QUARTERLY CONNECTION MEETING, HOSTED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT AS A STATEWIDE NETWORK.
THE INFORMED ABOUT THE NEWLY UPDATED LOCAL COMMITTEE HANDBOOK SHARE LOCAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AS WE WORK TOWARD MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TEXAS COMMUNITIES.
IT WAS ALSO A PRIVILEGE TO SHARE ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND THE IMPACT WE ARE MAKING ON THE COMMUNITY.
I MOST DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO GATHERING.
I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO MORE GATHERINGS LIKE THIS AS ACHIEVING DISABILITY INCLUSION IS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THE MONTH.
AND I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO PROVIDE A REPORT, YOU CERTAINLY MAY INDICATE BY DO IF YOU NO, IF YOU WISH NOT TO DO SO.
I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FROM DISTRICT ONE.
DO YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A REPORT? I BELIEVE SHE SAID NO.
UH, COMMISSIONER WICKS FROM DISTRICT THREE.
UM, IF I CAN READ THIS, I ATTENDED THE, UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS, MARTIN LUTHER KING, UH, RECRUIT, I'M SORRY, UH, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY CENTER'S DAY OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER ON TUESDAY, UH, JANUARY THE 13TH.
[00:40:02]
THEN I ATTENDED THE DRIVERS OF OPPORTUNITIES SYMPOSIUM THAT FRIDAY ON JANUARY THE 16TH AT THE BRISCOE CENTER IN THE FAIR PARK.I ATTENDED THE, UH, CANDLE LIGHTING CEREMONY, UH, SPONSORED BY ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY INCORPORATED, ALPHA SINGLE LAMBDA CHAPTER, UH, CELEBRATION FOR, UH, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, AS WELL AS THE SCHOLARSHIP, THE MLK SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARDS GALA ON SATURDAY, JANUARY THE 17TH, WHERE I WAS AWARDED THE, UH, SERVICE OF LE THE LEGACY OF SERVICE AWARD BY THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THAT COMMISSION.
AND I ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY PARADE ON MONDAY, JANUARY THE 19TH, UH, WITH COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL ROCKWELL, EXCUSE ME.
AND, UM, I, I SEE IN HIS REPORT THAT HE DID PROVIDE A PICTURE OF US, AND WE, WE DID GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR, AND HE DID COME TO SEE US ON THE BUS.
AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME WITH THE MEMBERS OF DART.
AND, UH, WE SHARED A LOT OF INFORMATION WITH HIM.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE COMMENTS COMING FROM COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU TO, TO GARY, UH, FOR HIS SUPPORT AND BEING THERE WITH THE BANNER.
AND, UM, IF I MAY ASK FOR, UH, SOME COMMENTS REGARDING THE PARADE AT THE TIME WHEN YOU, AT, WHEN, WHEN, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL HAS, HAS THE FLOOR, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY, UH, HAS NOW SEEN THAT WE ARE VISIBLE.
AND, UH, IT WAS AN AWESOME, UH, EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. OR COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR PROVIDING THIS REPORT.
AND A VERY SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING RECOGNIZED AND RECEIVING THE LEGACY SERVICE AWARD THAT IS WELL DESERVED.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE FOR HIS REPORT.
UM, JUST WANT TO ALSO SHARE MY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER WOODS ON OUR AWARD, UM, AND WELL DESERVED, UH, I MIGHT ADD THE QUICK THINGS ON THE REPORT HERE.
I I SHARED THIS IN ADVANCE WITH YOU ALL.
I BELIEVE, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN IT OUT TO EVERYONE, SO YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO READ.
SO I'LL, I'LL JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
UM, ONE WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR ABILITY TO SHARE IN ADVANCE, UH, SOME OF THESE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE COMMUNITY IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS I HAVE HERE.
UM, AND THROUGH OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR PARADE, UH, THERE WAS THE OUTCRY FROM FOLKS WHO SAW US WITH A BANNER AND YELLED AT US AND SAID, HEY, CAN WE GET YOUR CARD? WE NEED TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS.
WE NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN EXCELLENT EVENT IN TERMS OF US BEING ABLE TO DO THE OUTREACH THAT I THINK THE COMMISSION WAS SET UP FOR, AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
UM, BUT THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE FOLKS, UH, WAS LIMITED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MATERIALS TO DO THAT.
AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE REQUESTS, UM, THAT ADDITIONALLY I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOLKS, UH, LOCAL TO MY DISTRICT TO WORK ON A INFORMATION SHARING SESSION.
AND I'VE LISTED SOME OF THOSE NAMES OF THOSE FOLKS, UH, IN THE, UH, DOCUMENT.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WAS TOUR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERMINAL F, UH, FOR DFW AIRPORT, WHICH IS SOON TO BE IN EXISTENCE.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT THERE AND THE ACCESSIBILITY DUE TO THE LACK OF PARKING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS, UH, WHILE THE PARKING LOT'S BEING, UH, CONSTRUCTED.
UH, SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALL JUST BE AWARE OF IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING USED TO DEVELOP, UH, NEW SPACES.
AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY? I HOPE THAT, UM, IN OUR NEXT MEETING, WE'RE ABLE TO GET, UH, MR. MARK DYER IN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ACCESSIBLE WAS LIKE FOR LARGE EVENTS.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE HERE IN TERMS OF HIS ACTIVITIES, UH, WITH THE OLYMPICS AND WORLD CUP ACROSS MULTIPLE CITIES IN THE WORLD.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER WOODS SAID THAT SHE HAD OTHER COMMENTS, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT ON THE MLK PARADE, UM, AND WATSON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE EVENT.
SO, UH, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL
[00:45:01]
FOR SHARING THIS, THIS INSIGHTFUL REPORT.NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER, UH, BANKS FOR HIS REPORT FROM DISTRICT 11.
NOTHING TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BANKS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY FROM DISTRICT 14.
JUST A CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER WICK AND, UH, A THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR REPRESENTING THE GROUP AS WELL AS YOU CHAIR COLE CONLEY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY, FOR THOSE THOUGHTFUL AND KIND WORDS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE REPORT SECTION.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TOMA
WE ARE VERY HONORED TO HAVE MS. MARISSA HINES, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, UM, ATTORNEY TWO, UH, SHE'S FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CITY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND SHE'LL BE PROVIDING DALLAS PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
MS. HINES, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.
SORRY, I'VE GOTTA GET SETTLED.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I WILL BE DOING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF TOMA, UM, TEXT OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I'LL CALL IT TOMA THROUGHOUT, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY LONG NAME.
SO, AN IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT TOMA IS THAT IT IS DEDICATED, UM, TO SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST IN KNOWING THE WORKINGS OF ITS GOVERNMENTAL BODY.
SO THE MAIN THING ABOUT TOOMA IS TRANSPARENCY, AS THE CHAIR ACTUALLY ALLUDED TO EARLIER IN THIS MEETING.
UM, TOOMA AND THE CITY OF DALLAS ARE BOTH DEDICATED TO TRANSPARENCY.
CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE? THERE WE GO.
SO VERY OVERVIEW IS FOR TOOMA, EVERY REGULAR SPECIAL MEETING OR SESSION OF A GOVERNMENTAL BODY SHALL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO TOOMA APPLIES TO EVERY MEETING.
UM, THIS APPLIES TO CITY COUNCIL AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
NOTICE IS POSTED, UM, IN SEVERAL PLACES.
AND IF TOOMA IS VIOLATED, ANY ACTION TAKEN IS VOIDABLE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO FIRST OFF, IT APPLIES TO GOVERNMENTAL BODIES.
GOVERNMENTAL BODIES IS INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS TREATS ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIKE TOOMA APPLIES TO THEM.
IT ALSO APPLIES TO COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
SO EVERY MEETING, UM, AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, THAT IS A BOARD OF COMMISSION, HAS TO COMPLY WITH TOOMA.
AND THAT ACTUALLY, UM, THAT ALSO APPLIES TO SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO IF A COMMISSION HAS A SUBCOMMITTEE OR A TASK FORCE, WE ALSO HAVE THOSE APPLIED AT TOMA AS WELL, JUST TO HONOR THAT TRANSPARENCY.
SO A MEETING IS A DELIBERATION BETWEEN A QUORUM OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY DURING WHICH PUBLIC BUSINESS OR PUBLIC POLICY IS DISCUSSED.
SO, DELIBERATE DISCUSSED, THEY MEAN THE SAME THING.
UM, BASICALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC BUSINESS.
UM, THIS CAN INCLUDE VERBAL, WRITTEN, COMMUNICA.
IT CAN, IT CAN INCLUDE VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
IT CAN ALSO INCLUDE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.
SO, SORRY, I MISSED A SLIDE HERE.
SO AS YOU HEARD EARLIER IN THE MEETING, QUORUM FOR THE DIS, THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES IS SIX MEMBERS.
UM, A WALKING QUORUM, AND I'M GONNA READ THIS DIRECTLY 'CAUSE IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
SO A WALK-IN QUORUM IS WHEN A BOARD MEMBER KNOWINGLY ENGAGES IN ONE COMMUNIC
[00:50:01]
COMMUNICATION AMONG A SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT PUBLIC BUSINESS IN WHICH THE MEMBERS ENGAGING IN THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATIONS CONSTITUTES FEWER THAN A QUORUM.BUT THE MEMBERS ENGAGING IN THE ENTIRE SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS CONSTITUTES A QUORUM.
AND THE, THE BOARD MEMBER OR THE COMMISSIONER KNEW AT THE TIME THAT THEY HAD THAT CON COMMUNICATION THAT THEY KNEW, KNEW IT WOULD INVOLVE A QUORUM.
NOW, TO PUT THIS, THAT, THAT IS A LOT OF WORDS AND IT'S VERY CONFUSING, BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS, C BOARD MEMBER OR COMMISSIONER A TALKS TO B, WHO TALKS TO C, WHO TALKS TO D AND ALL THE WAY, KINDA LIKE CHICKA CHICK, BOOM, BOOM, UM, THE CHILDREN'S BOOK.
SO A TO B, TO C TO D UP UNTIL YOU GET SIX MEMBERS, THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT QUORUM.
BUT WHEN YOU GET ALL SIX MEMBERS, THAT'S QUORUM.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE A WALKING QUORUM.
'CAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF, YOU'RE KIND OF WALKING IT IN A WAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE BIG MEETING, IT'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT LITTLE MEETINGS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE COMMISSIONER HAS, UM, HAS TO KNOW AT THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE THEIR COM COMMUNICATIONS THAT THIS IS GOING TO INCLUDE A QUORUM.
WE HAVE A FEW EXAMPLE OF LOCK AND QUO.
SO SECRET DELIBERATIONS BETWEEN SMALL GROUPS, EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, HITTING REPLY ALL TO AN EMAIL INCLUDING ALL COMMISSIONERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, VIOL, VIOLATION OF TOMA, UH, VOTING OVER THE TELEPHONE, AND THEN DELIBERATING THROUGH A SERIES OF CLOSED MEETING, CLOSED MEETINGS OF LESS THAN A QUORUM, THAT EXAMPLE I GAVE.
SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, A COMMISSION.
UM, LIKE I SAID, IT ALL GOES BACK TO TRANSPARENCY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC HAS NOTICE OF THE MEETING THAT IS HAPPENING.
SO A GOVERNMENTAL BODY, THE COMMISSION SHALL GIVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE DATE, HOUR, PLACE, AND SUBJECT OF EACH MEETING BEING HELD.
NOTICE MUST BE GIVEN AT LEAST THREE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE MEETING.
UM, AND THEN NOTICE MUST BE SUFFICIENT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE SUBJECT MATTER BEING ADDRESSED DURING THE MEETING.
SO NOTICE ACTUALLY USED TO BE 72 HOURS, UM, PREVIOUSLY, BUT, AND I FORGOT TO WRITE DOWN THE BILL NUMBER, BUT THIS, THIS LAST REGULAR SESSION WAS WHEN IT CHANGED TO THREE BUSINESS DAYS.
AND THAT HAS BEEN A VERY FUN LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE.
UM, SO THE WAY WE CALCULATE THREE BUSINESS DAYS IS IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAY THE AGENDA IS POSTED, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAY THE MEETING OCCURS.
SO LET ME PULL UP A CALENDAR TO MAKE SURE I DON'T GET THIS WRONG.
IF YOU WERE TO HAVE A MEETING ON IN A WEEK, SO LET'S SAY FEBRUARY THE FIFTH, THE FIFTH WOULDN'T COUNT.
SO POSTING WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR ON THE 30TH, SO TOMORROW AND FRIDAY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY THE AGENDA IS PUBLISHED SO MUCH IN ADVANCE AND WHY STAFF HAS TO HURRY TO GET THOSE AGENDA POSTED.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT'S NOT POSTED IN TIME, THE MEETING CANNOT OCCUR.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GIVING PUBLIC ADEQUATE NOTICE.
UM, AND POSTING DAYS DO NOT INCLUDE HOLIDAYS RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY.
BUT SNOW DAYS LIKE WE JUST HAD, UM, THOSE DAYS DO COUNT.
SO, UM, THEY WOULD'VE COUNTED TOWARD THE THREE DAY NOTICE.
ADDITIONAL NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
SO AS WELL AS POSTING THE MEETING AND HAVING ADEQUATE POSTING, THE MEETING MUST BE IN A LOCATION THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO IN TOOMA THAT IS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY.
UM, THERE CAN'T BE SPECIAL ACCESS REQUIREMENTS.
AND, UM, THERE HAS TO BE A PLACE LIKE PHYSICAL SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND.
AND THEN OF COURSE, VISUAL AND AUDIO ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
UM, SO MOST BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS HAPPEN AT CITY HALL BECAUSE THIS, AS YOU'VE HEARD, IS, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S BUILDING.
UM, THEY CAN OCCUR IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
IT JUST HAS TO BE WITHIN THE CITY, UM, AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO AT LIBRARIES, UM, COMMUNITY CENTERS, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, WE'VE HAD SOME MEETINGS, EVEN BE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT WERE PRIVATE.
BUT AS LONG AS THAT THE PERSON THAT OWNS THE BUILDING IS AWARE THAT FOR THIS MEETING, IT HAS TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN NOTHING CAN STOP THE PUBLIC FROM BEING ABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, AS YOU'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT
[00:55:01]
NOW, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN ATTEND MEETINGS VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE.UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE CHAIR.
UM, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS ALLOWED TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY IN ORDER TO BE COUNTED AS PRESENT IN A MEETING WHERE YOU ARE VIDEO CONFERENCING IN BOTH YOUR AUDIO AND YOUR VISUAL FEED, FEED HAVE TO WORK.
AND THEY HAVE TO BE, UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN BE MUTED, BUT YOUR VIDEO HAS TO BE ON AT ALL TIMES.
UM, AND THEN THIS, I ALREADY SAID THAT, BUT THE LAST BULLET, A CITY OFFICIAL IS CONSIDERED ABSENT FOR ANY PORTION OF AN OPEN MEETING WHERE THE AUDIO OR VIDEO IS LOST.
UM, IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME HERE AND SPEAK AND WANNA DO PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, THEY WOULD ALSO NEED TO TURN ON THEIR VIDEO.
YOU SEE THAT AT, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
IF YOU EVER WATCH A WEDNESDAY MEETING, THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DO HAVE TO TURN ON THEIR CAMERAS.
SO, AS ON'S ADD AGENDA AND CITY COUNCIL'S AGENDA AND SEVERAL OTHERS, UM, IF THERE ARE OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS AVAILABLE, UM, IF THE TIME IS THERE FOR OPEN MICROPHONE, SPEAKERS TO COME SPEAK HAS TO BE NOTICED ON THE AGENDA.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT A BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION, UM, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT REALLY NOTICE WHAT THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT.
YOU CAN ALLOW THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, AND THEN IF THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC DOES HAVE GOOD POINTS OR SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADDRESS, YOU CAN ASK STAFF TO BRING THAT BACK AT A LATER DATE.
SO A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION CAN HAPPEN, BUT THERE CANNOT BE A DIALOGUE, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, IF YOU JUST THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY, WE'RE TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT PUBLIC SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT ANY MORE IN DEPTH DISCUSSION WE DIDN'T NOTICE FOR RIGHT.
OTHER TOMA RULE, SO THIS MAY BE A WEIRD ONE, BUT A GOVERNING BODY MAY NOT ADJO AND START A MEETING AGAIN ON THE SAME DAY.
UM, SO IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A BATHROOM BREAK OR SOMETHING, YOU CAN RECESS.
UM, THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY MUST VOTE IN PUBLIC.
THERE ARE NO ANONYMOUS OR SECRET BALLOTS.
UM, IF AN ITEM IS FORGOTTEN OFF, THE AGENDA UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT BE DISCUSSED.
SIMILAR TO A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT HAS SPARKED INTEREST, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE ASKED, UM, OF STAFF TO PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
CLOSED MEETINGS OR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT OF AN ANIMAL.
SO THOSE DO HAPPEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, AND THE PUBLIC IS NOT ALLOWED INTO THOSE SESSIONS.
SO FOR CLOSED MEETING, UM, YOU CANNOT GO INTO ONE UNLESS A QUORUM FIRST CONVENES AN OPEN SESSION, AND THEN THE PRESIDING OFFICER ANNOUNCES THAT A CLOSED MEETING WILL BE HELD AND IDENTIFIES THIS SECTION UNDER WHAT THE CLOSED MEETING WILL BE HELD ON.
UM, CLOSED MEETINGS CAN BE HELD UNDER MATTERS SUCH AS ATTORNEY CONSULTATION, DELIBERATE DELIBERATIONS ABOUT REAL ESTATE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS.
UM, AND THERE'S ABOUT EIGHT THAT APPLY TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE EVERY AGENDA.
AND THEN IF YOU GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, LIKE EARLIER IN THE LAST TIME, YOU SAID A VOTE HAS TO HAPPEN IN PUBLIC.
IF THERE IS A VOTE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CLOSED SESSION, IT HAS, THE BODY HAS TO COME BACK INTO OPEN SESSION AND DO THE VOTE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
SO, WHO CAN ATTEND THESE CLOSED MEETINGS? SO ONLY A GOVERNMENTAL BODY'S MEMBERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND A CLOSED MEETING.
SO THAT WOULD BE ALL THE BOARDING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND.
IF IT IS A MEETING OR A CLOSED SESSION ABOUT CONSULTATION WITH THE ATTORNEY, THEN THE RELEVANT ATTORNEYS WOULD ATTEND THAT CLOSED SESSION.
IF IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ABOUT REAL ESTATE AND THE ATTORNEYS AREN'T NEEDED, THEN WE DON'T ATTEND THOSE CLOSED SESSIONS.
IT REALLY IS WHO IS ESSENTIAL TO THE MATTER BEING DISCUSSED.
UM, AND THAT'S THE KEY WORD IS ESSENTIAL.
SO, UM, YEAH, IT MAY NOT OMIT A PERSON WHOSE PRESENCE IS AGAINST THE INTEREST OF THE GOVERNING BODY, SO ESSENTIAL PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AGAINST THE GOVERNING BODY'S INTERESTS.
SO, UM, EVERY MEETING IS VIDEO CONFERENCE.
IT IS RECORDED AND IT IS POSTED ON, UM, I BELIEVE THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBSITE.
SO MINUTES MUST STATE THE SUBJECT OF EACH DELIBERATION, INDICATE THE VOTE ORDER DECISION OR OTHER ACTION TAKEN.
AND THEN THOSE MEETINGS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO MAKE AUDIO AND VISUAL REC RECORD OF THE OPEN MEETING.
UM, BUT THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY,
[01:00:01]
YOU AS THE COMMISSION, MAY REASONABLY REGULATE THE MANNER IN THE, THE LOCATION.SO IF SOMEONE'S RECORDING, THEY CAN'T STAND, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, YOU CAN'T STAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS AREA.
RIGHT IN FRONT, LIKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.
YOU CAN KIND OF REASONABLY SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, STAND IN THE CORNER.
SO YOU CAN STILL GET A GOOD SHOT, BUT YOU'RE NOT IN THE WAY.
SO SATOMA APPLIES TO A QUORUM, A ME, A MEETING OF A QUORUM OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY.
SO YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ATTEND, WELL ALLOWED, THAT'S A BAD WORD TO USE, BUT A QUORUM OF A GOVERNMENTAL BODY IS PERMITTED TO ATTEND WITHOUT VIOLATING TOMA IN THESE CERTAIN CI CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH IS A SOCIAL FUNCTION, A CONVENTION OR A WORKSHOP, A CEREMONIAL EVENT, A PRESS CONFERENCE, OR, UM, LIKE A CANDIDATE FORUM.
SO TOMA ENFORCEMENTS, UM, A CIVIL LAWSUIT TO FORCE OFFICIALS TO COMPLY WITH TOOMA, UM, AND JOIN OFFICIALS FROM ACTING OR AVOID ACTIONS TAKEN IN ALL LEGAL MEETING.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE MAIN ENFORCEMENTS.
UM, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ANY ACTION TAKEN IN VIOLATION IN ACTION, MEANING A VOTE.
SO ANY VOTE TAKEN, UM, FINDING FOUND IN VIOLATION OF TOMA IS VOIDABLE.
CERTAIN PERSONS MAY BRING AN ACTION OF MANDAMUS OR WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR AN INJUNCTION TO STOP, PREVENT OR REVERSE A VIOLATION.
UM, AND THEN CERTAIN PERSONS MAY SUE FOR DAMAGES, ATTORNEY'S FEES AND EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.
SO I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS FOR WHO ALL MAY HAVE THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. HINES, FOR THIS VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
UM, BECAUSE WE GET NEW COMMISSIONERS EVERY YEAR, I FIND IT VERY HELPFUL FOR A MEMBER OF THE, A MEMBER OF YOUR OFFICE TO COME AND GIVE US A, AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT ALWAYS IS HELPFUL TO BE INFORMED ABOUT AND STAY UPDATED ON TOTAL REGULATIONS AS WELL AS OTHER RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING CITY BUSINESS AS A COMMISSION.
I DID, HOWEVER, WANT TO CLARIFY, UH, AN ASPECT THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING.
SO IS IT, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN, WHEN COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE TALKING ABOUT AN ITEM, WHETHER THAT IS APPROVING MINUTES OR VOTING ON AN ITEM, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHAIR OR PRESIDING OFFICER TO MAKE THAT MOTION? OR IS IT MORE APPROPRIATE FOR ONE OF THE COMMISSIONER MEMBERS TO MAKE AN, TO MAKE WHATEVER MOTION IS BEING MADE AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER ONLY ENTERTAINS IT? SO I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MORE UNDER ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, WHICH IS THE PARLIAMENTARIAN RULE BOOK THAT THE SEA OF DA DALLAS FOLLOWS, AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICIAL MEETINGS.
UM, TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THE, A MEMBER MAKES A MOTION AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES IT, AND THEN IT GETS SECOND.
UM, ROBERTS DOES ALLOW FOR THE CHAIR TO MAKE A MOTION.
UM,
UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN DO A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH, UM, AND PROVIDE A MORE FULL, IN DEPTH ANSWER FOR YOU.
I'M, I HAVE A PEN AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT GETS TO YOU AND STAFF.
UM, NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE PRESENTER, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW, COMMISSIONER.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, UM, UH, TWO THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, IF YOU HAVE A, A, A RATIONALE FOR US, WHY IS IT THAT THE, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OR COMMISSION HAS TO BE, UH, IN PERSON, UH, CONSIDERING THE WEATHER STORMS, ICE TRAVEL, UH, PROBLEMS, UH, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON WEBEX.
UH, IS THERE A CITY RATIONALE FOR
[01:05:01]
THAT? AND, UM, LET ME JUST ADDRESS THE LAST COMMENT THAT WAS MADE REGARDING ROBERT'S RULES.AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN PULL THIS UP REAL QUICK.
NOW, UH, THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS.
AND SINCE WE DO HAVE, UH, ABOUT SIX PEOPLE ON HERE, THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY, MAY MAKE, UH, SECOND MOTIONS AND SPEAK IN DEBATES ON MOTIONS, BUT ORDINARILY SHOULD AVOID DOING SO WHILE PRESIDING BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR IMPARTIALITY AND TO MAINTAIN MEMBERS' CONFIDENCE IN FAIR RULINGS.
SO BECAUSE YOU ARE PRESIDING, UH, IT JUST GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF, LET ME KEEP READING.
UH, WHEN THE CHAIR WISHES TO PARTICIPATE, ACTIVELY MOVE, SPEAK AT LENGTH, ADVOCATE FOR A POSITION.
THE USUAL PRACTICE IS TO RELINQUISH THE CHAIR TEMPORARILY BY APPOINTING ANOTHER MEMBER TO RESIDE.
OR THE CHAIR CAN STEP DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND A VICE CHAIR OR TEMPORARY CHAIR TAKES THE CHAIR VOTING VOTES IN ALL CASES WHERE A MEMBER HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, EXCEPT FOR SOME ORGANIZATIONS BY BYLAWS OR SPECIAL RULES, UH, THAT LIMIT THE CHAIR.
SO WE, WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE CITY, UH, ALLOWS.
THE CHAIR DOES GET TO VOTE, BUT, UH, IN SMALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SUCH AS WE ARE, UH, JUST TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF IMPARTIALITY, THE CHAIR NORMALLY LETS THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION MAKE THE MOTIONS AND DO THE SECOND.
AND THEN YOU CARRIED THE MOTION.
UM, IF I MAY ADDRESS HER TOMA QUESTION? YES, YOU MAY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHAIR BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE ROOM IS NOT A CITY OF DALLAS REQUIREMENT THAT IS FROM TOMA, WHICH IS, UM, THE STATE.
UM, SO IT IS VERY INCONVENIENT.
UM, I ESPECIALLY AS WE'VE SEEN, UM, THIS PAST WEEK, IT IS VERY INCONVENIENT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
SO DID THE LEGISLATURE VOTE THAT IN, OR WAS THERE A SPECIAL COMMITTEE WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE, OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT IN PLACE? DO YOU KNOW? UM, THAT, THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, SO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS FOUND IN THE, UM, THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
UM, I WOULD NEED TO GO LOOK AT THAT HISTORY AND SEE WHEN THAT PARTICULAR CLAUSE WAS ADDED, UM, AND THEN LOOK AT THAT LEGISLATIVE HISTORY.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN WRITE THAT DOWN AND I CAN, UM, GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
UH, YES, FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION, WOULD YOU PLEASE DO THAT? BECAUSE IN LIGHT OF THIS, UH, THIS WEATHER, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFETY AND CONS, YOU KNOW, SAFETY IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS, FOR ADDRESSING YOUR QUESTION AND POINTS.
UM, NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, JOINING US.
UM, I, WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS WERE SENT IN ADVANCE, UM, AND I CAN BRIEFLY READ THROUGH THEM IF YOU LIKE.
UM, MAYBE JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THEM, UH, AS, AS THEY'RE, I'LL JUST GO IN ORDER HERE.
UH, COULD YOU KIND OF CLARIFY FOR US THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TOMA AND THE TPIA, UH, WHICH IS THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT? UH, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE DOCUMENTS DISCUSSED DURING A MEETING.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF REPORTS OR PRESENTATIONS ARE REFERENCED ON THE AGENDA, ARE THOSE MATERIALS REQUIRED TO BE PUBLICLY POSTED IN ADVANCE UNLESS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REQUEST THEM THROUGH A-T-P-I-A OR YEAR REQUESTS? YEAH, SO WE DO SEE A LOT OF OVERLAP, UM, IN BETWEEN TOMA AND TPIA.
THAT DID NOT MEAN TO SMACK THE MIC.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T GET TOO FAR INTO, UM, TPIA BECAUSE OUR POSTING GOING BACK TOMA, UH, WAS FOR TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO THERE CAN'T BE AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, BUT I DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES FOR YOU.
UM, SO TOOMA IS FOCUSED ON THE MEETING ITSELF AND MAKING SURE THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, A GENERAL RULE IS TPIA APPLIES TO ANY DOCUMENT OR MEDIUM.
[01:10:01]
IT COULD BE MORE THAN JUST A DOCUMENT CREATED OR MAINTAINED RELATED TO THE CITY.AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT TPIA IS SUBJECT TO.
THERE, OF COURSE, ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS, UM, AND WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT DOES RESPOND TO OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
UM, BUT THE GENERAL RULE IS THAT IF IT IS A DOCUMENT OR A MEDIUM CREATED OR REMA MAINTAINED RELATED TO THE CITY, IT IS OPEN TO TPIA.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE DOCUMENTS REFERENCED DURING OPEN MEETINGS, AND THOSE WOULD BE SUBMITTED VIA THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST.
AND I'LL JUST TRY AND SUMMARIZE THE NEXT QUESTION.
UM, SHOULD THOSE DOCUMENTS BE POSTED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW? UH, OR IS IT ONLY SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REQUESTS? YEAH, SO, UM, SOME, MOST OF THE CITY OF I SAY PRACTICE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS IS THAT DOCUMENTS DISCUSSED DURING OPEN MEETING ARE POSTED, UM, USUALLY ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA OR SHOWN, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSED, MAYBE NOT PHYSICALLY SHOWN, BUT DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETING OR PUT UP ON THE, THE BOARD, KIND OF LIKE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT THEY ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO REQUEST DURING, UM, FOR AVAILABLE TO REQUEST, TO REQUEST REQUEST THROUGH OPEN RECORDS.
MAN, THAT CAME OUT WEIRD, BUT YOU GET, YOU CAN YOU REQUEST THOSE DOCUMENTS.
UM, AND THEN DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DOCUMENT IS, THERE COULD BE AN EXEMPTION.
SO IT MIGHT NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT WOULD BE AN OPEN RECORDS DEPARTMENT THING.
AND THEN FOR THE, UH, FOR THE GROUP AND THE UNDER, UM, IS IT JUST A QUORUM IS THE REQUIREMENT, BUT IF WE HAD, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD A COMMITTEE OF SAY TWO PEOPLE, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THESE REQUIRE THE TOMA REQUIREMENTS, IS THAT RIGHT? OR? SO THE CITY OF DALLAS TREATS ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THE SAME SUBJECT TO TOOMA, EVEN SUBCOMMITTEES, WHICH ARE USUALLY, SO A BOARD AND COMMISSION USUALLY HAS ABOUT 15 MEMBERS.
SOME SUBCOMMITTEES ARE USUALLY SIX ISH.
UM, AND WE STILL TREAT THEM LIKE THEY APPLY TO TOOMA JUST TO HONOR THAT TRANSPARENCY AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, QUO US IS, YOU LOOK AT IT AS 50% PLUS ONE, EXCEPT UNDER CITY CODE EIGHT DASH FOUR A QUORUM CANNOT BE LESS THAN SIX IF THE BOARD AND COMMISSION IS FIF MADE UP OF 15 MEMBERS.
SO THAT IS WHY Y'ALL'S FORM IS SIX, EVEN THOUGH ONLY NINE, UM, COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED.
SO IT DOES STILL APPLY TO THE SMALLER COMMITTEES OF, YOU KNOW, SUBCOMMITTEES OF THREE OR FOUR.
UM, ON THE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT, SO FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST WENT TO THE PARADE AND IS THAT JUST CONSIDERED A CEREMONIAL ACT OF SOME NATURE OR SOCIAL FUNCTION? YES.
SO THE WAY WE LOOK AT THOSE, UM, KIND OF UNIQUE SITUATIONS SUCH AS THAT IS WILL YOU BE INVOLVED IN A TOPIC THAT IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF YOUR COMMISSION? UM, AND THEN WILL YOU BE DISCUSSING CITY BUSINESS? THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE KIND OF ASK.
SO THE MLK PARADE, UM, THAT WAS IN ALL OF THE RELATED CITY FUNCTIONS WHERE CEREMONIAL EVENTS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY QUORUM WAS NOT AN ISSUE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO DISCUSS
AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION'S ABOUT TEXTING OR, UH, MESSAGING DURING MEETINGS.
SO IF YOU ARE DURING AN OPEN MEETING, UM, WE HIGHLY DISCOURAGE YOU FROM TEXTING OR EMAILING OTHER COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE MEETING.
UM, BECAUSE THAT IF IT'S ABOUT THE TOPIC OF YOUR PURVIEW, UM, THAT COULD BE A TOTAL VIOLATION DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE.
UM, SO WE DO DISCOURAGE THAT, THAT IF IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FOR DINNER, UM, PERFECTLY FINE.
YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE, I'M NOT SAYING Y'ALL CAN'T BE FRIENDS AND DISCUSS OTHER THINGS, BUT USUALLY DISCUSSIONS PERTAINING TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE DONE IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE.
SO DURING THE MEETINGS OUT IN THE OPEN MM-HMM
OTHER, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, CONSIDERATIONS OR BEST PRACTICES, UH, PARTICULARLY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES THAT WE SHOULD BE, UH, CONSIDERING, UH, WITH TEXT OPEN MEETINGS ACT? YEAH, SO THAT IS A VERY BIG QUESTION, A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, AND I THINK IT REALLY, IT IS A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
UM, I MEAN, THERE'S NO TRIED AND TRUE WAY TO JUST ADDRESS, ADDRESS EVERYTHING.
[01:15:01]
US AND VOTED BY THE STATE, AND WE ARE FORCED TO, I SAY FORCED, BUT WE ARE FORCED TO COMPLY.UM, SO WE TAKE EACH INDIVIDUAL REQUEST, UM, AND QUESTION FROM STAFF AS THEY COME AND TRY TO WORK OUT THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY UNIQUE SITUATIONS VERSUS WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES US TO DO.
UM, SO IT JUST ANOTHER LAWYERY ANSWER.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
UM, BUT THE BEST THING WE CAN SAY IS, YOU KNOW, TOMA IS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, FOR THE PUBLIC AND TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING, IT'S IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND SO JUST KEEP THAT TRANSPARENCY IN MIND.
UM, SO IF YOU, UM, IF YOU HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, I'M MOVING TO COMMISSIONER BANKS FROM DISTRICT 11 WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER, UH, NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BANKS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY DISTRICT 14.
NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, JUST A COMMENT.
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION AS A RESOURCE.
OF COURSE, I BELIEVE STAFF HAS A COPY SO THEY, UM, CAN EMAIL THAT PRESENTATION OUT.
IT'S, IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA PACKET THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED, SO THAT OH, WONDERFUL.
SO ABSOLUTELY THIS CA IN THIS CASE, IN THAT CASE THEN THIS CONCLUDES THE BRIEFING ITEMS FOR JANUARY.
WE AGAIN WANT, OH, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
I WAS JUST GONNA OFFER A FEW RESOURCES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, IF THAT'S ALRIGHT.
SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY FUTURE QUESTIONS ON, UM, THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, TPIA, WHICH WE DID TALK ABOUT A TINY BIT, UM, THE EMAIL ADDRESS IS OPEN RECORDS@DALLAS.GOV.
YOU CAN SUBMIT ANY QUESTIONS, UM, TO THAT EMAIL ADDRESS, AND THEN THE ATTORNEYS WHO HANDLE OPEN RECORDS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT RULES FOR COMMISSIONERS, SO ANY QUESTIONS, IT'S GREAT TO GO TO THEM 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE EXPERTS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, STAFF HAS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ALL THE ATTORNEYS WHO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW OF US, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY TOMA QUESTIONS OR LEGAL QUESTIONS, UM, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT STAFF AND THEY CAN GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE CAN HELP OUT IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. HINES FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND, AND SHARE WITH US THIS, THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND, UM, AGAIN, IT ALL IS ABOUT BEING TRANSPARENT AMONG OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.
OUR NEXT ITEM BEFORE ADJOURNMENT IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
BEFORE I MAKE MY ANNOUNCEMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ONCE AGAIN, MR. GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE RIDE ALONG WITH DART THAT IS HAPPENING TOMORROW, WHICH IS ALSO A SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING THAT CHAIR CALLED, OF COURSE, THIS IS FOR A RIDE ALONG WITH DART AND THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO BE THE BODY THAT ADVISES ON EQUAL ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION TO INFORM WORLD CUP EFFORTS.
SO AS WE KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE HOSTING THE WORLD CUP IN THE SUMMER AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT FANS, VISITORS, AND RESIDENTS HAD EQUAL ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
SO THIS IS A REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.
STARTING POINT IS AT 9:00 AM TOMORROW THIS FRIDAY.
GARY AND I HAD A PLANNING CALL WITH DART EARLIER, AND SO WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO EVERYONE PARTICIPATING IN THE RIDE ALONG.
AND AGAIN, REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE GROUND LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE DI DEVISING ON ACCESSIBILITY.
SO IF, IF ANYONE IS, UH, NOT ABLE TO JOIN, IF HE COULD PLEASE EMAIL ME, BUT WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IF WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, FULL ATTENDANCE AT THE COMMISSION.
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE THE MEETING AND THE COMMISSION COULD BE PART OF THIS REALLY GROUNDBREAKING EFFORT.
THANK YOU MR. GRAVES FOR MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
AS MR. GRAVES HAD SAID, AS MR. GRAVES SAID THIS, THE PURPOSE OF ENGAGING IN THIS RIDE ALONG IS TO ADVISE DART ON INFORMING ACCESSIBILITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS EFFORTS FOR THE WORLD CUP.
AND, UM, MR. GRAVES, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THIS IS AN IN-PERSON ONLY MEETING.
IT'S AN IN-PERSON ONLY MEETING.
THE STARTING POINT IS AT SMU MOCKINGBIRD STATION, UH, STARTING 0.9 O'CLOCK AND THEN WE'LL BE ENDING AROUND 1:15 PM AT AT SMU MOCKINGBIRD STATIONS.
THAT'LL BE OUR STARTING AND ENDING POINT.
THANK YOU MR. GRACE FOR CLARIFYING.
[01:20:01]
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO, UM, MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS MONTH.JANUARY IS NATIONAL BRAILLE LITERACY MONTH.
THIS MONTH AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS BRAILLE CONTINUES TO MAKE ON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS WORLDWIDE.
BRAILLE IS THE GATEWAY TO ACCESSIBLE COMMUNICATION, EQUITABLE EMPLOYMENT, INDEPENDENCE, AND QUALITY EDUCATION.
DURING THIS TIME OF REFLECTION, LET US ALL BE EMPOWERED TO UPLIFT THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF BLINDNESS, DEMAND THE RIGHT TO LITERACY AND CREATE SPACES WHERE ACCESSIBILITY IS AT THE CENTER OF EACH CONVERSATION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT STAFF AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION REGARDING THE PO THE POSSIBILITY OF ORGANIZING A DISABILITY PR, UH, PRIDE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY IN JULY.
WE WERE PLANNING TO DO THAT LAST YEAR, BUT DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL SETBACKS AND, UH, NOT BEING ABLE TO, UM, UH, NOT AND AND MISS AND SOME TECHNICAL SETBACKS OF COURSE THAT HAVE TO BE, UM, PUSHED BACK ANOTHER YEAR, BUT HOPEFULLY THIS YEAR, UM, WE WILL BE DOING IT.
I HAVE REQUESTED THE STAFF TO, UM, LOOK INTO THIS PERHAPS INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULD PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE ON HOW THIS COULD BE DONE AND HOW A RES A RESOLUTION COULD BE PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL AND BE ADVISED THAT THAT HAVING A DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY IS SOMETHING THAT CITY LEADERSHIP ALSO STRONGLY SUPPORTS.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND IT WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT, I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2026.
I WOULD NOW TURN LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
NEXT WE I'LL TO COMMISSIONER, UH, WIX FROM DISTRICT THREE.
JUST ENCOURAGING, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION TO, UH, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING TO BE GOING ON WITH THE, UH, VOTE ON THE, UM, CONTINUING SERVICES OF THE FIVE, UH, CITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, REGARDING THE SERVICES.
BECAUSE WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THOSE VOTES AND IF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES DO HAPPEN TO FALL AWAY FROM DART, IT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE, UH, THE A DA COMMUNITY, UH, TREMENDOUSLY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NEED TO TRAVEL TO THOSE PARTICULAR CITIES THAT ARE, UM, THINKING ABOUT LEAVING.
AND IF THEY DO LEAVE, THE SERVICES WILL BE IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF THE NEXT DAY.
AND I HAVE ALREADY, UH, SHARED WITH, UH, CHRIS AND GARY THAT I DO BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THIS COMMISSION TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE DART CHAIR, UH, MR. RANDALL BRYANT AND ALSO THE MOBILITY MANAGER, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, CHRIS HAWKINS, REGARDING WHAT THE IMPACT OF THOSE CHANGES IF THEY ARE VOTED IN, WOULD BE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR THESE VALID POINTS.
THEY, UH, THIS IS OF COURSE NO ONE COULD AGREE MORE WITH YOU.
I MEAN, I MEAN, WE COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH YOU.
UM, WE DID IN FACT HAVE CHRIS HAWKINS FROM MOBILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS WHO SHARED WITH US SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRAMS RELATED TO PARATRANSIT AND WE'D CERTAINLY BE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME HIM BACK IN THE COMING MONTHS AS WELL AS THE DART CHAIR THAT YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED.
SO WE'LL CERTAINLY BE MAKING NOTE OF IT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
YEAH, I PLACED A NUMBER OF THESE IN WRITING TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BUT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM, UH, ST.
MARY'S LAW IS HOSTING THEIR DISABILITY RIGHTS TEXAS, UH, FOR HOUSING FAIR WORK, FAIR HOUSING WORKSHOP, UH, THIS SATURDAY.
AND THEN THE BRIDGING AND GAP FOUNDATION WILL BE HAVING THEIR GALA, UH, ON FEBRUARY 13TH.
THEY PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
UM, AND THEN THE NORTH TEXAS DISABILITY CHAMBER WILL BE HAVING THEIR ANNUAL MEETING IN PLANO, UH, ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH.
AND THEN THE MAVERICKS ARE HAVING THEIR DISABILITY INCLUSION NIGHT ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH.
UM, AND THOSE ARE A FEW OTHER EVENTS THAT I POSTED IN THERE THAT ARE PROBABLY FUN FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE CAREGIVERS OR THOSE WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND OR ALZHEIMER'S.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS HAVING THEIR GALA?
[01:25:01]
YES, THAT IS THE BRIDGING THE GAP FOUNDATION.COULD YOU SHARE A BIT OF, OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, JUST BRIEFLY? YES.
THEY PROVIDE, UH, PROGRAMMING FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES THAT ARE OFTENTIMES NOT CULTURALLY COMPETENT.
UM, THEY PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AT NO COST TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN HAVING A GALA FOR I THINK ABOUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO.
UM, IT'S AT THE, UH, ARTS MANSION.
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS FOR DISTRICT 11, FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
NO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY FROM DISTRICT 14.
UM, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY, AT THIS POINT THEN, SINCE WE HAVE CONCLUDED OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ADJOURNMENT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURN OF CALLING.
THIS ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING.
THIS MEETING PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED NO, THERE ARE NO OKAY, NO OPPOSITIONS.
THE MEETING HAS ADJOURNED AND THE TIME THIS MEETING ADJOURNED WAS AT 4:04 PM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU TOMORROW IF YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO OUR SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH IS THE DART RIDE ALONG.
IF NOT, WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU BACK NEXT MONTH HERE AT THE SAME SPACE, SAME TIME.