Jun 10, 2022 Mayor&#39;s Committee for People with Disabilities

SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL HAVE QUORUM.

WELCOME TO EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION.

WE ARE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO START THIS MEETING BACK UP SINCE, UH, PRE COVID.

SO WELCOME TO WELCOME AND SIT BACK

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

AND ENJOY.

SO I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMUNICATION, BUT WAS THERE ANY, UM, PUBLIC CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ONE.

AT ONE POINT WE HAD CLOSE TO 40, UH, MAYORS COMMITTEES AROUND THE STATE UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES.

UM, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? RED MEANS GO, HUH? I WAS LOOKING FOR GREEN.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME, UH, TWO OR THREE MINUTES HERE.

MY NAME IS NORMAN KIKI.

I'M WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

I AM THE NEW LINDSEY.

I'M THE NEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND INFORMATION SPECIALIST.

I'VE BEEN THERE A LITTLE BIT OVER A MONTH.

UM, MY CAREER HAS BEEN IN SERVICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR 27 YEARS.

I RAN A NONPROFIT, UH, STARTING OUT AS UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY OF THE CAPITAL AREA.

AND WHEN WE, UH, DROPPED OUT OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, WE BECAME DISABILITY ASSISTANCE OF CENTRAL TEXAS, AND WE HAD FOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

WE TOPPED OUT ABOUT A MILLION, $10 MILLION BUDGET WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

WE'D BEEN TALKING WITH THE ARC AND THE EASTER SEALS FOR YEARS ABOUT MERGING THAT COULD NEVER SEEM TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

BUT FINALLY, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, WAS COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR BOARD AND SOME AGREEMENTS.

AND WE FARMED OUT OUR PROGRAMS TO THE CAPITAL AREA AT EASTER SEALS.

UH, THE FEE FOR, UH, PAYMENT SERVICES JUST WENT BACK TO THE REHABILITATION COMMISSION AND THE OTHER AGENCIES PICKED THOSE CLIENTS UP AND NONE OF OUR STAFF LOST THEIR JOBS.

EVERYBODY TRANSITIONED WITH THE PROGRAMS I HAPPEN TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND GOT HIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION FOR 13 YEARS, WORKING IN THE ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS PROGRAM, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY WAS, UH, OUR DISABILITY ASSISTANCE WAS MODIFYING PRIVATE HOMES.

UH, SO THE DIFFERENCE AT THE STATE WAS WE DID EVERYTHING BUT PRIVATE HOMES, BUT I KNEW THE STANDARDS VERY WELL.

SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD FIT FOR ME.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED WITH HUMAN SERVICES AND OTHER AGENCIES.

IT WASN'T UNUSUAL FOR A GROUP OF US FROM THE HUMAN SERVICES ASSOCIATION TO GO MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO TALK ABOUT FAMILY ELDER CARE.

THEY'RE IN TROUBLE.

THEY NEED MONEY HERE.

AND IT WAS A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN HERE.

I WAS ON THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS AND OH MY GOSH, WE HAD SO MANY SUBCOMMITTEES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS.

AND SO WE WERE ALWAYS MEETING IN HERE.

IT'S LIKE A SECOND HOME TO ME.

SO IT'S A, IT'S A SPECIAL, SPECIAL ROOM FOR ME.

UM, I'M HERE REALLY JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, NORMAN KIKI.

I WILL BE ONE OF MY CHARGES IS STAY IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL COMMITTEES.

AND, UH,

[00:05:01]

UM, THEY HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN WORKED FOR A FEW YEARS.

SO MANY OF THEM IN THE SMALLER CITIES HAVE, UH, PEOPLE HAVE MOVED AWAY OR GOT OTHER INTERESTS.

AND SO A LOT OF THEM ARE FUNCTIONING.

THE LARGER CITIES ARE STILL FUNCTIONING, SAN ANTONIO, HOUSTON, DALLAS, FORT WORTH EL PASO.

UM, SO, UM, I'M STARTING OUT EASILY BY GOING TO THE AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO FOR MY FIRST TWO VISITS.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, I'LL HAVE A FEW MORE THAN THE CHALLENGING CITIES, BUT JUST TO, UH, YOU, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THIS ARE OUR BIG PROGRAMS, UH, OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMS, THE LEX FRIEDEN, UH, EMPLOYMENT AWARDS, UH, IN OCTOBER IN CONJUNCTION WITH NASA NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH.

UH, WE'LL BE SENDING OUT THOSE CALLS FOR, UH, EMPLOYER AWARDS, UH, PRETTY SOON.

UH, WE DO GET A LOT OF, UH, NOMINATIONS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS FROM AUSTIN ARE A NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH.

WE DO A POSTER COMPETITION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES AND, UH, INCREDIBLE ART, UH, GETS BROUGHT TO US.

AND I HAVE FIVE JUDGES READY IN THE QUEUE TO START JUDGING THE ART AS IT COMES IN OUR BARBARA JORDAN MEDIA AWARDS FOR JOURNALISTS AND PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA.

UH, WE JUST COMPLETED THOSE FOR 2222.

WE'RE GOING READY TO HAVE OUR WRAP-UP CELEBRATION.

AND THEN OUR ANNUAL ADA CELEBRATION, I WILL INCLUDE YOUR STAFF LIAISONS AND EMAILS ABOUT THESE PRESS RELEASES ABOUT THESE EVENTS.

ASSUMING THAT THOSE WILL BE PASSED ON TO THE COMMITTEE.

AND WE HOPE THAT WE'LL HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN COMMITTEE CENTRAL CENTRAL, THE CLOSEST WORLD.

I'M JUST LOCATED RIGHT BY THE CAPITOL AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS WE'LL GIVE TIME FOR ONE QUESTION.

IF ANY HEARING NONE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AND WORKING MORE IN TANDEM WITH THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE.

MOVING ON DOWN THE AGENDA.

WE ARE LOOKING TO FOR APPROVAL FOR OUR APRIL MEETINGS MINUTES.

GOOD.

OF HOW EVERYONE CAN USE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC TRANSIT, THE OLD BILLOWS AND UT SHUTTLES, BUT CAP METRO AND OUR CITY LEADERS PREFERRED TO PLAN INSTEAD FOR 20 LANES ON ICE, 35, 3,800 PARKING SPACES AT THE CAPITOL AND EXTENSIVE STRAIGHT RAIL LINES AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE THAT GO NOWHERE.

IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? YES.

I CIRCLED AUSTIN'S AGING IN PLACE GROUP CAPITAL CITY VILLAGE.

I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO EVALUATE HOW WELL CURRENCY YOUR TRANSIT SERVICES WORK AND WHAT IS STILL NEEDED.

THIS QUESTION CAME UP AT CAPITOL CITY VILLAGE.

WHY SERVE ON THE BOARD AFTER WE LEARNED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT AUSTIN IS THE FASTEST GROWING AREA IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY FOR SENIORS.

YET MY OVARIES SUGGEST THERE HAS BEEN NO COORDINATED EFFORT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE GROUPS THAT PROVIDE VOLUNTEER DRIVERS SERVICES AND CAP METRO SENIOR SERVICES ARE ADEQUATE, WHETHER THEY OVERLAP AND WHETHER THEY CONTAIN GAPS.

CAPITOL CITY VILLAGE PROVIDES VOLUNTEER DRIVERS SERVICES FOR MEMBERS ONLY FOR DRIVERS, SENIOR OFFICES I'VE TALKED TO.

SO THEY ALWAYS NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS ON A RECEIVING INCREASED REQUESTS FOR SERVICE.

AFTER I'VE PREPARED THESE REMARKS THIS MORNING, I TALKED TO SOMEONE, WE SAID THAT AT NINE 20, THEY HAD ALREADY HAD 20 REQUESTS FOR, FOR, UH, FOR RIDES.

ALTHOUGH CAPITAL METRO, THE TOWN PICK UP SERVICE, THE WEB PAGE FOR THE SERVICE DOES NOT CLEARLY DISPLAY THE OPTIONS FOR SENIORS ON THE HEADER OF THE PAGE.

IT TAKES SOME EFFORT TO LEARN THAT THE SERVICE IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN OUTLINE AREAS, A TARRYTOWN, AND PERHAPS MOST CRUCIALLY CAUSE THE SERVICE CAN ONLY BE USED IN THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, A SENIOR CANNOT USE IT TO GO TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT ACROSS TOWN, A RECURRING COMPLAINT I'VE RECEIVED.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT TARGETED DESTINATIONS DO WRITERS NEED AND WANT MOST WHAT PUBLIC TRANSIT AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES CAN THEY USE NOW? HOW WELL DO ALL THE SERVICES WORK AS A WHOLE, WHAT IS STILL NEEDED AND HOW CAN IT ALL BE FUNDED? WHAT SENIORS NEED IS IN FACT WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC NEEDS.

BUT RIGHT NOW THE PUBLIC SEEMS CONTEMPT TO SIMPLY SAY WHAT SUPPORTS PUBLIC TRANSIT AS LONG AS SOMEONE ELSE USES IT.

THAT'S WHY I SEE SO MANY FAMILIES STRUGGLED TO GET A SENIOR, TO STOP DRIVING AND SENIORS COMPLAINING THAT THEY CAN'T USE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO EVEN GO TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE.

HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE PROVEN MODELS

[00:10:01]

IN PARTICULAR, IN MY RESEARCH, I CAME ACROSS A UNIVERSAL MATHEMATICAL ALGORITHM FOR URBAN TRANSIT PEOPLE TAKE THE MOST EFFICIENT TRANSIT IN ANY GIVEN CITY.

WE STILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT JUST WHAT THAT MEANS IN AUSTIN, BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO PRIMARILY DEPEND ON CARS, POLLUTION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BOOM US ALL.

I'LL DO YOU HAVE TIME TO, THIS IS RARELY DISCUSSION WITH REGARDING SENIORS, IF ANY FOREIGN FROM THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS HAS A ONE QUESTION.

UM, DEFINITELY THE FLOOR IS OPEN THIS IS SALLY THEN CIRCLE.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.

ONE ASKS FOR BARBARA, BARBARA.

I ASSUME YOU HAVE THAT WRITTEN DOWN.

YOU LISTED A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE.

UM, IF YOU COULD SEND ME A SOFT COPY OF THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT CERTAINLY.

AND, AND IF THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ARTICLE ON THE ALGORITHM, THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

IT STARTED UP AS TRYING TO TRACK HOW COVID WENT, WENT IN CITIES AND THEY WOUND UP DECIDING IT WAS TRANSIT.

AND ALSO IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE DISABILITIES LIAISON, SINCE THERE ARE MANY SENIORS WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN AUSTIN, I'M NOT A SENIOR, BUT I'M A PERSON WITH DISABILITY WITH A VISUAL DISABILITY AND THE PICKUP SERVICE.

UM, IT'S NOT CLEARLY DEFINED ON THE WEBSITE WHERE EXACTLY THEY GO.

SO IT'S KIND OF A GUESSING GAME OF WHERE CAN I GO ON THE PICKUP SERVICE? SO IF YOU COULD SEND THAT TO OUR LIAISON, TO, UM, I AM LEGALLY BLIND.

SO I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN ALL THE DISABILITY ISSUES.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH ME, I'D BE GLAD TO BE A RESOURCE IN THE FUTURE.

GREAT.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND BEFORE I'M BRINGING YOU TO THE CG, TO WHAT BOTH OF US.

THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

AND I REALLY HOPE THAT Y'ALL LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING A TSUNAMI OF SENIORS AND WE ALL NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON, ON PARTICULARLY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT AND THEN ON, ON WHAT VOLUNTEER SERVICES WE HAVE TO DRIVE PEOPLE AROUND.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD WEEKEND.

BYE.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR APPROVAL OF OUR APRIL MEETING MINUTES.

UM, GO AHEAD.

BEFORE WE START, COULD I HAVE EVERYONE FROM THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, TURN ON THEIR CAMERAS THAT ARE VIRTUAL PLEASE, IN CASE YOU'VE NOT HEARD OF THAT.

EVERYONE FROM THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERAS.

ARE ALL THE CAMERAS ON CITY STAFF? UM, I I'D RATHER NOT IF THAT'S OKAY.

IS YOUR CURRENT FOSTER WHILE.

UM, BY NOT HAVING YOUR CAMERA ON, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE THOUGH.

OH, OKAY.

AND YES, MA'AM, SHOULDN'T SHE BE ABLE TO VOTE WHEN IT'S TIME TO VOTE OR YOU'RE SAYING DURING THE VOTE, DURING THE VOTE, LIKE SHE CAN, IF SHE'D LIKE SHE CAN HAVE IT ALL.

GOTCHA.

ARE WE READY TO PROCEED CITIZEN? OKAY.

[I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

MOVING ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

WERE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

THIS IS COMMISSIONER SHREK.

I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR APRIL MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED THERE A SECOND.

IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY EMILY VICE-CHAIR SHROCK AND SECOND BY TREY HO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED.

MINUTES HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.

UM, FROM THE CLUB CONSULTING GROUP, WE'RE TALKING, GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY DISABILITY STUDY.

MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.

[2A. Presentation by Public Consulting Group regarding the Disability Quality of Life Study.]

THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR YOU.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW, CAROL, IF YOU WANTED

[00:15:01]

TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE START, IF YOU WANT US TO JUST JUMP ON IN.

HI, I'M SORRY.

I'M HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND I THINK I HEAR AN ECHO.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY THAT, UM, UH, WAS COMMISSIONED, I GUESS PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO NOW.

UM, I THINK MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

UM, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY.

SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO PCG.

THANK YOU, CAROL.

AGAIN.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION OR IF THERE'S A WAY FOR ME TO SHARE IT OR I CAN JUST TALK THROUGH IT AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL GET A COPY OF THAT AFTER THE MEETING AS WELL.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU SHOULD GET THAT TO SHARE IT.

OKAY, PERFECT.

DOESN'T LOOK LIKE I HAVE THE OPTION.

IT'S GREAT OUT FOR ME.

I'M NOT, I'M NOT ABLE TO SHARE THANK YOU.

WHOEVER IS ABLE TO DO THAT FOR ME.

10 80 STARTED THE SHOW.

I APOLOGIZE EVERYONE.

OR ABILITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND HOW THOSE, UM, ENTITIES OR BUSINESSES WERE PERCEIVED IN TERMS OF HOW SUPPORTIVE THEY ARE, UM, AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRITTANY TRUJILLO AND I'M WITH PUBLIC CONSULTING GROUP.

MY COLLEAGUE, HEATHER FLAT MARK IS ALSO ON THE MEETING WITH US AND I'M JUST HERE TO PRESENT THE CITY OF BOSTON'S DISABILITY QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY THAT WE BEGAN LAST YEAR.

WE'LL DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHO WE ARE AS PUBLIC CONSULTING GROUP.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE DISABILITY QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY, AND THEN HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS.

UH, FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, PUBLIC CONSULTING GROUP WAS FOUNDED IN 1986 AND WE ARE HEADQUARTERED IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, EXCUSE ME.

WE HAVE OVER 2,800 PROFESSIONALS OR EMPLOYEES AND ABOUT 34 OFFICES.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF US ARE STILL REMOTE.

THE, A MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, SUCH AS STATE COUNTIES, CITIES, UM, TO ASSIST THEM IN AREAS OF THEIR PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE FIVE AREAS THAT WE FOCUS ON.

YOU LOOK AT HUMAN SERVICES, PROGRAMS, HEALTH PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, WE DO TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING AND THEN PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS IS OUR COMPANY THAT ALSO WORKS WITH PARTICIPANT DIRECTED OR SELF-DIRECTED PROGRAMS, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DISABILITY QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY ITSELF.

UH, SO WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS? UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS SEEKING TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED FOR AUSTINITES WITH DISABILITIES.

UM, IN AUSTIN AT THE TIME THAT WE STARTED THIS WORK, THERE WERE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE CITY, UM, THAT HAVE DISABILITIES.

WE ALSO KNOW THE TIME THAT BEFORE THIS PROCESS, UM, THAT AUSTIN HAS NEVER ADMINISTERED AN OFFICIAL, UM, CITYWIDE DATA COLLECTION EFFORT OR SURVEY TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN AUSTIN.

THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT ULTIMATELY WERE TO HELP AWESOME IDENTIFY CHALLENGES, DETERMINE GAPS, UM, ALIGN ANY RESOURCES, GUIDE POLICY DECISIONS, AND ALSO MEET THE IMAGINE AUSTIN VISION AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023 GOALS.

SO WHAT WE DID TO DO THIS WORK, UM, WE BEGAN IN APRIL OF 2021, WE ENGAGED WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON'S OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDERS IN THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE IS INCLUDED IN THAT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, TO THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ALL YOUR LIFE AND WHERE THEY FELT IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE TO DO THIS.

WE CONDUCTED A FEW MAIN TASKS.

WE WANTED TO CREATE A DATA COLLECTION PLAN THAT WE DID PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE.

UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN MAY.

UH, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WENT INTO THAT PLAN.

WE DEVELOPED AND ADMINISTERED THE SURVEY.

THE SURVEY WAS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO LIVED AND OR WORKED IN AUSTIN AND REALLY DESIGNED FOR THEM TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES RELATED TO HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, EMPLOYMENT, UM, SOCIAL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES, OTHER AREAS THAT IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND THEN WE ALSO FACILITATED THE COMMUNITY POWER ANALYSIS, AND THAT REALLY HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHICH ENTITIES IN AUSTIN, UM, MAYBE PERCEIVE TO HAVE THE POWER

[00:20:01]

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT DATA COLLECTION PLAN, OUR DATA COLLECTION PLAN.

AND WE TALKED THROUGH THIS WHEN WE PRESENTED LAST MAY AS WELL, OUTLINED THE POPULATION TO BE SERVED.

SO WE WANTED TO DEFINE DISABILITY.

UM, WE WANTED TO DESCRIBE DISABILITY IN AUSTIN, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS, AGE AND RACE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, LANGUAGES, EMPLOYMENT, AND INCOME AND THE BARRIERS AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS A LOT THAT WENT INTO THAT, A COLLECTION PLAN IN TERMS OF THE POPULATION WE WANTED TO SURVEY.

UM, WE, THE SURVEY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE ADMINISTERED IT AND WE DID A LOT OF STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND WE ADD ALSO HAS SOME SURVEY LIMITATIONS.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, TO DEVELOP A SURVEY, WE WANTED TO REVIEW SOME PRIOR LEARNING, MAYBE WHAT TOOK PLACE IN AUSTIN BEFORE, WHAT OTHER CITIES OR STATES OR COUNTRIES DONE, UM, FOR THAT MIGHT BE SIMILAR TO THESE KINDS OF SURVEYS.

WE DID STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

WE WANTED TO MEET WITH PEOPLE IN AUSTIN WITH DISABILITIES OR THEIR FAMILIES OR PEOPLE.

WHO'VE WORKED WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE TRYING TO CAPTURE THAT WITHIN THE SURVEY.

UM, WE DESIGNED THE QUESTIONS AND THE INSTRUMENT ITSELF.

IT WASN'T ONLINE SURVEY.

WE ALSO, BECAUSE OF THAT AND WITH THAT INCORPORATED DESIGN, UM, ACCESSIBILITY PIECES, SUCH AS LANGUAGE FORMATTING, KEYBOARD CONTROLS, THE COLOR AND FONTS OF THE SURVEY, THE IMAGES THAT WERE USED, UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS THE SURVEY COULD BE TAKEN.

IT COULD ALSO BE TAKEN BY PROXY.

THERE WAS A QR CODE, THERE WAS A LINK.

UM, IT COULD BE DONE ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR MOBILE DEVICE, AS WELL AS THE LAPTOP OR DESKTOP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE TRIED TO MAKE IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE, UM, AND TO REACH MORE PEOPLE THAN, UM, POTENTIALLY MAILING SOMETHING TO PEOPLE.

SO THAT WAS OUR EFFORT INTO, IN DESIGNING IT TO ADMINISTER THE SURVEY.

IT WASN'T AN ANONYMOUS SURVEY LINK OR QR CODE.

WE SENT THAT TO MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WORK WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR SUPPORT OR ADVOCATE OR, UM, IN ANY WAY, WHICH INCLUDES UNIVERSITIES AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS AS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.

UM, WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THEM INITIALLY IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT INITIAL STAKEHOLDER INPUT AS WELL.

UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALSO PUBLISHED THE SURVEY INFORMATION IN THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN NEWSPAPER AS A WAY TO PROMOTE THE SURVEY AS WELL AS OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED.

SO SOME KEY POINTS THAT CAME OUT FOR US IN THE SURVEY WAS THE OVERALL WELLBEING, IS THAT IN GENERAL PEOPLE RE RATED THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AS GOOD OR VERY GOOD.

UM, PEOPLE THOUGH WERE LESS SATISFIED WITH THEIR HEALTH THAN THEY WERE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT STOOD OUT FOR US IN THE SURVEY.

UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT OVERALL WELLBEING FOR MATERIAL WELLBEING, A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SURVEYED OR THAT RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY WERE SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THE PLACE THAT THEY LIVED.

UM, OVER HALF.

THE ALSO INDICATED THOUGH THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO FIND ANY EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES OR DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

UM, AGAIN, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT TO US WHEN WE THINK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND EMPLOYMENT.

AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT EMPLOYMENT IS AS A SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, MAJORITY OF OVER HALF DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE RESOURCES THEY EVEN EXISTED.

UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL INCLUSION, A MAJORITY OF THIS PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY AGREED THAT THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND WERE CONNECTED TO THEIR PURSE, TO THE PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

UM, HOWEVER, MAJORITY ALSO DISAGREED WITH THE STATEMENT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN LISTENS TO ME AND OTHERS WERE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

UM, IN REGARD TO SELF-DETERMINATION MOST PEOPLE INDICATED THAT DAY-TO-DAY INFORMATION THEY NEEDED WAS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

THEY KNEW WHERE IT WAS, OR THEY HAD ACCESS TO IT.

UH, ALSO MANY INDIVIDUALS THOUGH ACROSS ALL DISABILITIES INDICATED THAT THEY WERE SELDOM ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED.

UM, WHEN DID THEY WANT IT? SO A COUPLE OF OPPOSITES OF A SIMILAR POINT IN THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED IN REGARD TO ENVIRONMENT.

UM, MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS INDICATED THAT THEY RARELY OR NEVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LEISURE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME.

AND THAT DISABILITY REALLY PREVENTS THEM.

THEIR DISABILITY PREVENTS THEM FROM PARTICIPATING IN LEISURE ACTIVITIES AROUND AUSTIN.

UM, THEY SAID THAT THE QUALITY OF STREET.

SO WHEN WE ASKED SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, WE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN TERMS OF WHAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THAT FOR YOU.

WHAT WE HEARD IS THAT PAUL DAVE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS MADE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ACCESSIBLE OR LESS ACCESSIBLE.

[00:25:02]

CRIME, OR FEELING UNSAFE AND COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES CONTRIBUTED THEN TO, UM, NOT REALLY HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME.

A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY OR EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF SOMEONE WITH THEIR DISABILITY, MAYBE INTERACTING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND THE LAST BIG PIECE THAT STOOD OUT TO US THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY WAS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.

PEOPLE, EXPRESS CONCERNS WITH A LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSIT TRANSPORTATION IN GENERAL, UM, STATED THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WASN'T ACCESSIBLE PEOPLE, EXPRESS DISSATISFACTION WITH TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM BEYOND THE USE OF THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE.

AND THE TOP THREE, THREE PRIORITIES THAT CAME FROM THE SURVEY FOR IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION.

AUSTIN WERE IMPROVING ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND IMPROVING THE CONDITION AND THE NUMBER OF SIDEWALKS.

SO BASED UP ON THE SURVEY, ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDER WORK, UM, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THIS, UM, ENGAGEMENT TO HAVE STAKEHOLDER INPUT.

WE CAME UP WITH SOME KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AUSTIN OR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, ACROSS AGAIN, THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

SO NOT JUST FOCUSED ON THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR EXAMPLE, BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS REALLY FOCUSING ON STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

UM, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THAT CAME ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE MAYBE A LOT OF BUSINESSES, OR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS SPECIFICALLY, AND MAYBE JUST DON'T HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO REALLY, UM, THE CITY NEEDS, WE RECOMMENDED THE CITY FOCUSING ON, ON STRENGTHENING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

UM, WE KNOW THAT THIS COMMITTEE EXISTS, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER WAYS IN WHICH TO OBTAIN FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, WE ALSO RECOMMENDED PROMOTING ADA AWARENESS ACROSS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY AT ADDRESSING TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ISSUES, WE HEARD AGAIN A LOT ABOUT BUSINESSES, MAYBE NOT BEING ADA COMPLIANT OR JUST CONCERNS THERE, UM, TRANSPORTATION, SIDEWALKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT AREA, SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS AND CHALLENGES OF THE SURVEY, THOUGH, WE DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THOSE, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THAT'S IMPACTED ALL OF US FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

UM, WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE ADMINISTERING THE SURVEY, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF TRAVEL STILL HAPPENING, UNLESS IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

THERE WAS SOCIAL DISTANCING, UM, AGAIN, A LIMITED ABILITY TO TRAVEL OR EVEN, OR EVEN GATHER PUBLICLY IF PEOPLE WERE GATHERING PUBLICLY, THOSE GROUPS WERE LIMITED TO SMALL SIZES OF ALL NUMBERS.

UM, AND MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WE WERE TRYING TO PARTNER WITH AND WORK WITH ALSO WEREN'T BEATING, UM, OR WEREN'T EVEN PHYSICALLY OPEN THAT CREATED A LOT OF DIFFICULTY IN GETTING, I THINK A LOT OF, UM, SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY PROCESS, WHICH LED TO MINIMAL PARTICIPATION.

WE HAD A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS SMALLER THAN WE'D EXPECTED FOR THE SIZE OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN AUSTIN.

WE HAD A SMALL NUMBER OF FOCUS GROUPS OR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, WHO ACTUALLY HAD ENGAGED IN OUR MEETINGS.

WE HAD, AGAIN, SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY WITH FOCUS GROUPS THAT WERE VIRTUALLY THE TIMES IN THE MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS, UM, VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY HAVE VERY MINIMAL PARTICIPATION AND OFTEN PEOPLE WOULD SIGN UP FOR ONE AND THEN NOT ALL, NOT EVEN SHOW UP.

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE JOIN.

UM, THAT INCLUDED A LIMITED NUMBER OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE.

DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS, I THINK, THROUGH THE QUORUM.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PARTICIPATION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS DURING THE LAST YEAR AS WELL.

SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCED AS WE WERE ADMINISTERING THIS SURVEY PROCESS.

AND WITH THAT, I KNOW I WENT THROUGH QUICKLY.

I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE A FAIRLY FULL AGENDA.

SO I WANTED TO GET THROUGH THE INFORMATION AND THEN LEAVE A FEW MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL.

THIS IS CHAIR, UH, JONATHAN FRANKS.

DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS YOU HAD FOR THE SURVEY? UM, I THINK WE HAD IN HEATHER, IF YOU HAVEN'T HANDY, UM, IT IS IN OUR REPORT THAT WE GAVE TO THE CITY.

I THINK THERE WERE 101 T SOMETHING, UH, COMPLETE RESPONSES.

ALTHOUGH WE HAD MORE

[00:30:01]

SURVEYS THAT WERE PARTIALLY FILLED OUT THERE WERE ABOUT, I FEEL LIKE 120 OR 130 COMPLETE RESPONSES.

THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT A REFLECTION OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVE IN AUSTIN.

UM, I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE.

AND IF ANY COMMISSION ON SENIORS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FIRST WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER THREAD.

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

WELL, WE, WE ASKED FOR THIS TO BE FUNDED OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE.

IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FROM THIS COMMITTEE.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M NOT HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT ARE STATISTICS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND I FEEL LIKE THERE HAVE TO BE SIGNIFICANT STATISTICS IN THIS REPORT ABOUT FOR INSTANCE PERCENT LOOKING AT HIGHER LEVEL DATA, PULLING IT FROM CENSUS BLOCK DATA OR OTHER SOURCES THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UM, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY RIGHTS, TEXAS OR WHATEVER, BUT LOOKING AT, UM, FOR INSTANCE, PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE EMPLOYED, ONE OF THEIR THINGS THAT PROMPTED US TO ASK FOR THE SURVEY WAS LEARNING THAT THE CITY CONTRACTING DOES NOT TREAT, UM, DISABILITY AS A DISADVANTAGE FOR BUSINESSES AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS CONTRACTING.

AND, UM, I'M, HARD-PRESSED FROM WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CLARIFIES THAT IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS LIMITED TO SURVEYS OF PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR OPINIONS, ABOUT THINGS, BUT MAY NOT HAVE, UM, DATA THAT WE CAN USE TO PRESENT.

FOR INSTANCE, A BIG AREA THAT I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR YOU MENTIONED IS THE LACK OF, UM, SERVICES FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY.

THE FACT THAT THE, THE ONLY, UH, PARKS PROGRAMMING FOR THE DOES DAY HUB IN THE CITY IS FULL AND HAS LONG WAITING LISTS.

UM, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THE STATISTICS AROUND THAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TO OUR EMPLOYED PERCENTAGE.

AND I WOULD THINK GOODWILL WOULD HAVE THESE SORTS OF STATISTICS POTENTIALLY.

BUT, UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT MISSING HERE.

ARE THERE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO ADD SOME, UM, STATISTICS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE NOT BASED ON, UM, QUALITATIVE OPINIONS, BUT ARE RAW DATA AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, UH, LIVING CONDITIONS LEVEL OF, UH, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN INTO THE SURVEY, INTO THE WORK.

AND SO WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A STUDY OF DISPARITY? SO I WILL SAY THAT THIS WAS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF THE WORK THAT WE DID.

UM, I DID NOT GO AND TO ALL THE DETAILS OF EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE REPORT, WE HAVE FAR MORE DATA IN THE REPORT THAT DID COME FROM THE SURVEY.

UM, IF I'M REMEMBERING THERE IS SOME DATA POINTS IN THERE AS WELL ABOUT JUST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN GENERAL.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF CAROL SAW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADD ANY MORE.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH CAROL FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE REPORT'S BEEN RELEASED YET EITHER.

SO, BUT OUR REPORT HAS FAR MORE DATA.

THIS WAS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF WHAT WE DID, UM, DID NOT HAVE TIME, I THINK, TO GO THROUGH EACH PIECE OF DATA IN THE SURVEY AND WHAT WE LEARNED.

THIS IS COMMISSIONER ORLOVSKY.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

I APPRECIATE IT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENT, COMMISSIONER ALASKA.

OOPS, SORRY.

UM, NO, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS FROM THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE, FIRST COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE, THE LARGER, UM, STUDY BEFORE IT BECOMES FINAL.

SEVERAL OF WHAT ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE WILL.

UM, AND WE'LL ALSO, UM, FORWARD YOU A COPY OF THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION AS WELL, BUT THE, THE STUDY IS NOT FINALIZED.

WE'RE GOING TO, UM, UH, DISBURSE THAT TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, AND YOU ALL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS OR, UM, THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT IT BEFORE IT BECOMES FINALIZED.

UM, THAT WE CAN TAKE FROM THAT AND, AND KIND OF USE FOR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL FOR, UM, FOR SERVICES, FOR PROGRAMS, FOR, YOU KNOW, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.

VERY GOOD.

AND JUST KIND OF, UM, PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT COMMISSIONER TREY HILL HAD SAID, MY HOPE IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STUDY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE ARE CLEAR LIKE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE CAN,

[00:35:01]

IS THAT IN THE, THE PLAN, IS IT KIND OF STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH A, OKAY.

HERE ARE THE FOUR ACTION ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON? YES.

SORRY, GO AHEAD.

YES.

IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS SECTION, WHAT I GAVE YOU TODAY WAS JUST THE HIGH LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN EACH OF WE BREAK IT DOWN INTO MORE LIKE WHAT WE SUGGEST CAN BE DONE, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE AREAS.

I DEFINITELY THINK LIKE A CROSS INTEGRATION BETWEEN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA WILL MORE ACCURATELY FRACK THE REFLECT THAT DISCREPANCIES WITHIN THE, FOR THE DISABLED POPULATION IN AUSTIN, BECAUSE WITH A LOW NUMBER OF TURNOUT THAT ONLY GIVES A SMALL PICTURE, BUT I THINK WITH MORE QUANTITATIVE DATA AND THE RESEARCH IT'S GOING TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT THE DISCREPANCIES ARE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS FROM EITHER COMMISSIONER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, THIS IS COMMISSIONER .

I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP.

MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THIS WAS A STUDY, NOT JUST A SURVEY.

SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THE FINAL PRODUCT IS GOING TO LOOK HOW THAT QUALITATIVE DATA, SO THAT IT IS MORE THAN JUST A SURVEY.

IT'S A STUDY.

THERE IS QUALITATIVE DATA IN THERE BASED OFF AGAIN, MOST OF THAT WAS, I MEAN, THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IS LIMITED TO WHAT WE GOT FROM THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET.

UM, A LOT OF THAT FROM WHO DID SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE IN THE FOCUS GROUPS OR ANY OF THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, BUT WE INCORPORATED THOSE INTO, THROUGHOUT THE END OF THE REPORT.

ANYBODY ELSE AND ASK ABOUT THE PLANS TO DISTRIBUTE TO TWO OTHER COMMISSIONS, LIKE THE COMMISSIONS ON COMMISSION ON SENIORS, BECAUSE I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO READ THAT REPORT MORE IN DETAIL.

HI, THIS IS WHAT'S.

THE FINAL STUDY IS ONCE IT'S FINALIZED, WE WILL DISTRIBUTE IT TO ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND IT'LL GO OUT, UM, CITYWIDE.

IT WILL GO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND, AND EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, CAROL.

AND ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA TOPIC, HEARING NONE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY.

WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

YOU AS WELL.

[2B. Presentation by Project Connect and CapMetro regarding service updates]

THE NEXT AGENDA TOPIC IS A PRESENTATION FROM PROJECT CONNECT AND CAPITAL METRO REGARDING SERVICE CHANGES.

THERE WE GO.

AND MY CAMERA.

UH, ARE Y'ALL DOING WELL? UH, CAN I GET ACCESS TO SHARE MY SCREEN THIS YEAR? MY PRESENTATION, PLEASE.

TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE STRESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH TRAFFIC.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON.

THIS IS GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS JEALOUS BANKS.

I AM THE PROJECT, UH, OUTREACH MANAGER, PUBLIC OUTREACH MANAGER FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

I COVER THE GREEN LINE AND OUR METRO RAPID LINES.

AND AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, UH, I WILL LEAVE A FEW MINUTES, UH, FOR MARTIN, FOR REEF.

HE, UH, NEEDS TO TOUCH ON A PIECE AT THE END OF IT.

SO I WILL SAVE TIME FOR THAT, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, POKE THROUGH THROUGH THIS PRETTY, PRETTY FAST.

SO WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

UM, BUT DEFINITELY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US OUT TODAY.

REAL QUICK OF THE AGENDA.

UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT GEOMETRY OF TRANSIT PROJECT CONNECT OVERVIEW, NATURAL, RAPID, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SOKO STATION, UH, BLUELINE BRIDGE, CRESTVIEW STATION EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY STATION, THE DRAG AND QUESTIONS, AND NEXT STEPS.

SO LET ME CHANGE THIS A LITTLE BETTER.

THERE WE GO.

THIS IS JUST GEOMETRY OR TRACK OF TRANSIT.

UM, 2020 WE'RE ABOUT 22 MILLION PICKABLE BY 2040.

WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE AROUND 4 MILLION PEOPLE AND THE AREA'S JUST GROWING.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS AWARE, UH, OF THAT.

AND SO WE HAVE

[00:40:01]

AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, YOU CAN FIT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON A BUS AND IT TAKES LESS SPACE THAN THAT.

AND THAT'S, UH, I BELIEVE ABOUT 80 PEOPLE IN THE CAR FOR THE BIKES.

AND THEN THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR CARS.

AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE FAULT NUMBER WE USE FOR BUS AND THE BIKES.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO BUSES OR TRAINS.

UH, WE CAN FIT MORE PEOPLE NOW LET'S JUST IT AWAY.

HERE WE GO.

THIS IS JUST SHOWING THE VALUE OF THE PROPOSITION FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT AND HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT.

AND ON THE LEFT OF THE SCREEN, YOU SEE YELLOW CARS AND YELLOW BUSES MOVING.

UH, THAT'S TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT MOVES 126 PEOPLE ON THAT ROADWAY DURING EACH LIGHT CYCLE.

UH, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE, UH, CARS AND BUSES, BUT WITH A DEDICATED BUS LANE, UM, THEN IT CAN GO IN FOR THE VEHICLE.

SO YOU CAN HAVE MORE PEOPLE ON TRANSIT AND MOVING EFFECTIVELY, THAT WOULD MOVE 235 PEOPLE ON THE ROAD.

UH, IF YOU HAVE THESE TRANSIT ONLY LANES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO THE SAME LIGHT CYCLE.

NOW, I'M SURE MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT AND IT PLAYS INTO THE S AND P THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

THE GOAL OF COURSE, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS TO HAVE A 50% SHARE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CARS.

AND THEN THE REST WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WALK, BIKE TRANSIT OR ANOTHER NON-DRIVER HOME LOAD TO WORK.

AS THOUGH WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF RAPIDLY INCREASING POPULATION.

THIS IS JUST A CONCEPT ART OF WHAT THE LIGHT RAIL COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, GOING THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

AND I THINK THE SLIDE ON THE, ON THE RIGHT, YOU SEE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CARS, UH, THERE'S TREES, THERE'S A BIKE LANE SIDEWALK IN THE BUILDINGS AND THE MIDDLE IS THE LIGHT RAIL OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE IS ONCE AGAIN, CONCEPTUAL ILLUSTRATION AND THEN TO OF THE, UH, LIGHT RAIL, YOU SEE, UH, THE SHELTER, UH, AS WELL AS DIFFERENT AMENITIES THAT WILL BE THERE, UH, FULLY ACCESSIBLE.

AND THEN TO THE LEFT OF THAT WILL BE MORE CARS, TREES, UH, AND BICYCLE PATH.

NOW FOR THE RAIL.

UH, WE, OUR RAIL NETWORK WOULD GROW.

UH, OF COURSE WE ALREADY HAVE OUR RED LINE THAT GOES FROM, UH, LEANDER INTO DOWNTOWN, UH, WITH THE ORANGE LINE.

IT WOULD INITIALLY START OFF AT THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, UH, AND GO WORKS ITS WAY DOWN, SIMILAR TO OUR 8 0 1 ROUTE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, UH, STASSNEY STOP.

AND WE WOULD HAVE COURSE HAVE TO DO CONSTRUCTION ALL ALONG THAT CORRIDOR WITH LAY IN THE RAIL, OR YOU GO TO MS. PATIENTS AND WE WOULDN'T DO THAT IN PHASES.

WE WOULDN'T BUILD THIS ALL OUT AT ONE TIME.

IT WILL BE PHASED IN ROLLING OF HOW IT WILL BE BUILT OUT.

UH, THE GREEN LINE IS THE COMMUTER LINE THAT WILL RUN FROM DOWNTOWN AUSTIN OUT TO GARDEN, THE PARK, AND EVENTUALLY MAYNARD AND ELVIN.

WE ALREADY OWNED THAT TRACK AND THERE'S FREIGHT THAT RUNS IN THAT TRACK CURRENTLY.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME UPGRADES AND UPGRADES, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME BUILDING ALONG THE WAY OF THE TRACK, BUT WE COULD BE ABLE TO RUN, UM, COMMUTER SERVICE AS WELL.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GET COMMUTER AND LIGHT RAIL, UH, CONFUSED.

WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH THE RED LINE IS THAT LIGHT RAIL IS COMMUTER SERVICE AND IS DESIGNED TO BRING PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSKIRTS IN WITH OUR METRO RAPIDS, WHICH OF COURSE CURRENTLY IS OUR 8 0 1 8 OR THREES.

UH, THIS MAP IS NOW SHOWING WHAT THAT NETWORK LOOKS LIKE WITH THESE PURPLE LINES.

THE TWO NEW LINES WE WOULD HAVE CREATED WILL BE WHAT WE CALL AN EXPO NIGHT WAS GOING TO BE FOUR, BUT THE TWO THAT WAS KICKED OFF NEXT YEAR AND THE SUMMER WOULD BE THE EXPO LINE, WHICH WOULD COME FROM THE EXPO CENTER, UH, GO BY LBJ HIGH SCHOOL VINCE TO GO, UH, THROUGH KNEELER AND GET YOU INTO DOWNTOWN, UH, DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, ARCTIC APATOW, AND WE'LL CONNECT WITH THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL THAT WE WOULD HAVE FOR, UH, THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.

THE SECOND ONE WILL BE WHAT WE CALL OUR PLEASANT VALLEY ROUTE, WHICH WAS STARTING NEWER AND WORK ITS WAY OVER THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND GO PAST ACC EAST VIEW AND GO ALL THE WAY SOUTH DOWN TO GET LIGHT AND RANCH.

UH, WE'VE ALREADY BROKE GROUND ON THOSE TWO ROUTES WHERE WE STARTED TO PUT THE SENIOR PADS DOWN, UH, AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SHELTERS GOING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO WE WILL END ONCE AGAIN, ALL THOSE VEHICLES WILL BE ELECTRIC.

AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE THAT ONCE AGAIN, READY TO GO FOR FULL SERVICE BY THE SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN WE ALSO WILL BE EXTENDING THE 8 0 1 TO GO FURTHER SOUTH WEST.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ON MY MAN CHOCOLATE AND OAK HILL, NATURAL RAPID EXTENSION.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW PHASES, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE, UH, WITH TEXTILES.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE PHASED IN, UH, WHETHER IT'S GETTING INTO A SPINAL STUFF.

UM, BUT FOR THE TIME

[00:45:01]

BEING WE'LL WANT TO MAKE IT WORK.

AND THEN ONCE TXDOT IS DONE WITH THEIR CONSTRUCTION OVER THERE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT FULL LINE OF SERVICE.

AND THAT IS THE GOLD LINE, WHICH ARE THE ACC HIGHLAND TO REPUBLIC SQUARE.

AND THAT WILL BE METRO RAPID AS WELL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT BECOMING LIGHT RAIL IN THE FUTURE RIDERSHIP, UH, BUILDS UP.

SO, AND THAT WILL BE CONNECTING YOU TO DIFFERENT, UM, TO THE, TO OTHER MUCH RAPID ROUTES, AS WELL AS BOTH LIGHT RAILS AND TO OUR OTHER SERVICES.

NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, UH, HOW IT'S SET UP PROJECT CONNECT HAS THE THREE LEADS, OFTEN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS WHERE I AM.

WE DO THE IMPLEMENTATION CAP, METRO, WHICH WE'LL PRACTICE.

AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHO WAS HELPING WITH, WITH THE FUNDS AND THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, UH, INVESTMENT.

UH, THIS IS A SEQUENCE PLAN FOR HOW LONG, UH, WORKING TO TAKE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LIGHT RAIL IS, IS PLANNING TO BE DONE IN ABOUT NINE YEARS.

AND WE'RE FAIRLY MOVE ON A SCHEDULE.

IT'S BEEN A FAST PACED SCHEDULE, BUT WE'RE MOVING ON SCHEDULE.

UH, WE'RE UP THERE WITH THE NEED FOR PROCESS AND DOING THE ENGINEERING.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE TIME WE'RE DOING COMMUNITY OUTPUT AND GETTING, WANTING TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE THAT THROUGH THE WHOLE TIME.

WE'RE DOING SOME RED LINES UPGRADES RIGHT NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A STILL FEW YEARS, IT'S STILL A FEW YEARS OUT BEFORE WE DO THE GREEN LINE METRIC RAPID WE'VE KICKED OFF ALREADY, AND WE'LL START DOING SOME OF THE PARKING RIDES THAT WILL BE NEEDED FOR A METRO RAPID SU.

THIS IS WHERE WE ARE SHOWING, HOW ARE YOUR FEEDBACK WILL BE INCORPORATED? WE ARE CURRENTLY IN BETWEEN THE END OF THE FDA PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE DONE AND WRAP FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH IS D E I S.

AND THAT'S THE PROPOSED 30% DESIGN INSEAD PHASING PLAN THAT WILL COME OUT DURING THE SUMMER.

UH, IT WILL BE OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW IT.

I BELIEVE IT'S 30 DAYS AND THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW IT AND MAKE COMMENTS ON IT.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING VERY FAST TO GET TO THAT AND GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OR BE, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE AND FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT AND REVIEW THAT WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE COSTS CONSIDERATIONS, AND IT'S GONE UP A LITTLE BIT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

UH, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE TAX INCREMENT RATE WOULD NOT BE INCREASED TO COVER ONGOING PROGRAM COSTS.

WE WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, PHASE THINGS IN DIFFERENTLY AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

WE WON'T BE COMING BACK FOR ANY MORE, BUT SOME OF THE REASONS THE COST HAS GONE UP, UM, I THINK WE'VE ALL HAVE FELT THE IMPACT OF EVERYTHING GOING UP, RIGHT.

IT'S JUST RIGHT AWAY IN REAL ESTATE PRICES HAVE GONE UP.

INFLATION HAS GONE UP A LABOR SHORTAGE AND THE COST OF LABOR, UH, HAS GONE UP AS WELL AS SUPPLY CHAIN BARRIERS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAD TO EXPAND THE TUNNEL FROM 1.5 MILES TO FOUR MILES.

UH, AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE FOR OUR NEXT STEPS, PROJECT FINANCING WILL BE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WITHIN THE AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES.

UH, 30% COST ESTIMATES WILL BE RELEASED THIS SUMMER IN THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND WE COULD EXPECT ADDITIONAL COST INCREASES AND COMMUNITY INPUT WILL BE ESSENTIAL IN DEFINING PHASING AND THE NEXT STEP.

SO WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

UH, WE'RE OPEN FOR THE METRO RAPID UPDATE, UH, 10 MINUTES WEEKLY PICK SERVICE.

ONCE AGAIN, ZERO IN MOST PLACES THERE'LL BE ELECTRIC.

SO WE WILL HAVE ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS, UH, AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE ROUTES, OR THE BUSES WILL CONTINUE TO GET IN CHARGE OF STAYING IN SERVICE.

UH, WE'LL HAVE SOME CHANCES THAT PRIORITY TREATMENTS AS THE FLOW OF MIXED TRAFFIC, WE WILL HAVE NEW PROJECTS.

THE NEXT STATION IS BEING BUILT, UH, WILL BE MODULAR STATIONS WILL HAVE A LARGE SIZE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIZE CLOSED CAPTIONED CAMERAS.

UH, SOME OF THOSE SCREENS SHOWING WHEN, WHEN THE BUSES ARE ARRIVING, UH, IN REAL TIME, UH, NEXT LEVEL BOARDING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET ON THE BUSES.

THEY WILL HAVE SOLAR POWER WHERE AVAILABLE, AND WE WILL WORK GROUPS, COMMUNITY FOR POTENTIAL, FOR PUBLIC ART, UH, TO HELP THE STATION LOOK, FEEL TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST A STATION THAT'S THERE.

WE CAN HAVE SOME ART AS WE'VE DONE AT OUR NORWOOD STOP AND SOME OF OUR OTHER STOPS.

UH, SO THIS IS A DESIGN IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM, UH, WHAT YOU WILL CURRENTLY SEE AT ARAB METRO RAPID STUFF.

THEN WE'LL PROVIDE, UH, MORE SHELTER AND MORE SHADE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE THINK IS A MUCH BETTER LOOK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ONCE AGAIN, WHERE THE EXPO IS GOING TALKED ABOUT PLEASANT VALLEY, AND WE BROKE GROUND ON BOTH THESE ROUTES EXPORT DECEMBER 15TH, PLEASANT VALLEY ON THE 16TH.

UM, WE'RE DOING A STATION BY STATION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, AND ONCE AGAIN, SERVICE WILL BE MID NEXT YEAR.

UH, WE MENTIONED THE GOAL NINE.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UT, TEXAS, AND THE ACC HIGHLAND TO HELP YOU TO STOP SCROLLING.

UM, IT'S GOING TO JUST HELP WITH SOME OF THE EXISTING DOWNTOWN SERVICE.

IT SHARES ITS AGILE THINK, DOING TRINITY ALIGNMENT

[00:50:01]

WITH THE EXPO CENTER, METRO RAPID MINE.

UH, AND SO WE'RE USING LOCAL PROJECT CONNECT FUNDS, UH, FOR THIS ONE.

SO, UH, WE WORK WITH THE OTHER TWO.

WE ARE USING, UM, SOME FEDERAL GRANTS TO GET THAT GOING THAT SOUTHWEST LIME AND CHOCOLATE AND OAK HILL, UM, DEMAND CHOCOLATE SLAUGHTER IS THE FIRST PIECE THAT WE HAVE TWO MINUTES WITH.

THEY PICK THE SERVICE.

UH, WE ARE DOING, UH, GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR FDA BUS AND BUS FACILITIES, UH, STILL WORKING ON THE DATE OF WHEN THAT WERE ROLLED OUT AND THEN WORKING WITH TXDOT.

ONCE AGAIN, WE WOULDN'T EXTEND IT TO OAK HILL.

ONCE THE OAK HILL, UH, PARKWAY PROJECT IS COMPLETED.

NOW YOU'VE HEARD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND HOPEFULLY YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE MEETINGS AND I HOPE PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THE MEETINGS.

IF SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING IS WITH THE TOKO STATION.

UH, WE BARELY DID 15 PRESENT DESIGN, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET ACROSS LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ORANGE LINE, WE COULDN'T DO A BRIDGE.

WE HAD TALKED ABOUT DOING THE BRIDGE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO A BRIDGE OVER THE LAKE.

SO WE HAVE TO DO A UNDERGROUND AND THAT'S DUE TO THE SLOPE AND SOME OF THE PROPERTY OF THE AREA.

UM, AND THERE WAS SOME UTILITY CONFLICTS AS WELL AS, AS TRYING TO DO ITSELF.

UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT FURTHER THAN, UH, ORIGINALLY FLAT FOR THIS TUNNEL UNDERGROUND UNDER THE LAKE.

AND THIS IS, UH, JUST TO SHOW WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE FOR A SHORT TUNNEL IN LONG TUNNEL.

ONCE AGAIN, THE SHORT TUNNEL WAS 1.5 MILES OF THE LONG TUNNEL.

I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR MILES.

AND THE REASON FOR THE LONG TUNNEL IS THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.

UH, THERE WAS PARTS OF, UNFORTUNATELY IN SOUTH CONGRESS WHERE IT WILL BE RUNNING AND IF IT'S OVERHEAD ELECTRIC FOR THE FRIENDS TO MOVE, IT WOULDN'T BE BLOCKING THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.

UH, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO, OR WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO, UM, THAT.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER UNDERGROUND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT BREAKING THAT THIS IS SHOWING THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AND LADY BIRD LAKE.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN A HOT TUB CONVERSATION AND THE COMMUNITY STILL WANT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FROM BECAUSE PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS FOR THE, FOR THIS BRIDGE FOR THE BLUE LINE, UH, WILL IT BE LIGHT RAIL ONLY, UH, WOULD HAVE PAIRED AND BIKE FACILITIES ON THE BRIDGE SEPARATE FROM THE, SO THE LINE, UH, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE BUSES TO BE ABLE TO GO ON THE BRIDGE AS WELL.

AND THAT'S BEEN KIND OF THE QUESTIONS AND THE FEEDBACK WE'VE BEEN GETTING FROM STAKEHOLDERS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? OTHER PART OF THAT CONVERSATION IS THE WATER CREEK BOAT HOUSE WILL HAVE TO BE MOVING FOR THAT BRIDGE TO BE DONE, UH, IS CURRENTLY LOCATED DIRECTLY IN THE BLUE LINE ALIGNMENT, BOTH HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY, UH, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SELWAY PORTAL, WE'RE WORKING WITH PART, UM, FOR A NEW LOCATION, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE BOAT HOUSE, WHICH IS LOOKING LIKE WHERE THEY, WHERE THE HOSTEL IS.

UH, I FORGET THE STREET THAT IS OFF, BUT WHERE THE HOSTEL IS, IS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL.

SO IT'S LOOKING LIKE WE'LL, UH, WE'LL BE MOVING IN THERE.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING AS WE WORK WITH PART.

AND THIS IS JUST SHOWING YOU ONCE AGAIN, THE OPTIONS OF OPTION A IS THE LIGHT RAIL OUT TO SEE HER PATH OR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN, JUST THE LIGHT RAIL OPTION B WOULD BE THREE DIFFERENT LANES, ONE FOR THE LIGHT RAIL, ONE FOR BUSES, AND THEN HAVE THE SHARE PATH WHERE THE BIKE AND PEDESTRIANS, OF COURSE, IF WE DO THE ONE WITH THREE LANES, THREE, FOUR, THE BIKE BUSES AND PEDESTRIAN, THAT WOULD BE THE BRIDGE THAT WILL RAISE THE PRICE OF DOING THE BRIDGE PRESS.

NEW STATION IS, UH, ANOTHER IMPORTANT STATION WE WANT TO HEAR FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT IS WHERE THE LIGHT RAIL AND THE RED LINE WILL INTERSECT AND LIGHT RAIL LINES AND TRAIN LINES CAN BE UTILIZED, DO NOT OPERATE WELL TOGETHER.

SO ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE TO BE ABOVE THE OTHER OR BELOW THE OTHER, IF YOU WILL.

AND WE ALREADY KNOW THAT INTERSECTION, ISN'T THAT A VERY FRIENDLY INTERSECTION, IF YOU WILL, IT NEEDS TO HAVE SOME REDEVELOPMENT IN SOME PART OF THAT, WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CITY TO HELP MAKE THAT A SAFER, BETTER, UH, INTERSECTION.

UH, CAUSE RIGHT NOW IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC.

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET THERE A VERY SKETCHY, UH, OF COURSE WE CURRENTLY ALREADY HAVE SERVICE GOING TO PRESS VIEWS THAT WOULD HELP IMPROVE THAT STATION.

AND THAT AREA TO GO LINE WOULD IDEALLY RUN PAST CREST VIEW UP TO NORTH FROM OUR TRANSIT CENTER.

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, DO MORE CHARGING, UH, FOR THE GO LINE AND PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE WILL WANT TO DO OVER THERE.

ONCE AGAIN, THERE'LL BE UPGRADED TRAFFIC SIGNALS, A MILL AND OVERLAY RESTRIPE THING, STRAIGHTENED ADA COMPLIANT, CROSSWALKS, IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS OF NEW PUSH BUTTONS, MORE RAISED CROSSINGS FOR BOTH SLIP LANES, UH, THE MEDIAN ON JUSTIN LANE FOR BICYCLE PROTECTION AND A RAISED BIKE LANES CONNECTION.

UM, AS WELL AS ONCE AGAIN, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WE'LL GO OVER

[00:55:01]

UNDER THE RED LINE OR THE, UH, LIGHT RAIL FOR PLEASANT VALLEY AT THE EAST SIDE, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY AND RIVERSIDE STOP.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ONE.

WE NEED TO GET THE FEEDBACK ON.

WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM ON IS THIS ALREADY, WE HAD THREE OPTIONS WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.

UH, THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE THE BLUE LINE.

WE COULD DO AN UNDERPASS, A PLEASANT VALLEY, WE'LL GO UNDER PLEASANT VALLEY AT RIVERSIDE.

UH, AND IT WOULD HAVE LIKE ELEVATORS AND SIDEWALKS TO GET PEOPLE DOWN TO IT.

UH, THE SECOND OPTION, IT WAS A ROUNDABOUT.

SO WE'LL REDO, UM, RIVERSIDE A LITTLE BIT.

THERE'LL BE A ROUNDABOUT AND THE TRANSIT PLAZA WILL BE AT GRADE.

UH, AND THE THIRD ONE, WE'RE HAVING OUR COMMUNITY WORKSHOP.

WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE PROS AND CONS OF WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT EACH OPTION AND CAME WITH A THIRD OPTION TO TRY TO BETTER REFLECT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD ASK FOR.

AND THIS IS WITH RIVERSIDE NOW BEING, UH, STRAIGHTENED OUT A LITTLE BIT, HOW IT NORMALLY WOULD KIND OF CURVE WHEN IT GETS TO PLEASANT VALLEY, WHAT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT, UH, AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THE LIGHT RAIL, UH, MOVE WITH IT AND HAVE THAT AREA WHERE THAT GRASSY AREA IS, WILL BE DEVELOPED TO HAVE, UH, WE COULD HAVE A FEW THINGS THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME GREENERY AND PROPOSE, JUST DIFFERENT PROPOSALS OF WHAT THAT STATION COULD LOOK LIKE THEN.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE LIGHT RAIL STATION WILL BE THERE.

THERE'LL BE BUS STOPS, JUST, UH, THAT WILL BE NORTH OF THE STATION.

YEAH, JUST NORTH OF THE STATION WHERE THE BUS STOPS.

AND SO WE WERE REDEVELOPED RIVERSIDE DRIVE RIGHT THERE NOW.

AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY IT LOOKS, THIS IS SHOWING THE PEDESTRIAN PATH PLAYS.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING WHILE WE DO THIS, THIS AND THAT, JUST LOOKING AT HOW THE BUS AND BRAIN WILL OPERATE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL WELL RIDE YOUR BIKE.

HOWEVER, HOW WILL YOU MOVE AROUND THIS? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PATHWAYS FOR THE PEDESTRIANS AND WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE OPTIONS, THEY HAVE THEIR PROS AND CONS.

UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE PROS AND CONS AND OPTION THREE KIND OF HAS MORE PROS THAN CONS.

UH, AND WE STILL ARE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THOSE.

THIS IS, UH, LOOKING AT DOING THOSE THREE OPTIONS.

IF WE DO THE UNDERPASS THAT WILL COST THE MOST.

UH, SO THAT WILL ADD 50 MILLION TO THE TRANSIT CENTER THERE.

IF WE DO OPTION TWO, WHICH IS THAT ROUNDABOUT AND EXACT GRADE, IT COMES TO LEASE.

AND SO IT WILL STAY AT BASELINE.

IF WE DO THE HYBRID, THAT WILL BE A MEDIUM COST AND INCREASE IT BY 20 MILLION.

UH, BUT THAT HAS SOME OF THE BETTER PROGRAMS FOR FOLKS.

WE WOULD HAVE TO REDO THE DRAG, OF COURSE, UH, BECAUSE THE DRAG IS KIND OF NARROW WHEN IT COMES TO THIS SPACE THAT WE HAVE TO USE, NOT NECESSARILY REDO THE DRAG, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW SYSTEM WOULD WORK ON THAT.

NO, I'M GOING ALONG.

I'M TRYING TO WRAP IT UP.

UM, THAT IS THE TRANSIT MALL.

WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT PLACES THAT HAD TRANSIT MALLS TO SEE HOW THEY ARE DOING IT AND SEE HOW WE CAN BUILD IT IN WE'RE LOOKING AT PLAYS THE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS FOR THERE, WHERE YOU HAVE A LIGHT RAIL PLUS TRAFFIC AND BUS LANES, UH, WHERE YOU CAN HAVE LIGHT RAIL IN THE MIDDLE AND CARS OR BUSES CAN GO TO A LITTLE SIDE OF IT AND STILL HAVE SOME PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AND SOME BIKE SHARE PEDESTRIAN BIKE LANES, UH, OR THE OPTION B WOULD BE LIGHT RAIL ONLY WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A BUS COMING THROUGH.

UH, BUT THEN YOU WILL HAVE A SIDEWALK JUST FOR PEOPLE WALKING AND A BIKE LANE AND THEN SOME GREEN SPACE.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

AND ONCE AGAIN, HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, WE DO HAVE AN UPCOMING WORKSHOP ON THE 14TH WILL, IS THE DRAG WORKING GROUP, UH, WHERE WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE DRAG, WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND GETTING THAT FEEDBACK FROM THEM.

AND THEN ON THE 22ND, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE SUBWAY OVERVIEW AND THE STATIONS, OF COURSE, THAT BE IN FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.

UH, THE TUNNEL WE'LL HAVE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.

SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO STICK, GETTING INVOLVED PROJECT CONNECT.COM/GET INVOLVED IS THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO SEE ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PLUS OTHER PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, UH, THEY'RE ALL STORED THERE.

AND EVEN TO FIND OUT WHEN THESE WORKSHOPS ARE HAPPENING, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE FEEDBACK, YOU CAN ALWAYS SUBMIT IT TO FEEDBACK, CHAT, METRO.ORG, IT TO OUR TEAM.

UH, IF YOU ARE INTO WRITING LETTERS, THE OLD SCHOOL WAY IS PROJECT CONNECT, PLANNING TEAM, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, 3 0 1 CONGRESS AVENUE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8, 7 0 1.

ALL OUR MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

UM, YEAH, I THINK THEN MARTIN HAS A STROLLER POLICY.

UH, ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

YANAS CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.

AND TO BE HONEST, COVERED A LOT, BUT THERE IS, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO THAT.

UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR.

FRANKS.

I WILL BE, UH, I'LL KEEP BRIEF HERE.

UM, AND THANKS TO YANNIS AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW.

IT IS A BIG PROJECT

[01:00:02]

UM, THERE'S A COMPANION PRESENTATION THAT WE COULD ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU WITH.

UM, THAT TAKES A LOOK AT THE SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY COMPONENTS AND HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING ACCESSIBILITY IN THE DESIGN PROCESS OF PROJECT CONNECT.

UM, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

THE PIECE UP THE, UH, ON THIS SLIDE SAYS, UM, CAPITOL METRO'S, PROPOSED STROLLER, WRITING RULE CHANGE.

UM, AND, UH, I WAS INTRODUCED AS A COMMISSIONER, BUT I'LL JUST REINTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN.

MY NAME IS MARTIN CREASY.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR CAPITAL METRO.

AND, UM, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOU GUYS LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH, UM, UH, OR, UM, FORUM WAS NOT ACHIEVED.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A VERY SHORT MOMENT AND SAY THIS, THAT, UM, CAPITAL METRO, OF COURSE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY IS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE.

IT'S A NORTH STAR FOR US, UM, AS, BUT ALONG WITH ACCESSIBILITY COME INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY, UM, OVER, UH, SOME TIME NOW WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM, UM, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, PRIMARILY DISPROPORTIONATELY WOMEN WITH CHILDREN, UM, JUST PROPORTIONALLY, UH, MINORITY AND, UM, LOWER INCOME THAT, UH, TRAVELING WITH A STROLLER AND A CHILD UNDER OUR EXISTING STROLLER POLICY, WHICH REQUIRES THEM TO REMOVE THE CHILD AND, UH, COLLAPSED THE STROLLER IS PRESENTING SOME HARDSHIPS FOR THEM.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRAVELING WITH A CHILD, YOU MAY HAVE A SECOND ONE.

UM, YOU'RE TRYING TO REMOVE ONE OUT OF THE STROLLER.

STROLLERS.

THESE DAYS ARE LIKE CADILLACS.

THEY DON'T FOLD THEM COLLAPSE EASY.

UM, ALL OF THIS, WHILE YOU MAY BE CARRYING A BAG OF GROCERIES, UM, OR A BAG OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS, THOSE OF YOUR CHILD, UM, AND HAVING TO PAY FAIR ALL WHILE THE BUS AND THE OTHER PATRONS ARE WAITING FOR YOU TO BOARD.

UM, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT ARE TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AND, UM, IN PARTICULAR WITH STROLLERS.

SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO ALLOW THEM, UH, TO TRAVEL WITH THESE STROLLERS OPEN, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE RAMP DEPLOYED.

YOU CAN GO ON AND BOARD, UM, ON THE BUS WITH YOUR CHILD IN THE STROLLER.

UM, WE DO ASK THAT YOU LOCK YOUR BRAKES AND THAT YOU HANG ONTO THAT STROLLER.

UM, BUT WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO BRING IT ON NOW.

UM, THE REASON WHY WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE AUSTIN MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY IS THAT, UH, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND IS THAT, UM, ONE OF THE LOGICAL PLACES, UM, AND PLACES WHERE SPACE COULD BE AVAILABLE IS IN THE, UH, SPACE AROUND THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT LOCATION OR, UM, THE PRIORITY SEATING, UH, LOCATION THAT'S BEHIND THE WHEELCHAIR, UM, THE, THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT LOCATION.

SO THE FORWARD FACING SEATS SLOTS THAT, UH, FIT IN RIGHT THERE.

SOME OF OUR VEHICLES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE ACROSS FROM THE REAR DOOR, UM, THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED TO USE THIS, UH, FOR THIS PURPOSE.

BUT, UM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO PERMIT, UM, STROLLERS TO OCCUPY ANY OF THOSE SPACES.

IF THOSE SPACES ARE TO BE USED AND NEEDED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ON A WHEELCHAIR.

UM, AND SO WE WANTED TO JUST BRING, BRING THIS ONE TO YOU GUYS IN CASE YOU HAD SOME THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS.

UM, OF COURSE THE INTERIOR OF OUR BUSES DEPENDS ON WHICH BUS AND WHICH BUS MODEL WE'RE TALKING.

BUT AS JOHN HAS MENTIONED, WE ARE MOVING TO A FULLY ELECTRIC BUS FLEET.

UM, AND IN THAT BUS FLEET, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ALL PERIMETER SEATING SO THAT THE SEATS WILL BE CONFIGURED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CREATING MORE SPACE IN THE INTERIOR, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THESE PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO RIDE MORE COMFORTABLY.

UM, AND WE CAN STILL MAINTAIN, UH, OUR ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN WHEELCHAIRS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS.

SO WE WANTED TO BRING THAT, UM, YOU GUYS LAST MONTH, UM, WE'RE BRINGING IT NOW.

I KNOW I'M, SLITTED IN ON THE BACKEND OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I BELIEVE YONIS HAS HAPPY TO ANY ANSWER, ANSWER ANY OTHER PROJECT CONNECT.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US, WE'LL GIVE TIME FOR ONE QUESTION, CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ITEM AGENDAS, UM, OR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

SO IF YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL, UM, THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

UH, A GOOD TIME FOR ONE QUICK QUESTION.

HELLO, THIS IS HELLO.

WHO HAVE STROLLERS BE INSTRUCTED TO SECURE THE ITEM IN THE, WHEN THEY BOARD THE BUS? AH, I SEE, UM, THEY WILL, THEY'LL BE, THERE'LL BE, WE'LL ASK TO MAKE SURE BRAKES ARE LOCKED AND THAT THEY MAY HANG CONTROL OF THE STROLLER.

UM, THIS IS COMMISSIONER OR LASKEY AS SOMEBODY WHO FREQUENTLY RIDES THE BUS AND SEES, UM, OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO DEPEND ON THE BUS, INCLUDING, UM, PEOPLE WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS, WHO, UH, ALSO HAVE STROLLERS, UH, HOW WILL PEOPLE

[01:05:01]

LIKE THEY HOLD ONTO THAT SHOULDER.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE, UM, THE SECURE MINT LOCKS, UH, THAT ARE USED, UM, FOR THE WHEELCHAIRS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE, UH, TESTED AT A MUCH STRONGER STRENGTH AND, UM, BECAUSE WHEELCHAIRS ARE MUCH HEAVIER, UM, AND THAT WOULD RUN THE RISK OF DAMAGING A STROLLER, UM, QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY IF THERE WAS A BREAKING INCIDENT.

SO, UM, WE'RE ASKING THAT THEY HANG ONTO THAT SHOULDER AND THAT THEY, THEY LOCKED THE BRAKES.

AND, UM, AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A NUMBER OF OUR, UH, OTHER FRIENDS IN, IN, IN TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

IN FACT, NEW YORK MTA, IS THAT EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE WE ARE IN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS.

UM, AND SOME FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY FURTHER AHEAD.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY DRAWN SPACES IN, ON BUSES, UH, THAT THEY'VE DESIGNATED FOR STROLLERS.

SO, UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE WORKING THROUGH.

UM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET, UH, TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE COMFORTABLY.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, MARTIN, IF YOU JUST WANT TO QUICKLY SHARE, UH, YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'D BE GREAT.

WHAT I'LL DO IS MY NAME IS MARTIN CREAKY.

I'M AN EASY MAN TO FIND A VERY EASY MAN TO FIND.

SO WHAT I CAN DO IS, UM, I WILL SHARE MY CONTACT INFORMATION WITH THE LIAISONS AND THE LIAISONS CAN SHARE WITH.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

APPRECIATE IT.

[2C. Discussion on the Commission on Seniors Name Change. ]

WE WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS FOR DISCUSSION REGARDING NAME CHANGE AT THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS.

THANK YOU, JONATHAN.

THIS IS MOSTLY JUST AN UPDATE FOR THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS.

AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE VOTED TO CREATE A WORK GROUP TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NAME OF THE COMMISSION, AS WELL AS OUR ORDINANCE AND OUR BYLAWS.

UM, THE SUGGESTION WAS TO CHANGE IT FROM COMMISSION ON SENIORS, TO COMMISSION ON AGING AND THE WORK GROUP HAS MET AND WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE, UM, THE ORDINANCE AND THE BYLAWS, BOTH OF WHICH ACTUALLY ARE QUITE SIMPLE TO MAKE EDITS TO.

SO WE'VE ALREADY MADE SOME TENTATIVE EDITS.

THOSE HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE CHAIR, UH, FOR REVIEW AND ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.

AND WE WILL HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT TO YOU, UM, TO THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS PRIOR TO OUR NEXT MEETING.

SO, UM, SALLY OR LUCE, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, UM, FROM OUR WORK GROUP? NO.

NOPE.

ANY QUESTIONS? WONDERFUL.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE AN EASIER PROCESS TO DO THE EDITING THAN WE THOUGHT.

UM, I THINK WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE SLOWER PROCESS IS GETTING THE ORDINANCE, UH, PASS THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AND ALL OF THAT, BUT WE WANTED TO BE FOR THE, UH, COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE LANGUAGE OF TODAY AND SENIORS IS NOT NECESSARILY A PREFERRED TERM THESE DAYS, SO WE'RE GOING TO, UH, EXPLORE COMMISSION ON AGING.

[2D. Discussion on the Downtown Commission's position on the use of scooters in the downtown areas and its impact on people with disabilities.]

DISABILITIES COMMISSIONER BROUGHT WATER AND ALASKA.

NOW MOVE ON TO THE DOWNTOWN'S COMMISSION'S POSITION ON THE USE OF SCOOTERS DOWNTOWN AREAS AND IT IMPACTED PEOPLE.

OH, UH, YES.

THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, PASSED AN ORDINANCE, UH, ASKING THAT, POINTING OUT THAT THE, UH, USE OF, UH, SCOOTERS HAD A ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WAS, IT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ASKED FOR GREATER ENFORCEMENT, UM, FROM THE CITY.

UH, IT POINTED OUT THAT THE CITY WASN'T ENFORCING EXISTING LAWS.

UH, HOLD ON.

I SENT A, UH, THING TO OUR, UH, PRIOR, UH, LIAISON ABOUT IT.

HOLD ON, LET ME PULL IT UP TOO.

LET ME SEE.

I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET PACKET.

UM, UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER IS LOOKING FOR THIS INFORMATION AND COMMISSIONER BROADWATER.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON THIS SINCE YOU ARE NAMED ON THE AGENDA? OH, WELL I WANTED TO SHOW 'EM THE SUPPORT FOR IT.

THE, UM,

[01:10:02]

UH, I'VE HEARD THE SAME, UH, ACCOUNTS, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER US.

YES.

UH, THE, THE CITY, HE SAID, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO ENFORCE MORE, UH, ROLES WITH THE SCOOTERS AND THE SCOOTER COMPANIES AREN'T EVEN, UH, PAIN, UM, THEIR APPROPRIATE TACTICS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEIZE THE SCOOTERS.

BUT THEN BECAUSE AT THE LAST MINUTE THEY DID PAY, OKAY, IT'S FINE.

NOW YOU CAN KEEP YOUR SCOOTERS.

AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO THESE SCOOTER COMPANIES FOR NOT PAYING TAXES AND LETTING THEY'RE SCARED.

HE LEFT EVERYWHERE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN SIDEWALKS AND WHEREVER THEY WANT TO.

IT'S COMPETING PEOPLE WITH THIS HILL, THESE BE ABLE TO GET AROUND.

SO I JUST WANT HIM TO SHOW ANY SUPPORT THAT I COULD, THAT WE COULD GIVE THE CITY'S ATTENTION.

IS THERE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH BEING DONE UNDERSTAND LIKE THESE SCOOTERS TO GET, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT OUTWEIGHS THEM GETTING IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT EITHER THAT'S NOT FAIR.

COMMISSIONER BROADWATER, MR. ALASKA, DID YOU FIND THE INFORMATION I'M TRYING TO PULL IT UP? UH, WE DIDN'T GET A PACKET OF IT WAS PROBLEM GETTING THE INFORMATION.

DID ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE ANY COMMENT REGARDING THIS AGENDA TOPIC? UM, YEAH, THE, UH, THE DOWNTOWN, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SAID THAT, UH, THE CITY WASN'T ENFORCING EXISTING ORDINANCES AGAINST, UH, THE SCOOTERS.

HOLD ON WHILE YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR THE INFORMATION.

WHERE'S YOUR ALASKA.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE ANY COMMENT, UH, COMMISSIONER CURRENT DOSTER WHILE, UH, I I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, UM, BEYOND, YOU KNOW, ENFORCING, I DUNNO, FINES FOR, FOR THE SCOOTERS, NOT, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING SIDEWALKS, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO IT? AND I FIND THEM VERY FRUSTRATING, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE A NECESSITY TO HELP, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION IN, IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF, IF THERE ARE SOLUTIONS PROPOSED BESIDES FINES, LIKE DEDICATED PARKING.

LIKE IF YOU USE A SCOOTER, IT MUST BE PARKED IN THIS DEDICATED SPOT.

YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T BLOCK THE SIDEWALK.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR MISSION OR ORLOWSKI IF, IF THAT'S IN ANY OF THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION OR WHATEVER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

UM, HOW DO WE RESOLVE NEGLIGENCE FOR THOSE WHO JUST SIMPLY LAY THERE, SCOOT AROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK AND THAT'S STILL A COMMON ISSUE AND WE DIDN'T REALLY GET A CLEAR ANSWER FROM THE COMPANIES THAT DID PRESENT TO US.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK ON AS A COMMISSION SO THAT WE SHOW SUPPORT OF ENFORCEMENT OF THESE ORDINANCES SO THAT THIS NEGLIGENCE DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYMORE.

MR. ALASKA, DID, WERE YOU ABLE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION? NO.

IT'S NOT PULLING UP IF NEED BE.

WE CAN TABLE THIS TO THE NEXT AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN BRING THE INFORMATION US.

LET'S TABLE IT.

SO I CAN RESEND RESEND IT TO THE CURRENT RESEND IT BECAUSE I SENT IT, I SENT IT TO OUR PRIOR STAFF LIAISON.

TO, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR FOR, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF SURVIVORS.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TABLE THAT JUST FOR SAKE OF TIME, WE HAVE, UH, ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT FOR THE MEETING AND, UH, THERE HASN'T BEEN A TRANSITION OF LIAISONS, UH, RATHER QUICKLY.

SO SOME THINGS ON THE AGENDA WEREN'T, UM, PUT ON THERE AS WELL AS, UM, SOME INFORMATION.

SO WE'LL WORK ON GETTING THAT FOR OUR NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED CORRECTLY.

I DO APOLOGIZE.

IT'S QUITE A RISE.

TURNING IS, TRANSITIONS ARE TOUGH.

IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION.

SO SORRY ABOUT THAT.

NO WORRIES.

ALL

[2E. Discussion regarding a recommendation to require certified ASL interpreters to be dispatched to a site with deaf survivors]

RIGHT.

UH, THE NEXT AGENDA TOPIC IS REGARDING, UM, DISPATCHING A, THE REQUIREMENT OF DISPATCHING ASL INTERPRETERS

[01:15:01]

THERE, WASN'T A COMMISSIONER LISTED ON THIS.

SO THERE'S ANY COMMISSIONER WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA TOPIC.

UH, LET'S SEE IF I CAN PULL THIS UP.

UH, YEAH, IT'S A WORD DOCUMENT.

SORRY.

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL THAT UP.

UH, THIS IS TO REQUIRE CERTIFIED STAFF.

THIS IS TO REQUIRE CERTIFIED ASL INTERPRETERS TO BE DISPATCHED TO A SITE WITH DEAF SURVIVORS.

UH, THIS CAME FROM BECAUSE WE HAD A, UH, EVENT HERE IN AUSTIN, APRIL EIGHT, IT WAS CALLED DEAF NATION EXPO AT THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER.

AND THERE WAS A BIG, UH, THERE WAS A CRASH AFTER A VEHICLE HAD, UH, HIT SEVERAL PEOPLE, GATHERED NEAR FOOD TRUCK.

UH, DEAF RESIDENTS, UH, CAME AND, UM, SOME PEOPLE, UH, WANTED TO, UH, WRITE TO THEM.

AND I FOUND OUT FROM A, UH, INSTRUCTOR, I WAS TAKING A COURSE AT, AT ACC THAT, UH, WRITING DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK WITH DEAF PEOPLE BECAUSE, UH, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT AND, UM, ASL IS NOT JUST, UH, SIGNING.

UM, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SIGN ALSO.

UH, AND SO THE BRAZIL, SO, UH, THAT'S PART OF THE LANGUAGE TOO.

AND SO RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE CERTIFIED ASL INTERPRETERS TO BE DISPATCHED TO A SITE WITH DESERT SURVIVORS.

AUSTIN'S DEAF POPULATION IS A FIFTH LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES AND 20% OF THE STATE OF TEXAS' ENTIRE DEAF POPULATION RESIDES IN THE AUSTIN, TEXAS AREA.

A CROWD OF ATTENDEES IN THE AWSP APRIL EIGHT, DEAF NATION EXPO.

THE PALMER EVENT CENTER WERE INJURED AFTER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO SEVERAL PEOPLE, GATHERED IN YOUR FOOD TRUCK, GIVE RESIDENTS PAY FOR CITY SERVICES, INCLUDING EMS, FIRE POLICE, OR DISPATCH TO A SITE AFTER NINE 11 IS CALLED THROUGH VIDEO RELAY SERVICES.

UH, AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN ENGLISH ARE TWO DISTINCT LANGUAGES AND EXTENSIVE USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAY POSE TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR DEAF SURVIVORS.

WHEREAS THERE HAS BEEN A MISCONCEPTION THAT DEAF INDIVIDUALS CAN COMPENSATE FOR BEING DEAF, NEARLY BY WRITING ON A PIECE OF PAPER OR EVEN THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO, UH, WHEREAS AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE DOES CONTAIN CRITICAL VARIATION SPECIFICALLY BASED ON FACIAL EXPRESSION, WHICH COULD ACCIDENTALLY BECOME LOST OR CHANGED THROUGH ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMMUNICATION, SUCH AS TEXTING OR WRITING ON A PIECE OF PAPER.

AND WHEREAS THE PRESIDENT AND ABILITY OF ATTENDING CITY OF AUSTIN FIRST RESPONDERS TO FULLY AND IMMEDIATELY EFFECTIVELY UNDERSTAND ALL PEOPLE IN THEIR PREFERRED MANNER OF COMMUNICATION CAN CREATE CRITICAL GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING DURING EMERGENCIES, WHEREAS PROVIDING RELIABLE AND ACCURATE MEANS OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE PEOPLE THEY INTERACT WITH IS ESSENTIAL.

SO DEAF RESIDENTS ARE FULLY INCLUDED THROUGHOUT AWESOME TEXAS PUBLIC LIFE.

WHEREAS ALL RESIDENTS, DO YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO RECEIVE RELIABLE AND APPROPRIATE FIRST RESPONDERS OR CITY OF BOSTON SERVICES IN THE LANGUAGE THEY BEST UNDERSTAND THAT ARE NATIVE SPEAKERS OF, UM, WHEREAS NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR'S COMMUTE COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RECOMMENDS THAT FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE CERTIFIED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS DISPATCHED TO A RESCUE SITE WHERE THE NINE WOMAN DISPATCHER WAS SPECIFICALLY NOTIFIED THEIR ADDRESS, SURVIVORS CLARIFICATION.

ARE YOU ASKING US FOR A VOTE BECAUSE IT'S LISTED ON THE AGENDA JUST AS A DISCUSSION ITEM, NOT AN ACTION ITEM, RIGHT.

SO WE CAN TABLE THAT TO NEXT MEETING AS AN ACTION ITEM TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION.

I FIGURED WE COULD VOTE ON IT CAUSE IT'S ON THE AGENDA.

OH, IT HA IT WOULD HAVE TO SAY ACTION ITEMS IS NOT A VOTABLE ITEM.

NO WORRIES.

SO WE COULD PUT, CAN WE PUT ON THE ACTION ITEM FOR OUR NEXT AGENDA? YES.

UM, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES, DANNY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS DISCUSSION.

[V. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UH, WE'LL HAVE TO TABLE ITEM F TO NEXT MONTH, A MEETING AS WELL.

UH, BUT I KNOW THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER TREJO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, BUSINESSES, UH,

[01:20:01]

AND, UM, I HAD TALKED WITH SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES WHICH WERE DEAF AND THEY DO WANT TO, UM, THEY ALSO WANT THE CITY TO, UH, INCLUDE DISABILITY.

UH, I DID FIND OUT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ONLY CURRENTLY PAYS FOR CURRENTLY HAS VETERANS INCLUDED IN ITS, UH, DEFINITION OF, UM, MINORITY BUSINESSES.

UM, IT DOESN'T PAY FOR, UH, IT DOES, IT INCLUDE, IT DOES INCLUDE BUSINESSES, WHICH ARE, UM, PEOPLE HAVE CONGENITAL DISABILITIES AND THAT'S VERY ODD BECAUSE, UH, OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS DO, UM, THE U S GOVERNMENT MAKES NO DISTINCTION HOW YOU ACQUIRE YOUR DISABILITY.

IT'S NOT JUST RESTRICTED TO VETERANS.

THAT HAS TO BE CHANGED.

SO, UM, GO AHEAD AND WE CAN PUT THIS ON THE NEXT MONTH AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

WE ONLY HAVE COUPLE MORE MINUTES LEFT IN THE MEETING, SO I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE THIS ON TO FUTURE BUSINESS.

I WILL NOT BE AT THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.

I WILL BE AT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND AFRICA CONVENTION IN NEW ORLEANS.

SO, UM, IF ANYTHING, UH, YOU REACHED OUT TO VICE CHAIR SCHROCK SHE WOULD BE THE NEXT, UM, ONE ASSIGNED TO RUN THE MEETING.

UM, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE WE MOTION TO ADJOURN? I HAVE, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF THE SPEAKERS AT THE NATIONAL HYDROCEPHALUS CONFERENCE HERE IN AUSTIN.

AWESOME.

UM, THEY KIND OF PROACTIVELY ASKED ME TO ATTEND, SO ANYWAY, SURPRISE, AWESOME GRADUATIONS.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON ANY, UM, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? LET'S GIVE IT A COUPLE MORE SECONDS.

IT'S FOR ANYONE AT NISSAN MUTE.

HEARING NONE.

I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.

I MOVE, WE ADJOURN THE MEETING.

IS THERE A SECOND? UM, WE SHOULD BE, THAT WAS A LITTLE ECHO.

COULD YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? LOOSE LOPEZ.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MAYOR'S COMMITTEE MEMBER, I BELIEVE.

THE MOTION TO ADJOURN.

HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED HEARING NONE.

ONE TO THANK THE COMMISSION ON SENIOR MEMBERS OR MAYBE POSSIBLY COMMISSION ON AGING, UH, FOR PARTICIPATING IN A JOINT MEETING US.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND JOIN OUR MEETING.

UM, EVERYONE, PLEASE STAY SAFE.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

PLEASE DRINK A LOT OF WATER.

IT'S REALLY HOT OUTSIDE.

SO YEAH.

PLEASE JUST STAY SAFE AND I'LL SEE Y'ALL BACK IN AUGUST.