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[Commission on Disabilities on May 26, 2026.]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, MAY 26TH, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:26 PM WE HAVE MET QUORUM AND THIS MEETING IS NOW BEING CALLED TO ORDER.
PRIOR TO PROCEEDING WITH ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REMIND YOU ALL OF SOME HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS TO BE AWARE OF.
FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, WE REQUEST THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND FINALLY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONERS IN THIS ROOM, WHETHER THAT BE IN PERSON OR REMOTE, HAVE MANY QUESTIONS THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ADDRESSED.
WE HEAR YOU, BUT KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS TO GIVE OTHER COMMISSIONERS IN THE ROOM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
WE DO HAVE A PRETTY PACKED MEETING TODAY, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO, UM, ABOUT ALL THE, THE ITEMS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ROLL CALL.
UH, OUR SECOND ITEM, I SHOULD SAY ON THE AGENDA IS ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT ARE STATED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING PRESENT, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA WICK, OR EXCUSE ME, SELENA GLASSCOCK.
COMMISSIONER CANDACE WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
COMMISSIONER WICKS IS NOT PRESENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER CA, COMMISSIONER MARLISA COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR WILL NOT BE JOINING US TODAY.
WE WILL MISS HER, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HER AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE PRESENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER LAURA LEE GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10.
COMMISSIONER NANCY DEMAN, DISTRICT 11.
AND, UM, DISTRICT 14 IS VACANT.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN CAL CONLEY, MAYOR APPOINTEE FROM DISTRICT 15.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR DEVOTING THEIR TIME TO OUR BODY AND OUR EFFORTS.
WITH YOUR DEDICATION AND SUPPORT, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS AND ACHIEVE THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND GOALS THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES AND OUR CITY.
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SACRIFICE AND EFFORTS AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMISSION AND ITS EFFORTS.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME IN THAT CASE? THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
AS I ALWAYS SAY, I ENCOURAGE YOU COMMISSIONERS TO INVITE PEOPLE WHOM YOU KNOW FROM WITHIN YOUR CIRCLES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO DISABILITY RIGHTS, DISABILITY JUSTICE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY AND DISABILITY INCLUSION.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS AMENDING OF PRIOR MINUTES.
DUE TO A LAST MINUTE AMENDMENT THAT WAS MADE, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON BOTH MINUTES FROM THE MARCH MEETING AND THE APRIL MEETING.
I WOULD AT THIS TIME, LIKE TO INVITE, UH, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER CHRIS GRAVES, TO
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SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT AMENDING THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 24TH, 2026.ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD A FEW WORDS TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE MARCH MEETING MINUTES, AN EDIT WAS DISCUSSED, AND THAT WAS TO ADD, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE WAS REFLECTED IN THE ATTENDANCE VALLEY, BUT IN THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE, THE MOTION WAS TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS READ.
AND SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO AMEND THE MINUTES SO THAT WAY WE CAN EDIT THAT AND HAVE REFLECTED THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE WAS IN THE ATTENDANCE TALLY.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TWO AMEND THE MINUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE IS REFLECTED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRAVES, FOR SHARING THAT.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS TO EXPRESS ANY EDITS THEY WISH TO MAKE TO THE AMENDED MINUTES FROM MARCH 24TH, 2026, STARTING WITH, WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, NO EDITS.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN, COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
UM, COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN KYLE CONLEY, AND I WISH TO MAKE NO EDITS AS WELL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION OR ANY, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO, UH, MAKE A FINAL WORD OR MAKE EDITS BEFORE WE APPROVE THE AMENDED MEETING MINUTES? COMMISSIONER HUSHKA FROM DISTRICT 13.
WE'RE GLAD YOU WE'RE HAPPY YOU'VE JOINED US.
UM, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA, DO YOU WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO OUR MAR AMENDED MEETING MINUTES FOR MARCH, UH, 24TH? 2026? NO EDITS IN THE COMMENTS? NO EDITS.
ANY FINAL WORDS? ANY FINAL WORDS BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN? UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I SECOND INTO THAT MOTION? MM-HMM.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AMENDED MARCH 24TH.
2026 MINUTES AS READ, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WHAT? ALL OPPOSED, CLEARLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE AMENDED MEETING MINUTES FROM MARCH 24TH, 2026 HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ.
WE ARE NOW GOING ON TO THE, WE'RE NOW GOING TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 28TH, 2026.
I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS TO EXPRESS IF THEY WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THESE MINUTES BEFORE WE APPROVE THEM.
STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE.
UM, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER GUNN DISTRICT, UM, DISTRICT 10.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA DISTRICT 13.
ANY FINAL WOR ANY FINAL LAST WORDS OF THOUGHT BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES? ANY FINAL WORDS I MOVE TO, UM, APPROVE THESE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE APRIL 28TH, 20, 26 MINUTES PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? CLEARLY THERE IS NONE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES FROM OUR APRIL 28TH, 2026 MEETING HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ.
WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE BRIEFING ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE SEVERAL BRIEFING ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS, STARTING WITH THE REPORTS.
I WILL BEGIN BY PROVIDING THE OFFICER'S REPORT FOR MAY 20, FOR MAY, 2026 ON MAY 18TH.
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I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE QUALITY OF LIFE SLASH ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PRESENTED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE ABOUT THE DISABILITY PR PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE, RESULTING FROM THE RECOMMENDATION MADE BY THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES TO RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG ON ITS FY 25 ANNUAL REPORT.IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMISSIONERS TO BE PRESENT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INITIATIVE FOR THE COMMISSION.
WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF CITY LEADERSHIP, IN PARTICULAR, THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOR WORKING WITH US IN ADVANCING THIS PRIORITY.
THE COMMISSION HAS INDEED REACHED A MAJOR MILESTONE BY PRESENTING ABOUT THIS, AND WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO CROSSING THE FINISH LINE IN HOPEFULLY RECEIVING APPROVAL BY FULL CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR MEETING ON JUNE 24TH, 2026.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THE MONTH.
AND I WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO SHARE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED.
AND IF YOU WISH NOT TO REPORT ANYTHING, PLEASE DO INDICATE SO PLEASE INDICATE THAT YOU WISH NOT TO DO SO.
I WILL START BY ASKING COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FROM DISTRICT ONE.
YES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE RECENTLY IN CLOSE TO OUR DISTRICT ALSO AT THE NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, HAD HALBURN PARK OPEN UP AND IT IS A VERY ACCESSIBLE, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
UM, MY ENTIRE FAMILY ENJOYED IT FROM MY 73-YEAR-OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW TO THE LITTLE KIDS.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK IT OUT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FOR SHARING THIS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT NINE.
UH, SO I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE STATE OF HOMELESSNESS ADDRESS, UH, ON MAY 14TH, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED, UM, AND HAD A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH OTHER FOLKS, UH, FROM ACROSS THE CITY, INCLUDING THOSE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND ALSO WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, I THINK SOME FOLKS FROM THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY, UH, HOUSING AND ENGAGEMENT WERE ALSO THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN ON MAY 16TH, WE HELD A SENIOR EVENT AT PLEASANT ROAD, UH, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO TABLE THERE AND ABLE TO REACH OUT TO MORE MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, UM, THAT ARE, UH, WORKING THROUGH SOME CHALLENGES, UH, WITH GETTING SERVICES IN PLEASANT GROVE.
UM, I'VE SHARED SOME OF THOSE IN THE PAST, AND THOSE HAVE JUST BEEN REITERATED, UH, WHILE ATTENDING THAT EVENT.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE MAY 18TH QUALITY OF LIFE EVENT.
UH, BUT I HOPE TO JOIN YOU ALL FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, WHEN THAT TAKES PLACE, I'M SURE, UH, MR. GRACE WILL SHARE WITH US WHEN THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
UM, I ALSO SHARED, UH, AN EVENT THAT IS COMING UP RELATED TO DEALING WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, UM, THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH EVERYONE, I BELIEVE.
BUT THE HOSTING THAT, UH, AS WELL AS THE FILM SHOWING, UH, WITH, UH, MIAMI, UH, SOMEONE FROM MIAMI, UH, ONE OF THE JUDGES THERE.
UM, I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC AROUND HOW WE DEAL WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT ALSO IT'S VERY MUCH SO RELATED TO SOME OF THE HOMELESS INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING, UH, IN PARTICULAR THE PROPOSAL BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONS COURT, UH, ON, UM, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
SO I, I SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE, BUT I HOPE YOU ALL CAN ATTEND THAT.
UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT TOPIC AND ALSO, UH, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERING TAXING, TAXING US FOR AT THIS POINT.
AND SO THAT SHOULD BE OF INTEREST TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THAT I, AGAIN, I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO DISCUSS GOVERNANCE, UH, WITH MORE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AS WE HAVE MORE FOLKS JOIN US.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR SHARING THIS.
UM, THIS, YOU, YOU CERTAINLY HAD A LOT TO OFFER TO US IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING ABOUT GOVERNANCE, AS I HAVE BEEN SAYING BEFORE.
AND I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN AS CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION, EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING, I HAVE BEEN STRESSING FOR AND PUSHING, UH, FOR THE RECOGNITION OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING EFFORT EVEN BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG.
SO WE DO APPRECIATE YOU CONTRIBUTING FURTHER TO ADVANCE THIS.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AT A LATER TIME.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS EVENT
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THAT IS BEING HOSTED.AND I'M SURE THAT THE PRESENTATIONS HERE TODAY WITH MAY BEING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND BEYOND WILL HELP US RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT AND HOW VITAL MENTAL HEALTH IS TO THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF PEOPLE WITH DIVERSE ABILITIES.
AND IN TERMS OF THE, THE PRIDE FLAG EVENT MEETING, WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU PRESENT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING IN TERMS OF, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT MR. GRAYS WILL HAVE MORE TO SHARE ON THIS LATER.
WE ALSO ARE PLANNING TO HOST THE COMMISSION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IS PLANNING TO HOST A COMMUNITY CALL WITH NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE DALLAS AREA TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE COUNCIL MEMBER MEETING, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON, UM, ON JUNE 24TH.
AGAIN, THE WE ARE, I AM WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT TEAM TO SCHEDULE THIS COMMUNITY CALL.
AND THE MORE COMMISSIONERS WE HAVE AT THIS CALL, THE THE BETTER BECAUSE THE STRONGER, THE MORE VOICES WE, THEY HEAR FROM US, THE MORE LIKELY, UH, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT US AND MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED AS THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN, IF SHE WISHES TO PROVIDE A REPORT.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH REPORT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE, DISTRICT NINE.
UM, COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
I WENT TO VOTE AND I FOUND IT INTERESTING.
AND YES, I TALKED TO THE VOTER PEOPLE.
UH, THEY HAD THE PLACARDS FOR CURBSIDE VOTING IN THE RAMP SPACES FOR THE HANDICAP WHERE NO ONE THAT WAS HANDICAPPED HAD A PLACE TO PARK.
AND HE GOES, WELL, I, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I DIDN'T COME WITH ANY INSTRUCTIONS.
HE SAYS THEY COULD STILL, YOU KNOW, IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO GET UP AND DOWN, I SAID, YEAH, THEY CAN MOVE THE PLACARD.
I MEAN, ANYWAY, JUST MY OBSERVATION PERHAPS, UM, VOTING, PEOPLE NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON PEOPLE THAT USE WHEELCHAIRS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR SHARING THIS.
UM, YOU ARE RIGHT IN THAT THEY DO NEED TO BE EDUCATED MORE, UH, WITH, IN TERMS OF VOTING AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD, THAT IS STILL AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.
AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS FURTHER AS WE HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
AND THAT ADDRESSING ACCESSIBILITY VOTING IS ALSO ONE OF THE ITEMS LISTED ON OUR FY 25 ANNUAL REPORT.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THAT FURTHER.
UM, NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO, UM, COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10 FOR A REPORT SHE WISHES TO OFFER.
I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT AT THIS TIME, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING SOON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER GUNN.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER HUSHKA.
UH, NOTHING TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
THIS CONCLUDES THE REPORTING SEGMENT OF OUR, THE FIRST BRIEFING ITEM.
AGAIN, I WISH TO SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE COMMISSIONERS FOR DEVOTING THEIR TIME TO, UH, TO THIS AGENDA.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR, TO HEARING, WORKING TOGETHER.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM IS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS.
IT'S PRESENTATION FROM THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE MS. QUA OR QUA ORTI ORTIZ, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH FOR NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY NTBH.
SHE WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVES AND RECOGNITION OF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, MS. MS. UM, MS. ORTIZ, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.
TODAY I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT
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SUICIDE PREVENTION AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.UM, MS. ORTIZ, FOR THE, FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG, COULD YOU PLEASE SAY NEXT SLIDE WHEN YOU'RE MOVING THROUGH? I SURE CAN.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS THE HELP OFFERED TO A PERSON DEVELOPING A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM OR EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
THE FIRST AID IS GIVEN UNTIL APPROPRIATE TREATMENT AND SUPPORT CARE ARE RECEIVED OR UNTIL THE CRISIS RESOLVES.
SO, THE GOALS OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS TO TEACH PARTICIPANTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE A PERSON WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY AND OFFER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE PERSON IN NEED.
ANOTHER GOAL IS LEARN ELEMENTS OF SUICIDE RISK AND HOW TO ASK ABOUT SUICIDE.
DEVELOP SKILLS TO ENGAGE IN, INTERACT WITH PERSONS WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE.
LEARN ABOUT RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE NEEDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SELF CARE.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDERS, DO NOT DIAGNOSE.
THAT IS ONE THING THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF.
UM, AND, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IF THEY DO TAKE THIS TRAINING AND BECOME CERTIFIED.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO TREAT, WE'RE NOT HERE TO DIAGNOSE.
WE'RE HERE TO BE A CARING PERSON THAT IS GOING TO HELP THE PERSON IN CRISIS OR DEALING WITH A CHALLENGE.
GET CONNECTED TO APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL HELP.
SO, WHO SHOULD TAKE MENTAL HEALTH? FIRST AID TEACHERS, HOSPITAL STAFF, FIRST RESPONDERS, FAITH LEADERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CARING INDIVIDUALS, BASICALLY EVERYONE.
SO THE LEARNING OPTIONS, THERE ARE THREE WAYS IN WHICH A PERSON OR A PARTICIPANT CAN TAKE THE CLASS.
THERE IS A VIRTUAL OPTION AND THAT'S A TWO HOUR SELF-PACED ONLINE CLASS.
THEN A FIVE HOUR INSTRUCTOR LED VIDEO CONFERENCE.
UM, THAT'S THE VIRTUAL, THE BLENDED LEARNING IS A TWO HOUR SELF-PACED ONLINE CLASS, AND THEN FOUR HOURS OF IN-PERSON CLASS.
AND THEN THE IN-PERSON IS THE WHOLE TRAINING DONE IN A CLASSROOM SETTING.
UM, AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS.
TWO, OR WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE TRAINED 68,549 INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE CERTIFIED IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
AND THAT IS EITHER YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, OR ADULT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
LET'S MAKE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AS COMMON AS CPRB ONE IN 15.
AND THE REASON WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH CPR, STANDARD.
WE HEAR ABOUT IT, THE INITIATIVES, AND SO MOST PEOPLE ARE PRETTY COMFORTABLE NOT NECESSARILY PERFORMING IT, BUT THE AWARENESS IS THERE.
AND SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT SAME LEVEL OF AWARENESS WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO LET'S SWITCH OVER AND TALK ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION.
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED SOMEONE IF THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE? IF SO, WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE? NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SUICIDE AND PREVENTION? FIRSTLY, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM THAT IS PREVENTABLE.
HEALTH AND RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT DIE BY SUICIDE ARE NOT UNDER PSYCHIATRIC CARE SURVIVORS.
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE ARE AT AN INCREASED RISK.
PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMA ARE ALSO AT AN INCREASED RISK.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE WAYS TO REDUCE THE RISK, SUCH AS TREATMENT, COPING SKILLS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS? RISK FACTORS ARE LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT COULD PUT SOMEONE AT AN INCREASED RISK IN THE FUTURE.
THOSE INCLUDE TRAUMA, STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS, ABUSE, SURVIVOR OF SUICIDE, CHEMICAL
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IMBALANCE, SUCH AS A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MEDICAL CONDITIONS, AND MEDICATION SIDE EFFECTS.THESE ARE THINGS TO LOOK FOR TO SEE IF SOMEONE IS AT RISK FOR SUICIDE.
CURRENT BEHAVIORS OR EVENTS THAT COULD INDICATE SUICIDE RISK GIVEN AWAY POSSESSIONS OR MONEY, CHANGES IN WHEELS OR TRUST, SUDDEN CHANGES IN THEIR EATING, SLEEPING HABITS, APPEARANCE OR MOOD.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE USE OR INCREASE BLUNTED AFFECT OR EMOTIONS WITHDRAWING FROM FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND USUAL ACTIVITIES AND INTEREST.
IF A PERSON IS EXHIBITING WARNING SIGNS, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ASK THEM ABOUT SUICIDE DIRECTLY.
IF SOMEONE IS AT IMMEDIATE RISK, THEY SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE.
TRUE OR FALSE, 48,824 AMERICANS DIE BY SUICIDE IN 2024.
THAT IS TRUE IN THE US IN 2024.
48,824 INDIVIDUALS DIED BY SUICIDE.
2.9 MILLION ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
SUICIDE IS THE 10TH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.
AND THIS IS ACCORDING TO SAVE.ORG.
SO, TEXAS DATA AND TRENDS AS OF THE EARLY 2026 INITIAL DATA INDICATES THAT 4,490 PEOPLE DIED BY SUICIDE IN TEXAS IN 2024, REPRESENTING A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY FOUR 14.2 PER 100,000 PEOPLE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL WELLNESS ARE IDENTIFIED AS TOP PRIORITIES DUE TO WORSENING OUTCOMES WITH 60% OF ZIP CODES REPORTING AN INCREASE IN POOR MENTAL HEALTH.
ACCORDING TO THE 2025 DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, MENTAL HEALTH AND DISABILITY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, ARE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR SUICIDAL IDEATION DUE TO FACTORS SUCH AS CHRONIC PAIN, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
SO HOW CAN WE CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIES? NEXT SLIDE.
PREVENTION EFFORTS, ZERO SUICIDE.
SERIAL SUICIDE IS A NATIONAL EVIDENCE-BASED FRAMEWORK TO PROMOTE A SAFER CARE, SAFER SUICIDE CARE IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS. THE FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF OF THE FRAMEWORK IS THAT SUICIDE DEATHS OR INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE CARE OF HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE PREVENTABLE.
THE FRAMEWORK IS DIVIDED INTO SEVEN ELEMENTS.
LEAD, TRAIN, IDENTIFY, ENGAGE, TREAT, TRANSITION, AND IMPROVE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS HUGE AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS ONE OF THE, UM, THE EFFORTS THAT WE UTILIZE.
APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING, WHICH IS ASSIST ASK ABOUT SUICIDE, WHICH IS KNOWN AS ASK.
AND THEN WE HAVE COUNSELING ON ACCESS TO LETHAL MEANS, WHICH IS CALM.
THOSE ARE THE FOUR EFFORTS THAT I, WE WANTED TO PRESENT IT FOR YOU TODAY TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY ARE TRAININGS THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE, UM, ALL OVER OUR, YOU KNOW, DALLAS TO IDENTIFY MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, SUICIDAL IDEATION, BUT ALSO WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS AT RISK FOR SUICIDE.
SO, PREVENTION, EFFORTS LOSS, LOCAL OUTREACH TO SUICIDE SURVIVORS.
SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BUT THEY SURVIVE SUICIDE.
IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED A FORM OF PREVENTION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE ARE AT A HIGHER RISK OF ATTEMPTING, AGAIN, SERVICES SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE IN THEIR LIFE TO SUICIDE.
RESOURCES AND SERVICES ARE SPECIFIC TO OUR CATCHMENT AREA.
TEAM IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND VOLUNTEERS.
VOLUNTEERS ARE SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE THEMSELVES THAT
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UNDERGO TRAINING.SO WHY LOST TEAM IS IMPORTANT.
SUICIDE GRIEF IS COMPLEX AND DIFFERENT THAN OTHER TYPES OF GRIEF.
SUICIDE LOSS AND GRIEF IS TRAUMATIC.
SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE ARE AT AN INCREASED RISK OF SUICIDE THEMSELVES DUE TO THE TRAUMA.
THERE IS A LACK OF RESOURCE, RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SUICIDE LOSS.
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO REACH OUT ON THEIR OWN AND ASK FOR HELP BECAUSE OF GUILT.
SHAME FOCUSED ON NEEDED ARRANGEMENTS OR THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY NEED HELP OR THAT HELP EXIST.
SO LOST SERVICES, SUPPORT GROUPS, OPEN AND CLOSED GROUPS.
PEER SUPPORT FROM LOST TEEN VOLUNTEERS.
REMEMBER, THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE ATTEMPT CASE MANAGEMENT LINKS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES RESOURCE PACKETS IN BOTH MAIL FORM AND EMAIL FORM.
BOOKS AND LITERATURE ON SUICIDE GRIEF IN BOTH MAIL AND EMAIL FORM.
AND THERE IS NO COST FOR THESE SERVICES.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO REFER SOMEONE FOR THE LOST TEAM, PLEASE CONTACT AMY SANDERS AT ASANDERS@NTBHA.ORG.
OR YOU CAN EMAIL LOST TEAM@NTB.ORG.
AND THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER THERE AS WELL, WHICH IS 9 7 2 4 8 2 1 6 7 7.
AND HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, OF COURSE.
NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY NPA, WE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR CRISIS LINE 24 7 365 360 6.
AND THE CRISIS LINE NUMBERS ARE INDICATED HERE, 8 6 6 2 6 0 8,000 4 8 4 4 6 7 2 5 7 0 0.
YOU COULD ALSO VISIT US AT NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY NT BHA.ORG.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A, NOT A NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE, WHICH IS 9 88.
AND THAT IS NOT ONLY FOR SUICIDE, BUT ALSO CRISIS LIFELINE.
I GIVE THAT NUMBER OUT ALL THE TIME.
YOU CAN EITHER CALL IT OR TEXT IT.
AND THERE'S THE VETERANS CRISIS LINE, THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND THEN OF COURSE THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO LEARN SOMETHING OR IT REMINDED YOU OF SOMETHING THAT YOU ALREADY KNEW.
BUT DEFINITELY MENTAL HEALTH IS HERE.
I'M A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR BY TRADE, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS PREVENTABLE.
AND BECAUSE IT'S PREVENTABLE, WE NEED TO DO THE WORK TO PREVENT THEM, BUT ALSO INTERVENE IF NECESSARY, AND THEN OF COURSE, POSTVENTION AND THEN RECYCLE THAT, THAT, THAT CYCLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. ORTIZ, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
IT WAS DEFINITELY VALUABLE INFORMATION AND INFORMATIVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY ASKING ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
OH MY, UM, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I'VE NOTICED.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, UM, STARTING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, RIGHT? UM, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH A, A LOT OF THINGS AND THE SERVICES AS WE KNOW, THERE'S MORE NEEDS THAN SERVICE PROVIDERS AVAILABLE, BUT GETTING THEM CONNECTED.
AND THAT'S WHY MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID IS SO IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT WITH ADULTS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO HELP.
AND SO I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND NOT JUST MAKE THE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY SEE ON THE NEWS OR WHAT THEY HEAR ABOUT OR READ ABOUT.
TRUTHFULLY, ANYONE COULD BE DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION DEPENDING ON LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A SCARY TOPIC.
MENTAL WELLNESS IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY, RIGHT? WE ALL HAVE A BODY, WE ALL HAVE A MIND, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF IT.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING JUST IN LIFE, WE ARE SEEING THE INCREASE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AGES 10 TO 34.
SO WE'RE SEEING A, A INCREASE IN THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE THE COPING SKILLS ARE NOT THERE.
UM, PEOPLE JUST KNOWING ABOUT THE RESOURCES.
[00:35:01]
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGER THINGS IS PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO ASK THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY FEEL, OR THE MYTH THAT THEY WILL INSPIRE OR THEY WILL GIVE THEM THE IDEA TO DIE BY SUICIDE IF THEY MENTION IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO COME.UM, MENTAL HEALTH CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT.
SO FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT SUPPORT SYSTEMS OR RESOURCES HAVE YOU FOUND USEFUL, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK HELP WHO ARE STRUGGLING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, OF COURSE, WITH NORTH TEXAS' BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY BEING THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR DALLAS COUNTY, UM, I, I'M ALWAYS GONNA SAY START THERE.
UM, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF AGENCIES THAT DO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH COMPLIANCE, EVEN AT THE MEDICAL LEVEL.
SO EVEN WITHIN THE HOSPITALS, THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS, THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THEY'RE JUST NOT WIDELY KNOWN.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, THINGS CHANGE WITH BUDGET CUTS, AGENCIES CLOSED, AND SOMETIMES THAT INFORMATION IS NOT UPDATED.
SO I THINK THE FIRST THING IS ONE, JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT MENTAL HEALTH IS RIGHT AND WHAT IT'S NOT.
UM, AND DE-STIGMATIZING IT SO THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS STRUGGLING, THEY'RE ABLE TO SEEK OUT SUPPORT, BUT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM, RIGHT? ENCOURAGE THEM HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS, WHETHER THAT BE A CONVERSATION, PAMPHLETS, UM, LOCAL EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS, I THINK GOING EVEN AT A, A DEEPER LEVEL, BUT COUNSELING A GROUP THERAPY, THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES HERE WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
2 1 1 IS A GREAT WAY TO CALL AND GET CONNECTED TO RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE MAYBE THE INTERNET TO DO A SEARCH ABOUT WHAT LOCAL RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THE FIRST THING IS JUST DE-STIGMATIZING THE WHOLE TOPIC SO THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE WILLING AND APT TO ACTUALLY PURSUE GETTING HELP MENTALLY.
AND ONE FINAL QUESTION BEFORE I TURN THINGS OVER TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
HOW CAN THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, AS WELL AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, UH, FURTHER SUPPORT YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS? ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, ONE, OF COURSE, UM, BEING COGNIZANT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND A LOT OF TIMES THE LAWS, UH, THE BILLS THAT ARE PASSED, THEY EXCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE A DISABILITY.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND INCLUDING THAT IN OUR LEGISLATION AND OUR BILLS AND OUR ACTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS SEEN AND, AND, AND TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARE PART OF THE REASON WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET HELP, ESPECIALLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE, UM, DEALING WITH SOME TYPE OF DISABILITY, RIGHT? YOU, YOU'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH THE MEDICAL PART.
AND THEN TO ADD ON ADDITIONAL BILLS OF THE MENTAL PART, UM, IT, IT CAN BE TAXING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE FOUND, AND I TALK ABOUT THIS IN ONE OF THE IDD TRAUMAS, UH, TRAININGS THAT I I DELIVER IS TRAINING FOR CLINICIANS, TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALREADY LICENSED SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
BECAUSE I THINK OUTSIDE OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE OR ASSOCIATE A LOT OF BEHAVIORS OR JUST DECISIONS, AND THEY ASSOCIATE THAT WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS MEAN NOT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, THE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY DIAGNOSIS, VERSUS ACTUALLY SEPARATING THAT INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH ERA.
SO JUST BECAUSE A A PERSON HAS A DISABILITY DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DON'T EXPERIENCE TRAUMA.
A MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE AT GREATER RISK OF TRAUMA.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T, UM, NEED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND SO FORTH.
AND SO I THINK IF LANGUAGE COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE OR BE MODIFIED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING WHEN WE ARE GETTING OR, OR PUTTING FORTH FOR GRANTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT WILL CREATE SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN.
AND OF COURSE, THE FUNDING THERE SO THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING OR PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WORKING, UM, ARE ABLE TO GET THOSE CERTIFICATIONS, GET THOSE,
[00:40:01]
YOU KNOW, UM, HOURS, AND TO BE ABLE TO TREAT OUR, OUR INDIVIDUALS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO JUST SO HAPPEN TO HAVE A DISABILITY, RIGHT? IT, IT PERSON FIRST LANGUAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT.SO SEEING THEM AS A WHOLE PERSON AND THEN SEEING THEIR, THEIR ISSUES.
SECONDLY, THESE ARE ALL VERY VALID POINTS, AND WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT USING FIRST PERSON LANGUAGE IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PERSON'S HUMANITY SHOULD COME FIRST OVER THE PERSON'S DISABILITY.
UM, I DON'T EVEN LIKE USING THAT TERM BECAUSE DISABILITY, I MEAN, BECAUSE THAT, THAT BEING, BECAUSE DIS IN FRONT OF ABILITY MEANS IT SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS YOUR ABILITY TO FORM THE MOST ESSENTIAL TASKS IN LIFE.
AND SO I THINK THIS ALL COMES DOWN TO, UH, ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF, WHICH COULD BE A, A, IT'S A SKILL, BUT I THINK OVER.
BUT I THINK WITH PRACTICE AND, YOU KNOW, WITH YEARS OF DOING IT, YOU'LL CERTAINLY GET THERE AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD AND, AND WORKING TOGETHER.
I FEEL LIKE EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION ALSO COULD BE ESSENTIAL.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR SHARING ALL THESE VALUABLE POINTS.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS VERY WELL PRESENTED AND YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I'M ALSO MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID CERTIFIED AS WELL.
UM, AND I SHARED WITH MANY OF, UH, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT, UH, SUICIDE PREVENTION IS VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART.
UH, MY NIECE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 20 FROM SUICIDE, UH, IN 2024.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN STILL DEALING WITH.
UM, AND THE PROGRAMS, I'M SO HAPPY THAT THEY EXIST.
UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS THAT I'VE SHARED WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IS THE 9 8 8 HOTLINE AND ITS FUNDING AND THE STATE OF ITS FUNDING WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, IN PARTICULAR LAST YEAR THEY CREATED A TRUST FUND FOR 9 8 8 FUNDING, BUT IT IS STILL UNFUNDED.
UM, I, MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE JOIN WITH YOU AND, YOU KNOW, DR. TAYLOR AND CAROL LUCKY AND OTHERS AT NPA TO SUPPORT THE 9 88 FUNDING AT THE STATE LEVEL? WELL, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I'LL HAVE TO TAKE BACK TO, TO MS. LUCKY, UM, TO, TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, WELL, WE DO HAVE OUR CRISIS, OUR LOCAL CRISIS, UM, HOTLINE THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE.
UM, IT'S NOT AS SHORT AS NOT A EIGHT, BUT WE'RE THERE.
UM, AND THAT IS AT A LOCAL, UM, STANDPOINT, BUT OF COURSE WITH THE IDEA OF FUNDING, UM, IT IS DEFINITELY, IT GETS VERY STICKY, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING THE MONEY, RIGHT, UM, AT STATE LEVEL AND IT COMES DOWN TO US.
AND SO IF IT'S, IF THE POT ISN'T THERE, THE POT ISN'T THERE, RIGHT? AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AND HAVE THOSE CRISIS LINES AVAILABLE AND NOT JUST THROUGH US, THROUGH ALL THE LM HHAS ACTUALLY COLLABORATIVELY WORK WITH LIFEPATH, OMA AND THE INJURY CENTER AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE ALL FILLING SOME OF THESE, UM, THESE UNFORTUNATE CHANGES, UM, IN ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
HOWEVER, EVERY COUNTY DOES HAVE, OR THROUGH THEIR LM HHA, THERE IS A CRISIS LINE THAT IS AVAILABLE.
SO EVEN IF, SINCE 9 88 IS A NATIONAL LINE, I WOULD LIKE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE AWARE OF THE LOCAL CRISIS LINES, UM, BECAUSE THOSE, REGARDLESS OF FUNDING WITH 9 88, THOSE ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
AND MY SECOND AND LAST QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH SOME OF THOSE CRISIS LINES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UH, NOT HAVING SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
WOULD YOU SHARE ON KIND OF HOW YOU ALL ADDRESS THAT IN SO ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO ONGOING TRAINING IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS OR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ANSWERING THOSE CALLS, WHO ARE VERSED IN ANY TYPE OF SITUATION THAT A COMMUNITY MEMBER WOULD BE CALLING, UM, WITH OR CALLING FROM.
AND SO ONGOING TRAINING IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US AT NPA FOR SURE.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABREAST TO THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND STAYING IN FRONT OF THOSE.
I WILL SAY THAT SOMETIMES THOSE CHANGES HAPPEN MORE RAPIDLY
[00:45:01]
THAN THE TRAININGS ARE DEVELOPED AND ACTUALLY, UM, FACILITATED FOR INDIVIDUALS.HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY, UM, THAT WE ARE HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS AROUND IN REGARDS TO WHAT BEST PRACTICES ARE LOOKING AT THE RESEARCH AND HOW INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ANSWERING THESE CALLS, THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TOWARDS, AND SOME OF THOSE VERY GENERIC QUESTIONS, RIGHT, THAT, UM, ARE TYPICALLY ASKED, MAYBE REFRAMING THOSE, BEING AWARE OF PRONOUNS, BEING AWARE OF, UM, HOW SITUATIONS MAY BE ALTERED FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE IN REGARDS TO MENTAL HEALTH.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES INDIVIDUALS IN THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING IN FOR HELP OR, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THAT THEY MAY BE JUDGED OR X, Y AND Z OR ONCE AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY AS SO THEIR, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
AND SO I THINK IT, IT COMES BACK TO US BEING EDUCATED, BEING STAYING ABREAST TO THE CURRENT TRENDS, THE CHANGES, BUT ALSO GOING BACK TO THAT PERSON FIRST LANGUAGE, IDENTIFYING AND TREATING THE PERSON AND BEING THERE IN, IN THE SENSE OF HUMANITY AND NOT LOOKING AT JUST SITUATION, BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM RE DE DEESCALATE THE CRISIS, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY IS IMPORTANT.
BUT THEN ALSO FOLLOWING UP AND CONNECTING THEM, DOING THAT WARM HANDOFF.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY STRIVING TO DO BETTER, UM, WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOLLOW UP.
THEN CONNECTING THEM TO RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR THOSE FOLLOW UP VISITS.
NOW MOVING ON TO COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS OUT, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS MONTH.
IT'S NEVER MORE IMPORTANT THAT STUDENT WILEY, I, THEY SEEM GETTING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER.
AND, UM, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH REGIONS IN, UM, AND THAT IS AT THE EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER.
AND SO YES, WE ARE A PART OF THOSE, UM, CRISIS TEAMS IF NEED BE, UM, THAT THEY WILL ASK TO COME OUT.
SO, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WHAT I'M ANTICIPATING, WHICH I'VE DONE AND HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT FOR IS POSTVENTION WHEN SCHOOL STARTS.
UM, I'VE HAD TO DO THAT FOR SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE A DEATH HAS OCCURRED AT THE VERY END OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OR AT THE, THIS, NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT A DEATH HAS OCCURRED AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, TYPICALLY EVERYBODY'S DISPERSING, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT OR HOW POSTVENTION NEEDS TO LOOK PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRING.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN AN OCCURRENCE, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WE'VE BEEN CALLED OUT FOR, UM, MORE THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO FOR A YOUNG PERSON, UM, WHO HAS DIED BY SUICIDE AND THEN THEIR COUNTERPARTS.
SO MEANING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AT SCHOOL, WE CAN'T OFFER SERVICES, WE CAN PUT IT OUT THERE, RIGHT? AS FAR AS COUNSELING, UM, THE CRISIS LINES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMPARTMENTALIZED IN A SCHOOL, US BEING THERE, BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP, UM, AND HELP THEM, HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS BEEN A MONTH AGO.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH SCHOOL BEING DISPERSED, WE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, LIKE I SAID, I ANTICIPATE A LOT OF REQUESTS COMING IN FOR POSTVENTION.
UM, AS FAR AS WHAT COMING BACK TO SCHOOL, GETTING BACK TO WHAT LIFE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR THE STUDENTS, DEALING WITH THAT PART OF IT, IT IS PROBABLY WHAT I'M, I'M ANTICIPATING WILL HAPPEN AROUND JULY.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SUICIDE HAS AFFECTED ME VIA FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR, GOSH, SINCE COLLEGE.
AND, UH, I HAD TO TAKE MY KIDS TO A FUNERAL OF ONE OF THEIR CLASSMATES THAT CHOSE THAT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER GUM FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR I GUESS COMMENTS PER SE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SOLELY THINK COMING OUT AND SPEAKING ON WHAT WE ARE SPEAKING ON.
SO JUST KEEP UP WITH GOOD WORK AND THANK FROM ALL US.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER ISHKA FROM DISTRICT 13
[00:50:01]
FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO QUESTIONS.I JUST ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR IMPACTFUL PRESENTATION.
AND MS. ORTIZ, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR DEVOTING YOUR TIME TO GIVE SUCH AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION TO US, THE COMMISSION ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
UM, AS THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, WE BELIEVE ARE, WE, WE STRONGLY RECOGNIZE HOW VITAL MENTAL HEALTH IS TO THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
DEFINITELY WE WE'RE, WE SUPPORT YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS AND COMMEND YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
OUR NEXT ITEM AND LAST, AND OUR NEXT AND FINAL BRIEFING ITEM, I SHOULD SAY, IS REGARDING THE UPDATE ON THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE CHRISTOPHER GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
HE WILL PROVIDE AN, HE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES RECOMMENDATION IN ITS 2025 ANNUAL REPORT THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CONSIDER RAISING THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG IN JULY, 2026 IN RECOGNITION OF THE ANNIVERSARY, THE IN RECOGNITION OF THE 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
MR. GRAVES BEFORE IS NOW YOURS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CHAIR, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS UPDATE ON THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY TO RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
BUT FIRST I JUST WANT US TO START WITH A THANK YOU.
UM, WE HAD OUR QUALITY OF LIFE MEETING, THIS HAPPENED, UH, LAST WEEK, AND I THINK IT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SAW COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE, THEY'RE SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVE.
AND I KNOW, UM, NOT ONLY CHAIR PAUL CONWAY, BUT OF COURSE, UH, COMMISSIONER PARKS, COMMISSIONER COLLIER, COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, COMMISSIONER WICKS, AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU, UH, WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT 'CAUSE YOU HAD SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, BUT I STILL KNOW YOU WERE SUPPORTING FROM A BAR.
UM, SO I THINK WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SAW THAT, I THINK IT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT I JUST WANNA START WITH THAT.
BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEFINITELY AN INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED THE COMMISSION SUPPORT AND IT'S DEFINITELY AN INITIATIVE WHERE WE NEED A LOT OF, UH, COMMUNITY SUPPORT AS WELL, SO THAT WAY COUNCIL MEMBER SEE THAT IT'S IN NEED AND THAT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS THIS AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO FULFILL THIS REQUEST.
OKAY, SO THIS WILL BE JUST A SHORTER PRESENTATION, BUT OF COURSE WE'LL JUST SKETCH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT STEPS.
I I CAN REMEMBER CHAIR CO CONNEY BRINGING THIS INITIATIVE INITIATIVE OF SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND SO I KNOW IT OCCUPIED A GOOD PORTION IN THE COMMISSION'S TIME LAST YEAR.
WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE QUALITY OF LIFE MEETING.
WE'LL RELAY SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
AND THEN CHAR CONLEY HAD, UH, ALSO BROUGHT UP THIS IDEA OF THE COMMUNITY CALL, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE THE COMMISSION, UH, THE COMMISSION TO HELP LEAD ON.
AND THEN WE WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SUPPORT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HEAR FROM THEIR A APPOINTED INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INITIATIVE.
WELL, THI THIS IS, THIS IS ALL OLD INFORMATION, BUT JUST TO KIND OF LEVEL SET FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIT, OF COURSE, THE ORIGINAL DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG WAS DEVELOPED IN 2019 BY ANN MCGILL.
THE ORIGINAL DESIGN KIND OF INCLUDED A BRIGHT DIFFERENT COLORED STRIPES THAT WERE DISPLAYED IN A ZIGZAG FASHION.
AND SO EACH OF THE COLORS REPRESENTED A PARTICULAR KIND OF DISABILITY.
AND THEN THERE WAS A BLACK BACKGROUND.
THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN.
SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS VISUALLY TRIGGERING BECAUSE OF THE, THE STRONG COLORS IN THE ZIGZAG LINES.
SO THEN IT WAS REDESIGNED A LITTLE BIT LATER TO BE MORE, UM, ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO FOR EACH OF THE COLORS, THEY REPRESENTED A DIFFERENT KIND OF DISABILITIES.
SO OF COURSE, THE RED IS PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.
GOLD ENCOMPASSES NEURODIVERSITY, WHITE IS INVISIBLE DISABILITIES, OR PERHAPS THOSE DISABILITIES THAT HAVE YET TO BE IDENTIFIED.
BLUE, WE HAVE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES.
AND THEN GREEN CAN ENCOMPASS SENSORY DISABILITIES SUCH AS DEAFNESS AND BLINDNESS.
IN HERE YOU CAN SEE THE, THE PREVIOUS DESIGN OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG WITH, WITH THE BRIGHT EXACT COLORS.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT DESIGN WITH THE MUTED BLACK BACKGROUND,
[00:55:01]
THE MUTED COLORS.AND I'LL SAY, UH, WE DO HAVE A PROOF OF THE FLAG 'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED YET, WE OF COURSE WANT TO HAVE THE DESIGN READY WHEN WE GO TO, WHEN WE GO TO PRODUCTION.
AND SO WE, WE ARE USING THE, THE FLAG DESIGN THAT'S NEWER WITH THE MUTED COLORS.
THE ONLY OTHER REQUIREMENT PER CITY POLICY IS THAT IT HAS TO HAVE THE CITY OF DALLAS STAR OR, OR SEAL AND THEN STAR.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A TOP THE, THE FLAG DESIGN.
AND SO OF COURSE, THIS IS MORE JUST ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
AND SO IT ENCOMPASSES THE, THE FULL SPECTRUM OF EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING DIGNITY, PRIDE, AND STRUGGLE.
NOW OF COURSE, YOU DO HAVE THAT CHARCOAL GRAVE BACKGROUND THAT'S MEANT TO INDICATE MOURNING FOR VICTIMS OF SURVIVORS OF ABLEISM VIOLENCE.
PERHAPS THEY MAY HAVE SUFFERED ABUSE BECAUSE OF THEIR DISABILITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE DIAGONAL LINES COMING ACROSS THE, THE, THE CHARCOAL GRADE BACKGROUND.
AND OF COURSE, NOT ONLY DOES THAT SYMBOLIZE HOPE IN TERMS OF THE COLORS THAT ARE THERE, IT ALSO IS MEANT TO ALSO INDICATE, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE ARE STILL BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES STRUGGLE WITH DAY TO DAY.
BUT OF COURSE IT ALSO SIGNIFIES HOPE, CREATIVITY, AND LIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE DARKNESS.
AND SO OF COURSE THE, THIS PROCESS BEGAN IN 2025.
AND SO THAT WAS WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BRIEFED THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
UM, THIS WAS A BRIEFING THAT WAS REQUESTED BY CHAIR, AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS ON THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
IT WAS ALSO THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF APPROVALS THAT STAFF WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE FULLY REALIZED BECAUSE TO, TO RAISE A FLAG, YOU NEED A CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL THAT'S IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION.
SO FULL COUNCIL HAS TO VOTE ON THAT.
NOW, FOLLOWING MARCH, IT WAS ACTUALLY IN MAY THAT THE COMMISSION VOTED TO APPROVE THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION AS PART OF THAT, AND THIS WAS PART OF STAFF'S DUE DILIGENCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION.
SO WE HAD TO SUBMIT A SERVICE REQUEST TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THIS WAS WITHIN SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION.
WE DID RECEIVE GUIDANCE BACK FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
NOW OF COURSE, CITY COUNCIL GOES IN RECESS IN JULY.
SO WITH THE TIME THAT WE HAD, WE TRIED TO MEET THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BE DOULA TO SECURE A PROCLAMATION FOR THE COMMISSION, NOT ONLY RECOGNIZING THE COMMISSION, BUT ALSO CELEBRATING JULY AS, UH, DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH.
NEXT SLIDE, OF COURSE, HERE IS A, IS AN IMAGE OF THE PROCLAMATION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VASSAL DUO PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION.
NOW, OF COURSE, ALTHOUGH WE MET THE SPHERE OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT HE STILL WANTED THIS PRIORITIZED.
AND SO IT WAS PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT, UH, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS VOTE ON.
AND SO THE EXACT WORDING IS COMMEMORATE JULY 20TH, 2026, THE DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH BY REQUESTING STAFF SEEK DEPARTMENT, CITY MANAGER, AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVALS TO RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG AND HOLD THE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY TO HONOR THE OCCASION.
SO WE WERE ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT A BRIEFING BY MEMO TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO IN TERMS OF OUR DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE, UH, TWO C TWO CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES THAT WE REPORT UP TO.
ONE IS QUALITY OF LIFE, THE OTHER IS HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
OF COURSE, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION LIKE THIS, IT FITS MORE INTO QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO IT WAS CONSIDERED AT THE MAY 18TH, 2020 16 EVENING.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ARE PERHAPS WATCHING AND STILL SUPPORTING IT AND STILL WANTING TO ENGAGE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THINK, UH, BY AND LARGE, THERE WERE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE SUPPORTIVE.
UH, DEPUTY MAYOR PROAM WILLIS HAD STRONG WORDS OF SUPPORT THAT SHE WANTED THIS PRIORITIZED COUNCIL MEMBER.
KADINA INITIALLY HAD SOME CONCERNS OVER COSTS BECAUSE THE, THE CITY IS IN A BUDGETARY FREEZE AS OF NOW FOR ANY KIND OF NON, NON, UH, MISSION CRITICAL EXPENSES.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU, AND OF COURSE YOU CAN DO THE, THE ACTUAL RECORDING THERE, THERE WERE, UH, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAD CONCERNS OVER COST.
NOW, FOR THIS PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE ONLY SEEKING TO HAVE THE, THE FLAG RISE.
THE FLAG ROSE, THE, THE FLAG RISEN AT CITY HALL PLAZA.
UM, THAT WAS INTENTIONAL TO MINIMIZE THE COST TO THE CITY.
BY AND LARGE, WITH THE FLAG THAT SIZE, IT COMES OUT TO ABOUT $4,200.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO ALSO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, SEVERAL FLAGS IN BACKUP BECAUSE THEY CAN BECOME TATTERED.
AND SO EVEN WITH THAT, UH, INITIAL COST OF 4,200, OF COURSE IT DOESN'T NEED, PER SE, COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UM, THEY STILL HAD CONCERNS OVER COST.
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NOW OF COURSE, IT WAS CONSIDERED AT QUALITY OF LIFE.AND THEN WE ARE PROCEEDING FOR FULL COUNSEL APPROVAL.
UM, AND SO EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE SOME WORDS OF, THERE WERE SOME, UH, QUESTIONING COMMENTS OVER COST BY AND LARGE, UH, WE ARE PROCEEDING FULL FOR, UH, FULL COUNCIL APPROVAL.
AND THEN I'LL ACTUALLY SAY THAT, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY RESEARCH THAT OUR A TA COORDINATOR HAD DONE.
IF DALLAS DOES RAISE THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG, WE'D NEED THE LARGEST, UH, CITY TO HAVE DONE.
I THINK DETROIT, MICHIGAN WAS PERHAPS THE LARGEST CITY TO HAVE REASON, THE DISABILITY PIPELINE.
AND BY AND LARGE, FROM OUR RESEARCH AND OUR A DA COORDINATOR, 11 CITIES HAVE RISE RESENT IT.
AND THEN ONE STATE, WHICH IS A NORTH STATE.
ALRIGHT, SO, AND NOW OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE GEARED UP FOR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM.
THAT'S THE LAST MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL GOES ON RECESS.
IF IT IS APPROVED, THERE'LL BE SOME ADDITIONAL LOGISTICS.
AND ACTUALLY OUR, UM, OUR SPECIAL PROJECT SPECIALISTS MEETS HAS BEEN RESEARCHING AND ENGAGING WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS WHO CAN SUPPLY A FLAG OF THAT SIZE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF ALL GOES WELL, WE'D BE HOPING TO, TO HOST A FLAG RAISING CEREMONY ON JULY 15TH.
BUT OF COURSE, UH, WHAT I THINK, UH, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM COMMITTEE WAS THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE ITEM IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL.
AND SO THIS IS DEFINITELY AN INITIATIVE WHERE WE REALLY NEED EVERYONE'S HELP ON THE COMMISSION.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HEAR FROM THOSE, THAT THOSE THAT THEY HAVE APPOINTED, WHY THIS INITIATIVE MATTERS TO Y'ALL.
AND SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT.
IF, IF YOU CAN'T BE AT THE ACTUAL MEETING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE ENGAGE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, EVEN IF IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER STAFF, UM, ON ON WHY THIS, ON WHAT THIS INITIATIVE MEANS TO YOU AND WHY OF ALL THE PRIORITIES, SHOULD IT BE PRIORITIZED BY CITY COUNCIL, WHY THEY SHOULD PASS THE RESOLUTION.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU HELP MOBILIZE YOUR NETWORK.
UH, I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAS YOUR OWN NETWORK, WHETHER IT'S NONPROFIT PARTNERS, RESIDENTS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ALSO HEAR FROM PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICT WHY THE INITIATIVE MATTERS.
IF YOU CAN, UM, AND IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE, PLEASE DO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE MEETING, THERE'S NOT A PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION THAT THAT'S, I, I'M NOT SURE WHY IT IT IS THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING HOW IT IS.
AND SO PUBLIC COMMENT'S NOT ALLOWED AT COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
BUT UH, EVEN WHEN WE WERE, UH, TALKING AFTER QUALITY OF LIFE OR OUR DIRECTOR WAS EVEN SAYING TO SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
'CAUSE THAT, THAT THAT'S A TIME THAT CAN BE ALLOTTED FOR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONERS TO VOICE THEIR SUPPORT FOR, FOR ITEMS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
SOMETHING ELSE WE'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAD MENTIONED AT CHAR CONLEY, IS THAT I, I, I THINK FOR THIS INITIATIVE, WE REALLY NEED TO GROW, UH, AN GROW AN AWARENESS AROUND IT.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING A COMMUNITY CALL.
THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING AN, YOU KNOW, WITH CHAIR CONLEY, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOLDING A, PERHAPS A VIRTUAL OPTION, PERHAPS ALSO AN IN-PERSON OPTION.
WE WOULD TRY TO POPULATE IT WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS ENGAGED IN TERMS OF PRESENTERS, PUBLIC SPEAKERS, ALSO PEOPLE WITHIN OUR, UH, A DA PARTNER NETWORK.
AND IT WOULD REALLY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO SHARE WHAT THE INITIATIVE IS, HOW THEY'VE WORKED ON IT, HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN SUPPORT IT, AND REALLY WHY THIS INITIATIVE MATTERS.
'CAUSE I, I THINK IF, IF THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM ANYONE, THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM THE COMMISSION.
AND SO AS STAFF WE'RE WE, WE'D LIKE TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT IT.
WE CAN HELP DEVELOP A POWERPOINT, WE CAN HELP SET UP A MEETING INVITE, WE CAN HELP DO THE MODERATION.
I KNOW CHAIR O' CONNOLLY ALREADY WANTED TO TALK ON, UH, THE, THE VISION AND THE MEANING OF THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG.
BUT IF, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, PLEASE EMAIL ME SO WE CAN FIND A COMMON DAY AND TIME.
AND THEN JUST LET ME KNOW AND WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT MAYBE ON A PLANNING CALL, WHAT PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION YOU'D LIKE TO DO.
MAYBE IT'S ON THE FLAG ITSELF, WE WANNA PRESENT ON MAY.
MAYBE IT'S ON ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT HAVE, UH, RISEN THE FLAG BEFORE AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR DALLAS DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WILLIS THOUGHT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITHIN THE SAME MONTH AS FEE FOR WORLD CUP, THAT AS DALLAS IS ON THE WORLD STAGE, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE VALUE INCLUSIVITY.
YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE HOSTING FANS AND VISITORS FROM ALL
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OVER THE WORLD WHEN WE'RE HOSTING THE WORLD CUP.UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE A SLIDE CURRENTLY DEVELOPED, YOU CAN PROPOSE ONE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE THIS AS COLLABORATIVE AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, VOICE SOME OF THE SLIDES, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
AND SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE DO EMAIL ME.
WE'D LIKE TO GET THE DAY AND TIME, UH, FIRMED UP HERE SOON, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT, WE'RE, WE'RE WITHIN A MONTH WINDOW FOR WHEN COUNCIL'S GONNA CONSIDER IT.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO AT LEAST DO IT, I'M THINKING ONE TO TWO WEEKS OUT.
SO PLEASE EMAIL ME AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A PLANNING CALL AND THEN WE CAN START TO, UM, UH, GET THE INVITE OUT SO WE CAN START TO POPULATE THE SESSION.
BECAUSE THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT IT, I THINK THAT THE BETTER CHANCES WE'LL HAVE FOR A SUCCESSFUL VOTE BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP.
IF, IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT, I KNOW YOU WERE STILL SUPPORTING, SO THANK YOU AS WELL.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU HAD SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND AND JUST KNOW THAT THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.
AND SO WI WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRAYS, FOR THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AND WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE.
IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A PROCESS.
UM, IN FACT, I'VE BEEN PUSHING IT FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW ACTUALLY, SO IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FINALLY, WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSE TO CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND THE REST OF CITY LEADERSHIP FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND IT'S CERTAINLY OUR HOPE THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SUCH A PRIORITY FOR US.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE MORE CONVINCED TO SUPPORT AND VOTE YES TO ADVANCE WITH THIS INITIATIVE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.
AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WANT TO COMMENT.
I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK FROM DISTRICT ONE.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO GET THIS DONE AND TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE SEEN AND THEY ARE VALUED.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING THE MEETING IN JUNE, AND I'M HOPING EVERYTHING GOES WELL AND HOPING FOR THE BEST.
AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE HOW YOU SAID THAT YES, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DO MATTER, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, AND WE ALSO DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO, FOR MR. GRAVES REGARDING THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG FROM DISTRICT THREE? THANK YOU, SIR.
CHAIR, AND, UH, GOOD E GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
AND IT PLEASE EXCUSE MY TARDINESS.
I'VE BEEN ON OTHER, UH, MATTERS, UH, REGARDING MY DISABILITY.
SO, UH, BUT LET ME JUST SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS GLAD TO BE IN THE ROOM WHILE THE DISCUSSION WAS BEING HELD.
UM, I'M GOING TO JUST POSE THESE QUESTIONS AND, AND, UM, MAYBE AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO HAVE A, A REAL DIRECT TALK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $4,000 AND THEY SAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE A BUDGET SHORTFALL, AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSTRAINED IN TERMS OF SPENDING, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD GET MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, UH, FOR THE FLAG TO FLY, UH, TWO WEEKS IS KIND OF SHORT.
AND SO SINCE WE'RE ONLY GOING TO FLY IT IN ONE PLACE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TIME EXTENDED IF IT AT ALL POSSIBLE.
UH, ALSO, UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SIGNING UP FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, WERE KIND OF CONCERNING AT FIRST BECAUSE IT IS, IT, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH WE WERE RELEGATED TO A DOLLAR SIGN.
AND AS I SAID TO THE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, WE ARE NOT A DOLLAR SIGN.
SO WHEN I HEAR STAFF VERY QUICKLY THROW UP A DOLLAR SIGN OR A BUDGET, WE'RE JUST A PIECE OF THE BUDGET.
I PROMISE YOU, IF THE RIGHT GROUP OF PEOPLE COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, MIRACULOUSLY THEY WILL FIND A WAY
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TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS, THAT THEY SEEM IMPORTANT.AND BEING THAT WE WERE RELEGATED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE, UH, AGENDA, AND, AND IT WAS THE LAST, IF NOT THE LAST, IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST ITEMS, UH, THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE.
I, I SAW THAT IT WAS VERY LIMITED.
AND THEN FURTHERMORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT SEE THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION AS IMPORTANT WORK, BECAUSE IF THEY DID, EVERYONE WOULD HAVE AN APPOINTEE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE PARKS BOARD AND, AND OTHER BOARDS HAVE FULL 15 MEMBER BOARDS, BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT WE ARE STRUGGLING FOR QUORUM.
AND SO INSTEAD OF THEM ASKING THE QUESTION, SHOULD WE GO OUT AND DO THE FUNDRAISING? WELL, IF ONLY SIX PEOPLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL OUT OF THE 15TH HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THIS BOARD, THAT SHOWS ME WHAT YOU DEEM IMPORTANT AND WHAT YOU VALUE AND HOW YOU VALUE US.
SO, UM, THE COMMENTS, SOME OF, LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN DISCUSSION, UM, I WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY HOW THEY FEEL.
AND SO THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE GET TO THE, TO THE HORSESHOE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF YOU FEEL ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS KIND OF, UH, TAKEN ABACK BY SOME OF THE COMMENTS BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE WERE, UH, NOT SEEN AS FULL WHOLE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE DISABILITIES, WE ARE NOT SEEN IN THE SAME, UM, MINDSET AS THEY WOULD OTHER PEOPLE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP, BUT I, I WANT THE, THE FOCUS TO BE ON CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP US MOVE THIS AGENDA FORWARD? AND THE FLAG IS JUST A MINIMAL, UH, SUPPORT.
THAT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS RAISE A FLAG.
BUT, AND THEN ALSO WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF JULY, WHICH IS THE MONTH THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE, UH, ANY BUSINESS GOING ON.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, BUT, UM, I'M GLAD THAT THOSE OF US THAT WERE THERE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE ROOM.
MR. YES, COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER WICKS, DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU, I WAS ALSO REALLY DISHEARTENED BY THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THIS, THAT THEY'RE ONLY LIKE, RATHER THAN VIEWING THE HUMANITY AND THE SANCTITY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THEIR LIVES, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COST.
AND ESPECIALLY ONE COMMENT THAT REALLY DISTURBED ME WAS WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, CAN WE NOT DO THIS FLAG RAISING CEREMONY SOMEWHERE ELSE? I MEAN, IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WASN'T NECESSARILY A COST ISSUE.
IT WAS ABOUT HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH US DOING IT AT HERE IN CITY HALL PLAZA.
AND THAT JUST, THAT'S ACTUALLY EVEN MORE PROBLEMATIC, THAT KIND OF COMMENT, BECAUSE THAT JUST COMES TO SHOW HOW, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF HATRED THAT HE HAS AND, AND THE PREJUDICES THAT HE CONTINUES TO HOLD AMONG MEMBERS OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
SO I FEEL LIKE, UM, MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE AWARE, AND WE, I FEEL LIKE MORE DISCUSSIONS NEED, NEED TO BE SURROUNDED AROUND, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT JUST ON THE COST ISSUE, BUT YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU BETTER, LIKE, HOW DO YOU APPROACH PEOPLE YOU KNOW, WHO MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM YOU? I FEEL LIKE, UM, THEY, THEY CERTAINLY WERE CONCERNING AND I HONESTLY FELT A BIT ABLEIST AS WELL.
SO I'M GLAD YOU POINTED THOSE OUT.
I, I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
UH, MR. GRAVES, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR COMMISSIONER? UM, FOR COMMISSIONER WICK'S OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING EXTENDING THE DATE, PERHAPS RATHER THAN DOING TWO WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER TO FLY THE FLAG? YES.
AND THEN I, I DEFINITELY WANNA SAY THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WIS FOR BEING THERE.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS, UH, CHAIR GRACIE WHO CHAIR'S FAULT OF LIFE.
AND SO IT, IT REALLY MATTERED THAT YOU WERE THERE TO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REPRESENTING HIS DISTRICT AND CHAIR'S QUALITY OF LIFE, YOU KNOW, EE EVERY COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AT THAT MEETING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, CHAIRS THE COMMITTEE
[01:15:01]
THAT WE WERE HAVING THIS MEMO BE CONSIDERED AT.ON THE, ON THE TWO WEEK WINDOW, WE HAD PROPOSED THE TWO WEEK WINDOW BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO OTHER DATES THAT WE WANTED TO GIVE SPACE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THEY WANTED TO RECOGNIZE.
ONE WAS THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY, THE OTHER WAS THE, THE FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS TO THE SNIPER ATTACK.
AND SO THERE, THOSE WERE TWO DATES THAT IF COUNCIL MEMBER WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM SPACE TO DO THAT.
SO WE THOUGHT BY FOCUSING IN ON THE TWO WEEK WINDOW, THAT WOULD GIVE THEM SPACE FOR THESE TWO OTHER HOLIDAYS IF THEY WANTED TO CHOOSE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT, IF I CAN'T SPEAK, UH, SEARCH HERE, MAY I RESPOND? OF COURSE, YES, OF COURSE.
FOR THE, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PERMISSION.
UM, I WOULD SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT SHOULDN'T BE A EITHER OR IT SHOULD BE A AND MM-HMM
SO IN INCLUSIVITY SHOULD BE THE NAME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE NAME OF THE GAME AND NOT MAKING PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER.
WELL, WHAT WE CAN DO IS, UH, WE ARE STILL FINALIZING THE RESOLUTION AND THERE'S ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING TO WORK ON TO, FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED.
WHAT I WILL DO, UH, IS THAT I'LL, I'LL TALK TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WHO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ON THE RESOLUTION.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE, THE, THE RESOLUTION IS WHAT'S GONNA GUIDE THE ACTION BY THE CITY.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE FLOWN FOR HOWEVER LONG COUNCIL WANTS IT TO BE FLOWN.
LET, LET, LET ME TALK TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO SEE IF WE COULD TRY TO PITCH FOR THE, THE FULL MONTH OF JULY.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT ONE POINT OF COMPLICATION IS THAT WE CAN'T ORDER THE FLAG UNTIL COUNCIL APPROVES THE APPROVAL WINDOW.
AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY WOULD NEED TO ACTUALLY PRINT THE FLAG IS ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
SO EVEN IF COUNCIL APPROVED IT ON THE 24TH, AND WE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT IT STARTED JULY 1ST, WE MORE THAN LIKELY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEET THE JULY 1ST DEADLINE, WHICH WAS ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WERE AIMING FOR JULY 15TH.
WELL, UH, A FULL MONTH, 30 DAYS.
I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING NO, NO, AND NO, AND YOU'RE COMPLETELY RIGHT.
IT'S JUST, UM, WE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL COUNCIL APPROVES BECAUSE THEN IF WE UNDERSTOOD, IF WE PRINTED IT AND THEN COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE, THEN YOU MAY HAVE SOME NOT SO GOOD COVERAGE OF OUR APARTMENT BECAUSE WE MADE A PURCHASE THAT COUNCIL DIDN'T APPROVE.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY STICKING POINT WHERE WE WERE THINKING, WELL, WHY NOT JULY 15TH? BUT FOR FUTURE YEARS, IT COULD BE CONSIDERED WHETHER IT, IT COULD BE FULL FOR THE FULL MONTH.
IT'S JUST BECAUSE, BECAUSE AS OF NOW, THEY VOTE ON THE 24TH.
IT CREATES A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPLICATION ON OUR END AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE.
WELL, ONCE THE FLAG IS PURCHASED AND STORED, IT SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND NOW THE, THE ONLY, THE ONLY CAVEAT, AND YOU'RE COMPLETELY RIGHT, IS WE WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL, WHICH I, I, I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH LEADERSHIP, BUT YEAH, IT'S, UM, IF, IF, IF YOU CHANGE THE, THE DAYS, IT WOULD JUST REQUIRE ANOTHER COUNCIL ACTION.
SO JUST, BUT WELL, LET, LET ME, LET ME DISCUSS WITH, UH, LEADERSHIP, BUT THAT THOSE WERE SOME OF THE REASONS FOR JULY 15TH.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IF, IF LEADERSHIP WANTED IT TO BE BACK ON THE AGENDA, UM, IT COULD BE FLOWN FOR THE FULL MONTH IF APPROVED BY COUNSEL, YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS AGAIN.
WELL, I'LL, WE'LL, WE, WE'LL, I'M TO HEAR WHAT, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK WITH THE OTHER, HAVE TO SAY.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, NO, AND, UH, LET US KNOW, COMMISSIONER WICKS, IF YOU WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE, THE, THE PLANNING CALL AT ALL, OR THE COMMUNITY CALL.
THANK YOU MR. GRAYS, FOR YOUR COMMENT.
AND, UM, I DID REMEMBER, UH, I ACTUALLY DID ASK YOU WHY YOU PROPOSED JULY 15TH.
AND ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER WICK'S POINT IS VALID BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WITH JUNE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LGBT FLAG, IT'S FLOWN THE FULL MONTH.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS KIND OF LIKE, WHY IT KIND OF QUES,
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LIKE I QUESTION THAT A BIT TOO.SO IT, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE VALUABLE AND APPRECIATED IF YOU, YOU COULD TALK TO LEADERSHIP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTING, MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT WOULD REALLY HELP.
YOU KNOW, THAT THE STICKING POINT IS THE, THE, THE, THE TWO TO THREE WEEK WINDOW, WE WOULD NEED TO ACTUALLY PRINT THE FLAG.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE DON'T PRINT IT.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GO TO AN OUTSIDE VENDOR TO PRINT IT, SO THAT, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ONLY STICKING POINT FOR YEAR ONE.
BUT, BUT THEN YEAR TWO SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
SO EVEN IF, LIKE, EVEN IF, EVEN IF THIS YEAR THE, THE FLAG WOULD NOT BE FLOWN THE FULL MONTH, PERHAPS NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND, YOU KNOW, UM, MAKING IT FLOWN THE FULL MONTH, THAT THAT IS TRUE.
BUT AT LEAST IF YOU CAN PLEASE BE SO KIND TO TALK TO LEADERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND GIVE US AN UPDATE OF, OF COURSE.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, I, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND WE WILL, UH, DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOUR DIRECTION AND SHARES DIRECTION.
'CAUSE I WASN'T PRESENT AT THE MEETING, SO I, YOU KNOW, BEEN A CLARIFICATION.
UM, IS THE MATTER BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO EITHER OR BOTH APPROVE THIS FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, OR IS IT FOR THEM JUST TO APPROVE THE RAISING OF A FLAG? THE SECOND JUST APPROVE RAISING OF THE FLAG? THE BUDGETARY DISCUSSION ONLY CAME IN BECAUSE OF A DIRECTIVE BY CITY MANAGER TOLBERT TO FREEZE EXPENDITURES THAT WEREN'T MISSION CRITICAL.
SO ALTHOUGH COUNCIL ISN'T BEING ASKED TO ALLOCATE ANY MONEY BECAUSE OF THE EXISTING FREEZE, THEY, THEY WANTED TO INQUIRE ON WHAT THE COST OF THE CITY WOULD BE.
BUT REALLY IT'S ONLY THE APPROVAL TO FLY THE FLAG AT CITY HALL PLAZA FROM JULY 15TH TO THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS, IN THE EVENT THAT WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL IN GETTING A FLAG FOR BUDGETARY REASONS, BUT WE HAVE THAT AUTHORIZATION DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO PROPOSE THIS TO OUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE BUDGET FOR IT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? HMM.
AND, AND IT, THIS KIND OF DID COME UP A LITTLE BIT, AND IF IT'S HELPFUL, WE'LL SEND THE RECORDING OUT OF THE MEETING AND LET YOU ALL KNOW WHERE THE TIMESTAMP IS AS OF RIGHT NOW THAT DID COME UP, WHETHER THIS WAS FROM ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHERE HE WAS SEEING THE, THE POSSIBILITY OF SPLITTING THE ITEM BETWEEN THE ITEM ITSELF AND THE, THE, THE, THE FUNDS NEEDED TO ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE THE FLAG LEADERSHIP.
SO OUR DIRECTOR AND OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WANTS IT TIED TOGETHER.
SO, SO, SO, SO RIGHT NOW, THE ITEM BEFORE THEM IS TO FLY IT AT THAT EXPENSE.
AND SO FOR THE, THE ITEM THEY'LL CONSIDER IS THE FLYING THE FLAG AT THE 4,200 OR $5,000 COST.
BUT YOU, YOU RAISE A REALLY INTERESTING POINT, UM, THAT, THAT WE ARE IN THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS, IF Y'ALL HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOT JUST ON DISABILITY PRIDE, IF THERE ARE OTHER BUDGETARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE BY THIS BODY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW OTHER COMMISSIONS DO THAT, LIKE SENIOR AFFAIRS I KNOW MAKES BUDGETARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S EXCELLENT FOR DISABILITY PRIDE.
FOR ANY OTHER INITIATIVE YOU WANNA LOBBY THE CITY FOR.
AND I, I THINK IN GENERAL, GOING FORWARD, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FOR THE FLAG, BUT ALSO MORE ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY YEAH.
ON THE SUBJECTS, UH, DURING THE MONTH, JULY AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
NEXT, COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
I THINK THIS NEEDS AN EXCELLENT, UH, INITIATIVE AND I THINK
UH, I KNOW MANY OF US HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS ON OUR, UH, UH, ON OUR PHONES THAT WE CAN REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, IT'S TIME.
[01:25:01]
YES, I'M VERY INTERESTED AND BEING, UH, AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH THE COMMUNITY CALL IN ANY WAY YOU NEED, AND ALSO WITH SENDING IT OUT FOR ALL OF MY REPORT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT SUPPORT.THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PARKS FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE, UM, JUST LIKE WHAT MR. GRAVES HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, THE, IF WE GET SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, THEN I FEEL LIKE WE WILL HAVE MORE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WEREN'T AT FIRST SUPPORTIVE, THAT COULD PERHAPS CONVINCE THEM TO, UH, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THEIR MINDS A LITTLE.
WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE COMMUNITY CALL WHEN WE DO HAVE, UH, THAT AVAILABLE.
AND MORE DETAILS COULD BE, WILL BE SHARED ONCE WE FINALIZE.
SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE FROM DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY COMMENTS SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE OR QUESTIONS.
AND THEN, UH, CHAIR, UH, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE HAD TO, HAD TO LEAD THE CALL A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
ALRIGHT, SO IN THAT CASE THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO COMMISSIONER GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY COMMENTS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS A GREAT INITIATIVE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S INCREDIBLY THOROUGH AND I'M UPSET I WASN'T, UM, ON COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THE FIRST MEETING, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE JUNE COUNCIL MEETING AND SEEING THIS THROUGH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER GUNN, AND MOST CERTAINLY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE JUNE COUNCIL MEETING, BUT ALSO AT OUR COMMUNITY CALL THAT THE COMMISSION WILL BE HOSTING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
SO ONCE THOSE DETAILS BECOME AVAILABLE, WE'D BE VERY DELIGHTED IN SHARING THEM WITH YOU.
NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, GO TO COMMISSIONER HUSHKA FROM DISTRICT 13 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I THINK, UH, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS REALLY HANDLED THE SPECTRUM, BUT I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MR. GRAVES FOR YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS FRONT.
UM, OUR NEXT ITEM PRIOR TO, SO AGAIN, UM, ANY, FOR ANY, ANY FURTHER QUE MR. GRAVES, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR SHARING THIS UPDATE WITH US.
AGAIN, WE ARE CERTAINLY ONE STEP CLOSER TO CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL MAKE IT, AND IT'S, IT'S WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.
OUR LAST ITEM BEFORE ADJOURNMENT IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WILL BEGIN BY MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS MONTH.
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
IT IS A TIME WHERE WE HONOR THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH VARIOUS CONDITIONS AND RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT COME ALONG WITH THEM.
IN THE UNITED STATES, ABOUT 59.3 MILLION ADULTS EXPERIENCE A MENTAL CONDITION IN A GIVEN YEAR.
AND FROM THAT GROUP, ABOUT 15.4 MILLION ADULTS ARE LIVING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM DAILY TASKS IN LIFE.
TALKING OPENLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CAN REDUCE MISCONCEPTIONS AND ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO SEEK HELP AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT ARE THERE SHOULD THEY NEED THEM.
DURING THIS MOMENT OF OBSERVANCE, LET US REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO LISTENING, SUPPORTING AND ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL WELLBEING AS IT IS JUST AS VITAL AS PHYSICAL HEALTH.
AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THEIR OWN, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WICKS, DISTRICT THREE FOR CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, I DID ATTEND A, UH, A SEMINAR THAT WAS, UH, SPONSORED BY DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, UM, REGARDING HOUSING.
AND, UH, MR. JAMES ARMSTRONG FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS WAS ONE OF THE PANELISTS.
AND SEVERAL, UH, COMMENTS WERE, UM, SENT TO HIM ON THE ZOOM ZOOM CALL MEETING REGARDING, UM, HOUSING FOR THE DISABLED.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THOSE, UH, QUESTIONS WERE AT LEAST BEING ADDRESSED.
[01:30:01]
ANOTHER ORGANIZATION'S, UH, INFORMATIONAL REGARDING MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH WITH, WITHIN THE GREEK, UH, WITHIN THE GREEK MPHC, UH, BODY.AND SO, UH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE, UH, ALSO DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, UH, INITIATIVE ONLINE ALSO.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT, UH, WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT VENDORS IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY IN, UM, SOME HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS THAT I HAVE, UM, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND PLEASURE OF, UH, VISITING HERE LATELY.
UM, AND I REALLY WISH THAT I DID HAVE A BUSINESS CARD TO, TO LEAVE.
UH, I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UM, JUST AN EXAMPLE.
MY, MY COUSIN WAS MARRIED AT, UH, THIS WEEKEND AND WE WERE AT THE HOTEL ZAZA AND THE ROOM THAT WE WERE IN, UH, DID NOT HAVE A, A HOTEL RAMP AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A PORTABLE FOR ME TO GO INTO THE ROOM.
SO I HAD TO BE SEATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM IN THE RESTAURANT AREA WITH SOME OF MY CHURCH MEMBERS INSTEAD OF, UH, HAVING ACCESS TO MY COUSIN'S WEDDING RECEPTION.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE CITY CAN MAKE SOME INROADS, UH, DEFINITELY WITHIN THE RESTAURANT AND, UH, HOTEL INDUSTRY, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME WORK TO BE DONE THERE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, ANYONE CAN BECOME DISABLED AT ANY TIME.
AND SO WHEN YOU ARE IN A PUBLIC PLACE, ACCOMMODATIONS SHOULD BE AFFORDED AS NEED BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY.
BUT THOSE ARE MY, MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WICKS FOR THOSE VA THOSE VALUABLE COMMENTS.
UM, AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE WITH YOUR POINT ON HOW ANYONE CAN BECOME DISABLED, AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT, UM, PLACES DO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, NOT BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE, IT'S REQUIRED AND THEY HAVE TO CHECK A BOX IN OBEYING THE LAW, BUT IT'S REALLY A MORAL THING TO DO.
SO, UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, AGAIN, JUST SHARING THE EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN JUNE, UH, FOR THE CONVERSATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES.
AND I'M ASSUMING, ARE THERE OTHER, UH, IS THAT ALL YOU WANTED TO SHARE? THAT IS ALL.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMISSIONER WHITE IS NOT PRESENT.
NEXT, WE'D LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA DISTRICT 13 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, ANY LAST WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THIS MEETING, PLEASE DO SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
IN THAT CASE, THE MOTION PASSES AND THE, THIS MEETING HAS BEEN ADJOURNED.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE TIME THIS MEETING ADJOURNED IS AT 4:00 PM ON THE DOT.
UH, I THANK EACH COMMISSIONER FOR ATTENDING THIS MEETING.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A PRODUCTIVE ONE.
WE HAD A LOT OF ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL BACK HERE NEXT MONTH.