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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WELCOME
[Agenda]
TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 2:02 PM WE HAVE MET QUORUM, AND THIS MEETING IS NOW BEING CALLED TO ORDER.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. THESE ARE THE SAME ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
FIRSTLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US REMOTELY, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON IN ORDER FOR US TO COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE REALIZE THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE MANY CONCERNS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
WE HEAR YOU, BUT REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS TO GIVE OTHERS IN THE ROOM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND DISTRICT ARE MENTIONED, PLEASE SAY, PRESENT, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER CARRIE PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WHITE, DISTRICT NINE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER LAURA LEE GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
YOU ARE COMMISSIONER GUNN GUNN, DISTRICT 10 PRESENT? YES.
COMMISSIONER NANCY DEMAN, DISTRICT 11.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER STEVEN SKA, DISTRICT 13.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON, DISTRICT 14 PRESENT, UM, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU'VE JOINED US.
WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SERVICE, TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
IN THAT CASE, THIS CONCLUDES THE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.
I DO ENCOURAGE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO INFORM PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR CIRCLES OR ANYONE WHO THEY KNOW IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ISSUE THAT PERTAINS TO DISABILITY.
UM, AND AS A RULE OF THUMB, EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE THEIR TESTIMONY IF AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
[Discussion Items]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS DISCUSSION.THIS IS, WE HAVE SEVERAL DISCUSSION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, BUT THE FIRST DISCUSSION IS ITEM IS REGARDING THE JULY OH HCE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY.
ON JULY 18TH, THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT HELD AND ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
COMMUNITY CENTER, WHERE MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW MEMBERS OF OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND COLLABORATE WITH THEM ON, UH, ON, AND BRAINSTORM WITH THEM ON POSSIBLE WAYS WE COULD COLLABORATE TOGETHER.
I FEEL THAT SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND ONE THING THAT IS SHARED BY ALL COMMISSIONS INCLUDING US, IS THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT WE GET.
UM, SO THIS, THE POINT OF THIS IS, IS REALLY JUST A SHORT DISCUSSION.
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A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION ON THE JULY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MEETING OUTCOMES AND NEXT STEPS.AND COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN AND SAY A FEW WORDS, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DO THAT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD, UM, GROUP THAT CAME TOGETHER, AND I THINK WE ALL SHARE SOME OF THE SAME PAIN POINTS.
SOME ARE MORE, UM, SUPPORTED THAN OTHERS.
UM, AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES THAT THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE IS HOW TO GET THINGS DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO POST AGENDAS AND MINUTES AND EVERYTHING.
REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BECAUSE THAT WAS A VERY VALID POINT.
THE, THE, ONE OF THE, THE KEY STICKING POINTS FOR ALL OF IT WAS THE, THE POSTING OF, OF AGENDAS AND MINUTES AND THINGS, UH, WHEN TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE, WORKING AS SMALL GROUPS.
YEAH, THAT IS A REALLY GOOD POINT.
AND THAT'S HONESTLY POSTING MINUTES AND AGENDAS IN ADVANCE AND WORKING AROUND CERTAIN RULES AND REGULATIONS COULD BE A BIT FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND GET THINGS, EVERYTHING DONE.
BUT OVERALL, YES, IT WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD MEETING.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OHCE WILL REGULARLY BE HOSTING THESE MEETINGS TO, UM, SHARE ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, UPDATES THAT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE UPDATES ABOUT EFFORTS THEY HAVE.
AND IT'LL ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY, I WOULD SAY, NETWORK MORE CLOSELY WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS WHO ARE WITHIN THE CITY.
COMMISSIONER PARKS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM? NO, I THINK IT'S A REALLY, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK, BUT THEY'RE ALSO US LEARNING WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON.
LIKE ONE OF, UH, THE GROUPS HAS CREATED A DATABASE FOR RESOURCES FOR VETERANS.
I, I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT ALL OF US COULD LEAN IN TOGETHER INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CREATE NEW THINGS AND JUST KNOWING WHAT OTHER GROUPS ARE, ARE WORKING ON AND WHAT THEIR FOCUSES ARE AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING AND HOW WE CAN GET THAT MESSAGE OUT, I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL COMMITTEES.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT TOO.
UM, AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERSECTING ISSUES, SAY MM-HMM
BETWEEN THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, AND THAT THERE CERTAINLY ARE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO EVENTUALLY END UP DEVELOPING DISABILITIES.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO COMMEND THOSE COMMISSIONS WHO HAVE A DATABASE WHERE THEY PROVIDE RESOURCES, PROVIDE RESOURCES, AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO TAKE FROM, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT REINVENTING THE WHEEL.
SO WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU GUYS UPDATED AS MORE OF THESE MEETINGS DO HAPPEN.
AND, AND, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
[Voting Items]
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS VOTING ITEMS. ACTUALLY IT'S ITEMS NUMBER, ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.WE ARE NOW VOTING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR AUGUST 25TH, 2026 COMMISSION MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THESE MINUTES? STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE, IF SHE'S PRESENT, NOT PRESENT.
WICKS, DISTRICT THREE, NOT 20TH.
COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER COLLIER.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN, NO EDITS.
UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10, NO EDITS.
COMMISSIONER DEMAN, DISTRICT 11, NO EDITS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON.
DISTRICT 14 EPSTEIN DUE TO, UH, NO.
ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A MOTION OR DO WE HAVE ANY MORE FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE? UM, SOMEONE VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITHOUT EDITS, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES FORWARD.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER HUSKA HAS JOINED THE MEETING.
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AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF, WE HAVE APPROVED THE MINUTES.UM, A MOTION HAS BEEN CALLED, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? DO YOU HAVE ANY EDITS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? NO EDITS AT THIS TIME.
SEEING NO FURTHER SEEING, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, NO ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
THE MOTION CARRIES FORWARD AND THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AS READ WITHOUT EDITS.
ITEM NUMBER SIX ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION AND VOTE TO CONFIRM FUTURE COD MEETING DATE AND TIMES.
SO, DISCUSSION AND REVIEW OF A TENTATIVE POSED SCHEDULE FOR FUTURE COD MEETING DATES AND TIMES PENDING DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSION.
SO IN TERMS OF THE TENTATIVE SCHEDULE, WE ARE STILL PLANNING TO MEET ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT THE SAME TIME, 2:00 PM EXCLUDING JULY AND DECEMBER.
SO THE PROPOSED MEETING DATES AND TIMES FOR NOW ARE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS ARE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, 2026 AT 2:00 PM TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, 2026 AT 2:00 PM TUESDAY, JANUARY 26TH, 2027, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, 2027, TUESDAY, MARCH 23RD, 2027, TUESDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2027, TUESDAY, MAY 25TH, 2027, TUESDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2027, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24TH, 2027, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2027.
UM, AND SO THESE ARE THE PROPOSED DATES THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED.
I AM NOW HAPPY TO, UH, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION, UM, ON THIS ITEMS, OR DOES ANY COMMISSIONER WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR, OR DISCUSS BEFORE A VOTE IS CALLED? I THINK I'VE SHARED IN THE PAST THAT I THINK THAT THE, THIS IS COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
THAT THE TIMES OF THESE MEETINGS, UM, ARE SOMEWHAT INCONVENIENT FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE TO GO TO WORK DURING THE DAY.
AND SO I, I WOULD ASK THAT OTHERS CONSIDER IF THERE'S PROBABLY A BETTER TIME TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS.
NOW, IF YOU'RE, IN TERMS OF A BETTER TIME, WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING? I, I THINK A LOT OF WORKING ADULTS, UM, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY PROBABLY WOULD BE MORE AVAILABLE AFTER SIX.
UM, I TOTALLY HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO WISHES, WISHES TO JUMP IN AND SAY ANYTHING IF THEY WOULD LIKE.
UM, I'M AFRAID THOUGH, THE AT AFTER 6:00 PM MAY NOT WORK FOR SOME SIMPLY BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE, THERE'S COMMUTE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT COMMITMENTS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO ATTEND, MYSELF INCLUDED.
THERE ARE UNIVERSITY COMMIT COMMITTEE, UH, COM COMMITMENTS THAT I CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN.
SO I AM IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE SAME DATE AND TIME, BUT AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO LET OTHER COMMISSIONERS JUMP IN IF THEY WISH.
IF THIS IS COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE, YES, IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO ME TO MEET LATER BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, AT WORK, TO JUST TAKE OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
I'M NOT LIKE AN OWNER OR A MANAGER OR ANYTHING.
AND, UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UH, EVEN FIVE O'CLOCK WOULD HELP ME A GREAT DEAL BECAUSE I THEN I COULD JUST LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY INSTEAD OF TAKING ALMOST TWO HOURS OUT ONCE A MONTH.
SO, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF KEEPING, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE DAY THEN? SO DO IT TUESDAY, BUT INSTEAD DO IT LATER.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF? YES.
THE DATES ARE THE DATE'S FINE? I DO, TUESDAYS ARE FINE.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TUESDAYS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER THAT IS? YEAH, I'LL KIND OF JUMP IN.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER GUNN, AND I'LL KIND OF JUST ECHO OFF WHAT COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL SAID.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT FOR, FOR AT LEAST THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET TO THE CITY JUST AT THAT TIME IN GENERAL.
SO I REALLY DO THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO MAKE THE TIME BACK.
[00:15:03]
OKAY.ANY OTHER WORD OF DISCUSSION ON THIS CHAIR? IS COMMISSIONER COLLIER? I'D AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, WELL, I, I THINK TAKE THAT TIME.
I THINK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, THAT MAY WANT TO ATTEND THESE, UH, THESE MEETINGS WHO HAVE WORK COMMITMENTS, UM, COMMUTES.
SO, YEAH, I, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FIVE O'CLOCK AT, AT MINIMUM, UM, WOULD KIND OF OPENED UP, OPENED UP THIS MEETING TO, TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO, WHO MAY BE TIED DOWN WITH WORK AND THE BEST.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING TUESDAYS, TUESDAYS WORK FOR YOU, BUT YOU SAID YOU WANNA DO LATER.
AND SO LIKE, DO, ARE YOU CONSIDERING FIVE O'CLOCK OR SIX? I I THINK FIVE.
IF WE CANNOT DO SIX, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD ACTUALLY PREFER SIX, BUT, BUT FIVE IF NOTHING ELSE.
ANY COMMISSIONER WANT TO JUMP ON, JUMP IN ON THIS? I, I AGREE WITH IT.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE ANY LIMITATIONS WITH, WITH THE CITY FOR US BEING ABLE TO MOVE OUR TIME TO, UH, FIVE OR SIX O'CLOCK? THIS IS COMMISSIONER WHITE AGAIN.
THERE'S MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT MEET, UH, AT SIX O'CLOCK.
I AM GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, CHRIS GRAVES, WHO CAN SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIMITS AND WITH REGARDS TO HOW LONG WE COULD MEET HERE AT CITY HALL.
HI EVERYONE, THIS IS, UH, CHRIS GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER PARKS FOR THE QUESTION.
THERE ARE OF COURSE, SOME LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS, OF COURSE, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW THE COMMISSION VOTES, IF THEY DO WANT TO KEEP THE FOURTH TUESDAY, AND WE'LL SAY IT'S EITHER AT FIVE OR SIX, WHAT OUR TEAM WILL DO, WE'LL REACH OUT TO ROOM RESERVATIONS.
IT CAN HAPPEN THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ANOTHER COMMISSION HAS THIS ROOM AT THAT TIME.
SO IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT WE'D HAVE TO MOVE TO AN ALTERNATE LOCATION.
BUT THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH ANY KIND OF THING IN TIME THAT WE PROPOSE.
WE STILL HAVE TO CONFIRM IT WITH THE ROOM RESERVATIONS, BUT DEPENDING ON HOW YOU VOTE, OUR TEAM WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH THAT TEAM, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE CONFIRMED LOCATION WOULD BE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER WHITE AGAIN.
UH, MR. GRAVES, THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER ROOMS THAT WE COULD MEET IN, CORRECT? I KNOW WHEN I WAS ON SENIOR AFFAIRS, WE MET DOWNSTAIRS.
UM, YES, YOU, YEAH, YOU, YOU ARE CORRECT.
UH, COMMISSIONER WHITE, WE CAN MEET IN THE, UH, THERE'S A MEETING SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
THERE'S A LOCATION AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WE COULD CHOOSE.
SO, SO THERE ARE, UH, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES BESIDES THIS SPRINT FREE ROOM, BUT IDEALLY, BEST CASE SCENARIO, THIS ROOM IS FREE AT THE TIME THAT Y'ALL VOTE FOR.
UM, CAN I MAKE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER WHITE.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE THIS VOTE UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING TO GIVE MR. GRAVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE? UM, OKAY.
YOU, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION ANY SECOND.
I, I THINK I JUST RAISED THE POINT THAT IF WE PROPOSE TO POSTPONE THIS VOTE THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DECIDE ON WHEN WE'RE GONNA MEET.
AND THAT'S IN OCTOBER, GIVEN IT'S SEPTEMBER ALREADY.
WE CAN CERTAINLY POSTPONE THIS VOTE, BUT WE HA WE STILL HAVE TO CONFIRM THE MEETING FOR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF MEETING IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER? WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE CONFIRM THAT AND THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS LATER ON.
WE PICK THE NEW TIME OR WE VOTE ON THE NEW TIME, AND THEN LET THE, THE TEAM FIND A, A ROOM FOR US.
I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD MOVE TO, UM, VOTE ON THE TIME AND SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE FROM THERE.
SO DO I HAVE ANY, ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO VOLUNTEER TO CALL A MOTION ON THIS? UH, COMMISSIONER HUSHKA HERE.
UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE SCHEDULE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CHAIR.
CAVEAT BEING THAT INSTEAD OF MEETING
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AT 2:00 PM THE COMMITTEE COMMISSION WILL MOVE, OR EXCUSE ME, WILL MEET AT 6:00 PM I SECOND.SO, A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO MEET ON OCTOBER AT 6:00 PM I WILL NOW BE CALLING FOR A VOTE.
PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR AND NO, IF YOU'RE IN OPPOSITION, WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER.
I BELIEVE HIS MOTION WAS FOR ALL THE DATES TO CHANGE 'EM TO SIX O'CLOCK, NOT JUST OCTOBER.
THE THING IS, COMMISSIONER WHITE, WE'RE ONLY CONCERNED WITH MEETINGS FOR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.
NOW THE IDEA WAS THAT WE POSTPONE, UM, VOTING ON THIS ITEM FOR FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS IN THE COMING YEAR UNTIL WE THINK THIS OVER.
YEAH, I THINK THIS COMMISSION'S MADE UP ITS MIND ON WANTING TO VOTE FOR THE TIMES GOING FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER HUSKA, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM, WHEN YOU ARE VOTING TO HAVE FUTURE MEETINGS FOR THE COMMISSION, ARE YOU SUGGESTING, ARE YOU, ARE YOU MAKING THEM, ARE YOU WANTING TO VOTE FOR ALL COMMISSION MEETINGS OR JUST FOR OCTOBER? 'CAUSE YEAH.
UM, TO CLARIFY, MY MOTION WAS FOR THE COMPLETE SLATE OF DATES AS READ PREVIOUSLY BY THE CHAIR, UH, WITH THE ONLY CHANGE BEING MOVING THE MEETING TIME FROM TWO TO 6:00 PM OKAY.
SO I WILL NOW BE CALLING FOR A VOTE.
THE MO THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE THAT GOING FORWARD, WE WILL STILL MEET ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH, EXCEPT NOW THE TIME WILL BE AT 6:00 PM INSTEAD OF TWO.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR AND NO, IF YOU'RE IN OPPOSITION, I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR? YES.
COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN? YES.
COMMISSIONER DI? COMMISSIONER DEMAN.
COMMISSIONER HUKA, DISTRICT 13.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON, DISTRICT 14.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN KYLE CONLEY.
I ALSO, UH, AM IN FAVOR, ALL IN FAVOR OF HAVING OUR FUTURE COD MEETINGS ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:00 PM PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING A AYE AYE.
ALL OPPOSED, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES.
[Briefing Items]
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO THE BRIEFING SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.I WILL BEGIN BY PROVIDING THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT AS OF AS OF 2026.
THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HAS OFFICIALLY JOINED THE HIDDEN DISABILITY SUNFLOWER PROGRAM.
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR CREATING, UM, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY FOR SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF INCLUSIVE OF AN INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES.
WHEN INDIVIDUALS MAKE A VISIT TO PLACES SUCH AS EVENTS, AIRPORTS, THEME PARKS, AND MANY OTHER PUBLIC PLACES, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE OFFERED SUN SUNFLOWER THEMED ACCESSORIES TO WEAR.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE AIRPORT WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING, THOSE PASSENGERS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES ARE PROVIDED A BADGE, LETTING
[00:25:01]
THE, A AIRPORT AGENTS KNOW THAT THEY NEED MORE TIME TO SETTLE AND, AND PROCESS INFORMATION AT, IN REGARDS TO THE STATE FAIR, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THEY ARE GOING TO PROVIDE SUNFLOWER WRISTBANDS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO WEAR, TO LET STAFF KNOW THAT THEY NEED EXTENDED TIME TO GET SETTLED AND MANY OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.THIS IS A MAJOR WIN FOR THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AS DALLAS ONCE AGAIN REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION.
ALSO, FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR IN A ROW, THE STATE FAIR WILL BE HOSTING SUNFLOWER WILL BE HOSTING SENSORY MORNINGS ON SELECTED CERTAIN WEDNESDAYS.
SO SEPTEMBER 30TH, OCTOBER 7TH, AND OCTOBER 14TH OF THIS YEAR.
THERE WILL BE SENSORY ACTIVITIES DURING THE MORNING.
THESE ARE CALLED SENSORY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES WHERE THEY WILL, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE FAIR IN A WAY THAT SOMETIMES IS OFTEN DOESN'T REALLY GET DISCUSSED AS MUCH.
THE STATE FAIR WILL START THIS FRIDAY AND IT WILL RUN FROM SEPTEMBER, AND IT'LL RUN FROM SEPTEMBER 25TH THROUGH OCTOBER 18TH.
SO, UH, FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOW INTEREST IN THAT, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ATTEND AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WANT TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
I WILL NOW START WITH COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE ON THE ACTIVITIES WITH THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS.
I JUST WANTED TO REPORT OUT THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY WITH THE SUNSET COMMISSION FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS IS, UH, GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, AND THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE LIKELY ENDING SOON AS WE APPROACH OCTOBER.
UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HERE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND CAN PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT COMMISSION CONTINUING.
UH, AS THE SUNSET COMMISSION EVALUATES ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ON A DECADE LONG BASIS, THEY LOOK TO POTENTIALLY REMOVE SOME OF THOSE, OR SUNSET, UH, THESE COMMISSIONS.
AND SO IT'S WITH SUPPORT, PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT THEY CONTINUE AND GET BETTER.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THAT, UH, FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT ALSO FROM OUR OWN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH FOR FOLKS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE AN EVENT AT WATERMARK CHURCH, UH, FOR THE WELLWELL WEST RECOVERY EVENT, UH, THIS SATURDAY.
SO IS THAT YOUR REPORT FOR THE MONTH? COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL? THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
OKAY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
NEXT WE MOVE TO COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN.
I HAVE NO, UM, COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FOR ROCKWELL FOR, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE SUNSET COMMISSION.
IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU CAN SEND IT IN VIA EMAIL OR YOU CAN TRAVEL DOWN TO AUSTIN AND DO IT FACE TO FACE.
THEY HAVE LED, UH, RELEASED THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UH, AS FAR AS THE, THEIR BUDGETS AND WHAT, WHAT IS NEEDED.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO CUT EVERYTHING BY 3% THIS BIENNIUM.
SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH ROOFING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO AFFECT ALL OF THOSE NEAR AND DEAR TO US.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE FOR A REPORT, IF YOU WISH.
FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL COMMISSIONER HUSKA, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
I AM ENJOYING WATCHING YOUR WIFE'S PICTURES ON FACEBOOK.
UM, SECONDLY, UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO INTERACT WITH QUEST DIAGNOSTICS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH SOME MEDICAL ISSUES.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, WHICH LIMITS ME ON SOME COGNITIVE THINGS AT TIMES.
WELL, THEY HAVE NO PERSON YOU CAN TALK TO ANYMORE.
YOU EITHER HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ON THE PHONE OR EVERYTHING ONLINE.
AND WHEN YOU SHOW UP THERE, UM, THERE'S NOBODY THERE EITHER.
UH, LUCKILY THERE WAS ANOTHER PATIENT THAT SHOWED ME WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO I, UH, AM LOOKING INTO THAT TO SEE WHY THEY ARE TREATING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES,
[00:30:01]
THAT IN THAT WAY, THAT'S IT.NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
UM, I JUST KIND OF A BRIEF REPORT, UM, IF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR OR NOT FAMILIAR WITH ENVISION, IT'S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, UM, MAINLY BASED IN THE FARMER'S BRANCH LOCATION, BUT THEY'RE A VERY BIG MANUFACTURING PLANT THAT, LIKE I SAID, IS NONPROFIT THAT IS PRIMARILY, UM, EMPLOYED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER COMPLETELY BLIND OR DEAL WITH PRETTY SIGNIFICANT VISION LOSS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE ARMY'S MAIN DISTRIBUTORS FOR CREATION OF LIKE, UNIFORMS, EQUIPMENT, GEAR.
IT'S PRETTY PHENOMENAL STUFF THAT THEY'RE JUST ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, AND DO PHYSICALLY WITH LIMITATIONS LIKE THAT.
BUT I HAVE BEEN INVITED OUT TO GO TOUR THE FACILITY WHILE THE WORKERS ARE THERE IN MANUFACTURING.
SO I WANTED TO KIND OF OFFER UP TO THE FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IF ANYONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KIND OF SEEING THAT LINE OF WORK OR LEARNING MORE.
LOVE TO HAVE YOU ACCOMPANY ME AND JUST, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR MORE DETAILS.
IF SO, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
AND CAN YOU MAKE SURE, CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES.
IT'S AN YES, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
YES, OF COURSE, THEY WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.
IT IS, THEY, UM, ENVISION DALLAS IS COMMENDABLE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY PROVIDE, SO MOST DEFINITELY.
THANKS FOR DRAWING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL OF US.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER DEMAN, DISTRICT 11 FOR A REPORT, IF YOU WISH.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GO WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER DUNN, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS THIS ON THE SUNSET COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANY ITEMS PARTICULAR THAT WOULD AFFECT US THAT WE COULD LOOK AT OR, 'CAUSE I'M, I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH SUNSET.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR WE COULD LOOK AT FOR THAT? AND TO COMMENT ON? THE ANSWER IS YES.
THEY HAVE SELF, SELF-EVALUATION REPORTS THAT ARE OUT.
THEY HAVE THE, UM, LA THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE SUNSET COMMISSION, YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN POSTED.
UM, AND YOU CAN GIVE COMMENT AS FAR AS WHAT THEY THINK THEIR INEFFICIENCIES ARE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HHS THAT IS ON THE SUNSET, IT'S ALSO TWC AND THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION AND I THINK TCDD AS WELL.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL VERY IMPORTANT AGENCIES PART OF THIS THIS YEAR.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT, UH, THE, UM, WE COULD GET THAT THROUGH THE WHOLE COMMISSION, THROUGH OUR, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CHAIR.
UH, SOME OF THESE REPORTS WERE JUST THE LINKS TO THEM, BUT ALSO, UH, IF IT'S HELPFUL, SOME ITEMS THAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT I THINK ARE OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE.
I'M SURE COMMISSIONER PARKS ALSO HAS A FEW ITEMS. YES.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO SHARE IF YOU NEED TO.
IS THIS YOUR REPORT, COMMISSIONER DEMAN? YES, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER HUSKA, DISTRICT 13.
UH, NOTHING TO REPORT THIS MONTH.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON, DISTRICT 14.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GO ON THE ENVISION DALLAS TOUR.
UH, AND OTHER THAN THAT, UM, YEAH, NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS TO ALL COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
WE'RE NOW MOVING TO OUR OFFICIAL BRIEFING ITEMS. WE HAVE TWO ORGANIZATIONS WHO'LL BE TALKING TO US, AND WE'RE REALLY HONORED TO HAVE THEM.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST OR TNF.
THEY'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
TODAY WE'RE VERY DELIGHTED TO HAVE PORTIA DAWSON, FOUNDER OF TNF FIRST.
WE ALSO HAVE MARCUS DAWSON, COLLABORATOR OF T TIANA.
TIANA FIRST REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHER CUMMINGS.
THIS BRIEFING CONCERNS THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES OF THE NOT FORGOTTEN.
FIRST, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVOCATING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH EMPOWERMENT, INCLUSION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THE DISCUSSION WILL HIGHLIGHT TNF FIRST EFFORTS TO EXPAND ACCESS
[00:35:01]
TO RESOURCES, STRENGTHEN ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY NETWORKS, AND FOSTER COLLABORATION THAT PROMOTES INDEPENDENCE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES.WE ARE NOW HAPPY TO WELCOME OUR GUESTS TO THE FLOOR TO SHARE THEIR PRESENTATION.
HI, MY NAME IS PORTIA DAWSON, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF DALLAS MISSIONS OF, UH, FOR DISABILITIES.
FIRST, WE ADVOCATE FOR AND SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL EXCEPTIONALITIES I AND DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL NEEDS.
I SAY EXCEPTIONALITIES BECAUSE NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE ON THEIR JOURNEY OR THEIR DI WHATEVER THEIR DIAGNOSIS MAY BE, THEY'RE EXCEPTIONAL NO MATTER WHAT.
UM, WE, UM, WALK WITH OUR FAMILIES ALONG THEIR JOURNEY.
WE CALL OURSELVES CARE NAVIGATORS.
WE HELP THEM TO GUIDE THROUGH THEIR RESOURCES, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE ON THEIR JOURNEY.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, YOU'LL HEAR FROM MY HUSBAND IN A FEW MINUTES, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE A SON WHO IS 25 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE THREE WITH AUTISM.
SO WE KNOW HOW HARD THIS JOURNEY CAN BE.
WE STARTED THIS NONPROFIT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES, UM, HAVE HARD TIME ACCESSING RESOURCES.
WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH GAINING RESOURCES, NOT KNOWING WHERE TO START, WHO TO TALK TO, WHERE TO TURN.
AND WHEN WE FINALLY DID GET RESOURCES, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT WHEN WE HAD THEM IN HAND.
SO WE CALL OURSELVES AGAIN, CARE NAVIGATORS, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE OUR FAMILIES, UM, WHAT WE DIDN'T GET WHEN CALI WAS DIAGNOSED.
WE WANT TO DIRECT OUR FAMILIES TO RESOURCES THAT ARE PERTINENT TO THEIR LOVED ONE'S NEEDS.
AND, UM, WE DON'T LEAVE THEM THERE.
WE DO FOLLOW-UPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM OR THE INFORMATION WE ARE GIVING THEM, OR IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE NEEDING FOR THEIR LOVED ONE.
WE WANT FAMILIES TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN IT WITH SOMEONE AND THAT CARES ABOUT THEM AND THAT UNDERSTANDS AND CAN RELATE.
UH, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT, UM, WE DO THIS IS THROUGH OUR, UM, COMMUNITY, UM, EVENTS.
AND OUR POPUPS ARE TARGETED TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF CONCERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD, HEALTHCARE, EMPLOYMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS, FAITH INCLUSION, AND EVEN AI AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT.
UH, WE ARE HERE TO, UM, ALSO GIVE NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS AT OUR EVENTS, HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS.
AND, AND OUR LAST ONE, WE, WE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF DESOTO AND WE GAVE BACKPACKS.
AND IN EACH BACKPACK WE HAD CENTURY ITEMS OR ITEMS THAT REALLY FIT OUR, OUR KIDDOS, WHICH WERE BIGGER CRAYONS, BIGGER PENCILS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAPER THAT THEY WRITE ON.
THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR, OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
UM, FOR OUR POPUPS, WE WANT FAMILIES TO KNOW, UH, THAT WE'RE IN IT WITH THEM.
AND WE WANT THEM TO WALK AWAY WITH, NOT JUST WITH BROCHURES AND PAMPHLETS, BUT WE WANT THEM TO WALK AWAY WITH HOPE.
WE WANT THEM TO WALK AWAY WITH NEXT STEPS AND TO KNOW, AGAIN, THAT SOMEONE IS IN IT WITH THEM.
OUR MANTRA IS, WE SEE YOU, WE HEAR YOU, AND WE ARE HERE.
AND THAT IS EMBEDDED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND WE DESIRE TO DO.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I'LL LET MY HUSBAND TAKE IT FROM HERE.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO JUMP ON AND JUST KIND OF DOUBLE CLICK ON A FEW THINGS THAT MY WIFE SAID.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT, UM, THAT, UH, I CAN SAY IS SOMEONE WHO, UH, HAVE WATCHED HER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BUILD RELATIONSHIPS IS, UH, AS SHE MENTIONED, SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH.
I MEAN, WHEN OUR SON WAS DIAGNOSED, THIS WAS DURING THE TIME BEFORE, UH, THE INTERNET WAS, WAS POPULAR.
I THINK THE INTERNET HAD JUST COME OUT.
SO THE TIME THAT PEOPLE SPEND ON GOOGLE NOW, SHE WOULD SPEND THAT SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IN HER VEHICLE, YOU KNOW, MEETING THERAPISTS AND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE NEEDS, UH, AT THE TIME FOR OUR CHILD.
AND, UH, HER COMPANY IS VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, THE YELLOW PAGES, AND FORGIVE ME FOR DATING MYSELF, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE'S DONE IS CURATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS WHO ARE LEARNING, UM, THAT THEIR CHILD MAY BE DIAGNOSED ALL THE WAY UP TO, YOU KNOW, ADULTS WHO, UH, HAVE EXCEPTIONALITIES.
AND SHE'S CURATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
[00:40:01]
A BIT OF A ONE STOP SHOP.I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD TO WORK SO HARD TO IDENTIFY.
SHE'S PACKAGED THAT AND A AND BITE-SIZE PIECES SO THAT A FAMILY IS NOT OVERWHELMED WHEN THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES THAT MAY LAST A LIFETIME FOR THEIR LOVED ONES.
SO, UM, UH, WE'VE GOT A 14 PAGE SLIDE HERE, AND WE'VE GOT SO MUCH INFORMATION WE COULD BORE YOU WITH.
BUT, UM, IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND, I'D LOVE TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT QUICKLY.
UM, IN FACT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, GOING TO, UH, THE FIRST PAGE, MY WIFE KIND OF ALREADY SHARED, UH, THE MENTION BEHIND IT AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT THIS FEELS LIKE TO, UH, AND WE CAN LEAVE YOU GUYS WITH COPIES OF THIS, UM, UH, MR. BRIANNA, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
UH, SO THAT, UM, SO THAT YOUR, YOUR STAFF CAN REALLY DRILL DOWN INTO IT AND MAYBE COME BACK TO US WITH QUESTIONS LATER.
BUT IT JUST REALLY SPEAKS TO, UH, HOW THIS WAS BORN FROM US, FROM THE FOUNDER HERSELF.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OH, I'M SORRY.
BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE LAST ONE.
SO ANYWAY, SO THERE'S JUST SOME NOTES FROM OUR FOUNDER HERE THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO HOW THIS ORGANIZATION GOT STARTED AND A BIT OF OUR WHY BEHIND IT.
AND, UH, LET'S MOVE QUICKLY TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO, DURING THE TIME WE FIRST, UM, LEARNED ABOUT OUR CHILD BEING DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM, AUTISM, I THINK THE STATS WERE ONE IN EVERY 40, UM, MALE CHILDREN AT THAT TIME WOULD BE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.
WELL, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY, AS YOU SEE.
ONE IN SIX US CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY, UH, ONE IN 36 US CHILDREN IDENTIFIED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, CDC, UH, JUST SITES WHERE WE GOT THAT INFORMATION FROM APPROXIMATELY 65 MILLION AMERICANS, UM, PROVIDING UNPAID CARE FOR A DISABLED OR CHRONICALLY ILL FAMILY MEMBER.
AND THEN 25% OF US FAMILIES AFFECTED BY, UM, I'M SORRY, 25% OF US FAMILIES ARE AFFECTED BY A DISABILITY.
AND THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU.
AND, UH, LET'S MOVE QUICKLY TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AGAIN, I WANNA MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO RESPECT YOU ALL'S TIME.
AND SO, UH, IN LOOKING AND UNDERSTANDING THINGS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DALLAS, UM, MY WIFE JUST REFERENCED AN EVENT THAT WE DID IN DESOTO, WHICH I THOUGHT THE EVENT WAS A, THE EVENT WAS AMAZING.
WE, UM, SHE CURATED ABOUT 30 DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT RANGED, UH, FROM THERAPISTS, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY OVER TO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS SHE MENTIONED, PROVIDING FOOD AND BACKPACKS AND JUST ALL OF THOSE ESSENTIALS, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE AWAY A FEW SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO NEEDED TRANSPORTATION TO GET FROM POINT A TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A, A VISIT AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
AND, AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION I'M VERY PROUD OF AND, UM, OF WHAT MY WIFE IS DOING.
AND, UM, AND THIS REALLY JUST BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE SOME OF THE THINGS INTO THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE PEOPLE, UH, HAVE THE GREATEST NEED.
AND THIS IS JUST, UM, UH, SORT OF A LIST BY ZIP CODE IN TERMS OF THE CITIES AND THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOWED UP FROM THOSE CI ZIP CODES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, DALLAS IS DEFINITELY REPRESENTED THERE.
AND IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UH, FOR A YOUNG ORGANIZATION, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE NUMBERS MAY SEEM VERY SMALL, BUT FOR A GROUP THAT'S ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE A YEAR, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF NOW, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THESE, YOU KNOW, TO GO FROM JUST OUR FAMILY INTO, YOU KNOW, HAVING OVER 41 REGISTERED TOTAL REGISTRANTS, WHICH REC REPRESENTED ABOUT 92 PLUS INDIVIDUALS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE.
AND THESE ARE THE STATS FROM DESOTO, AGAIN, 25 PLUS ZIP CODES, UH, 30 PLUS VENDOR RESOURCES, 16 RESOURCES, UH, WITH DOMAINS COVERED, 84% PHONE CONTACT CAPTURED.
SO THE FAMILIES WERE REALLY LEANING IN TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, UH, THAT WE KNEW HOW TO REACH THEM.
SO NEXT TIME WE GET READY TO DO THIS, THEY'RE GONNA COME AND SUPPORT US AT A HIGH LEVEL.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE TALKING THROUGH THIS, I WANT YOU GUYS TO IMAGINE HOW MUCH MORE OF AN IMPACT WE COULD MAKE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF, UH, LIKE AS, AS LARGE AS DALLAS IS.
AND SO WE JUST TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THE MODEL ALREADY WORKS WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND I'VE GOT JUST A FEW LITTLE BULLET POINTS HERE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE DOING THIS MEETING NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, IN FACT, DESOTO I THINK IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP SOME NEW, UM, POLICIES AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT THIS ORGANIZATION INTRODUCED.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I WANNA RESPECT YOU GUYS' TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, OPERATION, NO ONE FORGOTTEN DALLAS,
[00:45:02]
WHAT WE'D LOVE TO DO IS CREATE SORT OF A RECURRING, UH, PIPELINE OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WORK ALONGSIDE YOU GUYS, UH, TO, TO CREATE SOMETHING, UH, AMAZING THAT REALLY BENEFITS THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT WE'RE ALL HERE TO SERVE.AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE PROPOSE IS RECURRING CITYWIDE POPUPS.
UM, AGAIN, AS MY WIFE MENTIONED, CARE NAVIGATION, CARE NAVIGATION IS CRITICAL.
'CAUSE THAT'S A HIGH TOUCH, HIGH TECH, UH, MODEL THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, UH, NOT JUST HERE IN DALLAS, BUT REALLY ACROSS THE WHOLE UNITED STATES WHERE WE LOCK ARMS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREDIBILITY IN THE AREA.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN JUST, AS A YELLOW PAGES, WE'RE SORT OF THAT ONE STOP SHOP WHERE, UH, FAMILY CAN COME TO US, ASK QUESTIONS, AND WE CAN POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE THIRD ONE BEING INTEGRATION WITHIN CITY SYSTEMS. WE KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT YOU GUYS, UM, ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LOCK ARMS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THERE WITH YOU ALL TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S CUSTOMIZED FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
OKAY, IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS US KIND OF THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND JUST RE-IMAGINING WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE INSIDE A PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE QUARTER ONE WE FOCUS ON SOUTH CENTRAL DALLAS, YOU KNOW, QUARTER TWO, OAK CLIFF OR WEST DALLAS, UM, QUARTER THREE, PLEASANT GROVE OR EAST DALLAS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, QUARTER FOUR, DOWNTOWN DALLAS, IF WE WERE TO ROLL THIS OUT OVER THE COURSE OF A FULL YEAR.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT PAGE, PLEASE.
AND SO, FROM, UH, FROM A KPI PERSPECTIVE, IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM DELIVERS FOR THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, MEASURABLE PROGRESS, WE'RE REALLY BIG ON CATHERINE DATA SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FAMILIES ARE, WHAT THOSE FAMILIES NEED, AND WE HAVE THOSE METHODS IN PLACE ALREADY BUILT, AND THAT WE COULD JUST VERY EASILY PLUG INTO, YOU KNOW, THE METHODS THAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE CURRENTLY USING.
UM, OF COURSE, IF YOU KIND OF GO TO THE RIGHT COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY, YOU KNOW, THE NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST 30 VETTED PARTNERS AND CARE NAVIGATOR, CARE NAVIGATORS TO RESIDENTS, REDUCING THE CITY'S COSTS TO DELIVER THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CONTACTS.
WE CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, HELP SHORTEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT WOULD TAKE MAYBE TO START OVER WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS.
THE PARTNERS THAT WE ALL HAVE DO SERVICE, UM, NOT JUST, UM, DESOTO OR NOT JUST NORTH DALLAS, BUT THEY SERVICE THE METROPLEX.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS AGAIN, THAT WE CAN PLUG IN VERY EASILY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, CROSS, UH, DEPARTMENT COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE COULD CREATE A PIPELINE WHERE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, VERY EARLY ON, ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES, UH, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS CITED THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THINGS FOR VETERANS.
WELL, INSTEAD OF CREATING SOMETHING NEW, LET'S JUST KIND OF DOUBLE CLICK ON WHAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WE CAN HELP BRING SOME OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER JUST WITH SOME OF THE MODELS AND THE TEMPLATES THAT WE'VE CREATED.
UM, HAVING MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A PART OF THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, VISIBLE RESIDENT GOODWILL, A HIGH IMPACT, FEEL GOOD CIVIC PROGRAM FAMILIES REMEMBER, AND ONE OF THE CITY CERTAINLY CAN BE PROUD OF.
SO WE START TO GO A LITTLE BIT GRANULAR.
NOW, IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT THE CITY COULD DO TO SUPPORT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, TO HOST A PROGRAM WOULD BE GREAT IN KIND DONATIONS IS ALWAYS WELCOME.
WHERE, YOU KNOW, A VENUE OR SOMETHING THAT MAY, YOU KNOW, HOUSE THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WE'D LIKE TO SERVE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, UM, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GIVE YOU GUYS A DATE, BUT WE, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER, UH, DECEMBER THE FIFTH IS THE DATE THAT WE HAVE, UH, EARMARKED FOR THIS EVENT.
AND, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THIS, YOU KNOW, A REALLY HOLIDAY, UM, CENTRIC EVENT WHERE FAMILIES CAN GO INTO THE HOLIDAYS AT LEAST KNOWING THAT SOME OF THEIR CRITICAL NEEDS ARE GONNA BE MET BY THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THIS LINE NOW.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S THE TIMELINE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO, TO INTRODUCE THE, AT LEAST THE FIRST ONE, THE INAUGURAL ONE.
AND, UH, AS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, AS THE HOST, PARTNER IN KIND SPONSORSHIP IS GREAT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS WANTED TO ADAPT THIS PROGRAM, UM, PARTNER WITH US, UM, YEAR ONE, $25,000, AND WE'VE GOT A BREAKDOWN TO SHOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THIS, MY WIFE AND I ARE COMMITTED TO FUND THIS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE ASK IS NOT TO, FOR YOU GUYS TO, TO CARRY IT.
THE ASK IS FOR YOU TO LOCK ARMS WITH SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IS GONNA HAPPEN AND SUPPORT A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO LEAN IN FINANCIALLY, THAT'S GREAT, BUT AN IN KIND DONATION WOULD, WOULD, WOULD SUFFICE JUST AS MUCH.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CITYWIDE PARTNERSHIP.
EACH TIME WE DO ONE OF THESE, IT'S ROUGHLY, UM, ABOUT $25,000.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN FUNDING THAT OURSELVES.
WE DO HAVE SPONSORS THAT HAVE RAISED THEIR HAND AND, UM, AND ARE LEANING
[00:50:01]
IN NOW, UH, FINALLY, WHICH ONLY ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE OF THESE IN MORE DIFFERENT AREAS.SO, UM, I'M SHARING THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A PASSION POINT FOR US.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR TO-DO LIST FOR US, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE GET TO DO THAT WE'RE HONORED TO DO, TO BE ABLE TO PASS ON THE WISDOM THAT, UM, THAT MY WIFE AND I, UH, KIND OF HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HAVING LEARNED THAT AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS, WE WANT TO SHARE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOUR HELP IN DOING SO.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS KIND OF GOES A LITTLE GRANULAR IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CAPITAL, YOU KNOW, WE UTILIZE AND HOW WE USE IT OURSELVES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE, THE STAFF, UM, THE CONTRACTORS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE GOOD THINGS FOR, AND THIS IS INSIDE OF A $75,000 BUDGET.
AND OF COURSE, THE QUARTERLY POPUPS, THE VENUE, THE PREP TIME, ALL OF THE SECURITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES ARE SAFE.
THE SIGNAGE THAT'S APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, FOR ANYONE WHO MAY, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY TYPE OF, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGE THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
WE MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SIGNAGE IS CONDUCIVE FOR OUR AUDIENCE, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, THIS WILL BE A, FOR ACROSS FOUR DISTRICTS.
UM, THERE'S FAMILY ESSENTIALS AND GIVEAWAYS FROM FOOD, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, SEASONAL ESSENTIALS AT EACH EVENT.
UH, THE ONE THAT SHE DID IN AUGUST, WE DID BACK TO SCHOOL ITEMS, UM, THE ONE THAT WE'RE PLAYING ON DOING FOR CHRISTMAS.
WE'LL HAVE SOME TOYS FOR YOUNG KIDS.
AND, UH, AND THESE AREN'T JUST TOYS, THESE ARE THINGS LIKE MY WIFE MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, CRAYONS THAT ARE LARGER, YOU KNOW, IN SIZE AND PENCILS THAT ARE LARGER IN SIZE AND, AND TOYS THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE, UM, UH, SENSORY COMFORT.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THINGS THAT WE LEARNED THAT WOULD HELP OUR, OUR SON THROUGHOUT SOME OF THE TOUGHEST MOMENTS THAT HE FACED GOING BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL AND BEING IN, YOU KNOW, UH, ENVIRONMENTS THAT WERE CHALLENGING FOR HIM.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I'LL JUST KIND OF RUSH THROUGH THIS.
WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GUYS HAVE A COPY OF THIS.
SO LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THESE ARE JUST VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S EASY FOR YOU TO TELL YOUR STORY, UM, BUT IT'S MORE DYNAMIC WHEN OTHER PEOPLE START TO TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU.
AND, UM, DYLAN RAFFERTY IS SOMEONE WHO'S RESPECTED TO NORTH CA, NORTH NORTH TEXAS DISABILITY CHAMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, OFFICER WASHINGTON, UH, WITH THE DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SHE, UH, GAVE A PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND CITED THAT SHE HAD BEEN A PART OF, UH, EVENTS LIKE THIS FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES, BUT SHE HAD NEVER BEEN A PART OF ANYTHING THAT HAD BEEN AS ORGANIZED AS THIS, OR WHERE EVERYBODY CAME IN THE BUILDING FELT, SEEN, HEARD, AND RESPECTED IN A WAY THAT, UM, IT, IT WAS HARD.
SHE, SHE TOLD HER STORY WITH TEARS IN HER EYES.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UM, FROM THE FOUNDER, FOUNDER HERSELF, MY WIFE, AND WE'VE GOT COUNTLESS STORIES LIKE THIS.
THE MAYOR OF DESOTO WROTE, UM, SEVERAL OF OUR, SEVERAL OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE WRITTEN IN.
WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING, UM, SPECIAL AND, UH, ARE EAGER TO SHARE IT.
UH, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN WE'RE JUST LIKE, SORT OF THE THREE NEXT STEPS, YOU KNOW, ONE IS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, JUST KIND OF ALIGNING AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, VISION AND SCOPE OF A PROGRAM.
UH, STEP TWO BEING TO FORMALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND BUILD SOMETHING INSIDE OF AN MOU.
AND THEN STEP THREE IS, IS SIMPLY TO EXECUTE, TO LAUNCH.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO OUR LAST SLIDE, AND IT JUST SIMPLY SAYS, LET'S BUILD THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER.
AND SO WE'D LOVE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO GO THROUGH IT.
WE'VE GOT TONS OF READING MATERIAL.
MY WIFE'S EMAIL ADDRESS IS ON THERE.
UM, AND HER WEBSITE IS ON THERE IF YOU GUYS WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TO ASK ANY QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE.
AGAIN, WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
WE LOVE THE FAMILIES THAT WE GET TO SERVE.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US ABOUT YOUR WORK.
I REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHAT I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT YOUR WORK IS THAT, UM, YOU GUYS ARE YOUR, I MEAN, YOUR EFFORTS ARE HUMAN CENTERED.
SO WHEN YOU, I MEAN, LIKE WHEN YOU'RE, UM, WHEN MS. PORSCHE SAID YOUR, YOUR MANTRA IS, WE SEE YOU, WE HEAR YOU, WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU, WHICH ACTUALLY LEAVES A VERY NICE HUMAN TOUCH TO THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS, IT'S OFTEN FOCUSED ON ACCESSIBILITY OR POLICY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I COMMEND YOUR EFFORTS AND APPRECIATE THE HUMAN CENTERED FOCUS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE FOR YOU GUYS IS, CAN YOU ELABORATE A BIT ON HOW YOU CONNECT PEOPLE TO RESOURCES AS IT RELATES TO EMPLOYMENT, UH,
[00:55:01]
OPPORTUNITIES? DO YOU GUYS PROVIDE TRAINING OR DO YOU, UM, DO YOU PROVIDE LIKE, UM, WORKSHOPS ON HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLACE? UM, CAN YOU, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN SOME OF THAT.WELL, UM, WE HAVE CONNECTED WITH, UH, WORKFORCE, UH, SOLUTIONS.
AND SO WHENEVER THERE'S SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO, UM, KNOW ABOUT EMPLOYMENT OR GET EMPLOYMENT OR JOB TRAINING, WE HAVE CONNECTED THEM WITH SOMEONE ON THEIR TEAM.
UM, A AGAIN, WE DO FOLLOW UPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THEIR, UM, THEIR NEED IS, IS BEING FULFILLED AND THEY'RE GETTING WHAT THEY'RE ASKED FOR.
UM, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT IF IT'S JOB TRAINING THAT THEY WANT, THAT WORKFORCE SOLUTION HAS THE JOB TRAINING MATERIALS, WHICH THEY DO.
'CAUSE MY SON HAS BEEN THROUGH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS BEFORE.
UM, MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S HOW HE, HE GOT HIS, UM, FIRST JOB.
UM, AND SO WE WANT, THAT'S HOW WE CONNECT WITH THEM.
WE ALSO CONNECT THEM WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, OTHER ORGAN, OTHER COMPANIES LIKE MARKET STREET GROCERY STORE WHERE MY SON WORKS.
I KNOW THE HR THERE AND HR AT THE, UM, AT A COUPLE OF MARKET STREET, AND I HAVE INTRODUCED THEM TO, UH, TO THEM AS WELL.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S JUST, I'LL, I'LL MAKE A CALL TO THE RESOURCE AND THEN CONNECT THE FAMILY OR THE INDIVIDUAL WITH THE RESOURCE AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT, AND THEN WE'LL DO A FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEED, WHENEVER THAT NEED MAY BE IS, UH, MET.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD, THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT IS, UH, MY WIFE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT NOT TAKING THE HUMAN COMPONENT OUT OF THIS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE THERE MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO MOVE A FAMILY FROM POINT A TO POINT B, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS A YOUNG LADY WAS SPEAKING EARLIER ABOUT THERE NOT BEING ANYONE THERE TO HELP, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN A PARENT CALLS, A LOT OF TIMES BY THE TIME THAT PARENT PICKS UP THE PHONE, IT TAKES A CERTAIN LEVEL OF BRAVERY TO DO SO.
AND SO SHE'S THERE, MEMBERS OF HER TEAM ARE THERE TO TAKE THAT PERSONAL CALL, YOU KNOW, AND TO REALLY LEAN IN WITH THAT FAMILY FIRST OFF, TO LET THEM KNOW, OKAY, FIRST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THIS ALONE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE ARMY OF US HERE FOR YOU, AND WE ARE HERE, WE'RE GONNA HOLD YOUR HAND.
MY WIFE WILL DO A THOROUGH IN INVEST, UM, ASSESSMENT OF THAT PARENT'S NEEDS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HER AND HER TEAM WILL IMMEDIATELY GO TO WORK.
SO, UM, UH, WHILE THERE ARE MORE EFFICIENT WAYS AS THIS GROWS, THAT THAT HUMAN TOUCH, THAT, THAT HIGH TOUCH, HIGH TECH IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, I, I, I CAN IMAGINE THAT SHE'S ALWAYS GONNA HAVE AS A PART OF HER, UH, CORE STRUCTURE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS I HAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOW TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
THANK YOU, UM, TO BOTH OF YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS WAS REALLY SPECIAL TO HEAR ABOUT.
UM, I AM INTERESTED, I, UH, REPRESENT DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, THE SOUTH OAK CLIFF, UM, AREA.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY OVER-INDEXED IT, UH, REPRESENTATION OF, YOU KNOW, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE LIVING WITH AUTISM.
SO JUST WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT, UM, ANY POTENTIAL, I GUESS, EXPANSION.
I SAW YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT SOUTH AND CENTRAL DALLAS.
OH, I DO SEE OAK CLIFF AND, UH, WEST DALLAS.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I KIND, I GUESS WHAT CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE IN, IN OAK CLIFF TO SEE HOW I COULD BE, UH, OF USE TO YOUR EXPANSION THERE.
YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT BEFORE I GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL? I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMMISSIONER DR.
AND SO WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTERS COMMISSIONER, DR.
SIR, CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY ON GETTING ONTO THE CALL BECAUSE I DO HAVE THE, UM, DOA HOUSING PROJECT PEOPLE IN MY HOME.
I WANNA RESERVE ALL OF MY FURTHER COMMENTS.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR, FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF DOING SOME, EXCUSE ME, DR.
COMMISSIONER WICKS CAMERA IS ON.
[01:00:01]
THIS TIME.WICKS, CAN YOU, WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU TO PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON WHAT YOU SAID, SIR.
CHAIR, WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU TO PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
IT'S VERY CHOPPY, YOUR CAMERA.
SO I'M GONNA YIELD, YOUR CAMERA IS NOT ON.
WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO KINDLY PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
UM, IN THAT CASE THEN LET'S GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
OH, OH, PAUSE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMISSIONER COLLIER'S QUESTION HAS BEEN ANSWERED PRIOR TO MAKING MY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS IF PORTIA, UH, WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND, OR MR. DAWSON, I THINK SHE WAS ASKING IF I HAD ANY RESOURCES IN THE OAK CLIFF AREA, IF I'M NOT CORRECT.
WE DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES IN THE OAK CLIFF AREA.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO GET MORE, THE MORE THAT WE, WE HAVE THESE POPUPS.
UM, USUALLY WHEN WE HAVE THE POPUPS, I GET, UM, A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO WANT TO COME IN AND BE A VENDOR, A RESOURCE VENDOR, AND, UH, AFTER WE VET THEM, UM, AND THEN A LOT OF 'EM HAVE BEEN IN THE SOUTH DALLAS, THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF DALLAS.
AND, UM, THAT'S HOW I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET A LOT OF THESE RESOURCES.
SO I CAN CONNECT WITH YOU A LITTLE LATER WITH THE ONES WE HAVE.
UM, BUT I'M HOPING TO GET MORE, MORE THE MORE WE HAVE THESE POPUPS.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER ARAPO FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND I WAS HAPPY TO GET CONNECTED WITH YOU ALL EARLIER, UH, THIS SUMMER AND TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT WHAT YOU ALL DID IN DE SOTO AND HOPING TO BRING THIS, UH, TO THE CITY HERE SOON.
UH, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD WAS, UH, HAVE YOU ALL BEEN ABLE TO COORDINATE AT ALL WITH THE COUNTY, GIVEN HOW MUCH WORK THEY'RE DOING ALREADY IN THIS AREA, PARTICULARLY WITH DISABILITIES? UM, AND JUST SO WE ARE KIND OF FITTING THIS WITH ALL, ALL FRONTS, RIGHT? CITY CAN DO SOME THINGS, BUT THE COUNTY ALSO HAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THIS AREA.
SO JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THERE WAS COORDINATION THERE AS WELL.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT, THAT CONTACT FROM YOU GUYS.
UH, WHAT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS, QUITE HONESTLY, WE'VE BEEN SO BUSY DOING THE WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE EXPLORING NOW ARE, ARE ONLY NECESSARY BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, SO MANY REQUESTS FROM SOME OF THE AREAS.
BUT, UM, BUT COMMISSIONER, WE WOULD LOVE TO, TO, IF YOU DON'T MIND MAKING THAT INTRODUCTION, UH, OR SOONER THAN LATER, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, SIR.
AND AGAIN, JUST LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT AND MARKETING THIS EVENT TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT YOU ALL ARE GONNA BE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, BUT WE CAN HELP PUT A MICROPHONE IN FRONT OF YOU.
ARE THOSE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? THEY ARE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I, IT IS FABULOUS THAT YOU'RE THERE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES WHO SIT ON WAIT LIST AND INTEREST LISTS AND HAVE TO GO FROM PLACE TO PLACE TO PLACE TO TRY AND GET APPLICATIONS COMPLETED AND SERVICES.
UM, EVEN IN TODAY'S MODERN TIME WITH THE WEBSITE, YOU STILL SPEND A LOT OF TIME WAITING.
AND I, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP ADVERTISE POPUPS AND, AND DO MARKETING FROM MY SIDE IF, IF, IF I, I CAN GET YOUR MATERIALS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, I WAS A SOLE PARENT TO 5 0 4 KIDS, UH, WHO ARE NOW 33 AND 34.
I ENDED UP HAVING TO HOMESCHOOL.
I WORKED WITH THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION TO CHANGE THE LAWS FOR TYPE ONE KIDS IN SCHOOLS.
WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE SCHOOLS, BUT ANYWAY, IT DID HELP SOME OTHER KIDS.
I AM, I REPRESENT DISTRICT NINE.
HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL AND I CAN COLLABORATE 'CAUSE WE'RE CLOSE.
I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN SOMETHING
[01:05:01]
LIKE THIS WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN.
FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
I JUST FIRST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
I MEAN, UM, YOU'RE FILLING A HUGE GAP THAT A MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION FEELS, UM, AND SUFFERS WITH.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND DEDICATION YOU'VE DONE TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASSEMBLING THIS.
UH, I PARTICULARLY FIND THIS EXTREMELY INTERESTING BECAUSE A MONTH AGO I SAT ON THE COMMITTEE AND ASKED MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IF THEY WOULD, WOULD BE SO KIND TO PROVIDE ME WITH SOME RESOURCES FOR THE RISE SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE RISE SCHOOL, THEY'RE PART OF THE YMCA, BUT, UM, ON MY LAST TOUR WITH THEM, THEY WERE KIND OF JUST BEGGING FOR SOME RESOURCES IN REGARDS TO TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THEIR STUDENTS WHO HAVE JUST GRADUATED, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ONLY SIX AND KIND OF IN THAT, YOU KNOW, VOID OF WORK RESPONSIBILITY OR PROGRAM TRANSITIONING.
UM, SO I WOULD LOVE TO ONE, SEE IF Y'ALL WOULD BE OPENING, IF Y'ALL HAVE PARTNERED WITH SCHOOLS, TWO, IF Y'ALL WOULD BE OPENING TO POTENTIALLY EXPLORING THAT.
AND THEN THREE, I'M SO SORRY FOR THIS.
UM, I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO KNOW KIND OF WHAT THE EVENT LOOKS LIKE, UH, AS IF I WAS A PATRON COMING FROM THE FIRST TIME.
WHAT KIND OF DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE? WHAT ARE KIND OF THE STATIONS YOU WOULDN'T MIND WALKING ME THROUGH AN EVENT DAY? I'D LOVE THAT.
WELL, NUMBER ONE, WE WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH SOME SCHOOLS.
UM, AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH A COUPLE, BUT, UM, IN LIKE, IN THE, UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH SOME ON THE SOUTH SOUTHERN SECTOR IN DALLAS, PERIOD.
UM, SO YES, UM, AND I'M GETTING MY HUSBAND TO HELP ME TO MAKE SURE I SAY EVERYTHING CORRECTLY, BUT WHEN YOU COME TO OUR, ONE OF OUR POPUPS, YOU WILL SEE HUGE BANNERS.
UM, AND THESE BANNERS, EACH BANNERS, THERE'S ABOUT 10 OF THEM, 10 BANNERS, AND ON EACH ONE IS A CONCERN OF THE FAMILY THAT WE'RE TARGETING.
SO ON ONE BANNER, IT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION, ANOTHER ONE WILL BE SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES, ONE WOULD BE EDUCATION, UM, ONE WOULD BE EMPLOYMENT, AND SO ON AND SO ON.
AT EACH BANNER YOU'LL SEE TWO, AT LEAST TWO, ONE TO TWO RESOURCES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT CAN ANSWER ANY OF THE PARENT QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE IN REGARDS TO, FOR INSTANCE, TRANSPORTATION OR TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD OR EMPLOYMENT.
UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME BECAUSE A LOT OF THE DISABILITY RESOURCE FAIRS THAT YOU GO TO ARE KIND OF THERAPY HEAVY, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT BECAUSE MY SON IS IN A BA THERAPY AND THERAPY.
BUT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, MOST OF THEM, THAT'S ALL IT TARGETS, IS JUST THE THERAPIES.
AND MOSTLY, UM, IT CENTERS AROUND MAYBE A BA THERAPY AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M FINDING THAT A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES ARE NEEDING MORE THAN THAT.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET TO THE THERAPIES IF THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION? SO THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO HAVE SOMEONE THERE, LIKE WHEN WE WERE IN DESOTO, WE HAD START TRANSIT THERE, UM, TO TALK TO OUR FAMILIES ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, GETTING TO A THERAPY SESSION OR GETTING TO SCHOOL OR AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM THAT WAS IN THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, OR SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES EVERYWHERE, BUT WHAT IS IT IN THIS AREA? SO WE TRIED TO GET, UM, RESOURCES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY IN THE DESOTO OR SOUTHERN SECTOR OF DALLAS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE ALSO HAD, UM, UH, A STATION WHERE WE HAD THE NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS. WE PARTNERED WITH MINNIE'S FOOD PANTRY, AND SHE BROUGHT, THEY BROUGHT 80 BOXES.
SO, UM, WHENEVER THEY WENT TO EVERY TABLE, THEY WOULD GO TO THE, THE LAST THING THAT THEY WENT OUT WITH WAS A BOX FULL OF FOOD.
UM, WE ALSO HAD HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS IN THOSE HOUSEHOLD ESSENTIALS WAS PAPER TOWELS, UM, TOILET PAPER.
WE HAD, UM, UH, LIQUIDS, UH, WASHING POWDERS OR WA WASHING LIQUIDS AND, UM, DISHWASHING LIQUID IN A, IN A, UM, GROCERY BAG.
AND, UH, WE PARTNERED WITH A BANK AND THEY PUT FIRST AID KITS IN EACH OF THE BAGS.
WE HAD A STATION WITH BACKPACKS FOR THE ONE IN DECEMBER.
WE'LL HAVE TOYS AND SOCKS FOR THAT.
UM, WE ALSO HAD AN AREA WHERE THERE IS, UM, THOSE 10 AREAS, BUT WE HAD BEHA, UH, UH, A AREA FOR THERAPIES.
UH, WE ALSO HAD AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS A MOM AND DAD MEET UP.
SO MOM AND DADS COULD MEET UP IN AREA EXCHANGE CONTACT NUMBERS AND INFORMATION FOR THEM TO AT LEAST, OKAY, I HAVE ANOTHER PARENT THAT I CAN TALK TO ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH, GOING THROUGH, AND THEY CAN RELATE.
UM, AND THEN I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY, UM, RESOURCES, THEY HAD GAMES THERE FOR THE
[01:10:01]
KIDDOS TO PLAY.WE HAD SOMEONE FROM CPR TO TEACH 'EM HOW TO, UM, TO KNOW HOW TO DO CPR.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD AN ACTUAL MANNEQUIN THERE FOR THEM TO WORK ON.
UM, WE ALSO HAD SNACKS AND, AND SOME, UM, REFRESHMENTS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
AND, UM, AND SO WHAT WE DID, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT WE HAD A LOT OF GIVEAWAYS.
SO THEY GOT A LITTLE, UH, EACH FAMILY RECEIVED A GRID AND ON THE GRID HAD ALL THE VENDORS OR RESOURCES ON THERE, AND THEY WOULD GO TO EACH TABLE, GET A STICKER, AND ONCE THEY GOT A STICKER, THEN THEY GOT A DOOR PRIZE.
AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US.
SO THEY WOULD LEAVE THERE WITH A LOT OF THINGS, NOT JUST RESOURCES, BUT SOMETHING THAT, THAT WOULD BE MEMORABLE TO THEM THAT THEY WOULDN'T FORGET AND PREFERABLY WOULD BE, UM, A HOPE FOR THEM WALKING OUT THE DOOR.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS QUESTION.
THE ONLY THING I YEAH, NO, THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
IT, IT WAS, IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE TO SEE PARENTS WALKING OUT WITH SO MUCH STUFF IN THEIR HANDS TO TAKE BACK, TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF.
BUT, UM, JUST, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BIT OF A MOVIE SCENE NOW, RIGHT? YOU KNOW HOW YOU SEE THE MOVIE AND THEN SOMEONE'S FLASHES THIS SIGN THAT SAYS, HOW DID WE GET THERE? SO WHAT WE DID PRIOR TO WAS, UM, WE HAD A BIT OF A HACKATHON AND, UM, UH, MY WIFE ASSEMBLED, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL STAKEHOLDERS, VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS ROOM.
AND, UH, AND THEY JUST SAT AROUND AND, UH, AND JUST KIND OF POKE HOLES IN, IN ALL OF THE CHALLENGES.
AND THE BIG, THE BIG TAKEAWAY THE GROUP EXERCISE WAS, OKAY, HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS? HOW DO WE COLLECTIVELY LEAN IN TO SOLVE THIS? WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERAPIST, WHATEVER THESE, THESE ITEMS ARE, LET'S LEAN IN.
AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE I IDEA OF NO ONE LEFT BEHIND IS WE TOOK THIS MILITARY TYPE TACTIC THING.
MY WIFE'S NOT A MILITARY PERSON, BUT OUR, OUR GRANDPARENTS WERE.
AND, UH, AND SO WE KIND OF DID A HEAT MAP AND WE TALKED ABOUT EVERY, ALL OF THE AREAS THAT HAVE THE MOST PROMINENT, YOU KNOW, UM, CHALLENGES WITHIN FAMILIES.
AND, UH, WE, WE, AGAIN, I'M SHARING THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND IF THE IDEA IS THAT, HEY, WE'RE GONNA COME TO OAK CLIFF AND WE WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THEN LET'S LEARN EVERYTHING WE CAN ABOUT THE AREA.
YOU KNOW, MY WIFE IS VERY GOOD TO VET THE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH, JUST TO ENSURE, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN SHE STAMPS AND NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST ON THERE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST WE'VE DONE THE FIRST STEP OF VERIFYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FAMILIES ARE GONNA BE SAFE.
SO, UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT, BUT IT'S SO FUN BECAUSE OF THE LIVES THAT ARE BEING CHANGED HERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TAKE EVERYTHING SHE SAID AND THEN SHOW YOU HOW WE ACTUALLY GOT THERE.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING TRULY.
I'M, I'M JUST, UH, KIND OF BEWILDERED BY EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE REALLY THOUGHT THROUGH.
UM, THIS IS TRULY EXTRAORDINARY WORK AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO NEEDED.
I JUST CAN'T PUSH THAT ENOUGH.
UM, I JUST THANK YOU FOR WALKING ME THROUGH THE EVENT DAYS.
THAT'S GONNA BE HELPFUL, KIND OF WHEN I SPEAK TO SOME PEOPLE AFTER THIS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THIS KIND OF RESOURCES AND, UM, PROGRAM TO KIND OF DESCRIBE KIND OF WHAT Y'ALL DO AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS.
SO I'D LOVE TO CONNECT WITH Y'ALL OFFLINE TO SEE HOW WE COULD TRY TO PUSH THIS PROGRAM WITH SOME SCHOOLS LIKE THE RISE, UM, AND JUST SOME OTHER AREAS AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP.
UM, AS A GENERAL REMINDER, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTER THAT NEEDS TO SPEAK TO US.
SO IF YOU COMMISSIONERS CAN BE AS BRIEF AND CONCISE WITH YOUR COMMENTS, UH, AS POSSIBLE, WE CAN GET TO THEM RIGHT AWAY.
SO I WILL NOW GO TO COMMISSIONER DEMAN FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY BRIEF COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH ANYTHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, OF DALLAS? UH, THEY HAVE A HUGE AUTISTIC PROGRAM, AND I KNOW MY DAUGHTER, MY, MY DAUGHTER WORKS WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH THE, UM, NONVERBAL AND ALSO THE CITY OF RICHARDSON HAS DONE INCREDIBLE 'CAUSE I HAVE AN AUTISTIC GRANDDAUGHTER.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER PEOPLE MAYBE NOT TO REINVENT THE BOX.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER HUSHKA, DISTRICT 13 FOR ANY COMMENTS? UH, NO, NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME TALKING TO US TODAY AND ALL THE TIME THAT YOU PUT INTO TO SUCH A WORTHY CAUSE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEXT DENTON.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON FROM DISTRICT 14.
UM, YOUR GENEROUS SPIRITS ARE ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THE HARD WORK YOU HAD TO DO TO MAKE, UM, UH, TO MAKE YOUR SON'S LIFE WHAT IT NEEDED TO BE, AND THAT YOU'RE SHARING IT WITH OTHERS TO GIVE THEM THE SAME ACCESS.
QUICK QUESTION, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF ELIGIBILITY, UH, THAT FAMILIES HAVE TO HAVE? DO THEY NEED TO HAVE A REFERRAL FROM SOCIAL SERVICES OR FROM A MEDICAL PROVIDER?
[01:15:01]
UM, DO THEY HAVE TO MEET ANY KIND OF INCOME CRITERIA? I, I'M JUST THINKING HOW USEFUL THIS WOULD'VE BEEN.UM, I'M A RECENTLY RETIRED PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER.
WE HAD SO MANY FAMILIES WHO NEEDED THESE RESOURCES.
WE, I, I JUST HAVE THEM TO COME AND FILL OUT SOME, UM, INFORMATION.
AND EVEN IF THE RESOURCES THAT WE CONNECT THEM WITH, IF THEY'RE NEEDING MORE INFORMATION FROM THEM, THEY CAN GET IT.
BUT IF THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH US, THE NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST, NO, WE WANT TO SERVE ANYONE AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I ONCE AGAIN WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE, NOT FORGOTTEN FIRST FOR COMING AND GIVING SUCH AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION TO US.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM IS FROM THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, VOA TEXAS, AND THEY WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THEIR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AND SERVICES.
TODAY WE'RE VERY DELIGHTED TO HAVE KATRINA BARNHILL PROGRAM MANAGER.
WE HAVE RAVEN KORU, CASE MANAGER OF V UH, OF VOA.
WE NOW WELCOME TO THEM TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
THIS BRIEFING WILL FOCUS ON HOUSING ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
THE PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA'S HOUSING RELATED SERVICES AND PROGRAMS AND DISCUSS EFFORTS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN ACCESSING SAFE, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING AND MAIN MAINTAINING HOUSING STABILITY.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO WELCOME OUR PRESENTERS TO THE PODIUM.
I'M RAVEN KRU, THE CASE MANAGER HERE.
AND I WANTED TO JUST OFFER A BRIEF PROGRAM, UH, PRESENTATION.
VOA IS A WELL ESTABLISHED NONPROFIT, UM, ALL OVER THE NATION ACTUALLY.
AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY RECENTLY, UH, TAKEN OVER THIS PROJECT THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT IN DETAIL.
BUT IT IS OUR HOME IMPROVEMENT AND PRESERVATION PROGRAM THAT OFFERS MAJOR SYSTEM HOME REPAIRS TO LOW INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME HOMES.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
LIKE I SAID, IT OFFERS, UM, MAJOR SYSTEM REPAIR TO THOSE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOMES UP TO 24,000.
THAT IS A FORGIVABLE LOAN OR LIEN THAT IS PLACED AGAINST THE HOME.
REPAIRS ARE RESTRICTED TO THE HVAC, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, AND THOSE ARE COMPLETE, UH, GUT AND REPLACEMENT OF THOSE ALONG WITH ROOF REPAIR AND SOME, UH, ACCESSIBILITY REPAIRS.
MAINLY IN THE RESTROOM WE OFFER A ROLL-IN SHOWER.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT FORGIVABLE LOAN.
UM, IN MANY OF OUR CASES THAT 24,000 IS NOT EXHAUSTED.
HOWEVER, THAT IS THE CEILING LIMIT FOR THAT.
THE LIEN IS PLACED FOUR, FIVE YEARS AGAINST THE HOME AND IT FALLS OFF 20%, UH, AFTER EACH YEAR IS PASSED.
AND I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THAT LOAN IS TRANSFERRABLE.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR TIMELINE.
UM, THIS MONTH AND A LITTLE BIT INTO OCTOBER, WE ARE DOING SOME HOME REPAIR INFORMATION SESSIONS OR WORKSHOPS.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO TOUCH ALL OF THE 14 DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, AND THEN OUR APPLICATION OPENS FROM OCTOBER 5TH THROUGH OCTOBER 16TH, WHERE WE ARE ACCEPTING, UH, APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS LIVE AND OF COURSE, ONLINE, UH, WE ARE ACCEPTING THEM AT OUR OFFICE AT THE DECK, WHICH IS LOCATED IN REDBIRD MALL.
THEN AFTER THAT, WE WILL TAKE THAT NEXT MONTH THROUGH NOVEMBER TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN MID TO LATE NOVEMBER, WE WILL BEGIN NOTIFYING, UH, HOMEOWNERS IF THEY HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT.
I DO HAVE HERE THE, UM, ANNUAL AREA MEDIAN INCOME HERE.
UH, ONE HOMEOWNER HAS TO, UH, MAKE, THEY CANNOT EXCEED MORE THAN $67,850 A YEAR.
AND IT GOES UP FROM THERE WITH TWO HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS NOT TO EXCEED 77,550, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AS LONG AS THEY ARE AT OR BELOW THAT AMOUNT, THEY MEET ONE OF THE BASIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY.
IT DOES HAVE TO BE, UH, CLASSIFIED
[01:20:01]
AS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.THEY HAVE TO RESIDE IN DALLAS PROPER.
SO DALLAS, TEXAS, THEY MUST BE BE CURRENT ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS IF APPLICABLE AND THEIR, UH, TAX PAYMENTS FOR THE PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, VOA WITH US BEING A NON-PROPERTY, WE DO UNDERSTAND AND WE ACCEPT IF THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF PAYMENT PLAN SET UP WITH THOSE ENTITIES.
FOR THE APPLICATION DOCUMENTS, JUST TO MERELY ACCEPT THE APPLICATION, WE WOULD OF COURSE NEED THE APPLICATION FILLED OUT FULLY AND ACCURATELY ALONG WITH THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OR THEIR FORM OF IDENTIFICATION, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL SECURITY CARD AND THE PROPERTY DEED.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT WITH THE, UH, APPLICATION DOCUMENTS THAT THEY TURN IN.
INITIALLY, WE DO NEED BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR ANYONE THAT IS A MINOR, WHICH MEANS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.
AS FOR APPLICATION SELECTION, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS TO COME UP WITH A LOTTERY SYSTEM.
SO OUT OF THE AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS WE GET, WHICH I BELIEVE WE ARE ONLY TAKEN DURING THIS ROUND 150 APPLICATIONS TO MOVE FORWARD 'CAUSE WE HAVE A GOAL OF 200, WE'RE TAKING 200, MY APOLOGIES, WE'RE TAKING 200.
WE HAVE A GOAL TO FIX 400 HOMES THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
BUT ANYWAYS, WE ARE AT THIS TIME TAKING 200.
SO THAT BEING SAID, OUR PRIMARY, UH, THE FIRST 50% THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO TARGET ARE 65 AND UP DISABLED, VETERAN OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME.
THEY CAN BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS OR THEY CAN BE ALL FOUR.
UM, THAT IS JUST THE, THE INITIAL LOTTERY.
SO WE'LL TAKE 50% OF THOSE AT RANDOM AND SELECT THEM.
AND THEN THE REST OF THOSE AND THAT NON-SELECTIVE CRITERIA, UH, WE WILL ALSO SELECT 50% OF THOSE.
AND THEN AFTER THEY'RE SELECTED, WE WILL NOTIFY THEM AND THAT IS WHERE WE WILL NEED THE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION.
WHICH LEADS, WHICH LEADS ME INTO MY NEXT SLIDE.
SOME OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ONCE SELECTED WOULD BE PROOF OF INCOME, WHETHER THAT BE PAYCHECK STUBS, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY OR DISABILITY LETTER PENSION, ALIMONY, CHILD SUPPORT, UNEMPLOYMENT, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, THE HOMEOWNERS AND ADDITIONAL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT ALONG WITH SOME OTHER THINGS.
IN THE NEXT SLIDE, AGAIN, THE BIRTH CERTIFICATES, UH, FOR ANY MINORS IN THE HOME, UH, DIVORCE DECREE OR DEATH CERTIFICATE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT IS COMMON ON A LOT OF THESE DEEDS.
UM, DECEASED MEMBERS ARE LISTED OR MEMBERS THAT ARE NO LONGER IN THE HOUSEHOLD, MAYBE DUE TO DIVORCE.
UM, AND ALONG WITH THE DEATH CERTIFICATE, WE DO ASK FOR AN AFFIDAVIT OF AIRSHIP OR PROBATED WILL, IF THAT APPLIES TO THE HOMEOWNER'S SITUATION.
ALONG WITH THAT, WE WOULD ASK FOR THE PAYMENT PLANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UM, TAXING AUTHORITY OR THE, THE MORTGAGE ENTITY THAT THEY HAVE.
WE ALSO ASK FOR SCHOOL REGISTRATION IF APPLICABLE FOR ANY CHILDREN ATTENDING COLLEGE.
UH, WE ALSO ASK IF THEY ARE STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE HOME, THAT THEY GIVE US A MORTGAGE STATEMENT ALONG WITH HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
APART FROM THAT NEXT STEPS, HOMEOWNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO NAVIGATE OVER TO OUR WEBSITE@BOTEXAS.ORG WHERE THEY WILL FIND, UH, AN ELECTRONIC FILLABLE COPY OF THAT APPLICATION UNDER THE HIP SECTION.
THEY CAN ALSO FIND OUR VIDEO THAT KATRINA AND I HAVE PUT TOGETHER WITH OUR MARKETING TEAM THAT WALKS THROUGH EACH PAGE AND STEP OF THE APPLICATION.
ONCE THAT IS COMPLETE, THEY MAY EITHER EMAIL IT TO US OR WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE HOMEOWNERS IN PERSON.
THEY CAN COME AND MEET US AT THE DECK, WHICH IS INSIDE THE RED BIRD MALL, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM NINE TO 5:00 PM DURING THAT APPLICATION WINDOW OF OCTOBER 5TH THROUGH THE 16TH.
AND WE ARE ALWAYS HERE, UH, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE CAN BE REACHED VIA PHONE OR EMAIL.
NOW I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US SUCH AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN, IN, UH, REPAIRING HOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EITHER LOW INCOME OR DISABILITY.
UM, OF COURSE WITH HOME IMPROVEMENTS, ACCESSIBILITY SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST.
I DID, I DID WANNA ASK THOUGH, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF, SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY, WHAT ENHANCEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO HOMES? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, SO THAT IS TYPICALLY A KIND OF A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AND IT DOES HAVE TO BE WITHIN THOSE MAJOR SYSTEM LIMITS.
UM, WHICH IS WHY I SAY MOST OF THE TIME WHAT WE SEE IS THAT, UM, ADJUSTMENT TO ONE OF THE RESTROOMS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE NEED IS, IS THAT ROLL IN SHOWER, UM, THAT HAS THE KIND OF BUILT IN BENCH SO THAT IF THEY ARE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR IF THEY CANNOT
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STAND FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, WHATEVER THE LIMITATION MAY BE, UM, THAT IS ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THEIR HOME.AND WITH SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT AS, UM, THE RESTROOM, WE ALSO CAN INSTALL THE, UM, HANDRAILS OR GUARDRAILS NEAR THE TOILET AREA.
AND OF COURSE IT DOES AUTOMATICALLY COME, UH, WITH A SHOWER AREA SO THAT THEY HAVE EASE OF ACCESS GETTING IN AND OUT.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, KATRINA AND I DO HAVE A PASSION FOR THE, UM, CASEWORK.
AND THAT IS WHERE I COME IN AND TIE IN RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS TEXAS RAMP PROJECT TO INSTALL A RAMP OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.
UM, IF, UM, OUR PROJECT EXCEEDS FUNDING, A LOT OF THE TIMES WE DO OUTSOURCE THEM TO BUILD THOSE RAMPS THAT THE, UM, HOMEOWNER MAY NEED.
BUT AT THIS TIME, THAT IS, THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'RE LIMITED TO FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT.
UM, NEXT WE WILL, THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE.
SO I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OF THEIR OWN.
AND AS A REMINDER, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE AS WE ARE SLOWLY APPROACHING TIME.
NEXT, I WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER DR.
WICKS FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY COMMENT.
AND COMMISSIONER WICKS, WE DO KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAMERA ON.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING ME.
I AM LOOKING AT MY CELL PHONE CAMERA, SO I APOLOGIZE THAT I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AT THIS TIME RELATED TO THE TOPIC AT HAND.
WIX, YOUR CAMERA'S STILL NOT ON.
I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SEE IT FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT THE CAMERA IS ON.
WHAT ELSE TO SAY? WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU, BUT MY CAMERA IS ON IN THAT CASE.
UH, WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER WITH
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY BRIEF COMMENTS.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DID WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU WERE DOING.
AND THE ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT, UM, A PHONE, UH, A TELEPHONE THAT MY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS MAY BE ABLE TO CALL.
'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF THEM, UM, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET DOWN TO THE DEBT, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY PASS THIS INFORMATION AROUND, UM, DISTRICT FOUR AND CEDAR CREST.
SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY BRIEF COMMENTS.
UH, SO MY SHOW, THIS IS ABOUT A $10 MILLION PROJECT OR SOMETHING WITH TWO YEARS OF CONTRACT FUNDING FOR IT.
AND THERE WAS PREVIOUSLY A BACKLOG OF FOLKS.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WERE PRIORITIZING THE WORK ON THAT BACKLOG AND THEN HOW YOU'RE TAKING IN THE NEW FOLKS WHO ARE APPLYING AND WHERE WILL THEY END UP AT THE END OF THESE TWO YEARS, GIVEN THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE A BACKLOG, YOU STARTED WITH ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE ARE RECEIVING THAT BACKLOG LITTLE BY LITTLE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE THINK WE ARE CLOSE TO GETTING ALL THE ONES THAT THEY HAD.
UM, KATRINA AND MYSELF AND OUR LOVELY TEAM HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO GO LINE BY LINE, CASE BY CASE TO CONTACT THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY APPLIED.
AND WE TREAT THEM AS IF THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM.
SO IF APPLICABLE, IF THEY DO ANSWER US AND, AND WANNA MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S BEEN QUITE A FEW YEARS SINCE THEY'VE REACHED, GOTTEN CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE CITY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE TAKE THAT, UM, DILIGENTLY AND WE TRY TO, UM, EDUCATE THEM THAT WE'VE TAKEN OVER AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT TO SEE IF THEY STILL NEED THE HELP.
AND IF THEY DO, UH, WE GO AHEAD AND, UM, JUST KIND OF KEEP THEM IN THE CURRENT CASELOAD WE HAVE, AS FOR THE NEW PEOPLE, THAT'S WHERE THAT EXTRA 200 WILL COME IN TO WORK TOWARDS OUR GOAL OF THOSE 400 HOMES AND THAT THEY WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS, THE LOTTERY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE ONES THAT ARE IN THAT BACKLOG, UH, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO EACH ONE AND, AND TRYING TO BEGIN, UH, WORKING ON THEIR HOMES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROTECTED, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
QUICKLY, JUST TO CLARIFY, THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE NUMBER YOU'RE MENTIONING THE BACKLOG? NO, NO.
YEAH, THAT, THAT, LIKE, THEY JUST EXIST ALREADY, SO WE TAKE CARE OF THEM.
ARE THOSE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? YES.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WHITE DISTRICT NINE FOR ANY
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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.UM, IN THIS NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10 FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT JUST REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO COME UP AND PRESENT TODAY.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER DEMAN, DISTRICT 11 FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.
VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER LUKA, DISTRICT 13 FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON FROM DISTRICT 14 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NOTHING FROM ME, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA FOR COMING TO OUR MEETING AND PROVIDING A IN A VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND FINALLY, BEFORE ADJOURNMENT, OUR LAST ITEM IS CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A COUPLE OF CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS MYSELF.
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL GUIDE DOG MONTH.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE REFLECT ON THE VALUABLE SERVICES THAT GUIDE DOGS, AS WELL AS OTHER SERVICE DOGS PROVIDE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO RELY ON THEM THE MOST.
SO, MR. DEPUTY HERE, WHO'S LAYING DOWN BESIDE ME, UM, IS HIS SERVICE IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE IN PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND ENHANCE AND DOGS LIKE HIM WHO ENHANCE THE DIGNITY AND INDEPENDENCE AND CONFIDENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
SO, UM, LET US TAKE A MOMENT OF OBSERVANCE AND, AND REFLECT ON THE IMPORTANCE THAT, UH, THAT THESE, THE, THE OF THE SERVICES AND THE GUIDANCE AND THE LOVE THAT THESE DOGS PROVIDE FOR US.
AND I DID ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT ON OCTOBER 8TH, THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION WILL BE HOSTING THE 2026 AGING AND HOUSING SUMMIT, WHERE I, I WILL BE ONE OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.
AND THE, THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOME SAFETY, FRAUD PREVENTION, AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY INTERSECTING ISSUES THERE THAT AS WE WILL SEE.
SO I DID, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THAT IN THIS CASE.
THIS, THIS CONCLUDES MY ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THEIR OWN, STARTING WITH C COMMISSIONER DR.
AT THIS TIME I'LL HAVE A FULL REPORT.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL, DISTRICT FIVE FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
YEAH, BELIEVE THERE'S TONS OF EVENTS HAPPENING NEXT MONTH FOR NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT, SORRY, DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH.
UM, AND SO I'LL SHARE SOME OF THOSE VIA EMAIL WITH FOLKS JUST BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT TIME TO TALK ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING JOBS THAT ARE IN A DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND MAKING THEM AWARE OF THE EMPLOYERS WHO HAPPEN TO BE GREAT EMPLOYERS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NOT REALLY ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT, UM, ONCE I HAVE SOME DATES FINALIZED WITH ENVISION FOR WHEN THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR US TO COME TOUR, I WILL TRY TO CONNECT WITH, UH, MR. CHRIS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ON GETTING THE REST OF, NOT Y'ALL'S AVAILABILITY, BUT LETTING Y'ALL KNOW WHEN THOSE DATES ARE TO SEE IF ANYONE, UM, HAS AVAILABILITY WITHIN THOSE TIMES.
SO I'LL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER DEMAN, DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER HUSKA, DISTRICT 13 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON PEARSON FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
IS THERE ANY COMMISSIONER WHO VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THIS MEETING PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
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THE TIME IS NOW 3 36 AND THE MEETING HAS ADJOURNED.