Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Committee For Persons With Disabilities - 05/02/2007Committee for Persons with Disabilities (CFPWD) Page 1 of Summary Minutes — May 2, 2007 A. Call to Order was at 3:30 PM by the Chair, Ms. Fallwell-Stover. B. Roll Call was taken and the quorum was established. In Attendance Absent Linda Fallwell-Stover Clifford BostLo David Walker Cs7=T(Y4:S�'k Abel Alonzo'`;'° Lee Jones u U `c'� co Toni adilla P �' c 9Z David Ramos Harvey Salinas Rosa Valdez Leon Bazar Wanese Butler Guadalupe "Lupe" Rocha Billy Delgado (for Sally Gavlik who would arrive later) Robert Stoddard (for Alonzo Garza) Wendy Ogden (for retired Doyle Curtis) C. Requests for Excused Absences — None II. Approval of Minutes — Upon review by Committee Members, the Summary Minutes for the Committee Meeting on May 2, 2007 were approved. MOTION To approve the Minutes as written was made by Harvey Salinas, with a Second by David Ramos. III. A. Public Comments/Presentation: 1. Molly Finch Rodriguez with Area Council for the Blind — Public Comments: • Addressed the Committee as President of Area Council for the Blind; • Informed the Committee that this Council will make preparations for "White Cane Day" October 15, 2007; • Invited the Committee of the "Walk for Independence" along the Corpus Christi seawall, October 13, 2007; • Informed the Committee that more information would be forwarded via email to Committee Chair, Ms. Fallwell-Stover with a copy to Human Relations staff, Leon Bazar and Wanese Butler. SCANNED Committee for Persons with Disabilities (CFPWD) Page 2 of Summary Minutes — Mav 2, 2007 [Eloy Sosa would later join Mr. Finch -Rodriguez, but he made no public comments.] [Wendy Ogden, Assistant City Attorney was introduced as the day's Legal Department liaiso.] 2. Presentation on RTA Accessibility by David Seiler, Operations Director of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) — Mr. Seiler provided an overview of a slide presentation on an ADA accessibility assessment of the RTA services, and noted that the same presentation information would be made before the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) on May 3, 2007. The presentation was based on an assessment conducted by KFH Group, Inc. of Austin, Texas and in association with (1) Douglas J. Cross Transportation Consulting, (2) David L. Walker, Architect and Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS), and(3) the Coastal Bend Center for Independent Living. The final report copy is dated March 15, 2007, consisting: • Summary of Findings • Outreach Efforts • Inventory and Assessment of Bus Stops and Paths • Assessment of RTA Facilities • System Policies and Public Information • Review of Operations • Data Analysis and Validation: B -Line During additional discussion, Mr. Seiler indicated: • Although the City and RTA have joined efforts on some projects, there could be better coordination of work efforts. • There is a new process for eligibility for para -transit service from "medical" to "functional"; • Illustrations of "good — bad — ugly" bus stops were shown. Mr. Alonzo indicated a problem of loose bricks at the Staples Station and a problem at the Southside Station where wheelchairs get stuck in holes. B. Presentation on Autism Awareness by Marc and Lyn Christoph of the Coastal Bend Autism Association — During their presentation the Christophs indicated that: • Autism is the fastest growing mental development illness with 1.5 million Americans (1 in every 150 births). The trend is a 10-17% increase in the number of kids with autism. • 2/3 of kids can have normal lives with early intervention, as early as 3 months old. Committee for Persons with Disabilities (CFPWD) Page 3 of Summary Minutes — May 2, 2007 • There will be awareness workshop(s) in August 2007, including for first responders. The 9-1-1 database can now indicate a citizen's type of disability, if self -disclosed. • The group is networking, including with the ARC and Harvey Salinas, Sister Sophie Mead, others and has its own board. [Moved to Engineering Subcommittee report due to time] B. Engineering Subcommittee report by Lupe Rocha — • CFPWD Members and Human Relations Intern, Ashley Carroll worked with Engineering in two meetings in identifying possible improvement areas/items. • [Handout] Mr. Rocha provided an overview of a list of 11 items being explored in anticipation of making preparations for the upcoming Bond 2008 process. The 11 items would be in addition to ongoing items under the Title II transition plan for enhancing accessible paths of travel. • The Chair encouraged new Committee Members to forward any other needs regarding path of travel issues for consideration, and remarked that the beauty of the transition plan is allowing fluidity/adjustments for many challenges. • Mr. Alonzo encouraged the Committee to concentrate on areas/items where there are more users. Mr. Bazar added that, staff will work with the RTA to obtain an overlay of RTA [B -Line and demographics] maps to assist in this effort. [Sally Gavlik joined the meeting at approximately 4:46PM.] [Moved to Old Business due to time] VII. Old Business A. Volunteer ADA Parking Monitoring Program — Second presentation update by Human Relations Intern, Ashley Carroll, who provided an overview of the PowerPoint presentation assessing the Citizens Police Academy (CPA) in relationship to this program as the volunteers who issue citations are trained through the CPA. [Toni Padilla and Lupe Rocha had to leave at approximately 4:55] • After this follow-up presentation, the Chair thanked Ms. Carroll. She also expressed a concern of a disconnect between the Training and Uniform divisions regarding this program and the Citizen's Police Academy (CPA). • In response to Mr. Alonzo asking for clarification of the issues for continuation of this agenda item, the Chair indicated that there are two issues with the current program: Committee for Persons with Disabilities (CFPWD) Page 4 of Summary Minutes — May 2, 2007 1) Make sure the CPA is available and accessible to people with disabilities; 2) Address the Volunteer Parking Program's use of City vehicles when persons with disabilities want to participate but have a barrier in that the City vehicles used are not accessible. In response to Mr. Alonzo's inquiry as to why the ADA parking tickets have to be given by people with disabilities, the Chair indicated that now liability is an issue and concern by the City. [Ashley Carroll had to leave.] B. Sail Corpus Christi's Accessibility Needs — Nothing further at this time. [Return to Subcommittee Reports] C. Barbara Jordan Media Awards (BJA) Subcommittee - • The Chair indicated that Ms. Padilla would provide an update at the next meeting, but that the centerpieces had already been donated. For the record, Mr. Salinas thanked the Chair and Ms. Padilla for a great job on the BJA event. As reminded by Mr. Bazar, the Chair also indicated that BJA data, reports, minutes, etc. would be forward to Mr. Bazar by email to be maintained as City records since the event was hosted by the City's CFPWD. VIII. New Business — • The Committee's formally designated the current contact and designee, City Secretary, for the purposes of open records requests. Mr. Bazar had explained that a formal designation was required, as instructed by the City Secretary's Office for boards and commissions. MOTION To designate the City Secretary as the contact for open records requests was made by David Walker, with a Second by Harvey Salinas. IX. Committee Concerns/Agenda Item Requests A. Latchkey Program — Mr. Salinas has questions, but will forward them to Mr. Bazar then Mr. Delgado could provide responses. B. Barbara Jordan Media Award Update. X. Announcements — None made. XI. Adjournment — With nothing further, the meeting adjourned in unison at approximately 5:20 PM.