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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Committee For Persons With Disabilities - 11/02/2005 CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI-COMMITTEE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Summary Minutes for the Meeting of November 2, 2005 I. The Chairperson called the meeting to order at 3:38 PM A. Roll call: Present Committee Members: Linda Fallwell-Stover, Toni Padilla, James Duerr, David Walker, Brian Watson Post Roll Call Arrivals: Eloy Son Roberto Flores Absent Committee Members: Abel Alonzo, Mary Saenz Present Staff Members: George K. Noe, Leon Bazar, Wanese Butler, Joseph Hamey, Linda Hodge, Sally Gavlik, April Moffett, Rodolfo Tamez Public: Billy Sayles-AARP Representative B. Excused Absences: none II. Approval of Minutes: Meeting of October 5, 2005 Motion: After the Chairperson allowed for everyone to review the minutes, Eloy Soza moved approving the minutes with a second by James Duerr. After some discussion and amendments made to the minutes, the minutes were approved as amended. III. Presentation and Public Comments: Public Comments: Billy Sayles-AARP Representative: Billy Sayles distributed AARP brochures as he expressed that older Americans are the fastest growing population. Mr. Sayles also stated that there are ways that AMP can be of assistance. One example of how AARP could be assisted is by a company being a host agency. Billy Sayles stated that AARP send people out on various job assignments to be trained and to acquire on-the-job work experience. Leon Bazar informed the Committee that the Human Relations Department is a host with one AARP trainee. [3:51 PM Billy Sayles left] Presentation: George K. Noe(City Manager-Emergency Evacuation Process The Chairperson thanked Mr. Noe for taking the time to attend the meeting. She then stated that the Committee wanted to know how he felt the City did during the recent evacuation for Hurricane Rita. CFPWD 110205 1 Mr. Noe stated that the City of Corpus Christi has never had an assistive evacuation plan. He then stated that the Governor of Texas made the decision to prevent what happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina from happening here in Texas. It did not matter if the person was dependent on assisted travel or special needs, the Governor made it a high priority to evacuate people. As a result of that, there were extra things done here in Corpus Christi. There were some things that the City learned during the Rita evacuation. 1. There is no existing registry for people with disabilities. We need to work on obtaining a current registry. 2. There were two groups of citizens. a. There was a group of citizens who had no health threat and needed assistance in evacuating the city. The City did well in evacuating this group of citizens. b. There was a group of citizens who, if moved, could cause a risk to their health. The City needs to rethink how they are going to move these citizens during evacuations. 3. The City needs to ensure that the Nursing Homes and Assistive Living Centers (ACC)follow through on state mandates on evacuation plans. City staff members met with all 19 nursing home facilities, which had a plan. However, the City informed these all 19 facilities that they contracted with the same vendor who would help evacuate the citizens living in those facilities. This posed a problem because the nursing homes and Assistive Living Centers could not execute their own plans. The City can only make sure that the facilities have plans. The state is responsible for making sure the facilities can execute those plans. Mr. Noe also stated that this is not just a Corpus Christi issue and is statewide. The City needs to take logical steps to evacuate everyone. He did mention that the area hospitals are a part of the City's EOC and there needs to be a cross regional effort to evacuate citizens. Mr. Noe then thanked Accessible Communities Inc. 4. There were a large number of citizens with health issues who were living in residences. The number was higher than City staff expected. Mr. Noe informed the Committee that the Governor of Texas has put together a panel to discuss the issue of evacuating people with special needs. 5. The Corpus Christi Army Depot did not allow any non-military civilian access during Hurricane Katrina. The Corpus Christi Army Depot was instructed to reserve their facility for military people. CFPWD 110205 2 Mr. Noe stated that the City of Corpus Christi is working with agencies such as Judy Telge's Accessible Communities, Inc. who is working on a grant to assist people for the purpose of assisting people with disabilities in evacuations. Mr. Noe thanked Accessible Communities Inc. for their assistance. He also stated in spite of the fact that the City did not have an evacuation plan during Hurricane Rita, that there was a lot of cooperation throughout the city to evacuate people. The Chairperson stated that there will be a meeting November 7, 2005 with the Evacuation Subcommittee and informed the Committee that Judy Telge is on this subcommittee. [4:35 PM George Noe left] Judge Rodolfo Tamez—ADA Parking Violations(Handout) Judge Tamez stated that . . . • Deferred disposition cases are payment of court costs up to $290.00 in fines to be paid. • There is no disposition on a case until. . . a. Acquittal b. Dismissal c. Paid in full Cases are not closed until one of these is done. • Once a person's car is booted, they cannot get the boot off of their car until the person comes to court and pays his or her fine or pays a cash bond and have a trial within 3 days to get the boot off of their car. Their vehicle will be placed in the city impound and not released until the fine is paid. • Some Corpus Christi Police Department Parking Attendants can boot a person's car. • If a person is eligible to have their car booted, a letter is sent to them. • Judge Tamez was unaware if driver's education courses are informing student drivers about accessible parking, to the best of his knowledge. There has not been any effort from the judges to speak to the student drivers about accessible parking. The Chairperson suggested that the student driver services be contacted for their assistance in informing the student drivers about accessible parking. • There are 7,000 offenses a month across the board. [4:47 PM Joseph Hamey left] • There is a mobilization fee of$45.00 to have a boot placed on a person's car. CFPWD 110205 3 • A police officer is not summoned for pre-trail. If the citizen wants to go to court then, police officer can be there if there is ample notice. IV. Chairperson's Report: (Discussion, with possible action): The Evacuation Subcommittee will meet on Monday, November 7, 2005 from 11:30 AM— 1:00 PM. V. Sub-Committee Reports:(Discussion, with possible action): none VI. Staff Reports / Comments (Discussion, with possible action): A. Non-Discrimination Ordinance: none B. ADA Title I Employment Comprehensive Study: Mr. Bazar informed the Committee that Ruthie Caraway/Human Resources Analyst will no longer be the Committee's Human Resource contact. The new contact person will be Emily Martinez. C. Other Items: 1. Follow-up on Curb Ramp Projects' Summary—Leon Bazar Accessibility Grievance Complaint—Mr. Black has given the Human Relations Department 31 additional complaints. These complaints came to the Human Relations Department through the City's E-Govemment. Mr. Black has contacted the Department of Justice regarding these complaints. 2. Park and Recreation Outreach/Marketing Effort— Linda Hodge and Sally Gavlik(artived at 5:43 PM) • The 2004 Bond Programs for the City's pools will fix problems with pool accessibility. • The Parks and Recreation Department will start a pilot program for recreational programs with MHMR. The Chairperson requested that this committee be included in this program. Sally Gavlik suggested that a member from this committee attend the planning meetings that Parks and Rec. along with MHMR. 3. Accessible Polling Places—none Leon Bazar: • Aaron McCullough will be at the Regional Transit Authority on November 8t1, 9th, and 10th. • ADA Parking Volunteer Monitor Program (Handout) —Mr. Bazar read aloud the program summary regarding the ADA Parking Volunteer Monitors program and reviewed summary with Committee. The Chairperson asked the Committee for a resolution of support regarding the ADA Volunteer Program. MOTION: Eloy Soza moved to support the Parking Volunteer Program with a second by David Walker. After, some discussion, the motion passed. CFPWD 110205 4 Mr. Bazar informed the Committee that the program should start by January 1, 2006. VII. Old Business: none VIII. New Business: none IX. Committee Concerns / Request for Agenda Items: • American Bank Center seating manifest. • Parking manifest for the American Bank Center, Whataburger Field and Museums. • Presentation on Whataburger Field's signage for the restrooms. • Information regarding portable accessible restrooms at this year Jazz Festival. • Follow up information regarding the restrooms at the restaurant in Heritage Park. • Swimming pools at Corpus Christi Gym and other sites • Sign in sheet to be at Committee meetings for guest to sign in. • Time limit for Pubic Comments • Check on microphone feedback. • Review of policy for excused absences X. Announcements: • Reminder for all members of the Committee to be present at the Boards, Committees and Commissions Luncheon on Thursday, November 3, 2005. Xl. Adjournment: The meeting adjourned in unison at 6:10 PM. CFPWD 110205 5