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PARKS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR DISTRICT COMMISSIONER.COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE HAS ALSO INFORMED US THAT SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN TODAY.
DISTRICT DISTRICT 10 IS VACANT.
COMMISSIONER BRYCE BANKS, DISTRICT 11 PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSKA, DISTRICT 13 PRESENT.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER ASHLEY LINDSEY FROM DISTRICT
UM, COMMISSIONER LINDSAY ALSO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, IT SEEMS SINCE SHE'S NOT PRESENT.
IN THAT CASE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY AT OUR MEETING.
WE ARE ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND ITS EFFORTS.
WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL, ESPECIALLY TO COMMISSIONER KERRY PARKS, WHO WAS RECENTLY WITH US ON THE TECHNICAL RESOURCE PANEL, AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMISSION.
WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR HER SUPPORT AND SHE HAS A WEALTH OF EXPERTISE, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
THROUGH HER WORK WITH METROCARE, WE TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO HER SERVICE, TO THE COMMISSION.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA ARE, IS PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND MR. GRAY.
WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON BY THE NAME OF ALEX SCOTT WHO WISHES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MR. SCOTT, IF YOU ARE STILL HERE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR TESTIMONY.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND JUST AS A GENERAL STATEMENT, IF ANYONE WISHES TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, INCLUDING THOSE GUESTS WHO HAVE REGISTERED, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO SO AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SEGMENT.
IN THAT CASE, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
AS I HAVE ALWAYS SAID, AND I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO, UM, GET WITH PEOPLE AROUND THEIR CIRCLES, LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE COMMISSION, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO DISABILITY.
UM, THE, THE MORE VOICES WE HEAR, THE BETTER FORCE WE CAN BE IN DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
FOR THIS MONTH, WE ARE APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 24TH, 2026 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THE MINUTES BEFORE THEY'RE ACCEPTED AS READ? STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER WITH COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR OH CORRECTIONS.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
COMMISSIONER PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER BANKS, DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, BANKS DISTRICT 11.
AND COMMISSIONER HUSHKA, DISTRICT 13.
AND THIS IS CHAIR MINJAN CAL CONLEY, DISTRICT 15.
I WISH TO ALSO MAKE NO EDITS TO THE MEETING MINUTES.
ANY LAST WORD OR DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED? COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
NO COMMENTS REGARDING THE MINUTES.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER, FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
ANY LAST WORD OR ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE WE APPROVE
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ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE ENTER TEAM? I'M MINUTES.ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE FEBRUARY 24TH, 2026 COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING MINUTES.
UM, AS READ, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? CLEARLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES, THEREFORE, THE MEETING MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 24TH, 2026 ARE ACCEPTED AS READ.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE BRIEFING SECTION.
I WILL BEGIN BY PROVIDING THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT OFFICER'S REPORT FOR MARCH, 2026.
ON MARCH 7TH, I HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE 18TH CUTTING EDGE YOUTH SUMMIT, HOSTED BY THE ACTION RESEARCH CENTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SMU COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.
EACH YEAR, THIS PLATFORM BRINGS TOGETHER STUDENTS, PARENTS, SCHOLARS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ENGAGE IN LIVELY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BECOMING AGENTS OF CHANGE AND EQUIPPING STUDENTS WITH THE TOOLS TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE CAREER READINESS AND POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SHARE ABOUT THE WORK OF THE CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND THE IMPACT WE ARE MAKING IN THE COMMUNITY BY TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE A MORE INCLUSIVE CITY FOR EVERYONE.
SESSIONS LIKE THIS ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE STRENGTH WE SHARE AND THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN COLLABORATING TOGETHER.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THE MONTH.
AND I WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
IF YOU WISH NOT TO REPORT AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY INDICATE SO WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED, I WILL BEGIN BY ASKING COMMISSIONER WICKS FROM DISTRICT THREE IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A REPORT.
UM, COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
YES, I WAS ABLE TO THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
I WAS ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING DISCUSSION THAT I THINK, UH, YOU ALL WILL FIND INTERESTING.
SO THE TOWER CENTER AT SMU, SPEAKING OF WHICH, UM, HOSTED A A REALLY GOOD EVENT AND PART OF IT CENTERED ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
WELL, AT THAT EVENT WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT I BELIEVE A LOT OF YOU ALL KNOW, UM, CALLED HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS.
THEY HAVE A PROJECT CALLED HUMAN RIGHTS MAP, UM, AND THEY'RE GOING AROUND TO DIFFERENT CITIES, REALLY ENCOURAGING THEM AND IMPLORING THEM TO, UH, REALLY FOCUS AND DEDICATE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S PRINCIPLES AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO HUMAN RIGHTS, INCLUDING A DA.
UM, AND SO IT WAS A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION AROUND THE WORK THAT THIS ORGAN ORGANIZATION HAS DONE WITH THIS COMMISSION ITSELF, BUT ALSO, UM, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ON REALLY PUSHING FOR DALLAS TO ADOPT, UH, THIS, THIS KIND OF HUMAN RIGHTS INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND KIND OF POLICY.
AND SO, UM, I, I CANNOT REMEMBER HIS NAME, BUT I'LL ACTUALLY SEND IT TO, TO THE COMMISSION SOON.
UM, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CONTINUED THESE CONVERSATIONS AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD, UH, IMPLORE HIM TO COME SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, UM, TO PRESS ON THIS ISSUE WITH OUR, OUR COUNCILMAN.
SO IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND I WOULD ALSO IMPLORE MY, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO REALLY GET INVOLVED.
UM, SMU HAS A REALLY GOOD, UH, RESEARCH CENTER CALLED THE EMRY HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM THAT, THAT FOCUSES ON THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE DO HERE.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BE A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE TO GET SOME, SOME POLICY PUSHED THROUGH, THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER COLLIER, FOR PROVIDING THIS REPORT.
SO, HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT SPEAKS TO ME THE MOST, ESPECIALLY, UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN REALLY, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN, WE AS A COMMISSIONER ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE COLLABORATED TOGETHER WITH THEM ON A VARIETY OF EVENTS, INCLUDING THE COMMEMORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY THIS PAST YEAR IN 2025, AS WELL AS A PANEL DISCUSSION THAT HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS HOSTED CALLED DIGNITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE FOUNDERS, THERE ARE TWO CO-FOUNDERS.
RICK HALPERIN, WHO I HAVE WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS AND STILL DO TO THIS DAY, AND, AND HADDI JAWAD.
SO, UM, WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS DALLAS INVITE THEM BACK AND THEY CAN SPEAK TO US AND LOOK FORWARD TO
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COLLABORATING WITH THEM TOGETHER ON FUTURE COMMISSION EFFORTS.BECAUSE AS, BECAUSE AS CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, I ENVISION MY VISION IS TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
SO TH THIS, THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO ME AND I'M SURE OTHER COMMISSIONERS IN THIS ROOM, SO THANK YOU FOR REPORTING ON THAT.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
NOW, I, YOU DID SEND A REPORT THROUGH EMAIL, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY, IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU ALSO SHARED OUT LOUD SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES YOU PARTICIPATED IN SO THAT WE ALL ARE AWARE.
UH, FIRST I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, WELCOME TO CARRIE PARKS.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY SHE BRINGS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HER HERE, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, WHICH IS, UH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT THAT SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO JOIN US AT THIS TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR VOICE, YOUR VISION, YOUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OR KIND OF WHAT WE NEED, UM, AND TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR FOLKS HERE IN DALLAS, UH, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT IN THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AS I'M SURE MOST OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE.
UH, FOR THE OTHER PARTS OF MY REPORT, UM, I WILL SHARE THAT I ALONGSIDE, UH, GARY COPELAND AND, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER STAFF FROM THE CITY, WE WERE ABLE TO DO A RESOURCE FAIR AT THE PLEASANT GROVE BRANCH LIBRARY.
AND WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK, UH, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH FOLKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS THAT, AT LEAST IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S BEEN CHALLENGES FOR FOLKS BEING ABLE TO KIND OF ACCESS A LOT OF THESE MEETINGS, GIVEN THAT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE TAKING PLACE AND ALSO THE LOCATION THEY'RE IN.
AND SO, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND TALK TO RESIDENTS IN PLEASANT GROVE HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND I'LL SHARE A FEW MORE, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
BUT I THINK, UH, SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED, UH, BY THOSE FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY WERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH, UH, SENIOR, UH, FACILITIES WITH BROKEN ELEVATORS, UM, AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH HAVE REMAINED UNPAIRED FOR MONTHS.
AND SO TRYING TO FIND, UH, THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES FOR THAT.
UH, AND THE DISCUSSION, GARY POINTED OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, TDLR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, UH, SERVICE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE, UH, BUILDINGS, ELEVATORS WERE REPAIRED, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED ABOUT LANDLORD RETALIATION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A LACK OF AWARENESS OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES AND HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS PROBABLY BEEN REPEATED MANY TIMES IN OUR COMMISSION SO FAR ABOUT THE LACK OF RELIABLE MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, UH, THAT FOLKS ARE SEEING FROM RIDE SHARE SERVICES, UH, LIKE UBER, WHICH FELL TO ACCOMMODATE PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES, UH, ON OCCASIONS.
UH, AND ALSO REALLY JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED ASSISTANCE TO GET PEOPLE TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO ASKED FOR MORE UPDATES ON PROGRESS ON KEY INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO DISABILITIES IN, IN THE, UH, FROM OUR COMMISSION AND, UM, MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN, UH, WHICH WE WENT AHEAD AND SHARED WITH THEM AFTER THE FACT.
UM, BUT THERE'S JUST KIND OF CONTINUED CONCERN THERE.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO ISSUES WERE AROUND, UH, HOMELESSNESS, UH, NEAR PLEASANT GROVE, PARTICULARLY AMONGST THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND HOW THE CITY'S ACTUALLY FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THAT POPULATION.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS CARE RESPONSE AND MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, IS PART OF A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE COUNTY DOES, UH, INCLUDING THE 9 8 8, UH, LIFELINE AS WELL.
UM, JUST BEING AWARE OF THAT, PARTICULARLY FOR A NUMBER OF THE CLERGY THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE MEMBERS OF THEIR CHURCH THAT ARRIVE, UM, BUT SOMETIMES ARE THREATENED BY FOLKS WHO ARE, UH, HAVING SOME PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS AT THAT TIME.
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.
UM, SO THOSE WERE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE RESOURCE FAIR WE HOSTED ON MARCH 18TH.
UH, AND THAT WAS ALSO DONE ALONGSIDE OUR SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER, UH, FOR DISTRICT FIVE AS WELL.
SO, UH, I HOPE TO PARTNER WITH OTHERS IN DOING MORE OUTREACH EVENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
UH, I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO FOLKS ON THE GROUND TO UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE, UH, AND RECOGNIZING THAT A LOT OF THIS ARE JUST COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES, UH, ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, UH, BOTH AT THE COUNTY, CITY, AND CITY LEVEL.
UM, I, I ALSO SHARED IN THE REPORT THAT DALLAS TRINITY FC, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, OUR SOCCER TEAM, UH, PROVIDED AN INVITATION TO US AND THE STAFF TO ATTEND THE CELEBRATE OUR ABILITIES MATCH ON FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH AT
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4:30 PM AT COTTON BOWL STADIUM.I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXTENSION OF SOME OF THE WORK WE'D ALREADY DONE EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY, WHERE WE WENT WITH, UH, DART TO GO VISIT, UH, NEAR COTTON BOWL.
UM, AND WE GOT A CHANCE TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT EXIST AND PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK.
I THINK THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE COTTON BOWL STADIUM WILL BE A LOCATION WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO HOST FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, UH, FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO CONTINUE THAT, NOT ONLY FOR THAT OCCASION, BUT GOING FORWARD FOR ALL THE OTHER MEASURE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD, UH, IN THAT AREA.
UH, THE OTHER EVENT THAT I SHARED IN THERE WAS THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FOR OLDER AMERICANS, WHICH WILL BE AT THE PLEASANT GROVE BRANCH LIBRARY AGAIN, AND I HOPE OTHERS MAY JOIN ALONGSIDE US.
UM, BUT WE WILL BE HOSTING THAT, UM, ALONGSIDE THE DALLAS COUNTY AGING DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER, DALLAS AREA AGENCY ON AGING, DART AND PARKLAND AS WELL WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE IN PLEASANT GROVE.
THEN THERE, THERE ARE A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE PLANS TO HAVE BRIEFINGS ON HOUSING, UH, COMING SOON.
AND, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TALK TO METROCARE, WHICH ALSO DOES, UH, WORK ON HOUSING SUPPORT AND THEN ALSO HOUSING FORWARD AS WELL.
UM, THESE ARE TWO REALLY KEY, UH, SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE REALLY ADDRESSING SOME OF THE HOUSING NEEDS OF THOSE, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE DIS DISABLED COMMUNITY, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
THE NEXT WAS ON THE SUICIDE AWARENESS BRIEFING, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH, AND IT'S COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MORE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS AROUND, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR 9 9 8 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LINE.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN A LIFELINE THAT HAS EXISTED FOR ONLY A FEW YEARS, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY FUNDING AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THAT, UM, THAT I THINK WILL BE NECESSARY AND THE FEDERAL FUNDING IS RUNNING OUT.
UM, AND SO I I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PROVIDING SOME RESOURCES IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS SOME GAP, UH, BETWEEN THE STATE FUNDING OR THE FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE, UH, UPCOMING YEAR.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT I THINK CAN SPEAK TO THAT, UH, CLEARLY.
UM, EVERYWHERE FROM, UH, NORTH TEXAS CITY ON DOWN TO THE ME MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE.
THERE'S SO MANY FOLKS WHO PROVIDE INPUT ON, UM, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION IF I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU, IF YOU CAN PLEASE START WRAPPING UP SO WE CAN GIVE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR REPORTS IF THEY HAVE ANY.
UH, AND THEN LAST ONE HERE I'LL JUST END WITH WAS THE NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYEE AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH, UH, FOLKS AT THE DALLAS CHAMBER, UH, WHO I'VE MET WITH EARLIER, UH, TODAY ACTUALLY, UM, WITH AND JUST BEING ABLE TO SHARE, UH, SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES THEY'VE HAD IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE EMPLOYMENT CONVERSATION FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES FORWARD.
IS THAT THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR REPORT, COMMISSIONER? UH, YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT THIS REPORT, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, IT WAS DEFINITELY INSIGHTFUL.
THE COMMUNITY EVENTS YOU MENTIONED ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMISSION TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE CELEBRATING OUR ABILITIES MATCH.
UM, IT'S HAPPENING NEXT FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH, AND THEN THE PLEASANT GROVE ONE, UH, THAT'S HAPPENING LATER ON IN THE MONTH.
AND WHILE I MYSELF WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE EVENTS PERSONALLY, IT WILL, IT'S STILL A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ABLE TO ATTEND AND SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES, UH, AND WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN TERMS OF THE BRIEFING ITEMS YOU SHARED.
THESE ARE REALLY GOOD IDEAS AND WE CAN DISCUSS THEM AT A LATER TIME IN TERMS OF AS THERE ARE, I BELIEVE, SOME ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FIRST.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT THOSE AT A LATER TIME.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A REPORT, YOU MAY DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, I HAVE NO REPORT.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR THE WARM WELCOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER BANKS FOR, FROM DISTRICT 11, NO REPORT, THIS FUND.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER STEVEN SKA FROM DISTRICT 13.
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UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BRIEFING ITEM OF OUR AGENDA, THE PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO HAS REGISTERED BY THE NAME OF ALEX SCOTT HAS JOINED.MR. SCOTT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOUR TESTIMONY.
SO THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS, ALWAYS
UH, HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL.
MY NAME IS ALEX SCOTT, UH, 64 72 TRAMMELL DRIVE.
UM, AND I'M YOUR NEIGHBOR IN DISTRICT NINE.
FIRST OFF, I WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
I TOOK A NAP AND WOKE UP RIGHT AT ONE 50.
ANYWAYS, WITH THAT, UM, I AM HERE TODAY, UH, TO COME AND SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES REGARDING THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN, AS WELL AS THE PLANNED, UM, UPGRADES FOR A DA ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS THAT WERE PLANNED IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR FOR CITY HALL.
UM, BACK ON OCTOBER 8TH, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, MOVED THE, UM, UPGRADES FROM A CONSENT AGENDA TO A VOTING AGENDA AND, UH, CHANGED THE CONDITION FOR THESE A DA ACCESSIBLE UPGRADES, WHICH WERE BOND FUNDED, BUDGETED, SCOPED, AND FULLY ENCUMBERED, UM, TO BASICALLY WAIT FOR THESE A DA UPGRADES WITHIN THE RESTROOMS AT CITY HALL UNTIL AFTER THE COUNCIL WAS BRIEFED ON THE STATE OF CITY HALL, THAT WAS THE ONLY CONDITION THAT WITHHELD THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE RESTROOMS MOVING FORWARD, THAT CONDITION WAS MET ON OCTOBER 21ST, AROUND 173 DAYS AGO.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES WITHIN THE SIX RESTROOMS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR HAVE NOT GONE FORWARD.
UM, I MENTIONED THIS AND I SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL IN JANUARY AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS, AND NO ONE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, EVERYTHING WAS APPROVED OUTSIDE OF JUST THE CONSTRUCTION STARTING.
SO THE MONEY IS THERE, IT IS BUDGETED EVERYTHING, AND ALL IT NEEDS IS JUST AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION BY THE CITY MANAGER.
IT DOES NOT NEED TO GO BACK TO COUNCIL TO GET THIS STARTED.
AND THIS IS ACCESSIBLE UPGRADES BEING WITHHELD FROM THIS BUILDING AND ULTIMATELY BEING USED AS A AVENUE TO SAY THAT THIS BUILDING ISN'T WORTH BEING INVESTED IN.
UM, AND SO THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY FIRST THING.
AND THEN MY SECOND THING IS, UM, I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THE $33 MILLION A DA UPGRADE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE DALLAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THEIR BRIEFING ON WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THIS BUILDING UP TO ACCESSIBLE CODE OR JUST TO ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, THEY BROUGHT IN AN OUTSIDE, UM, A DA CONSULTANT THAT WAS NOT A PART OF OUR TRANSITION PLAN, THAT DID NOT PROVIDE A SINGLE ESTIMATE FOR WHAT THE NON-COMPLIANT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THIS BUILDING WOULD BE, OUTSIDE OF JUST ANOTHER 800 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT WE ALREADY HAD.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M JUST COMING UP HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN INVISIBLE DISABILITY, JUST VERY CONCERNED THAT THE ADVOCACY AND ALL OF THE PROGRESS THAT THIS GROUP HAS BEEN DOING, UM, IS BEING WITHHELD FROM THE PUBLIC OF ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THIS BUILDING UP TO AADA, A ACCESSIBLE CODE WITH THE POS WITH THE ACCURATE, UH, NUMBERS REFLECTING IT ESSENTIALLY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. SCOTT FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, AND WE DO HEAR YOU AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES IS HERE FOR, AND WE'RE EVEN GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEFORE IT CAME ABOUT, THERE WAS REALLY NOT A BODY WHERE PEOPLE COULD VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
AND SPEAKING OF THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN, THAT'S OUR BRIEFING ITEM FOR TODAY, AND I'LL BE, UM, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY AND HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PLAN ITSELF.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I BELIEVE SHOULD RESONATE WITH ALL OF US.
THE, THE PRESENTER WHO JUST PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENT RAISED REALLY VALUABLE CONCERNS THAT WE ALL NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
THIS BRIEFING ITEM IS CALLED THE CITY OF DALLAS, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE CHRIS GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER IN THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND MR. GARY COPELAND, A DA COMPLIANCE MANAGER, ALSO IN THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THEY BOTH WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY OF DALLAS'S, A DA TRANSITION PLAN AND HIGHLIGHT CURRENT ACCESSIBILITY EFFORTS, INCLUDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY RULE.
MR. GRAVES AND MR. COPELAND, I NOW WELCOME YOU BOTH TO THE PODIUM TO SHARE YOUR PRESENTATION.
[00:25:02]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION, CHAIR FA CONLEY.IT'S DEFINITELY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS GRAYS, I'M THE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER WITH OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE GARY COPELAND, WHO IS OUR A DA COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO GIVE THIS UPDATE TODAY.
KNOW THE COMMISSION IS SUCH A ASSET FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS BECAUSE YOU'RE OUR ENTRYWAY INTO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND YOU REACH AREAS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE PURVIEW.
WITH THIS PRESENTATION, WE ALSO HOPE TO GIVE YOU A SENSE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO ADVANCE ACCESSIBILITY.
AND TODAY WE'LL BE GIVING AN UPDATE PARTICULARLY TO OUR A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
SO FOR OUR PRESENTATION OVERVIEW, THERE IS A DECORATIVE PICTURE HERE OF THE CITY SKYLINE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
SO FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY, WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE BROADER PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
WE TOOK A PARTICULAR PHASED APPROACH WITH THIS WORK.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR METHOD FOR MAKING UPDATES, PARTICULARLY IN UPDATING THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN AND WE'LL ALSO SHARE IMPORTANT PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE ACROSS NUMEROUS YEARS AND HOW WE ADDRESS ONGOING COMPLIANCE EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY.
ALRIGHT, BUT JUST TO START WITH IS OF COURSE NOT NEW INFORMATION TO YOU, BUT OF COURSE THE A DA IS REALLY A CORNERSTONE OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAW AND IT MANDATES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS TITLES WITHIN THE A DA AND ITS PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ACROSS NUMEROUS SECTORS AND THAT INCLUDES JOBS, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, GOVERNMENT SERVICES, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND THEN WITH GARY AND I'S ROLE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE FOCUS IN PARTICULAR ON TITLE TWO AND THEN TITLE TWO OF THE A DA.
IT REALLY REQUIRES EQUAL ACCESS FOR THE PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFERS AS A TITLE TWO PUBLIC ENTITY.
SO NO MATTER WHAT PROGRAM, WHAT SERVICE, WE MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE THAT EQUAL ACCESS TO RESIDENTS SO THAT WAY THEY CAN ENJOY ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME WITH THE SERVICES THAT DALLAS MAKES AVAILABLE.
GOING BACK TO 2019, SEPTEMBER 25, THAT WAS WHEN CITY COUNCIL INITIALLY AUTHORIZED STAFF TO CONDUCT REALLY THE PHASE ONE OF THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE TOOK IT INTO A PHASED APPROACH.
AND SO PHASE TWO BEGAN IN AUGUST OF 2020 AND THAT WAS WHEN WE COLLABORATED WITH THE DEPARTMENT IS NOW CALLED TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO DEVELOP THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN, WHICH WAS A TOOL TO PRIORITIZE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
FOLLOWING IN JANUARY OF 2021, WE MADE SURE THAT THE TRANSITION PLAN WAS POSTED ONLINE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS KNEW WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS WAS DOING IN TERMS OF IT BEING SEEN ACCESSIBILITY.
THAT SAME YEAR IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021, WE BEGAN PHASE THREE AND THEN PHASE FOUR BEGAN IN DECEMBER OF 2023.
AND LATER IN THE PRESENTATION WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH WHAT EACH OF THOSE PHASES ACTUALLY ENTAILED AND WE'LL BREAK DOWN PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT WE ENGAGED IN.
SO REALLY THE THE PURPOSE OF THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN, IT'S REALLY THE FRAMEWORK THAT PROVIDES THE CITY OF DALLAS TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ADVANCING EQUAL ACCESS TO ALL THE BENEFITS AND TO ALL THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY MAKES AVAILABLE.
IT ALSO SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT WORKING DOCUMENT.
IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT'S CONTINUALLY UPDATED.
SO AS NEW BARRIERS COME UP, NEW EFFORTS ARE MADE TO ADDRESS THOSE BARRIERS.
AND SO IT'S CONTINUALLY UPDATED IN RESPONSE TO THOSE IDENTIFICATION OF BARRIERS AND THEN REMEDIATION OF THOSE BARRIERS.
IMPORTANTLY, THE TRANSITION PLAN ALSO PROVIDES SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE SAME BARRIERS, WHETHER IT'S AT AN INFRASTRUCTURE LEVEL OR EVEN PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE ADDRESSING BARRIERS THROUGH PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES AND COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS.
AND REALLY WHEN WE THINK OF ACCESSIBILITY AND IN TERMS OF THE CITY LS PROVIDING A SERVICE, IT TOUCHES ON MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS.
ACCESSIBILITY COULD MEAN PHYSICAL ACCESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A CURB RAMP, IT COULD MEAN THE PROVISION OF UH, AN AUXILIARY AID SO THAT WAY THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICE.
IT ALSO ADDRESSES TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM, SERVICE OR ACTIVITY.
HERE WE'LL GO INTO ACTUALLY PHASE ONE OF OUR A DA TRANSITION PLAN.
AND HERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PHOTO OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS SEATED AROUND A TABLE ADVISING THE CITY OF DALLAS ON THEIR PRIORITIES.
AND SO WITH PHASE ONE THAT CROSSED MULTIPLE YEARS, BEGINNING OF 2020 GOING THROUGH 20 21, 1 OF THE ITEMS THAT WE STARTED TO DO WAS ADDRESSING AND IDENTIFYING BARRIERS ACROSS CITY FACILITIES.
SO AS PART OF PHASE ONE, WE ASSESSED 23 CITY FACILITIES AND THAT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE IDENTIFICATION OF ALL KINDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE LEVEL BARRIERS AT THOSE FACILITIES.
WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY, UH, IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT NOW WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S NEW WEB CONTENT
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RULE THAT COMES INTO EFFECT.IN APRIL, THE CITY BEGAN THE WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY EFFORTS STARTING IN PHASE ONE.
SO SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE EVEN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAD ISSUED THIS NEW RULE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WEBSITE WE PROVIDE THE APPS WE PROVIDE ARE ACCESSIBLE AT THE STANDARD THAT WAS IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME.
WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY STAFF WERE TRAINED AND THAT INCLUDES EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DOWN TO FRONTLINE STAFF ON DISABILITY ETIQUETTE.
A REALLY IMPORTANT BODY THAT WE CONVENED WAS OUR A DA ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO GET INPUT FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS AND SO THAT WAY WE COULD ALSO HAVE LIAISONS IN DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO WE WERE WORKING IN TANDEM WITH TO ADVANCE ACCESSIBILITY.
AND OF COURSE WE POSTED THE TRANSITION PLAN IN JANUARY OF 21.
PHASE TWO, WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON SIDEWALKS.
SIDEWALKS IS A VERY CRITICAL ISSUE.
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S LED BY A PARTNER DEPARTMENT OF OURS THAT DEPARTMENT'S NOW CALLED TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS OR PUBLIC WORKS AT THE TIME, IT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, IT NEEDED A SYSTEM TO PRIORITIZE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, PARTICULARLY IF A RESIDENT SUBMITS A SERVICE REQUEST FOR A 3 1 1 AND THEY WANTED SOME ASPECT OF A SIDEWALK AND IF IT WAS A BARRIER IN PARTICULAR ON THAT SIDEWALK FOR THAT BARRIER TO BE MITIGATED.
SO THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN PROVIDES THAT FRAMEWORK FOR THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE THOSE REQUESTS.
AND SO IT REALLY HELPS TO ESTABLISH ASSET MANAGEMENT POLICIES FOR THE CITY.
NOW, THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN, IT INCORPORATED NUMEROUS ELEMENTS INTO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
IT WAS EVERYTHING FROM CONSIDERING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS.
THERE WAS ALSO THINKING AROUND THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN PLANNING PROCESS.
AND ALSO WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BY THE CITY OF DALLAS OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS.
SO ALL THOSE ELEMENTS WERE CONSIDERED TO SEE WHICH WAS THE BARRIER AT WHICH PARTICULAR ELEMENTS SHOULD THE CITY PRIORITIZE IN TERMS OF ITS RESOURCES.
AND SO THE SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THEN TRANSPORTATION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
NEXT SLIDE FOR PHASE THREE, THIS REALLY BEGAN IN 2022 AND THEN IT LASTED UNTIL 2023.
THE CITY, OF COURSE, HAS NUMEROUS PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SO WE MAINTAIN THAT EFFORT ON ASSESSING FOR BARRIERS ACROSS NUMEROUS CITY FACILITIES THAT ENCOMPASSED FIRST RESPONDER FACILITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH DALLAS FIRE RESCUE.
WE ALSO EXTENDED THE FOCUS TO, OF COURSE, AREA LIBRARIES.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ASSETS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE OAK CLIFF MUNICIPAL CENTER.
AS WE GOT ADDITIONAL BUILDING REVIEWS, WE GOT A BETTER SENSE ABOUT THE PARTICULAR BARRIERS AT THOSE FACILITIES.
AND SO WITH EACH BARRIER THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, THAT'S PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT FOR EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES.
AND SO THAT IS CONTINUALLY UPDATED ON OUR END.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT TO PHASE THREE WAS WE REALLY STARTED TO WORK WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AT THE POLICY LEVEL.
THAT MEANS THEY OPERATE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS, A VERY DIVERSE ARRAY OF SERVICES.
THEY ALSO OFFER A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES.
A LOT OF TIMES RESIDENTS HEAR ABOUT THOSE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS VIA THE WEBSITE.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE ENGAGED WITH A CORE SET OF DEPARTMENTS AND DID A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THEIR PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BARRIERS.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SUGGEST ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
WITH PHASE THREE, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY.
FOR PHASE THREE, WE'VE PROVIDED SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO ITS, PARTICULARLY AT THE CODING LEVEL SO THAT WAY THEY CAN INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN OF COURSE WITH PHASE THREE, AS WE STARTED TO WORK ON CITY FACILITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, WE WERE ALSO DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE IDENTIFYING BARRIERS WITH THE POTENTIAL AS COSTS.
WITH THAT, NOW THERE ARE NUMEROUS FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN TERMS OF COST.
UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT IT IS HANDLED BY OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S FACILITIES IN REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT OR THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO A LOT OF FACTORS GO INTO A PARTICULAR COST TO MITIGATE A BARRIER.
ALRIGHT, WITH PHASE FOUR, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT PHASE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON FACILITY ASSESSMENTS, PARTICULARLY PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE TRY TO BE VERY STRATEGIC WITH PHASE FOUR BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THE WORLD CUP WAS COMING TO NORTH TEXAS AND WE WANTED TO BE PROACTIVE AND WE WERE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE PARTICULAR SITE THAT PARTICULAR SITES THAT MAY BE ACTIVATED, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, BUT NORTH TEXAS IN ALIGNMENT WITH ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE WORLD CUP.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO DO FACILITY ASSESSMENTS
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AT PARKS AND RECREATIONS FACILITIES, PARTICULARLY AS WE THINK OF UH, SOCCER PITCHES BEING ACTIVATED AS YOUTH START TO PLAY IN ADVANCE OF THE WORLD CUP.WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER ASSOCIATED CENTERS WHERE THERE MAY BE WORLD CUP ACTIVITY, AGAIN, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, BUT SOMETHING DONE BY THE CITY OF DALLAS ITSELF.
AND THERE MAY BE OTHER PRIORITY SITES.
WE ARE STILL IN THE SELECTION PROCESS AND OF COURSE AS WE ASSESS ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WE'RE CONTINUALLY BEING UPDATED ON BARRIERS IDENTIFIED.
WE DID CONTINUE A FOCUS ON PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES REVIEWS WITH DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NOW IS A WEB CONTENT RULE THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR CITIES THE SIZE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THE COMPLIANCE DEADLINE IS APRIL 24TH, 2026.
AND THEN IMPORTANTLY, THAT PARTICULAR RULE CODIFIES THE STANDARD CITIES HAVE TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THAT PARTICULAR STANDARD IS CALLED WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES 2.1 AA.
IT'S BASED ON FOUR PARTICULAR PRINCIPLES OF WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
UH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT MORE DURING THE Q AND A.
AND OF COURSE AS WE IDENTIFY BARRIERS, THEN WE ALSO HAVE PROJECTS TO THEN MITIGATE THOSE BARRIERS.
AND WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH A SNAPSHOT OF DIFFERENT FACILITIES THAT WE'VE HAD UPGRADES IN.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE WORK TO ASSESS FOR BARRIERS AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE LEVEL.
OF COURSE, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE THEN HAVE A PLAN TO STRATEGICALLY MITIGATE THOSE BARRIERS.
SO WITH EACH BARRIER THAT'S IDENTIFIED, IT COULD BE AT THE PARKING LOT LEVEL, IT COULD BE AN ACCESSIBLE PATHWAY, IT COULD BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE BUILDING ITSELF.
EACH OF THOSE BARRIERS IS ASSIGNED A PRIORITY, WHETHER IT'S HIGH, MEDIUM, OR LOW.
AND THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE CITY MAKES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE SHOULD WE FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR PROJECT AND A PARTICULAR SET OF BARRIERS.
ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT COMES INTO EFFECT IS IF THERE'S AN ONGOING PROJECT AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ROLL IN SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS AND THEN ADDRESS THOSE BARRIERS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO FACTOR OUR IN A DA SERVICE REQUESTS.
SO A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN IS HAVING AN A GRIEVANCE PROCESS.
THAT GRIEVANCE PROCESS IS THROUGH 3 1 1.
SO RESIDENTS, NO MATTER IF IT'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE LEVEL BARRIER OR IF IT'S A BARRIER IN TERMS OF A PROGRAM OR A SERVICE, THEY CAN REPORT THAT IN 3 1 1 AND THEN THOSE SERVICE REQUESTS GO TO US.
AND DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF REQUEST IT IS, WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PURVIEW FOR THOSE.
WE DO HAVE PURVIEW IN MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.
WE DO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS IF IT HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, PARTICULARLY SIDEWALKS.
SO WE DO FACTOR IN COMPLAINTS IN TERMS OF WHAT PROJECTS SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE AND WHAT BARRIERS SHOULD WE FOCUS ON.
AND THEN IN PARTICULAR FOR OUR A DA FACILITY PROJECTS, WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COLLABORATIVE DEPARTMENTS, TWO OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
WE DO THAT BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY TO WORK WITH OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS FOR THE PARTICULAR UPGRADES.
THEY ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO, FOR EXAMPLE, BOND FUNDING THAT THEY CAN LEVERAGE FOR THESE FACILITY UPGRADES.
AND SO IN COLLABORATION WITH THESE TWO PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS, WE'LL WORK ON PROJECT SCOPE AS WELL AS BUDGET.
WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT A TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT TO BE COMPLETE.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE RECEIVE CONTINUALLY UPDATES FROM THE PROJECT MANAGERS WITH THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
SO OF COURSE AS WE WORK WITH PROJECT ENGINEERS, WHETHER IT'S FRM OR THE OFFICE OF BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, WE RECEIVE QUARTERLY REPORTS ON UPDATES.
WE ALSO HAVE AN IMPORTANT TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL BECAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS WE WE'RE ASSESSING FOR BARRIERS IN CITY FACILITIES, WE START TO ACCUMULATE A LOT OF DATA, RIGHT? ALL KINDS OF FACILITIES, ALL KINDS OF BARRIERS.
AND WE NEEDED A SYSTEM TO REALLY SCALE UP OUR TRACKING, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY IDENTIFYING THE BARRIERS ACROSS THE CITY, BUT ALSO PLANS TO MITIGATE THOSE BARRIERS.
SO ACTUALLY WE, WE PROCURED A SOFTWARE CALLED BLUE DAG AND IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO MORE EFFICIENTLY TRACK AND KEEP ACCOUNT OF ALL THE BARRIERS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED, RIGHT? AND THEN AS WE START TO MAKE THE FACILITY UPGRADES, WE CAN THEN UPDATE BLUE DAG.
SO THAT WAY IT SHOWS NOT ONLY WAS THE BARRIER IDENTIFIED, BUT THEN IT WAS EFFECTIVELY MITIGATED AND IT REALLY SCALES UP OUR ABILITY TO RUN REPORTS AND TO DO MORE EFFICIENT PROGRESS TRACKING
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OF OUR BARRIER REMEDIATION EFFORTS.SO AS PART OF BLUE DAG, WE ALSO HAVE FOUR TEAMS WITHIN A NUMBER OF STEVE CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN WE MADE SURE TO TRAIN THEM ALL ON BLUE DECK.
SO IT'S A APP THEY CAN ACCESS ON THEIR DESKTOP.
THERE'S ALSO A MOBILE APP AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
AND SO THIS IS IMP, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL PARTICULARLY TO KEEP TRACK OF BARRIER MITIGATION EFFORTS.
AND THEN THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES WITH GIS MAPPING.
THAT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
OUR DEPARTMENT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IS BUILDING OUT A GIS MAPPING TEAM.
SO WE MAY HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE ON THAT IN A FORTHCOMING UPDATE.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A GRID AND IT'S REALLY JUST A SNAPSHOT OF PROJECTS THAT OUR TEAM HAS HELPED LEAD IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO ALONG THE TOP OF THE GRID, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARTICULAR PROJECT NAMES, EVERYTHING FROM CITY HALL MUNICIPAL COURT, MAJESTIC THEATER, MLK CENTER, AND THEN MILDRED DUN.
AND THEN ALONG THE ROWS ARE THE PARTICULAR KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HELPED MAKE.
EVERYTHING FROM ADDING A CURB RAMP, ADDRESSING ACCESSIBLE PARKING, INSTALLING HANDRAILS, ENSURING SIDEWALK ACCESS, MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ENTRYWAYS AS WELL AS UPGRADES TO THE RESTROOMS. AND SO FOR EACH PARTICULAR PROJECT, THERE'S A X TO MARK WHETHER A PARTICULAR KIND OF IMPROVEMENT WAS MADE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AT CITY HALL THERE WAS WORK TO INSTALL A CURB RAMP AT CITY HALL'S ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.
THERE WAS ALSO WORK TO ADDRESS ACCESSIBLE PARKING ON L ONE AND L TWO.
AND THEN THERE WERE ALSO UPGRADES MADE TO THE RESTROOM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SHARE IN A FEW SLIDES HERE.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE BLUE SIDE.
SO FOR TYPICAL BARRIERS, AND WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
SO THE CITY OF DALLAS OR FOR CITY HALL HAS AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.
ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HELPED MADE WAS ACTUALLY INSTALLING A CURB RAMP TO MAKE IT AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, CHALLENGES MAY COME UP.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE CHALLENGES WITH ACCESSIBLE PARKING AND THEN INDIVIDUALS PARKING IN THE ACCESSIBLE SPOTS WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PLACARD.
AND OH, IF YOU CAN GO BACK, OH, THERE WE GO.
UH, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PLACARD, AND OF COURSE IF THERE ARE ELEMENTS, PARTICULARLY THIS, UH, DUMPSTER CAN, THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO OF COURSE WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART TO EDUCATE CONTRACTORS AND ALSO EDUCATE CITY STAFF ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS TO CITY HALL.
ALRIGHT, THESE WERE THE RESTROOMS THAT WE COMPLETED AT CITY HALL IN THE 9 1 1 COMPONENT AND IN PARTICULAR WORK THAT WE DID WAS TO LOWER THE SINKS AND THEN MAKE SURE THERE WAS A PROTECTIVE GUARD IF SOMEONE WITH A WHEELCHAIR CAME UP TO THE SINK, SO THAT WAY THEY WOULDN'T BUMP INTO THE PIPING THAT WAS UNDER CONVERTING THE SINK.
PARTICULARLY WITH THE MLK COMPLEX, A LOT OF ELEMENTS OF THIS WORK ARE ONGOING, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ELEMENTS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED THAT INCLUDES A RAMP BEHIND THE LIBRARY.
WE'VE ALSO ENSURED THAT IT HAS PROPER SLOPE.
AND THEN HANDRAILS, WE'VE ALSO ADDED AS WELL, THE SIDEWALKS AND SIDEWALKS IMPROVEMENT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING COMPLETED.
RIGHT ABOUT NOW WE'RE ABOUT AT ABOUT 50%.
AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WE'RE COMPLETING AT THE MLK COMPLEX, AND THAT INCLUDES SIDEWALK RAMPS.
AT THE MILDRED DUNN, WE DID NUMEROUS ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
IN PARTICULAR, I'LL, I'LL JUST CALL OUT THAT INSTEAD OF THE DOORKNOBS, WE ADDED A DA COMPLIANT DOOR LEVERS, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY HAVE EXTERIORITY ISSUES TO ENSURE THAT THEY COULD EASILY ACCESS AND GO THROUGH THE DOOR.
WE ALSO ADDED TOUCHLESS VALVES IN THE A DA RESTROOM.
HERE WE MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO CITY HALL AND L ONE AND L TWO.
NOT ONLY RE DRIVING, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE ACCESSIBLE SPOTS WERE CLOSER TO THE ENTRANCE.
WE ALSO INSTALLED A RAMP AND THEN ALSO A HANDRAIL TO ENSURE THAT THEY COULD EASILY ACCESS CITY HALL.
FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, THIS INCLUDES A NUMBER OF ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE ENTRYWAY THAT NOT ONLY INCLUDES AN A DA HANDRAIL, BUT ALSO DIFFERENT ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS THE PORT EASILY.
HERE AT THE MAJESTIC THEATER, WE DID IMPROVEMENTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR RESTROOMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE A DA.
WE ALSO MADE SURE TO DESIGNATE AND SIGNAGE THE A DA ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE.
AND THEN WE DID ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF
[00:45:01]
SO THAT WAY THEY KNEW AND WERE ABLE TO DIRECT PATRONS TO WHERE THE ACCESSIBLE PATHWAY WAS TO THE MAJESTIC THEATER.FOR OUR ONGOING COMPLIANCE EFFORTS, OF COURSE THE CITY HAS NUMEROUS FACILITIES, SO FACILITY ASSESSMENTS IS ONGOING.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RULE.
THAT WAS A RULE WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEFORE, AND WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DURING THE Q AND A ON THE TRAININGS WE HAVE PLANNED AND HOW WE'RE ENSURING THAT CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CREATE ACCESSIBLE CONTENT, PARTICULARLY IF THEY UPLOAD CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR IF THEY MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS.
SO THAT WAY FROM DOCUMENT CREATION OR FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA POST CREATION, IT'S ACCESSIBLE.
OF COURSE, WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO UPDATE OUR A DA TRANSITION PLAN AND THE WORK TO, UH, COLLABORATE WITH DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY TO ADDRESS BARRIERS IS AN ONGOING EFFORT.
THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING TOOL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUSH OUT TO DEPARTMENTS.
SO THIS PICTURE SHOWS TWO INDIVIDUALS COLLABORATING AND COMMUNICATING VIA A UB DUO.
AND THIS IS A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM.
IT PARTICULARLY ALLOWS FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION IF A RESIDENT IS DEAF OR HARD APPEARING.
OUR LIBRARY TEAM HAS NUMEROUS EED DUOS THAT THEY UTILIZE AT THEIR FRONT DESK.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE MONEY THAT WAS PUSHED OUT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, SO CARES FUNDING TO ACTUALLY PROCURE ABOUT 60 OF THE ED DUOS.
AND THEN WE SELECTED CITY DEPARTMENTS BASED ON NEED AND THEN INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE FOCUSED OF COURSE ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES, PARKING, RECREATION, BUT THEN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND SO WE PUSHED OUT THE BDO TO THE PARTNER DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING TO BETTER ASSESS ARE THEY BEING UTILIZED, AND THEN PARTICULARLY CAN WE REDISTRIBUTE AND BE DOS TO DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE A HIGH NEED WITH THEM, PARTICULARLY LIBRARY STAFF.
HERE WE CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BARRIER REMOVAL STRATEGY.
AND THIS STRATEGY HAS BEEN FLEXIBLE AS NEW BARRIERS COME UP.
SO OF COURSE OUR BARRIER REMOVAL STRATEGY IS REALLY BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BARRIER.
PRIORITY GUIDELINES, WE DO FACTOR IN, OF COURSE, UH, SERVICE REQUESTS OR COMPLAINTS WE GET FROM RESIDENTS.
WE ALSO FACTOR IN IF THERE'S ONGOING WORK AT A PARTICULAR CITY FACILITY THAT'S BEING DONE BY ONE OF OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, OR IF THERE'S A PLANNED CAPITAL PROJECT GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, OR IF THEY'RE ABLE TO INCORPORATE AND DO ADDITIONAL WORK ON A DA ELEMENTS.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS FOR 21 TO 22, 20 21 TO 2022, REALLY FOCUS ON HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS. AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A STAGGERED APPROACH.
YOU KNOW, FOR THE YEARS 23, 24, 25, THE FOCUS WOULD BE ON MEDIUM PRIORITY, AND THEN FROM 26 TO 30 LOW PRIORITY ITEMS. WHAT WE FOUND OUT THOUGH, OF COURSE, WAS THAT WHEN WE WERE FOCUSED ON HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS, OTHER LOW PRIORITY ITEMS CAME UP THAT WE COULD EASILY INCLUDE AS THE CONTRACTORS WERE ADDRESSING THOSE HIGH PRIORITY ELEMENTS.
AND SO WE WERE FLEXIBLE WITH THE STRATEGY AS NEW BARRIERS CAME UP AS THEY WERE FOCUSING ON THOSE HIGH PRIORITIES.
NOW, OF COURSE, THE LIST OF BARRIERS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS WE ASSESS ADDITIONAL FACILITIES, BUT OF COURSE, THROUGH OUR PLATFORM BLUE DAG, IT'LL ALLOW US TO BETTER EFFICIENTLY TRACK NOT ONLY THE BARRIER THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, BUT ALSO IF THERE'S WORK DONE THROUGH AND ED EITHER THROUGH OUR TEAM IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PARTNER DEPARTMENT OR THAT PARTNER DOING THE WORK ITSELF AND THEN UTILIZING THE BLUE DECK SYSTEM.
NEXT SLIDE HERE IS BASICALLY A TIMELINE THAT WE'VE TAKEN YOU THROUGH.
SO I, I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERYTHING IN THIS SLIDE.
I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT, WE KIND OF TOOK YOU THROUGH THE PHASED APPROACH THAT WE TOOK FROM PHASES ONE THROUGH FOUR.
AND THEN THIS SLIDE IS A SNAPSHOT OF ALL THE SLIDES THAT WE'VE JUST TAKEN THROUGH EVERYTHING FROM THE FACILITY ASSESSMENTS DURING PHASE ONE TO WEBSITE TRAINING, OF COURSE IN 23.
AND OF COURSE, OUR CURRENT WORK TO ADVANCE WEB CONSENT ACCESSIBILITY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SCHOOL, AND PARTICULARLY OUR USE OF BLUE DECK TO REALLY SCALE UP OUR TRACKING OF AADA A COMPLIANCE NEXT SLIDE.
AND WITH THAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE OUT THE PRESENTATION.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA THANK CHAIR FALEY AND THE COMMISSION FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN AND WHAT WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRACE, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
IT WAS DEFINITELY INFORMATIVE AND WE CERTAINLY LEARNED A LOT AS A COMMISSION ABOUT THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN AND THE WORK THAT OUR CITY IS DOING TO MAKE SURE IT IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK.
[00:50:01]
UM, FIRSTLY, THE FIRST QUESTION IS REGARDING, WELL, BOTH QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT THE WEBSITE, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO USE AS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS SCREEN READERS IN CONJUNCTION WITH BRAILLE DISPLAYS.HAS YOUR TEAM TESTED THE WEBSITE? HAS YOUR TEAM TESTED YOUR CONTENT, THE CONTENT THAT IS POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE WITH REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAYS? AND IF SO, WHAT ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FULLY NAVIGABLE FOR THESE USERS? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
I'M GONNA ASK GARY TO SPEAK TO THAT.
PARTICULARLY WITH THE WEB CONTENT RULE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE WITH THIS NEW RULE, THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS THAT ITS REALLY LEADS IN, AND THAT'S REALLY IF IT'S AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE LEVEL.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT GARY AND I WORK WITH IN COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY IF THEY UPLOAD CONTENT.
BUT ON THE SCANNING, THAT IS A PARTICULAR ACTIVITY DONE BY ITS AND I'LL, I'LL PASS IT TO GARY, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
BECAUSE, UM, IT IS CHALLENGING.
AND OUR ITS TEAM, WE'VE BEEN TRAINED IN MAKING THE WEBSITES ACCESSIBLE.
WE'VE, UH, GONE ON AHEAD AND PUT INVESTMENTS IN THAT DIRECTION.
UH, ALL OF THE WEBSITES THAT WE HAVE NOW, THEY TESTED AS APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 90%, UH, ACCESSIBLE.
SO THEY DO, UH, RUN THE ACCESSIBILITY CHECKERS THROUGH THOSE, UM, WEBSITES.
NOT TO SAY THAT THERE MAY BE ELEMENTS THAT WE, UH, PROVIDE SOME CHALLENGES.
AND THE GOOD THING IS THAT ON OUR PAGES, UH, THE, THE ITS TEAM HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY PUT IN A, A CONTACT SO THAT ANY ELEMENTS THAT SWUNG NOT TO BE INCOMPLIANT, UM, THEY COULD BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY AND HAVE THAT CORRECTLY.
AGAIN, THE CITY DOES HAVE A FEW, UH, ONE, TWO, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS AND SOME DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE LIKE 108.
BUT GOOD THING IS THAT OUR IS FOLKS, AGAIN, THEY UNDERSTAND THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON IMPROVING ACCESS OR SCREEN LEADERS AND, UH, PROGRAM LEADERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ADDRESSING THAT QUESTION, MR. COPELAND.
AND WHILE I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DOES REQUIRE INTENSIVE LABOR WORK, IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO BE MINDFUL OF AS INDIVIDUALS BY LISTENING TO A SCREEN READER.
ONLY KINDLY BE ADVISED THAT YOU CAN ONLY GET SO MUCH INFORMATION, BUT IF YOU USE IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A BRAILLE DISPLAY AND A SCREEN READER, YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE A MORE SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE AND AN INTUITIVE, UM, OPPORTUNITY OR AN INTUITIVE, A SEAMLESS AND INTUITIVE EXPERIENCE NAVIGATING THESE WEBSITES.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH CURRENT INVOLVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO READ BRAILLE AS WELL, INCLUDING THOSE MYSELF.
SO I'M GLAD THAT, THAT THESE ARE THESE, I'M GLAD THESE ISSUES ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
AND THEN MR. GRAVES, I DID WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.
UM, ON THE CURRENT WEBSITE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND A DA COMPLIANCE, THERE IS STILL INFORMATION THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE IS, THERE ARE CONTENT THAT MAY NOT BE ACCESSIBLE AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CALL, IF YOU HAVE AN A D COMPLAINT, CALL 3 1 1, WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE WHERE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE, THAT THAT CONTENT IS OLD, IT'S BEEN YEARS.
SO ARE, IS THERE CONTENT, ARE THERE PLANS TO UPDATE IT WITH NEW CONTENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S NEW RULE 2026 AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS IN FACT A REQUIREMENT? YOU KNOW, NO ANDS, IFS, OR BUTS IN THIS REGARDING THIS? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
SO ACTUALLY THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT'S VERY CURRENT WITH THE CITY.
SO, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY, WE JUST HAD A MEETING ON THIS THE OTHER DAY WITH OUR CITY MANAGER OFFICE.
SO THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE TWO PARTICULAR FOCUSES WITH THE WEBSITE UPDATE.
ON THE ONE HAND IT'S GONNA BE TO UPDATE, TO ENSURE THAT WEB CONTENT IS ACCESSIBLE.
THAT INCLUDES WEBSITES, WEBPAGE, APP, SOCIAL MEDIA.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF UPDATES THAT HAVE TO BE MADE AS A RESULT OF THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE EFFORTS LAST YEAR.
SO AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, THE CITY OF DALLAS ENGAGED IN A REALLY INTENSIVE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS COMPLYING WITH FEDERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN REGARD TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
THAT WAS AT THE DIRECTION OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, UH, CITY COUNCIL ALSO AUTHORIZED VIA, UH, OMNIBUS RESOLUTION TO MAKE NUMEROUS CHANGES TO DIFFERENT CITY PROGRAMS. NOW, OF COURSE, OUR WORK WITH THE A DA, THAT REMAINED CENTRAL, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL LAW.
SO WE WERE NOT NECESSARILY IMPACTED AS MUCH AS
[00:55:01]
OTHER PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF THE DEI REVIEW, BUT A LOT OF WEBSITES HAVE TO BE UPDATED.SO THAT THERE IS A KIND OF A TWO-PRONGED FOCUS.
ONE ON THE WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY, AND THEN THE OTHER IS DOING A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF OUR WEBSITE.
BECAUSE AS YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE WEBSITE, IT STILL HAS THIS LISTED WITHIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WHICH OF COURSE NO LONGER EXISTS AS A DIVISION 'CAUSE WE'RE NOW OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
SO THERE, THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING EFFORT TO NOT ONLY ENSURE THE WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTENT IS UPDATED AND REFLECTIVE OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM AND WHAT DEPARTMENT WE BELONG TO, AND THEN OUR CURRENT ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
SO YES, THAT, THAT IS A DEFINITE PRIORITY CHARCOAL ECONOMY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THIS QUESTION, MR. GRAVES.
AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL IN THAT DESPITE THESE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS, THAT THE A DA WORK IS NOT BEING IMPACTED BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE DO, NOT ONLY AS A COMMISSION, BUT IT'S THE FOUNDATION FOR, YOU KNOW, ACCESS.
SO THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
SO THANKS FOR PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION.
I WILL NOW MOVE ON TO, I WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. GRAVES OR MR. COPELAND.
AND I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER WICKS FROM DISTRICT THREE.
UH, NO, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE MAKE THE COMMENT, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH, UH, DETAILS IN THE PRESENTATION ITSELF.
UM, ARE WE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH, UH, OTHERS LIKE AT THE DIFFERENT CHURCHES AND PEOPLE IN OUR, UH, COMMUNITY? YES.
YOU ARE MORE THAN, YOU ARE MORE THAN, UH, UH, ABLE TO SHARE IT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE.
SO YES, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SHARE IT.
DO YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER? NO, THAT'S IT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR I.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS AMAZING WORK.
UM, BEING NEWER TO THE COMMISSION, UM, A LOT OF TIMES YOU DON'T SEE THIS UNTIL YOU'RE CLOSE TO IT.
UM, SO, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION AND UM, IT KIND OF TIES INTO OUR SPEAKER, UM, MS. SCOTT, HER QUESTION ABOUT THE RESTROOMS HERE IN THIS BUILDING.
UM, I SAW THAT ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, CITY HALLS 9 1 1, RESTROOMS, UM, SHOW COMPLETED.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOUCH POINTS WITH THESE COMPLETED RESTROOMS VERSUS WHAT MS. SCOTT WAS ASKING ABOUT, UM, UM, AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL, UH, A DA COMPLIANCE? YES, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND THEN I'LL ANSWER AS BEST WE CAN.
SO THE, THERE WERE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS FOR RESTROOMS USING, UH, MONEY FROM THE OPPOSITE BOND AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
THOSE UPGRADES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MADE AT CITY HALL.
SOME OF THOSE RESTROOMS WERE ON THE SIXTH FLOOR.
BUT OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, AND THAT HA HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY CITY COUNCIL, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS, NOT ONLY WHAT IT WOULD FULLY COST TO REPAIR CITY HALL, AND THEN POTENTIALLY ALSO LOOKING TO ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR WHERE CITY HALL COULD BE HOUSED.
SO I, I KNOW THAT PROCESS IS ONGOING.
AND THEN OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UNTIL THE, WELL, ACTUALLY THAT'S KIND OF, I GUESS I'LL PASS IT TO GARY IF HE'S ABLE TO ANSWER ANYMORE ON THAT, BUT IT REALLY KIND OF DEPENDS ON CITY COUNCIL ON THE DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO TO AS FAR AS REPAIRING CITY HALL OR RELOCATING.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS MAKE SURE THAT, UM, ALEX SCOTT'S CONNECTED TO HIS COUNCIL MEMBER THAT MAY BE THE BEST AVENUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, THAT PRIORITY.
AND I'LL JUST, UH, JUST ADD TO, UH, AFTER THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT CC, THE CITY HALL DOES HAVE ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS. UM, OUR GOAL IS, IS TO MAKE, UH, E EVERY FLOOR HAVE THE ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS. SO, UH, THESE, UH, PROJECTS ARE BASICALLY, UH, THE REMAINING PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY DONE, UH, UPGRADES ON MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE LOADS.
UM, AND THAT'S FROM PREVIOUS PROJECTS, UH, BEING
AND I'M FULLY TRANS, SO I, I I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE DO HAVE ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS. UM, IT'S JUST PART OF OUR INTENDED PROJECT ON THE TIMELINE THAT, THAT THE RESTROOM DON'T EVERY SINGLE TOOL, UM, BECAUSE BEYOND UNDERSTAND THIS IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE, UM, APPROACH.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, ANYONE COMING TO CITY HALL
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SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH ACCESS ANYWHERE.SO, UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, SHARE THAT AND, UM, WHAT CHRIS SAID SOME FOLLOW UP WITH NEEDED, BUT, UM, COUNSEL.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, WE'RE REALLY JUST WAITING FOR THE COUNCILS TO DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE BUILDING BEFORE THEY INVEST EITHER WAY.
THAT, THAT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING.
NEXT, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU MAY WISH TO ASK THEM NOW.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS, UH, FOR THE UPDATE.
UH, AS A KID, I ATTENDED ME DON'S, UM, SUMMER PROGRAMS, AND SO GREAT TO SEE THE UPDATES TO THAT FACILITY.
UM, I THINK THE KEY QUESTION, UH, KIND OF GOES TO SOMETHING THAT I SPOKE WITH GARY ABOUT AT THE PLEASANT GROVE EVENT.
UH, IT WAS JUST REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE, THE A DA PLAN, UM, WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS VISIBILITY ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UH, OBVIOUSLY FOLKS HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AROUND TOWN, BUT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES I THINK, IN TERMS OF JUST REGULARLY COMMUNICATING UPDATES TO PEOPLE.
UM, EVEN AS THEY EVEN SUBMIT COMPLAINTS TO 3 1 1, THEIR EXPECTATIONS AROUND, UH, THE RESPONSE TIMES ON THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
SO JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TALKING TO FOLKS, HOW DO WE, UH, INFORM THEM ABOUT THE, THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING? IT'S A, IT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL.
SO, AND WHAT, WHAT WE COULD START TO DO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THE, THE, THE COMMISSION IS SO VALUABLE FOR US TO REACH THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW CHARCO CONLEY, YOU'RE ALWAYS ENCOURAGING PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, YOU'RE VERY ACTIVE WITHIN THE PLEASANT GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD HOLDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM AS YOU'VE DONE WHAT WE COULD START TO DO IS WE, WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM, HOW IT ADVANCING ACCESSIBILITY.
WHAT WE COULD START TO DO IS START TO DO QUARTERLY UPDATES TO THE COMMISSION, PERHAPS BY MEMO, AND THEN DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO INVITE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR DISTRICT, RIGHT, TO HEAR THOSE UPDATES.
AND THAT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH THEM.
THAT'S ONE PARTICULAR STRATEGY WE COULD START TO DO TO HAVE THOSE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN THIS IS SUCH A VALUABLE FORUM WHERE THE COMMISSION CAN BE INVOLVED AND THEY CAN HEAR THOSE UPDATES.
AND WE COULD DEFINITELY START TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF, UH, CHAIR COCO WOULD LIKE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL STRATEGY, AND I THINK IT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMISSION TO REALLY GET INVOLVED AND WE AS A BODY WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR THEIR VOICES.
I JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, I THINK TRANSPARENCY IS KIND OF KEY TO THESE INITIATIVES.
UH, FOLKS KIND OF DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I THINK YOU DO MAKE A VALID POINT.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, AND OBVIOUSLY WE LEAD WITH TRANSPARENCY.
THAT'S HONESTLY WHAT OUR, OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO LEAD WITH TRANSPARENCY, INTEGRITY, AND SERVICE FIRST.
SO, UM, WE'RE DEFINITELY ON THIS TOGETHER AND DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING TOGETHER.
ARE THOSE ALL YOUR COMMENTS, OR DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU WISH TO ASK? I HAVE NO MORE COMMENTS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESENTERS? THANK YOU.
I, I DO HAVE, I WANT, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE US MAKING THIS CHANGE TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
UM, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING IT ONE OR TWO STEPS FURTHER AND PREPARING OUR BATHROOMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND CARETAKERS WHO HAVE LARGER CHILDREN OR ADULTS THAT NEED CHANGING AREAS? I'LL LET GARY SPEAK TO THAT.
IT IS A CHALLENGE, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, INCLUDING I THINK, UH, ONE AREA IS, IS ABOUT CHANGE CHANGING TABLES.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE, UM, INSTALLED.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A DISCUSSION BECAUSE THESE PARTICULAR UNITS, FOR, FOR ADULTS, THEY DO POSE A, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RISK, MEANING THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT COULD SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE WEIGHT OF A, OF,
[01:05:01]
OF A, OF AN ADULT.UM, CITY HALL, AS YOU KNOW, UH, JUST, UH, PUTS A CHANGE IN ON MAKING, UH, SIMPLE UPDATES, TURNS OUT TO BE, UM, RE RESOURCE INTENSIVE.
UM, UM, SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE, WE, WE, WE HEAR, UH, THIS, THIS COMMENT AND WE'VE BEEN FIELDING AND TESTING.
I'M LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT AND, UM, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY, MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT HOPEFULLY AS WE CONTINUING WITH, UH, HOPEFULLY DO CONTINUE WITH THE UPGRADES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE ABLE TO INSTALL SOME OF THESE UNITS.
MOVING ON NOW TO COMMISSIONER BANKS FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UM, I, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK, UM, MR. COPELAND AND MR. GRAVE FOR THAT EXCELLENT AND VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
UM, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO SEE HOW MUCH PROGRESS YOU GUYS, UM, Y'ALL HAVE MADE.
UH, AND, AND TO HEAR ABOUT THE, THE FUTURE PLANS.
UM, I, I WAS SPECIFICALLY WONDERING ABOUT THE, UH, THE BLUE DAG, UH, DATABASE.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO, UH, ACCESS THAT DATABASE TO SEE, UM, THE SPECIFICS OF ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON? OR WILL THE, WILL WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE, UM, THE GIS SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, AND THEN I'LL ANSWER PART AND THEN PASS IT TO GARY.
SO, AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT IS OUR INTENTION AT A LATER POINT TO BE ABLE TO DRAW ON THE BLUE DECK SYSTEM TO DO A PUBLIC REPORT OUT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A FEATURE WHERE, UH, RESIDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE DATA, LOOK AT THE BARRIERS IDENTIFIED, LOOK AT THE BARRIERS REMEDIATED THAT IS STILL BEING WORKED ON.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT IS LIMITED TO EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TESTING EVERYTHING OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FUNCTIONING THE WAY WE NEED IT TO FUNCTION.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, BLUE DAG, WE HAVE IMPORTED ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE'VE ACCUMULATED AS FAR AS BARRIERS IDENTIFIED ACROSS NUMEROUS CITY FACILITIES.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REPORTING AND USING THE SYSTEM TO ALSO KEEP TRACK OF IF WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MITIGATE ANY OF THOSE BARRIERS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY PROJECTS WE MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE A MORE PUBLIC FACING PAGE THAT DRAWS ON THAT DATA, WHERE YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE AND, UH, WHERE YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE SAME BARRIERS IDENTIFIED.
SO THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S COMING, BUT, UH, NOT YET, UH, LIVE YET, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW WHEN THAT'S THE CASE.
I DON'T KNOW, GARY, IF YOU WOULD WANNA SAY ANYTHING MORE? YEAH, UH, UH, DEFINITELY THE, THE INFORMATION THAT'S GOING BE WHAT IN THE BLUE BAG SYSTEM, UM, EVEN IF, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC OR OR COMMISSION MEMBERS CAN ACCESS THE COMMISSION DIRECTLY, UM, BECAUSE, UH, IT'S, IT'S A SYSTEM THAT IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A DATA DATABASE, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT'S FED INTO THAT DATABASE COMES FROM THE TRANSITION PLAN.
UM, WE DO HAVE ALL THE RECORDS OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE LOOKED AT AND ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE FOUND WITH, UM, COURSE ESTIMATES.
AND, AND THAT'S A DEAL FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC OR THE COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S, AGAIN, ANY TRANSITION PLAN.
IT'S ALSO BELONG TO THESE WEBSITE, UM, ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND AGAIN, UH, JUST BEAR IN MIND, THE PLANS ARE OPEN DOCUMENT NOW WITH, AS MORE FACILITIES ARE LOOKED AT THAT BE MORE INFORMATION, UH, PLUGGED INTO THAT PLAN.
UM, THE, UH, UH, SORT OF, UH, MORE GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION AND, AND, AND EASY READ THAT THE INFORMATION WILL ALSO BE PLACED INTO THE GISD DATABASE.
SO, UM, ONLINE TO GIS AND AND MAPPING, UM, THE COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE FULL ACCESS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BLUE DA SOFTWARE COME BACK THERE.
THE BLUE SOFTWARE, UM, WOULD BE USED TO HELP GENERATE THESE CHANGES AND UPDATES AND PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE GIS FILES AND ALSO PROVIDE UPDATES, UM, ANY TRANSITION PLANS ON THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT SIDE, UM, THE GE BLUE BAG SOFTWARE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, IT'S, IT'S STRICTLY FOR, UM, CITY, CITY EMPLOYEES UNDER THE LICENSING AGREEMENT.
UM, BUT NOT TO SAY THAT THE INFORMATION THAT'S PRESENTED, BUT IN THAT SYSTEM, IT, IT'S, IT'S AVAILABLE AND AS I SAID, UH, MULTIPLE WAYS THROUGH THE GIS, UH, THE DATABASE AND MAPPING THAT, THAT
[01:10:01]
WILL BE BRINGING OUT AND, UM, THE INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN ATION PLAN AND THE POSSIBLE ASSESSMENTS.UH, NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MM-HMM
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE MOVING ON TO COMMISSIONER HUSKA FROM DISTRICT 13 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESENTERS.
JUST THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU MR. GRAVES AND MR. COPELAND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU GUYS IN TERMS OF FUTURE UPDATES THAT HAPPEN WITH THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
OUR NEXT ITEM BEFORE ADJOURNMENT IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
MARCH IS DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE RAISE AWARENESS, PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING, AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 6.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES LIVE WITH SOME SORT OF CHALLENGE AND, AND CONDITIONS CAN RANGE FROM AUTISM, ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, AND OTHERS.
WHILE MARCH IS DEDICATED TO THIS OBSERVANCE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING YEAR ROUND, RECOGNIZING THE CHALLENGES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IS AT THE CORE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
THEREFORE, WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING INCLUSION AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING WHERE THESE VOICES ARE RESPECTED AND HEARD.
THIS CONCLUDES MY ANNOUNCEMENT.
I WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THEIR OWN, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER WICKS FROM DISTRICT THREE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU MADE FOR THIS MONTH, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY THIS IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AS WELL.
AND SO WOMEN ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND SPACES OF ENDEAVOR AND, UH, THAT SHOULD ALSO BE CELEBRATED AS WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER HAND IN HAND FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER, UM, COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT NINE OR FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT I THINK THAT, UH, MOST OF THE SENATE COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HAVING TOWN HALLS, UH, FOR THE BUDGET.
UM, AND SO FOR THE SPEAKER EARLIER THAT PROVIDED COMMENTS, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE TO SEE IF YOUR, UH, CITY COUNCIL PERSON IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING, UM, A TOWN HALL IN YOUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO SHARE THOSE, UH, CONCERNS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE A FEW EVENTS HAPPENING IN MARCH, UH, WITH THE, UM, DFW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM, WHICH WILL BE TAKING PLACE STARTING TOMORROW AT THE DFW AIRPORT.
UH, AND THEN NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IS ALSO HAVING AN EVENT AT, UH, ROCKWELL FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, THAT'S FOCUSED ON ADOLESCENTS AND TEENS, UH, FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, AND GREG ELLIS, FORMER DALLAS COWBOYS PLAYER WILL BE THERE.
SO, UH, HE'S BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'LL BE, UH, A FUN TIME FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO, UH, WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TEAM MENTAL HEALTH, UH, BUT ALSO TO, UH, SEE GREG ELLIS THERE, UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN PERSON.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS THE EMPOWER 5K RUN FOR, UH, THOSE, UH, THAT SUPPORT THE AUTISM COMMUNITY.
UH, SO THE AUTISM SPEAKS RUN WILL BE OUT IN ARLINGTON, UH, AND THEN ENVISION DALLAS, WHICH IS A PROGRAM FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
UH, WE'LL BE HAVING EVENTS THROUGHOUT APRIL, UH, THEIR POKER TOURNAMENTS ON APRIL 22ND, AND GOLF IS ON APRIL 23RD.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? NO, THAT IS ALL.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I HAVE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.
CERTAINLY COMMISSIONER BANKS FROM DISTRICT 11.
NO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BANKS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER BANKS OR COMMISSIONER HUSKA FROM DISTRICT 13.
NO ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME.
ANY FINAL WORD OR, OR ANY FINAL WORD OR THOUGHT OF DISCUSSION BEFORE? A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED FOR ADJOURNMENT?
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ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION? ANY LAST WORD, SIR? CHAIR.ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? APPARENTLY THERE'S, THERE'S NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MEET THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MEETING HAS BEEN ADJOURNED FOR THE RECORDS.
THE TIME THIS MEETING ADJOURNED IS AT 3:23 PM I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OF YOUR DAY TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS MONTHLY MEETING.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DE AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, ONGOING EFFORTS IN ADVANCING ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, BE SAFE AND ALL BLESSINGS.