[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AFTER ALL.UH, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE I, I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE NOVEMBER MEETING THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE, PEOPLE DISABILITIES, BEFORE I CALL ROLL, I MAY HAVE NEGLECTED IT LAST MONTH.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS MONTH.
I WANT TO THANK DANNY SIGNS FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE COMMISSION.
HE HAS RESIGNED AND RECENTLY JOSE LEVY, OUR VICE CHAIR HAS RESIGNED DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO WISH THEM THE BEST IN THE FUTURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET THEIR SITUATIONS RESOLVED THE BETTER AND WHATEVER THEY DO NEXT, THEY'RE GOING TO DO AMAZING THINGS.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO SHOW MY GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION.
NOW WE'LL CALL THEM ROLE CHAIR.
PRESENT ROBIN ORLOWSKI CATHERINE BROADWATER, EMILY SHROUD AND DEBRA TREY WHO HERE.
SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DOES THERE ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MINUTES THAT DAVID SENT OUT? IF NOT, I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND? I HAVE NEVER MOVED AND SECONDED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NO, NO, THAT WAS, I WAS JUST LATE.
THE MINUTES, THE MEETING MINUTES GIVES ME HOW IT'S BEEN ADOPTED.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
SO, UH, WE DO HAVE STUDENTS COMMUNICATION,
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
BUT, BUT TEMA, BUT I BELIEVE LOVING HEARTS FOR ALL.IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR ORGANIZATION, I DO APOLOGIZE.
UH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND JUST GOT THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE, CAN YOU SPEAK NOW? YES, YOU MAY SPEAK.
THIS IS 50 MINUTE NAPOLI AND MY CORPORATE RESIDENT IS MONA SAUNA AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, WE, UH, STARTED, UH, UH, WHATSAPP, A SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP IN 2017.
IT WAS, UH, JUST A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR MOTHERS, BUT BY 2020, IT HAS GROWN TO, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED FAMILIES.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, ADVOCATING INCLUSION, JOB READINESS, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING.
OUR VISION IS TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE SPECIALLY ABLE CHILD AND ADULT CAN LIVE AS THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES.
AND WE ARE MATCHING EACH INDIVIDUAL'S INTERESTS WITH JOB INTERNSHIP, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, HOUSING LIVING ARRANGEMENTS, FOR THOSE CHILDREN, TRANSITIONING INTO ADULTHOOD, PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND VOLUNTEER POSITIONS FOR OUR KIDS.
AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE FARM TO MY FRIEND, MAURA, WHO IS THE CORPORATE RESIDENT.
UH, SHE'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE VALUES.
MY NAME IS
UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO THANK, UH, DAVID ON-DECK WHO GAVE US THIS OPPORTUNITY AND BECAUSE OF WHOM WE ARE HERE, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF, UH, VIRTUAL CLASSES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF, UM, COVID, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO A LOT, BUT WE WANTED TO STILL DO SOMETHING FOR OUR KIDS.
AND SO WE HAVE NOT DONE A LOT OF VIRTUAL CLASSES THAT INCLUDE STORYTIME AND THEY INCLUDE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL CLUBS AND THERE ARE COOKING CLASSES AND THERE IS YOGA BY, UM, UH, TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE BOOK CLUBS, SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO A LOT.
SO KEEP THEM, UM, INTERACTIVE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN GOOD SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
UH, WE ALSO DOING AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT CLUB, UH, FOR THE MOMS AND FOR TEENS.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO A LOT AND,
[00:05:01]
UH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW IS WE WANT TO ASK IS, UH, BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY AND SUSTAIN WHAT'S GOING ON ALL THESE CLASSES, BUT WE WANT TO ASK FOR SOME PARTNERSHIP FOR INTERNSHIP, UH, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR A LOT OF THE KIDS IN THE SUMMER, THEY'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING SOMETHING, UH, THAT THEY CAN DO MAYBE WORK IN THE LIBRARY OR WORK AT IN FRONT DESK.UM, SO ALL THOSE KINDS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NETWORKING AND FUNDRAISING, SO WE CAN, UH, DO SOCIAL, UH, ACTIVITIES FOR THESE KIDS.
WE CAN ALSO GIVE THEM A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE BY, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THESE CLASSES GOING FOR THEM.
UM, SO WE HAVE ALL THESE, UH, THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO.
UH, AND BASICALLY JUST IN THE, IN THE END, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, OUR BIG GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INDEPENDENT LIVING, UH, MAYBE INFORMAL GROUP HOMES OR INFORMAL OF COMMUNITY LIVING, UH, WHERE THEY CAN ALL SORT OF LIVE TOGETHER AND HAVE THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT THEY WOULD NEED, UM, IN FORM OF CAREGIVERS OR, YOU KNOW, JUST VOLUNTEERS.
UH, AND WE ALSO LIKE TO, UM, HAVE THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, CAREERS AND JOBS AND SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND HAVE A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE IN SOCIETY.
SO THAT'S SORT OF IN A NUTSHELL THAT, UH, WE ARE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO DO AND THE VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR KIDS AND FOR OUR YOUNG ADULTS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR WEBSITE, SORRY.
THAT'S JUST SORT OF, UH, COMING UP.
IT'S NOT COMPLETE, BUT IT'S STILL THERE.
IT'S CALLED LOVING HEARTS FOR ALL.ORG.
AND, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST JOTTING ON NEW.
SO WHENEVER WE'RE GETTING OUR FEET WET, YOU'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO THE AFTERNOON AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH Y'ALL TO PARTNER.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY, DAVID, AND A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
IT'S JUST FOR INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, OR DOES IT COVER ALL TYPES OF DISABILITIES THAT YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH? WE ARE WORKING WITH THE ALL KINDS OF DISABILITIES FROM AUTISM TO INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT, DELAYED TO POLICY, ADD ADHD AND SHEETERS ALSO.
WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, COMING TO SPEAK TO US.
I'LL DEFINITELY ONE MORE QUESTION.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY LIKE ONE QUESTION, GO AHEAD AND ASK.
WE DEFINITELY LOOK LIKE TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE.
SEE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND YOUR PROGRESS AND YOUR SUCCESSES.
OSTERWEIL UM, I WOULD JUST ASK THE PRESENTERS, IF YOU COULD SEND US A LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE URL ONCE, ONCE IT'S LIVE.
UM, I HAVE A YOUNG ADULT SON WITH MULTIPLE DISABILITIES.
I'D REALLY BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ORGANIZING.
UM, AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, HELP GET THE WORD OUT ON THE ACTIVITIES.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE LEARNING.
WE'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, W UM, WHERE CAN WE SEND THE LINK TO, UH, IF YOU SEND IT TO DAVID, HE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO US.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE MUCH SUCCESS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MOVE OFF OF YOUR BOTTLE OR NEXT
[3A. Presentation and Discussion: Update on training efforts by Austin Police regarding officer interactions with persons with disabilities in the community – Officer Scott Marler, Austin Police Department Training Academy.]
PRESENTATION HEARING NONE AFTER MY LOU THE FLOOR IS YOURS.UM, I THINK THEY POWERPOINT, LIKE, OBVIOUSLY OVER THE PHONE.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT YOU ALL CAN SEE.
IS THAT AVAILABLE ENOUGH? OR SHOULD I JUST SPEAK? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT, SIR? I SENT A POWERPOINT.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT, OR IF I SHOULD WORK ON THAT OR JUST KIND OF SPEAK FROM IT, THE INTERPRETER, I DON'T KNOW IF THE TECHNICIAN IS ABLE TO SHARE SCREENS, SO THE INTERPRETER CAN BE SEEN WHILE THE POWERPOINT IS SAYING,
[00:10:02]
OKAY, SO THIS IS KIND OF AN INDIVIDUAL FEATURE WITHIN WEBEX.BASICALLY I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SHARE MY SCREEN.
AND AT THAT POINT, UM, WEBEX, EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY WE'LL HAVE TO TWEAK THIS SETTING, BUT BASICALLY WEBEX HAS A, A FLOATING PANEL FEATURE, WHICH SHOULD ALLOW, UM, THE ASL INTERPRETERS, WHICH I HAVE PINNED, UM, TO THE WINDOWS.
YOU MAY NEED TO PIN THEM YOURSELF ALSO TO THE WINDOWS, BUT IT'LL ALLOW FOR WINDOWED, UM, VIDEOS TO APPEAR ON TOP OF THE PRESENTATION THAT I AM PLAYING.
SO YOU WILL ALLOW THE ASLS INTERPRETERS TO STILL MAKE IT TO THE BROADCAST AND ALSO TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL SCREENS, IF YOU SET IT UP INDIVIDUALLY.
SO IN THIS CASE, UH, ON THE COMPUTER, OVER HERE, RUNNING ON CITY HALL, I HAVE THE TWO ASLS, UM, INTERPRETERS PINNED TO THE WINDOWS AND THEY ARE OVERLAID IN FRONT OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO YES, THAT IS MAKING IT TO THE BROADCAST.
UM, YOU ALL ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT INDIVIDUALLY ON YOUR WEBEX SCREENS.
AND, UH, CAN WE VERIFY THAT EVERYONE IS SEEING THE PRESENTATION? WELL, I CAN SEE IT.
UM, THEN WE SHOULD BE READY TO PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
UM, I JUST DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE, FIRST OF ALL, TO THE ASL INTERPRETERS, I TEND TO TALK FAST, SO I'LL TRY AND TRY AND SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU ALL.
UM, SO DAVID HAD ASKED ME, UM, SO THE FIRST SLIDE THERE, A, IF YOU GO TO THE INTRODUCTION OR SECOND SLIDE, I SHOULD SAY, UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT MYSELF BRIEFLY.
UH, MY NAME IS OFFICER MARLER, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN WITH APD FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I'M A CADET TRAINING INSTRUCTOR CURRENTLY, AND I'VE BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR GOING ON THREE YEARS AND, UM, I'M THE HEAD OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE TEAM.
UM, SO EACH OF OUR CLASSES ARE BROKEN DOWN BY TEAM AND THEN EVERY TEAM HAS A KIND OF A LEAD OR A HEAD.
AND, AND DAVID HAD ASKED ME TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES FOR THE DEPTHS, UH, CLASS THAT WE PUT ON FOR OUR CADETS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO FOR YOU TODAY.
SO BASICALLY OUR CLASS IS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO PARTS.
UM, THERE'S A T COLE MANDATED SECTION AND HE CALLS THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S BASICALLY WHO LICENSES PEACE OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, IN ORDER FOR A PERSON TO GET THEIR BASIC PEACE OFFICER LICENSE, THEY ARE MANDATED TO TAKE A COURSE THAT IS ENTITLED SERVICES FOR THE DEAF, UM, DUE TO THE LARGER POPULATION THAT AUSTIN HAS A DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS.
UM, WE SUPPLEMENT THAT CURRICULUM AS WELL.
AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT TICO MANDATES AND THEN WHAT WE ADD TO IT.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE ACTUAL T COLE CLASS IS ENTITLED INTERACTING WITH DRIVERS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.
UM, LIKE I SAID, IT'S VERY BASIC.
THEY PRIMARILY FOCUS ON TRAFFIC STOP INTERACTIONS AND NOT NECESSARILY AS MUCH, UM, JUST GENERAL INTERACTIONS VIA NINE 11 CALLS OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OR THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THEY COVER IS THEIR, THEIR DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IS DEATH AND WHAT IS HARD OF HEARING.
UM, AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THOSE THERE, BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY FROM TIKO AND WHAT IS PART OF THE CURRICULUM? UH, NEXT SLIDE.
SO AGAIN, PART OF THAT, UH, TQL CURRICULUM IS THE ADA REQUIREMENTS AND WHAT IS MANDATED, UM, THROUGH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, ACCORDING TO THE ADA, AND THIS IS AGAIN WITH TOXIC CADETS LAW, ENFORCE AGENCIES MUST PROVIDE THE COMMUNICATION AID AND SERVICES NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, EXCEPT WHEN THEY WERE TAKING THEIR AID OR SERVICE WOULD RESULT IN UNDUE BURDEN OR A FUNDAMENTAL CHARGE OR CHANGE IN THE NATURE OF LAW AND SERVICES BEING PROVIDED.
SO THE GENERAL SUMMARY, UM, THROUGH A LOT OF THIS CURRICULUM IS IF POSSIBLE, AND IF TIME PERMITS AND SAFETY AND SITUATIONS PERMIT, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE AN INTERPRETER WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE DYNAMICS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, IF IT BECOMES AN ISSUE WHERE YOU NEED A BIG WORD THAT WE USE IS CALLED EXIGENCY, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO KNOW INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THEN YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE AN INTERPRETER, BUT IT'S HIGHLY, HIGHLY SUGGESTED.
[00:15:01]
UH, NEXT SLIDE.SO AGAIN, THESE ARE FROM T COLTS AND SUGGESTED COMMUNICATION HAYES.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTERPRETER, UM, SEAT SUPPLEMENTED BY GESTURES AND VISUAL AID, A OR PENCIL OR WORD PROCESSOR IN THIS CASE, A LOT OF TIMES CELL PHONES, UM, EVERY APD OFFICER HAS A CITY ISSUED CELL PHONE, SO THEY CAN PULL UP A NOTEPAD APPLICATION.
UH, THEY CAN PULL UP A TEXT APPLICATION, HOWEVER THEY WISH AND COMMUNICATE BACK AND FORTH THAT WAY.
THAT'S WHAT I TEND TO SEE HAPPEN MOST OFTEN, UM, BEFORE WE HAD THESE CELL PHONES, WHEN I WORKED PATROL, IT WAS MOSTLY PEN AND PAPER.
UM, BUT MY HANDWRITING IS ATROCIOUS.
AND AS, AS MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, UM, NOT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO WAS DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, UM, UNDERSTANDS ENGLISH.
SO THAT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE THAT WE RUN INTO.
AND IN THAT CASE, YOU NEED AN INTERPRETER TO GET ANY KIND OF PROPER COMMUNICATION.
UM, THEY MENTIONED THE TELETYPE RIDER, THEY ALSO MENTIONED, AND THIS IS MORE OF AN OUTDATED FORM, AND IT'S RARELY USED A VIDEO RELAY SERVICES, VIDEO INTERPRETING SERVICES, UH, AND ASSISTED LISTENING SYSTEM OR DEVICE AMPLIFY SOUND LIKE YOU'RE USING SPEAKING TO THE PERSON WHO WAS HARD OF HEARING.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE NEVER USED IN.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE BEST WAY, BUT AGAIN, THIS APPLIES TO EVERY SINGLE OFFICER IN TEXAS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, BEST OPTIONS.
THEY SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THEY GO OVER SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
UM, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE COVERED BECAUSE THEY SOMETIMES ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT AN OFFICER HAS TAUGHT IN THE SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, AS AN OFFICER FOR, FOR OUR SAFETY, IT'S GENERALLY A RULE OF THUMB.
YOU DON'T WANT ANYONE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO YOU.
YOU DON'T WANT THEM WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE.
YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT THEM TO MAKE CONTACT WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THAT CONTACT, UH, CAN TURN VIOLENT OR OFFENSIVE.
UM, HOWEVER IT IS, WE, WE CLEARLY COVER THAT THAT IS A COMMON PRACTICE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS DEBIT CARD APPEARING TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION, IT'S A TAP THEM ON THE SHOULDER OR A WAY OF THEIR ARMS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH THAT SITUATION, TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT OVER THAT, UM, DON'T ASSUME THE PERSON CAN HEAR YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE WEARING A HEARING AID, UM, TRY AND HAVE A WELL LIT AREA WITH MINIMAL BACKGROUND NOISE SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY.
UM, AS I SAID BEFORE, THAT'S THAT ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE I TEND TO TALK FAST NATURALLY, UM, USE SHORT SENTENCES AND SIMPLE WORDS.
UM, AND THEY PUT ON HERE, DON'T USE FAMILY MEMBERS OR CHILDREN AS INTERPRETERS.
I'VE HAD TO DO IT ON OCCASION WHEN THE INFORMATION BEING CONVEYED WAS NOT SENSITIVE IN NATURE.
UM, IF IT INVOLVED A SERIOUS CRIME OR AN INVOLVED ONE OF THE GANG MEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY, NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO USE A TIME NUMBER AND INTERPRETER, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING SIMPLE, LIKE YOU'VE STOPPED SOMEONE FOR SPEEDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE DRIVER IS HAVE A PARTY DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, BUT YOUR PASSENGER IS HEARING A CONSIGN TO ME.
THAT'S AN ACCEPTABLE TIME WHERE YOU COULD USE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE NEARBY, UM, TO INTERPRET, UH, NEXT ONE.
UH, THEY COVER TWO SPECIFIC TRANSPORTATION, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE PHARAOH STATION CODE AND THE SENATE BILL 1987.
SO JUST AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF FOR AN OFFICER'S AWARENESS, UM, TRANSPORTATION CODE FIVE, TWO ONE ONE TWO FIVE, ALLOW GPS TO INCLUDE A NOTICE ON A STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION CARD OR PERSONS WHO INDICATE THEY HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION THAT MAY IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE READILY, UH, TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
AND INSTEAD OF TILL 1987, I'M IN THE TRANSPORTATION CODE AND OCCUPATION CODE TO PROVIDE THE TEXAS GPS MOTOR VEHICLES, ISSUANCE OF SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES FOR PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING.
AND THEN IT HAS AN EXAMPLE HERE OF WHAT THAT LICENSE PLATE, UM, LOOKS LIKE, UH, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THEY GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES AND WE CALL THEM TABLETOP EXAMPLES BECAUSE, UM, THE, THE STUDENT OR THE CADET IN OUR CASE, DOESN'T HAVE TO PHYSICALLY GO AND DO SOMETHING.
WE JUST KIND OF HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND, AND GIVE THEM SOME EXAMPLES OF WHEN AN INTERPRETER SHOULD BE USED.
AND, UM, I'LL READ THIS ONE OFF HERE.
SO IT SAYS AN OFFICER RESPOND TO THE SCENE OF A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE.
THE HUSBAND SAYS THE WIFE HAS BEEN BEATING THEIR CHILDREN, AND HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO RESTRAIN HER.
THE WIFE IS DEAF AND THE OFFICER BEGINS QUESTIONING HER BY WRITING NOTES, BUT HER RESPONSE INDICATES A LACK OF COMPREHENSION.
SHE REQUESTS A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER, AND THIS SITUATION INTERPRETER SHOULD BE CALLED.
IF THE ONE BEHAVIOR IS THREATENING, THE OFFICER CAN MAKE AN ARREST AND CALL FOR AN INTERPRETER TO BE AVAILABLE LATER AT THE BOOKING STATION.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE IT, IT'S NOT IDEAL BECAUSE BOTH PARTIES ARE INVOLVED.
YOU DON'T WANT TO USE EITHER ONE OF THEM, UM, TO INTERPRET IT IF THEY WERE AVAILABLE TO, AND YOU DO IT, THERE'S NOT ACTIVE VIOLENCE OCCURRING, BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET EVERYTHING STRAIGHT.
AND OBVIOUSLY IN THIS CASE, THIS INDIVIDUAL CAN'T COMMUNICATE.
[00:20:01]
AN INTERPRETER.THAT'S WHAT HE CALLED MANDATES.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, I JUST KIND OF HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, UH, OUR CADET TRAINING, STAFF SUPPLEMENTS THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE THE LARGEST POPULATION WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, SO FEW THINGS THAT WE ADD, THAT'S NOT MANDATED BY KIKO.
WE GO OVER A BRIEF HISTORY OF BY LANGUAGE.
UM, WE SPEAK A GALLUDET UNIVERSITY, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIGN LANGUAGE THAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, WE COVERED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HEARING AID AND A COCHLEAR IMPLANT, UM, TALK LIP READING VERSUS SPEECH READING.
UM, AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF GIVE THE, THE CADET, THAT GENERAL IDEA.
UM, SO I WORKED PATROL AND WHAT WE CALL DAVID'S SECTOR, WHICH IS SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, WHICH IS WHERE THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IS.
SO MY INTERACTION WITH DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS, THAT'S PATROL OFFICER WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE IN SOME OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, AND WE KIND OF KNOW, BRING THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
YEAH, WE GO INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, DEATH ETIQUETTE AND THE BIG ONE HERE.
AND I WAS VERY GUILTY OF THIS, UM, THINKING THAT IT WAS THE CORRECT TERM, BUT CALLING SOMEONE HEARING IMPAIRED IS, IS CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE.
AND THE CORRECT TERMS ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING.
UM, THAT'S ONE THING WE DEFINITELY HIT ON BECAUSE YOU'LL STILL SEE OFFICERS IN THEIR OFFENSE REPORT.
THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY REFERRING TO SOMEONE IS HEARING IMPAIRED.
UM, BUT WE EDUCATE THEM THAT THAT'S NO LONGER A PROPER TERM.
UM, UH, AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE ARE NATURAL THINGS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT DO, BUT IT BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE, LIKE TRYING TO COVER YOUR MOUTH FOR A PRIVATE CONVERSATION OR THAT PERSON, UM, THE BEST, BEST OPTION IS JUST EXCUSE YOURSELF IN THE CONVERSATION LIKE YOU WOULD ANY OTHER, UM, AGAIN, WE BRING UP THE TOUCHING CAN SOMETIMES BE USED TO GET YOUR ATTENTION AND DO NOT GRAB A PRINCE'S HAND TO BRING THAT FROM SIGNING TO YOU.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER, UM, VERY OFFENSIVE GESTURE.
WE SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DEAF CULTURE, UH, AND THEY BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE COMMUNICATION AND, AND THAT'S HOW A PERSON SHOULD BE TREATED.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER IN ORDER TO HAVE PROPER COMMUNICATION, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UH, THINGS ARE DISSIPATED.
YOU HAVE SOME SILVER, SOME QUICK INVESTIGATION CONSIDERATIONS.
THE BIG ONE THAT WE'LL NOTICE IS WITH, UH, DWI INVESTIGATIONS ARE DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.
UM, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED STANDARD FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS, WHICH ARE USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS INTOXICATED.
AND WE JUST KIND OF MAKE A NOTE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, DUE TO POTENTIAL INNER EAR ISSUES, UM, SOMEONE WHO IS DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING MAY HAVE IRREGULAR BALANCE ISSUES.
AND YOU KIND OF TAKE THAT CONSIDERATION.
UM, DURING THAT WAS TED, WE TALK ABOUT HOW DEAF INDIVIDUALS DON'T TYPICALLY LIKE TO BE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE TAKING AWAY ANY COMMUNICATION THEY MAY OUT OF THE OTHER PERSON.
UM, AND, UH, AND THAT ENDS UP BEING, AND WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER, CAUSE OUR POLICY SPECIFICALLY COVERS SITUATIONS IN WHICH YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT HANDCUFFING, WHICH IS THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO OUR NEXT SLIDE IS APD POLICY.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF MORE THAT SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH DEBRA HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS IS JUST KIND OF A FEW THAT I HAD, UM, THOUGHT WERE KIND OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, BASICALLY WHAT THIS ONE STATE IS THAT IT BASED SITUATION DICTATES FOR SAFETY.
UM, SO OUR CADETS ARE TAUGHT THAT HANDCUFFING SOMEONE IN THE REAR IS ALWAYS THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE IT IT'S THE SAFEST OPTION FOR US.
UM, HOWEVER, IF SOMEONE IS DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, UM, THAT TAKES AWAY THEIR, THEIR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.
SO BASICALLY IF THE SITUATION ALLOWS IT AND YOU DON'T FEEL, UM, YOU KNOW, A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY HANDCUFF THEM IN THE FRONT SO THEY CAN CONTINUE COMMUNICATING WHETHER IT'S YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH AN INTERPRETER OR LIKE I SAID, THE OLD SCHOOL PEN AND PAPER METHOD.
UM, AND THEN THEY TALK ABOUT SIEMENS AND CONFESSIONS.
THAT USUALLY IS SOMETHING THAT IS DEALT WITH ON A CADET LEVEL.
IT'S MORE WITH OFFICERS, UH, EXCUSE ME, A DETECTIVE.
UM, BUT THE BASIC RULE OF THUMB IS IF YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IF THE INFORMATION DOES NOT HAVE TO BE EXACT AND QUOTED AND X AND G EXIGENCY DICTATES, SO, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE AN INTERPRETER, BUT IF YOU HAVE TIME ON YOUR
[00:25:01]
SIDE OR YOU NEED VERY SPECIFIC DETAILED YOU SHOUT IN THE INTERPRETER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT OR, OR A CONFESSION OVER THERE.SO AGAIN, THIS COVERS, UM, INTERPRETERS FOR PEAK INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DENVER AND SEE OUR POLICIES ON A DAY HERE.
IT STILL SAYS HEARING IMPAIRED, UM, EVEN THOUGH OUR TRAINING, YOU KNOW, STATE THAT THAT'S AN IMPROPER TERM, OUR POLICY IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF DATE AND WHAT IT SAYS, BUT THE INFORMATION QUALIFIED INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL HOURS.
UM, INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING SUCH CAN BE DONE THROUGH DISPATCH AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO WE DO HAVE A SERVICE THAT WORKS WITH US, UM, WHERE WE CAN REQUEST AN INTERPRETER TO OUR SCENE.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE DISCUSSED WHEN THAT'S APPROPRIATE AND WHEN IT'S NOT A NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL KIND OF GO OVER THESE QUICKLY HERE, INTERVIEWING ARE SUBJECT TO ESTABLISH PROBABLE CAUSE AGAIN, THIS ONE BASICALLY SAYS MINOR OFFENSES.
IF YOU DON'T NEED AN INTERPRETER, YOU'RE FINE.
YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION.
HOWEVER, IF IT IS A SERIOUS OFFICE, UM, YOU SHALL HAVE AN INTERPRETER PRESENT IN ORDER TO GET, UH, THE BEST ONE FOR COMMUNICATION.
SO COMMUNICATING WITH THE TRAFFIC VIOLATOR, UH, THIS ONE IS BASICALLY SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A SIMPLE TRAFFIC VIOLATION AND THERE IS NO OTHER OFFENSES INVOLVED, UM, WEIGH THE OPTIONS OF JUST ISSUING SOMEONE A TICKET AS OPPOSED TO WAITING FOR AN INTERPRETER TO TRY AND EXPLAIN TO THE INDIVIDUAL, THE REASON THEY WERE STOPPED AND THE TICKET AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, IT JUST KIND OF GIVES US LEEWAY FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
UH, NEXT ONE, UH, IF I, TO SEE MEDICATION WHEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE INVOLVED, POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD NOT GENERALLY RELY ON FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE FREQUENTLY EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED, PROVIDE SOUNDING DISTURBING.
AGAIN, IT, THIS IS PART OF OUR POLICY, BUT IT MIRRORS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHING FROM TIKO IN THAT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS IT'S A NONSENSITIVE SUBJECT, YOU SHOULD AVOID HAVING, UH, A BIASED SOURCE, BASICALLY DO AN INTERPRETATION FOR YOU.
SO THIS IS ONE THING THAT I REALLY ENJOY ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, UM, ESPECIALLY THIS ASPECT OF IT.
SO THE CADETS THROUGHOUT THEIR ACADEMY HAVE TO DO, WHAT'S CALLED A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT.
UH, SO I WORK WITH, UH, SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEY COME OUT AND THEY DO A PRESENTATION.
AND AT THE END OF THE ACADEMY TO THAT TAP TO YOU, COMPLETE AN ESSAY BASED UPON THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, FOR THE PAST, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN TO THAT INSTRUCTOR FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS, EVERY CLASS THAT I PUT THROUGH AND SEVERAL BEFORE ME, UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET MICHAEL KUBOTA OUT FROM THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF TO COME OUT AND ACTUALLY DO A PRESENTATION, UM, AND USE AN INTERPRETER.
AND I, IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR A LOT OF THESE, YOU KNOW, CADETS SOON TO BE OFFICERS TO NOT ONLY SPEAK WITH MICHAEL, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN INTERPRETER PRESENT AND GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THAT CONVERSATION KIND OF LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN KIND OF THE FINAL ASPECT THAT WE HAVE OF OUR CURRICULUM ARE ROLE PLAYS.
UM, SO BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS CADETS ARE SENT OUT IN PAIRS TO ACTORS AND OUR ACTORS ARE ACTUALLY, UH, OTHER SWORN APD OFFICERS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SUPPOSED TO ACT OUT A CERTAIN CRITERIA.
UM, EACH SCENARIO THAT GOES ON IS EVALUATED BY A CURRENT FIELD TRAINING OFFICER WITH APD AND EACH SCENARIO HAS SPECIFIC GOALS THAT THE CADET MUST ACHIEVE IN ORDER TO PASS THEM.
AND NEXT SLIDE, AND I'VE JUST GOT TWO EXAMPLES HERE OF SCENARIOS THAT SPECIFICALLY INVOLVE DEBRA HARD OF HEARING INDIVIDUALS.
AND EVERY SCENARIO THAT WE DO IS KIND OF DESIGNED TO TEACH THE CADET.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY A SPECIFIC LESSON, BUT BEHIND TO HELP KEEP THEIR MIND OPEN AND ALWAYS THINKING AND ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, NOT TAKING EVERYTHING FOR GRANTED.
SO THE FIRST SCENARIO WE HAVE IS KIDS RESPOND TO A NINE 11 CALL INVOLVING FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UH, ONE PERSON IS DEAF AND THE OTHER IS HEARING COULD THAT LOOK COMPLETE AN INVESTIGATION WITHOUT THE USE OF AN INTERPRETER? SO WE WANT THEM TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH IT.
AND AGAIN, THESE SCENARIOS AREN'T DESIGNED WHERE IT BE SET UP TO WHERE AN INTERPRETER IS NECESSARY, THEY CAN DO IT WITHOUT, UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF PART OF THE GOAL.
UM, IT HAS LOOKED EFFECTIVELY ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, UM, THE, THAT TOOK PLACE AND WHO THE SUSPECT IS.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF CADETS AND THIS IS WHY WE DO THIS SCENARIO THAT AS SOON AS THEY REALIZE THAT THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE IN THE WAY THAT THEY'RE USED TO EVERYTHING KIND OF FALLS APART.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE DO IT IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT TO GET THEM ACCUSTOMED TO THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS
[00:30:01]
AND ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT.UM, ANOTHER SCENARIO THAT WE DO IS ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITES THAT CADETS RESPOND TO A NINE 11 CALL IN A PARK INVOLVING A POSSIBLE DISTURBANCE.
UH, THE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE, THE SUBJECT SUBJECT AS BEING IN A HEATED ARGUMENT, UM, SHOUTING WAVING THEIR ARMS AROUND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, USING GESTURES AND FINGER POINTING TO ARRIVE ON SCENE AND MUST DETERMINE IF AN OFFENSE EXISTS.
CONDENSER MET WITH TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BOTH DEAF AND THEY MUST USE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT AN OFFENSE EXISTS.
UM, SO AGAIN, WHAT THIS ONE ACTUALLY TURNS OUT TO BE, IS IT JUST TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVING A DISCUSSION? AND WE CHANGE IT UP, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL OR WHETHER IT'S A VERY MINOR ISSUE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE WANT TO THAT TO SHOW UP AND, AND TREAT IT JUST AS IF THEY WERE ANYBODY ELSE.
CAUSE WE, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS THEY SHOW UP, THEY HAVE THAT BARRIER OF COMMUNICATION AND THEY, UM, DON'T DO A PROPER AND FULL INVESTIGATION.
AND SOMETIMES WE SEE THAT AND THAT'S WHEN OUR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR EVALUATORS THERE TO MAKE CORRECTIONS AND, AND TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, THE PROPER WAY THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
SO THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE TEACH IN THAT REGARD.
UM, I'LL DO MY BEST IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THIS IS JEREMY FRANKS.
WHAT HAVE YOU HAD ENCOUNTERED ANY KIND OF DEALINGS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF, I MEAN, BLIND AND DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING.
SO TRYING TO THINK, I, ME PERSONALLY, NO.
UM, I HAD, I HAD ONE, UM, INDIVIDUAL WHEN I WAS ON, WHEN I WAS IN FIELD TRAINING WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, BEING TAUGHT BY SOMEBODY, UM, WHO I BELIEVE WAS BLIND IN ONE EYE AND DEAF.
UM, AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IT WAS A, UH, DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED INVESTIGATION THAT WE HAD COME ACROSS.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY ME PERSONALLY AND ANECDOTALLY, UH, NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION GO FOR IT.
UM, IN, IN SERVING, UM, THE COMMUNITY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS HAVE IN PLACE FOR DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT ARE, UM, THAT CO-EXIST WITH THE ISSUE OF DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING? OKAY.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT CREATES AN ADDITIONAL BARRIER, UM, FOR US, BUT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING EVERY SINGLE OFFICER, UM, CERTIFIED AS A MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER.
UM, WE HAVE AN ENTIRE UNIT DEDICATED TO, UM, CRISIS INTERVENTION.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE, AND WE HAVEN'T, I TRIED TO GET PROPER NUMBERS.
I BELIEVE IT'S ONLY TWO OR THREE OFFICERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS, BUT WE HAVE A FEW, BUT IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE.
AND ONE OF THEM WOULD BE AN INTERPRETER AND WHETHER IT'D BE A MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER OR WE HAVE, UM, WHAT'S CALLED E M COT, WHICH IS THE EMERGENCY EXPANDED MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY CERTIFIED COUNSELORS THAT WILL COME AND MAKE OUR SCENE AND SPEAK WITH INDIVIDUALS.
SO I WOULD, IF IT WERE ME, I'D KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN IN TWO PARTS.
I WOULD DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THIS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, UH, CONQUER THAT FIRST AND THEN, UM, DETERMINE THE BEST WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WHETHER IT, I CAN ACHIEVE IT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, UH, TYPING ON A CELL PHONE OR A PAD OF PAPER, OR IF AN INTERPRETER IS NECESSARY TO GET THE BEST FORM OF COMMUNICATION ACROSS.
UM, AGAIN, UH, WORKING WITH THE, UH, THE POPULATION AND WHEN YOU WERE ACTUALLY ON THE BEAT, WHAT TYPES OF OFFENSES WERE MOST COMMON WITHIN THAT? UH, WITHIN THE, UH, DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY? SO FOR ME IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY RARE.
UM, WE WOULD OCCASIONALLY, SO THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF DOES HAVE THEIR OWN, UH, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK THEY'RE JUST SECURITY.
SO IF THERE WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, UM, THEY WOULD CALL US OUT.
UM, SO LIKE I CAN THINK OF A HANDFUL.
SO I'VE HAD TO GO OUT THERE FOR, UM, POTENTIAL LIKE STUDENT ON STUDENTS, ASSAULT.
[00:35:01]
THAT, TAKING THOSE REPORTS.UM, I, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF RANDOM TRAFFIC STOPS WHERE, YOU KNOW, STOP THEM FOR SPEEDING OR NOT USING THEIR SIGNAL.
AND THE DRIVER JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE DEAF THEN LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF ENCOUNTER I HAVE IN A CRIMINAL MANNER, IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TIME FOR ONE LAST QUESTION, HEARING NONE, OFFICER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT'S DEFINITELY INFORMATIVE AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK.
WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING TO BETTER INTERACT WITH THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING POPULATION, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SOME EXCEPTIONS AND NO BAD REPORTS ABOUT, OFFICER'S NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT INTERACTING THE BEST IN THE BEST MANNER WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.
SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THIS POPULATION FOR BETTER RESULTS.
LIKE I SAID, ESPECIALLY WORKING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PATROL AREA IN WHICH I DID, AND IT'S KIND OF SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DO KIND OF TAKE TO HEART A LITTLE BIT AND, AND JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO TEACH AND TO TRAIN AND TO CORRECT.
YOU STILL HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T DO IT, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD, BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO, TO KIND OF CORRECT IT.
AND ESPECIALLY ON A, ON A CADET LEVEL, IF WE CAN GET THEM TAUGHT AND TRAINED THE CORRECT WAY, RIGHT.
AT THE VERY BEGINNING, UH, NELSON TO PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, SIR.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UM, COMMISSIONER OSTERWEIL HAS TO LEAVE AT TWO.
THAT MEANS RELIEVING CORUM, UNLESS SOME NEW COMMISSIONERS HAVE JOINED LEE OR DAVID, YOU KNOW, IF ANY NEW COMMISSIONERS HAVE JOINED, I DO NOT.
LEE, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING HERE.
UM, SO WE HAVE A BUNCH OF ITEMS TO POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS WITH THE PROCEDURES.
I BELIEVE STEPHANIE HALL IS A PART OF THE MEETING.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE THAT IS JUST A REPORT FROM THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT.
I MEAN THE, UH, DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARD AT WORKING GROUP.
UH, STEPHANIE, DO YOU HAVE A, CAN YOU WEIGH IN ON, UH, THE SITUATION, SORRY.
APPARENTLY STEPHANIE HAS STEPPED AWAY.
UM, IF WE DO NEED THAT QUICK, I CAN GO GET HER QUICKLY TO, TO ANSWER THAT, DO KNOW THAT THERE, UH, I BELIEVE THERE CAN BE A DISCUSSION, UH, BUT, UH, I DON'T, UH, YEAH, I WOULD LIKE, UH, A SHITTY CLARK'S, UM, UH, INTERPRETATION.
IF, IF POSSIBLE, JENNIFER IS THE CTO, CTM TECH IS STEPPING OUT TO GET YOU AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
UM, WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS, RIGHT? IS THAT THE QUESTION? SORRY.
I JUST TOLD THEM THAT I'LL BE A COUPLE MINUTES LATE.
SO, UH, ACTUALLY CHAIR, FRANK SAYS YOU DO STILL HAVE CORE.
UM, CAN YOU, UH, TALK ABOUT THE,
[2C. Discussion and possible action to finalize the 2021 MCPD regular meeting schedule – Chair Franks and Vice-chair Levy]
UH, UPCOMING, UH,[00:40:01]
MEETING SCHEDULE VERY QUICKLY.AND I GET THAT THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH PRIORITY AS FAR AS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, WAS IT HAD ON THEIR PRIORITY LIST, SO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DAVID, IF I'M CORRECT, IT IS GOING TO BE EITHER THE SECOND, FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM ONE TO TWO 30 AND THIS TIME SLOT, UH, WELL, NO, THE, UH, THE IDEA IS WOULD YOU LIKE IT FROM, UH, THE ONE O'CLOCK TIME SLOT OR THE FIVE O'CLOCK TIME SLOT ON THE SECOND FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH.
SO YEAH, THAT IS, UM, THE DENTAL DISCUSSION.
WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE IT AT ONE O'CLOCK OR FIVE O'CLOCK IT'S LIKE A FRIDAY, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER KERNS.
OSTERWEIL ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT DOING, UM, THE WEBEX MEETING? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN-PERSON AT ANY POINT A WEBEX FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE? BECAUSE, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM THE BEVERAGE HAS BEEN EXTENDED PAST, I BELIEVE PAST DECEMBER NOW.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 20, 21 SCHEDULE.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER OR LANDSCAPE.
IF THE PANDEMIC DOES GET LIFTED, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CITY HALL FROM EVERYWHERE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK THERE AND, UM, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE MEETING'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO CAN'T DRAW IT.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT TOO.
SO WAS GOING TO MAKE, AND OUR BYLAWS DO SPECIFY THAT, UH, OUR COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH THIS DONATES.
SO HAVING THE MEETING AT NIGHT DOES MAKE MORE SENSE ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS.
OKAY, MR. KERNS, ALSO WHILE I NEED TO GO, SO ARE WE VOTING OR WHAT IS OUR ACTION? I THINK
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU STILL HAVE CORE.
IF YOU WILL JUST SHARE YOUR PREFERENCE.
SO WE JUST KNOW THAT IF IT IS, UM, IT'S COMMISSIONER CRUZ ALSO, WHILE IF IT'S VIA WEBEX, THEN EITHER TIME WORKS FOR A WHILE, BUT AT SOME POINT IT WILL NO LONGER BE VIABLE.
LET US HAVE WEBEX WHEN THE PANDEMIC'S LIFTED THAT'S ONCE HE SEES THIS AS ORDERS, WE PROBABLY WANT, I MEAN, TECHNICALLY THE CITY COULD CHANGE ITS RULES AND ALLOW THESE MAYBES.
THERE'S NO RESTRICTION ON THESE MEANINGS.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN REQUIRED TO BE A SUBJECT OF THE MEETINGS.
THAT'S A CITY DECISION, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE, OUR BYLAWS.
SO WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WELL, THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE THOUGH.
SO YES, EITHER WAY, ONCE IT'S LIFTED IS YOUR PREFERENCE ONE OR FIVE, FIVE, CAUSE IT WOULD BE EASIER TO GET YOU TO THE MEETING ROBIN.
I KNOW YOU'RE STAYING ON, BUT DIANE'S ABOUT TO LEAVE IT.
THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED HER TO SHARE WITH US.
SHE SAID EITHER TIME, I THINK EITHER TIME IS FINE.
PROBABLY PREFER A FIVE, BUT I'M, I'M FLEXIBLE EITHER WAY.
YEAH, THIS IS UP THE WHOLE, I PREFER FIVE TOO.
UM, BUT UM, I CAN BE FLEXIBLE IF I HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER BROOKS AND I'M RIGHT.
I'M FLEXIBLE ALSO, UH, COMMISSIONER, YOUR BROADWATER AND TRUCK.
HOW DO YOU FEEL? UH, THIS IS A COMMISSIONER.
UM, OH, OTHER THAN THIS, I DON'T HAVE A JOB TODAY.
THE EVENING IS BETTER THE CHILD OR ANY REASON, UM, ON A BUSY DAY.
SO I HAVE NO PREFERENCE INSIDE.
IS COMMISSIONER SHREK? I DO THE AFTERNOON TIME SLOT, BUT I WILL MAKE EITHER ONE WORK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING ON OR FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON.
ONE, ONE WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.
SO DO WE, I MEAN, DO WE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION? CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT, MOST PEOPLE
[00:45:01]
CAN DO FIVE AND WOULD PREFER FIVE.ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME PREFERENCE FOR ONE.
WELL, ME PERSONALLY, I CAN DO EITHER ONE.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE STILL HAVE COUPLE MORE AGENDA ITEMS, SO WE DIDN'T NEED A SET ON THIS QUICKLY.
WELL, I MOVED TO AGREE TO THE SCHEDULE SUGGESTED AT THE FIVE O'CLOCK TIME.
I SECOND, AND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ANY FURTHER, QUICK DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALRIGHT, DAVID, ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE FIVE O'CLOCK SLOT? THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
[2A. Discussion and possible action: Update from working group regarding the receipt of nominations for the 2020 Disability Employment Awards – Commissioners Shryock and Trejo]
UM, THE WORKING GROUP REPORT ON THE DISTANCE, THE RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS FOR DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARDS, COMMISSIONERI THINK YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM DAVID, UM, ASKING FOR NOMINATIONS.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOUR NETWORKS.
UM, OUR PLAN WAS TO HAVE THOSE OPEN THROUGH NOVEMBER AND THEN WE'D TAKE THE MONTH OF DECEMBER TO REVIEW AND MAKE THE SELECTIONS.
UM, AND THEN OUR, UH, UH, WINNERS WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AT THE MEETING IN JANUARY.
ANYTHING ELSE? WHAT'S YOUR TRADE OFF ON THAT ASPECT? I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
[2B. Discussion and possible action regarding updating the current Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities web page in leu of a social media page – Chair Franks and Commissioner Gidseg]
REGARDING USING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OUR OWN CITY OF AUSTIN PAGE AND BLUE HAVE A FACEBOOK SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE.I'VE BEEN CORRESPONDING WITH DAVID ABOUT THIS, UH, FRANKLY, IN ORDER TO PAY SOMEONE TO POST, IF NOT WITHIN OUR BUDGET, IT WILL COST US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
UH, AFTER DAVID DID SOME RESEARCH WITH THE CDF BIO AND THE HRD, UM, RELATIVELY WE CAN UPDATE OUR PAGE TO INCLUDE BIO'S, UM, PICTURE ONCE THE PANDEMIC HAS LIFTED, I'VE EVER, UM, WITH THE GROUP OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN MENTION THAT KIND OF SAME THING.
WE WOULD HAVE A STAFF MEMBER, UH, LEE OR DAVID, UM, TO APPROVE DIFFERENT POSTS LIKE THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARDS OR WHITE CANE DAY OR DIFFERENT EVENTS WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE.
AND SO THAT WE CAN REVAMP THIS PAGE AND HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THERE AND WE CAN PROMOTE THIS ON OUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, LIKE, HEY, CHECK OUT THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE.
AWESOME WEBPAGE ON OUR, WITHIN OUR OWN NETWORKS TO BRING MORE AWARENESS, KIND OF LIKE A SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE.
UM, FRANKLY WE CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT PAY A STAFF MEMBER WITHIN OUR BUDGET IN ORDER TO, UM, THOSE FOR US COMMISSIONER FRANKS, UM, COMMISSIONER BROOKS, JUST TO GENERAL, UH, GENERAL CURIOSITY QUESTION.
UH, WHAT IS THE BUDGET OF THE COMMITTEE? I DO NOT KNOW TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THAT IT'S LIKE $6,000 A YEAR.
SOMETHING LIKE, WELL, NO, ACTUALLY THAT, UH, THAT WAS, UH, REVAMPED.
AND WHAT THE, UH, UH, WHAT HRD IS, UH, COMMITTED TO DOING IS SUPPORTING THE, UM, ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UH, EMPLOYMENT AWARDS, THE, UH, PURCHASE OF, UH, WELL, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A, UH, A VERY, UH, LIGHT BANQUET AND THE, UH, PLAQUES AND, AND THAT TYPE STUFF, BUT IT'S, UH, STRICTLY, UH, UH, ANY, ANY BUDGETARY ITEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE EMPLOYMENT AWARDS AND, UH, YEAH, THE HRD EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS INDICATED THAT AT THIS TIME, UH, BASED ON THE COURAGE CITYWIDE BUDGET AND DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, THEY COULD NOT SUPPORT A SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, EXPERIENCE.
WELL, WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT AS VOLUNTEERS.
I DON'T PAY ANYBODY TO DO ANY OF THE OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA I'M INVOLVED WITH FOR NONPROFIT WORK, RIGHT? YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S A MUNICIPAL SITE, THERE'S COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ARCHIVING AND, UH, THERE ARE OTHER COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A, A SOCIAL MEDIA SITE.
AND, UH, NOW IN TERMS OF, CAN SOMEBODY CREATE A MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE
[00:50:01]
WITH DISABILITIES, AUSTIN, FACEBOOK PAGE, UH, IF YOU SEARCH ON IT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UH, THERE'S, UH, AN EMPTY PAGE THERE.I THINK SOMEBODY AT ONE POINT IN TIME DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO, UH, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK AND SEE IF THAT COULD BE DONE LITERALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CITIES, UH, THE CITY, UH, STRUGGLING DO THAT.
CAUSE I'M JUST RIGHT NOW LOOKED.
AND I SEE THAT THE AUSTIN COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE THAT YOU CAN LIKE, UM, 157 PEOPLE FOLLOW IT.
UM, AND THEY'RE POSTING, LIKE THEY POSTED A FORUM THAT'S COMING UP.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SHARE IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T BE VERY MUCH WORK AND WOULD EXPAND OUR FOOTPRINT A LITTLE BIT TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DISABILITY ISSUES, UM, JUST FORUMS IN THE CITY.
UM, I MEAN, EVEN IF THERE WERE OFFICIAL CITY FORUMS, THE THING ABOUT A PAGE IS, UM, YOU CAN LIMIT IT, DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T BECOME A FORUM FOR COMMUNICATIONS DEPENDING ON YOUR SETTINGS.
SO, I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE COULD DO THAT AS VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO THAT, CAUSE IT SURE SEEMS LIKE THE AUSTIN COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS HAS DONE IT.
I'LL LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND ONE ON LIKE THE WOMEN'S.
I THOUGHT THEY HAD ONE TO THE AUSTIN.
I MEAN, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY
AND THAT IS DONE STRICTLY AS THROUGH CONTENT MANAGEMENT.
THE DIFFERENCES ONE YOU HAVE TO GO LOOK FOR, WHICH IS THE WEBSITE, AND ONE PUSHES OUT STUFF TO YOU, IF YOU LIKE IT.
SO ONE HAS A BIGGER REACH POTENTIALLY, AND IS MORE OF AN ACTIVE THING IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE THE WEBSITE DOESN'T FEED TO ANYTHING, YOU HAVE TO GO LOOK FOR IT EVERY TIME.
SO PEOPLE ARE LESS LIKELY TO GET THAT INFORMATION CAUSE THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO GO LOOK US UP AND SEARCH FOR OUR WEBSITE, THE, WHAT WE'VE UPDATED IT TO SAY INSTEAD, NOT TO USE A FACEBOOK PAGE, YOU CAN UPLOAD EVENTS AND THOSE THINGS WILL FEED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIKED IT.
LIKE IN OTHER WORDS, IF I LIKE A PAGE, I'LL SEE THEIR EVENTS, WHETHER I LOOK FOR THEM OR NOT, BECAUSE THEY'LL COME IN MY SEAT AND THE ONE THAT ATTENDED OUR BETS, IT'S JUST GOT A BIGGER FOOTPRINT.
UM, THE CITY WILL ALSO SEE OUR SO WILL PROMOTE OUR EVENT.
THE OTHER THING IS TOO, WILL BE CONNECTED TO THE OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE CONDITIONS.
UH, YOU BROUGHT THEM UP CAUSE WE KNOW ABOUT THEIR, UM, THEIR, WHAT THEIR PAGES WILL BE CONNECTED INTO THEIR EVENTS.
UM, WE CAN CONNECT TO THEIR PAGES AND WORK WITH THEM, UH, BECAUSE THERE, THERE ARE SOME DISABILITIES THAT ONLY AFFECT WOMEN.
I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, COULD WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY WHERE WE T WE HAVE A COMMITTEE OF THIS COMMISSION THAT IS LIKE THE COMMITTEE THAT MANAGES THE PAGE AND A FEW OF US KEEP TRACK OF KEEPING IT UPDATED AND DOING THAT WORK AS VOLUNTEERS AND OUR ROLE WITH APPROVAL OF THE WHOLE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S KINDA, MY QUESTION IS WHERE I THINK WE'RE WILLING TO DO THE MINIMAL WORK.
THAT WOULD BE, UM, IF THAT'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY THE MAYOR, THE COMMISSIONER WOMEN DOES HAVE EVEN MORE PEOPLE ON THERE THAT LIKES THEIR PAGE.
UM, AND THEY HAVE EVENTS AND THINGS UP.
DAVID, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING OUR TAB ON THE
[00:55:01]
CITY'S WEBSITE.THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
RIGHT? UM, IT'S VERY STANDARD AND THE TABS, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT ONE COULD PUT HERE OTHER THAN PDFS.
UM, I IT'S, IT'S USING THE STANDARD BACKGROUND OF THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THE TABS ON THE LEFT OR CITY TABS THAT TAKE YOU OTHER PLACES BESIDES IT'S JUST ONE LANDING PAGE IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
IT'S NOT A WEBSITE, IT'S A SINGLE PAGE.
SO ALL THAT YOU CAN DO TO IT IS I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU CAN ADD GRAPHICS OR COLOR OR ANYTHING CAUSE IT'S USING THE CITY'S WEBSITE AS A FORMAT.
BUT I THINK THE ONLY THING YOU COULD REALLY ADD TO IT WOULD BE PDFS OF THINGS.
SO I, I, I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS CALL WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT WEBSITE STUFF THAN I DO, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH TO IT.
UM, I MEAN, PDFS WOULD STILL INFORM PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, SO I'M JUST SAYING, DAVID SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT LIKE JAZZING UP OUR WEB SINGLE PAGE CITIES WEBSITE WOULD BE OUR ALTERNATIVE AND THAT THERE'S A LOT LESS WE CAN DO WITH THIS.
IT'S VERY LIMITED VERSUS ALSO HAVING A FACEBOOK PAGE.
WELL, MY, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS BECAUSE THE FACEBOOK PAGE WAS DENIED, BUT HOW DOES THE COMMISSION ON WOMEN HAVE ONE? HOW DOES THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS HAVE ONE? THEY BOTH HAVE ONE, WELL, OUR, UH, THIS COMMISSION FALLS UNDER THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
AND SO EACH DEPARTMENT WORKS IN A SILOED IN A SILO.
UH, SO I ONLY REPORT TO JOY HAYES AND, AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM OF HR DAY.
I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT AND I'D HATE TO HAVE TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL ON MEN AND SAY THAT WE'RE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, AND WE HAVE LESS ABILITY TO REACH PEOPLE, BUT THE IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS AND WOMEN COMMISSIONS CAN DO STUFF WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO.
SO DOESN'T THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION FALL UNDER HUMAN RESOURCES TOO.
JUST, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THEM AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO, AGAIN, DENY US, CAN YOU EMAIL US? AND THEN I'LL GO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS BECAUSE GO WITH ME, LET'S BOTH GO AND COMPLAIN.
CAUSE THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS MY IMPRESSION.
UM, AT THE, UH, JOINT INCLUSION MEETING THAT WE WERE BOTH UNDER THE UNDER HUMAN RESOURCES, WOMEN'S COMMISSION WAS UNDER HUMAN RESOURCES.
THAT WAS, I HADN'T HEARD THAT THEY WERE MOVED ELSEWHERE.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL DAVID COULD TALK TO THE HRD DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK TO CITY COUNCIL, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE BOOKS COME MORE THAN ITEMS WE'RE SHORT ON TIME.
IT'S IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, BUT I, I, I DO SEE OUR DI WITH YOU ON THAT.
[3B. Report on Disability Quality of Life Study – David Ondich, ADA Program Administrator]
DAVID, DO YOU HAVE, UH, THE REPORT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE? YES.UH, REGARDING THE, THE QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY.
UH, THERE'S NOT A LOT TO REPORT OTHER THAN IT WENT TO COUNSEL ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, IT WAS APPROVED.
UH, MONEY WAS ALLOCATED IN THE 2021 Y 21 BUDGET TO, UH, IDENTIFY A, UM, CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICER TO SERVE THE, UH, PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE VENDOR OF THIS STUDY.
SO CURRENTLY THE MONEY IS ALLOCATED AND THERE IS A SEARCH GOING ON, UH, TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO IS GOING TO, UH, SERVE AS THE LIAISON, UH, TO THE VENDOR, UH, TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY.
I GOT CALLED OUT THAT ACTUALLY MORE OF A JOB JOB INTERVIEW TYPE THING.
UM, MOVING ON TO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS,
[4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UH, COMMISSIONER OSWELL ASKED ME TO, THIS[01:00:01]
IS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.SHE WAS, SHE TALKED TO THE WATERLOO GREENWAY ABOUT, UM, ADULT SIDE CHANGING TABLES IN THEIR RESTAURANTS, AND SHE HAS, UH, PRESENTED THAT ONCE YOU SPEAK ON A FEATURE AGENDA.
SO THAT'D BE PRETTY COOL TO HAVE HER ON THE NEXT AGENDA POSSIBLE.
MELISSA CAN REMEMBER HER NAME, UM, KAYLA, MELISSA YALA.
AND THAT'S HER NAME DRUM OR ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? UM, I'D LIKE TO GET THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE ON THE AGENDA TO SPEAK ABOUT JUST WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHAT KIND OF TOPIC.
AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, THAT'S RENEE.
AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY TABLED AT A PAST MEETING.
AND, UH, RENEE, I CAN'T REMEMBER HER LAST NAME, UH, INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO, UH, PRESENT AT A FUTURE MEETING.
UM, ANOTHER THING I FOUND OUT IS THAT, UM, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS AT A MEETING LIKE SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UH, BUT UH, I FIND OUT OTHER CITIES HAVE, UH, PEOPLE DISABILITIES IN OUR, UM, WOMEN AND MINORITY, UM, BUSINESS, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE DO NOT HAVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD, IF THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING? UM, AMENDING THE EXISTING PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF BOSTON DOING INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, CAUSE THE CITY PROVIDES, UH, PROGRAMS, UM, HOW TO HELP HER SMALL.
AND IF IT'S RUN WITH SITTING MONEY, UH, THEN, UM, SMALL, HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING PEOPLE, THOSE RUN BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO THIS IS COMMISSIONER THREAT.
WE HAVE, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT A FEW YEARS AGO, PASSED A RESOLUTION TO RECOMMEND EXACTLY THAT TO CITY COUNCIL.
I MEAN, SO THEY, THEY HAVE IGNORED US ON THIS IN THE PAST.
UM, MAYBE WE DUST OFF THAT RESOLUTION.
MAYBE DAVID CAN PULL IT OUT AND SHOOT IT BACK AROUND AND WE COULD CONSIDER OUT A FUTURE.
I MEAN, I'M SURE, CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT MAYBE DRAFT AND AN UPDATED, A NEW ONE.
REMAKING THE RECOMMENDATION AND THEN GET ALL THE NEW COMMISSIONERS AND CURRENT ONES TO, UM, YOU KNOW, URGENT TO THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I, YEAH, I FEEL IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THEY, UM, THEY BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CITY PROGRAMS, UM, FOR UNDERUTILIZED, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES AND ASK A QUESTION THAT ONCE WE HAVE THE DISPARITY STUDY THAT WILL SUPPORT RIGHT.
THESE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WILL PROVIDE THE RECORD FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
WHAT'S THE DATE THAT WE CAN EXPECT THAT TO BE DONE.
DO WE HAVE A DATE? WELL, WE NEED A PERSON, UM, TO MEET THE COMPLETE STUDY.
I KNOW DAVID, DO YOU HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT THE ESTIMATED DATE ON THEM SUPPOSED TO BE? I DO NOT, BUT I'LL KEEP THAT AS A MONTHLY REPORT FROM THE DISABILITY OFFICE.
SO ROBIN, YOU KNOW, TIMING WISE, I LOVE IT.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST, IF THAT'S GOING TO COME IN THE NEXT ONLINE SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING, I THINK WE'D BE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH CITY COUNCIL IF WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THE GOODS TO WHY THEY NEED THEM TANGIBLE EVIDENCE.
I WAS JUST THINKING, HEY, THIS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MORE MINUTES, SO I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY MORE FEATURE GEN ITEMS FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, TUITION, UH, FUTURE, UH, RESTROOMS,
[01:05:01]
BECAUSE THE PROPOSITION A AND B WERE COPS IN THIS LAST ELECTION.UM, SO YOU KNOW, MORE BUSES, UH,
UM, AND I REALIZED THIS WAY, YOU'RE WAY IN THE FUTURE, THAT CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY WON'T BE DONE FOR FIVE, 10 YEARS, HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES.
UM, BUT THAT IN THE FOREFRONT AND EVERYONE'S FINE, WE CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER CHANCE FOR IDEAS, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, UM, TO DILUTED IN, UH, SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, SEVEN, EIGHT, SEVEN OH FOUR, UM, ZIP CODE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, YES, THERE ARE SIDEWALKS AND THERE'S CURB CUTS AS THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SEVERAL LAW, BUT THEY'RE NOT VERY GOOD BECAUSE FOR WHEELCHAIRS OR LIKE MYSELF, I USE A WHEELCHAIR AND A WALKER, BUT EVEN IF YOU CAN, IT'D BE LATE IN A WHEELCHAIR BETTER.
YOUR WALKER FEELS LIKE IT'S YOU TIP OVER BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS ARE LEVEL WITH EACH OTHER.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING CONSTRUCTION ON CITY.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL OR ELSE, WHY ARE YOU SAYING TRANSPORTATION IS SO IMPORTANT IF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT TO ME, IT'S KIND OF A HALF THERE.
EVERY ONE YOU JUST WANT TO DO BETTER.
THE CITY WANTS TO, WELL, THE OTHER TRANSPORTATION.
SO THE MORE PEOPLE I GUESS WILL COME HERE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, LIKE I SAID, I'M SURE THAT FOR MUCH LATER, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE NEW YEAR AND WE FIGURED OUT IS IF WE'RE HAVING IN PERSON, UH, MEETINGS OR NOT.
SO, BUT THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE SHOULD, UM, LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I WILL HAVE TO CUT THIS MEETING SHORT BECAUSE WE ARE PUSHING TWO 30.
SO THERE'S ANY OTHER FUTURE GEN ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL DAVID AND MYSELF SO I CAN IMPROVE IT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
I WILL, UM, ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
SO MOVED COMMISSIONER BROOKS SECOND.
I HAVE BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE AND HAVE A GOOD THANKSGIVING.
AND I WANT IT TO JUST SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BIRTHDAY.