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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Committee For Persons With Disabilities - 09/01/2010Committee For Persons With Disabiliti Summary of Minutes for September 1, 2010 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Abel Alonzo called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. A. ROLL CALL Committee Members Present: Abel Alonzo Thomas Dreyer Alana Manrow Irene Martinez Carlos Vargas Committee Members Absent: Darren Bates Bertha Romero NOV 0 5 2010 CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE Dr. Candelario Huerta Harvey Salinas Staff Members Present: Leon Bazar (Human Relations) Wanese Butler (Human Relations) Stacie Talbert (Parks & Recreation) Stephen Draper (Development services) Jamie Pyle (Engineering) Deborah Brown (Legal) Staff Members Absent: None B. REQUESTS FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES MOTION Motion to excuse Carlos Vargas for the July 7, 2010 meeting made by Alana Manrow and seconded by Dr. Candelario Huerta. Motion passed. 2. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF 08104/10 MOTION Motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of 08/04/10 made by Harvey Salinas and seconded by Carlos Vargas. Motion passed. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS (LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES) Dorian Ramirez newest member of Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC). The committee meets the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the City Hall 6th floor Conference Room. Ms. Ramirez and her husband have an organization called "Be Kind to Cyclists." The organization is a safety bicycle advocacy trying to improve safety for area cyclists and hikers along roads and trails. PRAC has been working closely with the City's Traffic Department to try to improve the safety of cyclists in the community. Ms. Ramirez thanked and invited everyone to attend the monthly PRAC meetings. [Thomas Dreyer arrived at 3:10 p.m.] [Mr. Alonzo skipped to Item #6.C.1.] [Irene Martinez arrived at 3:14 p.m.] 6. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT C. Engineering Services Department 1. ADA Ramps — Group 1 Summary Jamie Pyle introduced the consultant working on the design for ADA improvements throughout the city. Don Peebles of Goldston§tAN�g a PowerPoint Page 1 of 4 presentation on Bond 2000 ADA Group 1 Summary. Mr. Peebles' presentation included slides of City intersections in Group 1 (Transition Plans and Lawsuit Locations). There were some questions and answers regarding crossings at intersections, costs, etc. [Mr. Alonzo returned to Item #5.A.] 5. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT A. Easter Seals Accessible and Regional Transportation Wanese Butler reported on the Accessibility Transportation Coalition Initiative Summit. The two-day summit consisted of a diverse group of participants from the Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend. The focus of the summit was to look at transportation across the Coastal Bend (accessible and affordable transportation in rural areas, etc.). 6. STAFF REPORTS/COMMENTS A. Human Relations Department 1. Department Monthly Performance Report Leon Bazar provided the Committee members with a brief overview of the August 2010 Monthly Performance Report. Highlights included: • HUD Fair Housing Audit: No deficiencies found, written report to follow • HUD Fair Housing: Within the last reporting period, closed 45 cases with a benefit of $900,000 • EEOC: Closed 11 cases, department awarded upward modification due to good job performance • ADA: Mr. Bazar and Mrs. Butler continue to work on grievance and technical assistance issues • Budget: No specific reduction to any one department; City still facing challenges 2. MPO Accessible Transportation Training Wanese Butler reiterated that this MPO Accessible Transportation Training session was the same one also attended by other City staff of Jamie Pyle of Engineering Services and Charlie Cardenas, City Traffic Engineer. The training was hosted by the local Metropolitan Planning Organization as a pedestrian safety workshop. Attended by City, RTA, TXDOT, other MPO's from other cities, and advocates, each person was given an opportunity to address what they felt were pedestrian priorities and/or current issues. The federal facilitators were impressed with the efforts and amount of familiarity with ADA compliance that the City had. The facilitators also took the class through an in -the -field exercise of assessing pedestrian elements at a busy intersection and RTA transfer station. Ms. Butler also mentioned another transportation type of training/outreach she attended along with Jamie Pyle, Abel Alonzo, staff from Development Services and about 20 other participants at the Easter Seals PROJECT ACTION. This 2 -day event facilitated the start of a new local coalition of agencies, providers, and other stakeholders from the Coastal Bend to address and prioritize mobility issues. Monthly meetings are to come for the coalition, Accessibility Transportation Coalition. Page 2 of 4 B. Development Services Department 1. Highlight of Multi -Family Developments in the City in 2010 Stephen Draper handed out copies of the Development Services PM Project Report and provided an overview of some of the projects. Mr. Draper also provided a list of Active Multi -Family Housing Projects for 2010: • Airline and Holly Apartment Project (Holly Road just west of Airline) • Buena Vida — Senior Apartment Project (100 units) (Old Brownsville Rd. across from Gabe Lozano Golf Course) • Corban Town Homes — C.C. Housing Authority (Ayers St.) • CHC Properties — Low cost housing — Staples & Williams • Miracle Apartments — Affordable Units —14th St. and Ayers • Section 8 Apartments — Small units for disabled people — Staples and Booty [Mr. Alonzo skipped to Item #6.D.1.] D. Parks and Recreation Department 1. Summer Latchkey Programs Participation Summary Stacie Talbert reported overall the department saw a decline in participation with the Latchkey Program. Currently there are 6 sites with 890 participants which are about 100 less participants than previous years. Many participants graduated out of the program (moved up to 6-7 grade and are now babysitting younger siblings). Another reason for the decline is the economy. Summer lunch program was reduced from serving 88,000 to 79,000 meals. Latchkey program received 6 requests for accommodations all of which were accommodated (allergies). [Mr. Alonzo returned to Item #6.C.2.] C. Engineering Services Department 2. ADA Improvements on Staples from 6 Points to Louisiana and Water Street from Cooper's Alley to IH 37 Ms. Pyle stated there was a bid opening on the ADA project that goes from Staples from 6 Points to Louisiana and Water Street from Cooper's Alley to IH 37. The total bid was under budget and came in at approximately 2 million dollars (2.2 million was estimated). The project includes curb ramps and sidewalks throughout the length of the project. 3. Diagonal Ramps Jamie Pyle provided the Committee members with handouts indicating the various types of Pedestrian Facilities - Curb Ramps, General Notes and Detectable Warnings, Sidewalks, Intersection Layouts and a Memorandum regarding Diagonal Curb Ramps. (A copy of the handout is attached to the back of the minutes:) 7. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS A. ADA Title I/Employment Comprehensive Subcommittee — No Report B. Engineering Subcommittee — No Report Page 3 of 4 8. IDENTIFY ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON NEXT AGENDA • Federal Multi-Family Housing Checklist • ADA Parking Fines Update Mr. Alonzo stated the Committee has two vacancies - Vice-Chairperson and Engineering Sub-Committee member. 9. ADJOURNMENT MOTION Motion to adjourn made by Carlos Vargas and seconded by Harvey Salinas. Motion passed. The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:45 p.m. Page 4 of 4