[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE, UM, APRIL MEETING OF THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
LET'S START WITH A CALL TO ORDER.
IS YOUR MICROPHONE WORKING? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOUR AUDIO'S YES.
[Additional Item]
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE AND, UM, INTRODUCE, WE HAVE FOUR NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.UM, WE HAVE, UM, I'M, I'M SORRY, I'M STRUGGLING.
UH, CHRISTIE, CAN YOU, CAN YOU READ THEIR NAMES OUT? I'M SORRY.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND READING WORDS THAT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ON PRINT IS DIFFICULT.
SO WE HAVE NEWLY ONBOARDED TO THE COMMISSION, DELANIA COER HAGENS, AND LYNN MURPHY, WHO WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN THIS EVENING.
AUDRIA DIAZ IS ALSO NOT HERE AT THE MOMENT, AND ELIZABETH SLADE WAS HERE AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT ISN'T HERE AS OF YET.
AUDRIA DIAZ IS JUST JOINING US NOW.
SO, UM, WELCOME TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IF YOU ARE A NEW COMMISSIONER AND YOU ARE AVAILABLE, UM, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I KNOW YOU JUST WALKED IN SO YOU CAN GO LAST.
THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE, I THINK ONLINE.
HI, MY NAME IS DELAN KOMER HAGENS, AND I WORK AT DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
THANKS FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
UM, ONE OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS JUST WALKED IN, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE HER A MINUTE TO GET SETTLED.
UM, I AM REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE, UH, WITH NATASHA HARPER MADISON, BUT I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE WITH JOSE VELASQUEZ.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC, UH, COMMUNICATION.DO WE, DID WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP? YES.
UH, WE HAVE RON, LUCY, AND HE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN ADDRESSING THIS COMMITTEE.
WE WERE LAST HERE IN OCTOBER OF 2024 DURING NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH.
I HAVE, UH, THIS EVENING FOR YOU AN ASK, AN OFFER AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT RATHER BRIEF.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE, UH, TEXAS GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS HOSTING OUR QUARTERLY MEETING HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT TEXAS BEING A VERY LARGE STATE, WE SELDOM HOLD OUR MEETINGS IN AUSTIN.
IN FACT, THE BIGGEST PART OF THE STATE IS A PART OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN.
LAST TIME WE HELD A MEETING HERE WAS IN 2021.
WE WILL BE MEETING ON APRIL 22ND AND 23RD AT THE NORTH AUSTIN COMPLEX BUILDING FOR HHSC.
THERE'S A SLIDE IN MY THREE SLIDE, UH, DECK THAT HAS THE LOCATION OF OUR MEETING.
UH, AS PART OF OUR STANDING AGENDA THAT WE, UH, HAVE IN EVERY ONE OF THE CITIES WE VISIT, WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM CALLED LISTENING TO THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, OR IN THIS CASE, LISTENING TO THE AUSTIN DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AND OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS USUALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, WHICH WOULD BE ARSAL.
THEY LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE LOCAL MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
[00:05:01]
HAS ONE, BUT, UH, MOST OF THE ONES THAT WE VISIT DO.AND, UM, ALSO, WE, WE PLAN TO HEAR, UH, FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S, UH, CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT, UH, AS APRIL IS FOR HOUSING MONTH.
UH, AND, UM, FINALLY WE'RE GONNA BE HEARING FROM AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY SERVICES FOR THE DEAF.
SO I'M HERE TO INVITE THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO PRESENT FOR JUST, UH, 10 TO 15 MINUTES AT OUR MEETING TO BRIEF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
AND I'VE LOOKED AT YOUR PAST MEETING MINUTES, UH, YOUR AGENDAS AND, UH, YOUR REPORTS.
AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS TO SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE STATE.
YOUR POLICY WORK ON MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES IS, UH, INNOVATIVE.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF CITIES THAT ARE GRAPPLING WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THE SCOOTERS THAT ARE ABANDONED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK THAT ARE ABANDONED, UH, AND CREATE BARRIERS FOR, UH, PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH CANES OR PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH WHEELCHAIRS.
AND, UH, WE ALWAYS SAY THE TAXPAYERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SAME GOOD IDEA MORE THAN ONCE.
AND SO IF WE CAN SHARE MODEL ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, THAT'S ALWAYS PREFERRED.
UH, LOOKS LIKE I'M JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT I THINK ALSO THINK I WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR ANOTHER ITEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF MY TIME CAN BE EXTENDED, BUT THE TIME CAN'T BE EXTENDED.
BUT WE DO WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS, UH, DURING THE POSTED AGENDA ITEM.
SO JUST IN CLOSING, I HOPE THAT, UH, UH, I KNOW, UH, MADAM CHAIR, THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT IF A VICE CHAIR OR ANOTHER MEMBER CAN ATTEND OUR COMMITTEE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'M ON THE AGENDA FOR TALKING ABOUT, UM, A FESTIVAL THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO HOLD IN OCTOBER.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK AT THAT TIME AND I'LL CLOSE.
NEXT IS MELINDA RACOM FOR THREE MINUTES.
HI, MY NAME'S MELINDA RACOM, AND I AM THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND INFORMATION COORDINATOR FOR THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
I AM VERY NEW TO THIS POSITION.
I JUST STARTED THREE WEEKS AGO, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY TWO PROCLAMATIONS THAT ARE FROM THE GOVERNOR.
ONE IS FOR FAIR HOUSING MONTH, WHICH IS THIS MONTH, AS WELL AS AUTISM AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE MONTH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THESE WITH YOU, UM, SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE THEM.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE ZA HASAN FOR THREE MINUTES.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'M ZA HASSAN, ACTUALLY, I AM A MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH AUTISM AND A DHD.
AND, UH, WE LIVE IN AUSTIN FOR SIX YEARS, WHICH WE CALL AUSTIN HOME.
ME AND MY HUSBAND, WE OPENED, UH, THE SENSORY CLUB.
IT'S A NEW CONCEPT OF LIKE INDOOR RECREATION SPACE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES.
AND THE SENSORY CLUB HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE JANUARY, 2025.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY THE ONLY RECREATIONAL SPACE, WHICH IS ONLY FOR FAMILIES WITH MEMBER WITH DISABILITIES, AND SIBLINGS ARE WELCOME.
UH, THE, THE CLUB ACTUALLY HAS RECEIVED A VERY WIDE, I MEAN, UH, WELCOMING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
IT PROVIDES, UH, ACCESS FOR SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THE SENSORY CLUB IS ACTUALLY A VERY SMALL FRANCHISE.
IT'S, IT'S IN WISCONSIN, IN DENVER, COLORADO.
AND THEN WE FOUND IT IN WISCONSIN.
WE FELT LIKE WE SHOULD BRING THIS TO AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU IS THAT IN THE OTHER STATES, THE MEMBERSHIPS ARE COVERED BY STATE AND COUNTY FUNDS.
AND, UH, SINCE JANUARY OR BEFORE JANUARY, WE HAVE STRUGGLED ACTUALLY TO, TO ACHIEVE THAT IN AUSTIN.
SO, UH, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE OTHER STATES THAT FAMILIES WILL GO AND SAY THEY NEED A FUND FOR THERAPEUTIC, UH, ADAPTIVE THERAPEUTIC RECREATION AND MEMBERSHIPS.
AND IT GETS COVERED IN AUSTIN.
WE'VE REACHED TRAVIS COUNTY, WE REACHED WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UH, I'VE REACHED THE GOVERNOR OFFICE AND UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE DOORS ARE CLOSED.
SO FAR WHAT'S HAPPENING, THE FAMILIES WHO CAN AFFORD ARE USING THE CLUB.
WE'VE SEEN FAMILIES WHO ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THE MEANS THEY WANT TO USE THE CLUB, BUT THEY CAN'T ACCESS IT.
THE CLUB, THE PRICING IS AFFORDABLE.
IT CAN BE AFFORDABLE FOR ME, FOR OTHERS IN THIS, IN THIS, IN THIS ROOM.
BUT IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, WE HAVE MEMBERS WHO ARE FROM TWO YEARS TO 22, 22 YEARS OLD.
SCHOOLS ARE COMING FOR SCHOOL TRIPS, THERAPISTS ARE USING IT.
SO IT IS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND WE WANNA KEEP IT SAFE AND ONLY FOR
[00:10:01]
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY IN THIS, UH, MEETING TO SEE LIKE HOW THE, THIS, I MEAN, THIS COMMITTEE CAN HELP US IN ACCESSING WHETHER STATE OR COUNTY FUNDS OR REFERRING US TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE, BECAUSE SO FAR DOORS HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE IS RU JOHNSON.
I AM A VISUALLY IMPAIRED RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I'VE BEEN VISUALLY IMPAIRED SINCE BIRTH, SO THIS IS MY NORMAL.
I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SOMETHING CALLED GUION BERE SYNDROME.
IT WAS VERY, IT IS NOT A VERY COMMON THING, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT PARALYZES YOU FROM THE FEET UP.
IT TELLS THE WHITE BLOOD CELLS, THE GUYS THAT ARE TRYING TO BEAT UP EVERYTHING, THAT YOUR NERVE ENDINGS ARE BAD.
THE COATINGS OF YOUR NERVE ENDINGS ARE BAD.
SO YOU START SLOWLY, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW.
SO, UH, BY THE TIME IT WAS CAUGHT, I'VE BEEN, UM, IMMOBILIZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN.
SO DUE TO THAT SITUATION, I WAS IN ST.
DAVID'S REHABILITATION CENTER IS DOING ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I WAS HAVING TO UTILIZE A WHEELCHAIR.
AND, UM, I MUST ADMIT THAT THERE WAS, THERE WERE SOME MOBILITY ISSUES WHEN I WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR.
SOMETIMES THE WHEELS WOULDN'T CATCH ALL THE WAY.
SOMETIMES, UH, OPERATORS ON THE BUS DIDN'T KNOW TO ATTACH RESTRAINTS TO THE METAL PARTS OF THE CHAIR.
SO THEY WOULD ATTACH THE RESTRAINTS TO MY WHEELS.
SO NOW THAT THINGS WILL BE BACK AND FORTH OFF AND JUST REALLY LOPSIDED.
SO I'M A, A PERSON THAT BELIEVES IN MAINTAINING AS MUCH AS MY INDEPENDENCE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT WERE GOING ON WITH TRANSPORTATION AND EVERYTHING, I WAS HAVING TO RELY ON MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON TO GET ME INTO A, ON THE BUS OR SPEAK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE TRYING TO HOOK ME UP.
AND I MEAN, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND IT BROUGHT HOME VERY QUICKLY HOW MUCH, UM, ASSISTANCE PEOPLE NEED.
AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR OWN PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, YOU'RE KIND OF OUT IN THE CULT.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO COME GET YOU UNLESS YOU RELY ON EMERGENCY SERVICES.
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND TO BE WITH YOU ON THE BUS AS YOU'RE DOING THINGS.
'CAUSE IT DID INCREASE MY PARANOIA.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S WATCHING ME NOW.
I'M IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU KNOW.
SO, UM, AS A CITIZEN AND AS A, YOU KNOW, A GRATEFULLY, GRATEFULLY HAPPY PERSON, I REALLY ASK THAT THIS BOARD LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE MOBILITY ISSUES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOBILITY PROBLEMS, CHAIRS, WALKERS, CHAIN, YOU KNOW, CANES, ANYTHING.
BECAUSE THE HELP IS OUT THERE.
CAN YOU ASK QUESTIONS? ASK QUESTIONS? YOU COULD ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UM, I, JONATHAN HAD A QUESTION TOO.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK, THIS IS ON THE FIXED ROUTE.
DO YOU MIND TURNING ON YOUR MIC, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
UM, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, UH, THIS WAS ON FIXED ROUTE.
THIS WASN'T ON PARATRANSIT, RIGHT? IT WAS ON FIXED ROUTE.
SO DO YOU NEED RESOURCES ON HOW TO HELP YOU GET PARATRANSIT? I WAS APPLYING FOR THE PARATRANSIT THING AND WITH, ALONG WITH PEOPLE THAT I KNEW AND FAMILY MEMBERS REALLY RIDING ON THE BUS WAS MY BEST OPTION.
UM, METRO ACCESS IS GREAT, BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS GET YOU TO WHERE YOU NEED TO DO, BE WITHIN A CERTAIN BLOCK OF TIME.
AND IT, SOMETIMES IT WAS A LOT MORE EXPEDIENT FOR ME TO JUST GET ON A FIXED ROUTE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE TIME, MAKE SURE I WAS THERE AN HOUR BEFORE I HAD TO GO IN.
AND THEN GET ON THE FIXED ROUTE AND DRIVE AND RUN.
VICE CHAIR FRANKS, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UM, HE'S MOSTLY ANSWERED IT, BUT, UM, REGARDING THE TIMING OF METRO ACCESS, DID YOU MAKE APPOINTMENT TIMES THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MORE DIRECT TOWARDS YOUR PREFERRED DESK TIME DESTINATION? I WOULD, BUT AS I STATED, IT'S METRO ACCESS IS A NEEDED, VERY NEEDED SERVICE.
BUT THERE'S STILL BLOCKS OF TIME.
AND EVEN NOW, THERE'S STILL BLOCKS OF TIME YOU CAN ASK TO BE THERE WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND IF THEY PICK YOU UP SUPER EARLY, THEN YOU'RE RIDING ALONG ON THE METRO ACCESS BUS WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE AND YOU'RE THE LAST ONE TO GO, EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE ON.
SO BY THE TIME YOU GET TO CERTAIN LOCATIONS AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WOULD ATTEND, UH, MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY OPTIONS AND BY THE TIME YOU WOULD GET TO THAT PLACE, IT WAS ALMOST TIME TO TURN
[00:15:01]
AROUND AND GO BACK HOME AGAIN.THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
THANK, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING AND, UM, LETTING US KNOW THESE ISSUES.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO SEE PEOPLE COMING TO US AND LETTING US KNOW.
WE DEFINITELY A HUNDRED PERCENT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR STORIES.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities special called meeting on March 28, 2025.]
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH, UM, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
SO THE, UM, MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[2. Discussion regarding initial planning efforts for Disability Festival 2025. ]
UM, NEXT SECTION IS DISCUSSION ITEMS. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION REGARDING INITIAL PLANNING EFFORTS FOR DISABILITY FESTIVAL, UH, 2025.I BELIEVE THAT THAT INCLUDES, UM, GABRIEL AND THEN, UH, MR. LUCY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA LET Y'ALL TAKE IT OVER.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT, UM, THIS WAS PASSED TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, THE DISABILITY FESTIVAL, I HAVE FOUND THREE TOPICS THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, VERY FORTUNATELY, LAST WEEK I HAD SOMEONE, UM, TELL ME ABOUT A SIMILAR FESTIVAL THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE IN WASHINGTON, DC IN JULY THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND THAT'S ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
RIGHT HERE, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, WAH W ABILITY, I BELIEVE IT'S SIGNED LIKE THIS, BUT IT IS A FESTIVAL THAT HONORS THE ADA'S 35TH ANNIVERSARY.
UM, AND IT IS DISABILITY WIDE.
IF YOU CLICK ON THIS IS JONATHAN.
IF YOU'RE, UM, SAYING LIKE, THIS IS A WEBSITE, COULD YOU KIND OF DESCRIBE LIKE WHAT THE WEBSITE IS OR WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHARING FOR THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, PLEASE.
I HAVE, I, I JUST PULLED IT UP RIGHT NOW, BUT ON HERE ARE LISTS OF DIFFERENT SUMMITS, PRESENTATIONS, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, TICKET SALES, UM, DIFFERENT DISABILITY SPEAKERS THAT WILL BE THERE.
UM, SOME DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS WHO ARE ALSO DISABILITY CENTRIC THAT WILL BE THERE.
AND AS YOU SCROLL DOWN, THERE IS A LITTLE VIDEO PLAYING THAT SAYS ON JULY 26TH, 1990, TALKS ABOUT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT WITH SOME, UH, DEPICTIONS OF BACKGROUND SCENES IN WASHINGTON DC.
AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE A DA.
UM, AND JUST A FEW MORE VIDEO CLIPS.
EVERYTHING WILL, WILL, UM, FINALIZE IN ONE LARGE BUILDING IN DC AND IT'S SHOWING DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE IDEAL IF WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE WAWA PEOPLE, THOSE WHO ARE LEADING IT, AND TRY TO MAYBE LEVERAGE THAT PLATFORM THAT THEY USE HERE IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS OR IN THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES.
AND IN ORDER TO ALSO TRY TO GET SOME PEOPLE ON BOARD, UM, WE WERE TALKING WITH ISHA, WHO WAS, UM, JUST SHARING, ISHA WAS JUST SHARING HER CONCERN.
UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY INTERFACE WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE AND GET MORE SUPPORT AND ACCESS.
I, SO THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING I FOUND ON INSTAGRAM FROM A SOCCER LEAGUE.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHICH COUNTRY THIS TEAM IS FROM, BUT ON THEIR SHIRT, THEY HAVE FINGER SPELLED NAMES AND WORDS.
AND THEN ABOVE IT, THE BRAILLE EQUIVALENT OF THE FINGER SPELLED WORD.
[00:20:04]
AND THIS WAS A QUICK INSTAGRAM VIDEO I FOUND.SO ON THIS VIDEO, THERE IS A, SOMEONE WITH THEIR CAMERA AIMED AT THE SOCCER FIELD.
I WANT TO SAY IT'S IN GERMANY.
THERE IS A GENTLEMAN WALKING UP WITH A SOCCER JER WITH HIS JERSEY FILMING.
SOME OF THE PLAYERS COMING OFF ONTO THE FIELD.
THE PLAYER, ONE OF THE PRO PLAYERS IS GIVING HIS JERSEY TO SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND THEN THIS AUDIENCE PERSON IS DESCRIBING IT LATER.
HE'S DESCRIBING THE, THE TWO RAISED FISTS, WHAT THEY MEAN.
AND THEN HE IS ALSO, UH, GETTING A CAMERA CLOSEUP OF WHAT THE SHIRT LOOKS LIKE.
AND IT'S GOT THE LOGO, BVB WITH A FEW STARS ABOVE IT.
AND THEN ALSO ON THE BACK, THERE IS SOME BRAILLE ON THE TOP OF THE SHIRT THAT IS RAISED.
SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL AS WELL.
YES, RON? GABRIEL, THIS IS RON.
UH, IS IT, UH, IS IT ON? YEAH, GABRIEL, THIS IS RON.
IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO PLAN THIS AROUND THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN JULY OR TO PLAN IT IN OCTOBER AROUND NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH? OCTOBER.
WE WILL RECOGNIZE A DA AT THAT EVENT AS WELL, THOUGH.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN, WE DO HAVE AUSTIN FCS PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM HERE.
AND WE, UM, I'M A BIG FAN OF AUSTIN FC, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
UM, SO, UM, I, I'VE, THERE'S LIKE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN A SL VIDEOS AND, AND SONGS THAT THEY DO.
THEY'D SIGN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THE, FOR THE TEAM.
SOME OF THE PLAYERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN SIGN NAMES ALREADY FROM MEMBERS IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE ACCESS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
UM, AT THE Q2 STADIUM WHERE THEY PLAY, I'M THINKING HAVING A JERSEY WITH OUR OWN LITTLE DESIGNER, SOME SORT OF DISABILITY GRAPHIC ON THERE COULD BE VERY COOL.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY GETTING THEM TO THE DIS UM, THE FESTIVAL AS WELL.
AND SOME OF THOSE SOCCER PLAYERS COULD ALSO MAYBE DO THE SAME THING.
AND THAT'S JUST AN IDEA THOUGH.
SO WE ARE THINKING ABOUT A PLACE WHERE THIS FESTIVAL CAN BE HELD.
AND WHAT I HAVE PUT ON THIS NEXT SLIDE IS RIGHT OVER THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE WAY BY THE LONG CENTER.
SO, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME SORT OF FESTIVAL OR EVENT IT SEEMS THAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE THERE, SOME MUSICAL EVENT.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY KIND OF A PERFECT LOCATION WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WALK BY, THERE'S ROOM INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, IT'S REALLY THE FRONT OF WHERE WE ARE.
CITY HALL, IF YOU LOOK ACROSS CAESAR CHAVEZ OVER THE RIVER, THAT'S WHERE, UH, THE EVENT WOULD BE.
I THINK IT'S VERY VISIBLE, VERY DIFFICULT TO OVERLOOK.
WE COULD BE OUTSIDE AND, AND EVERYONE'S, UM, UH, ABLE TO STOP BY AND SEE US.
SO YEAH, WE CAN, I'M OPEN TO ALSO MORE SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS OF A LOCATION, BUT THIS IS JUST SOME OF MY INITIAL THOUGHT.
UM, SO THIS MESSAGE IS FOR MR. LUCY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY WERE THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, AND I REMEMBER THAT, THAT Y'ALL DID BIG EVENTS IN LIKE HOTEL ROOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME ADVICE AS FAR AS, UM, ESPECIALLY OF FUNDING.
SO, UH, I SERVED WITH THIS COMMITTEE, OR ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR 20 YEARS, AND IT WAS STRUCTURED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
UH, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WHERE EACH COUNCIL MEMBER APPOINTS A MEMBER.
UH, THE COMMITTEE PREVIOUSLY WAS AT LARGE.
UH, WE HAD A, UH, DIFFERENT TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP, THE SIMILAR TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE WHERE WE HAVE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.
UH, WE HAD ASSOCIATE MEMBERS WITH THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE, AND THESE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS DID NOT GET A VOTE, BUT THEY DID GET A SAY.
AND SOME EXAMPLES WOULD BE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF A ISD, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES, THE DIRECTOR OF EASTERSEAL CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, THE LOCAL CHAPTER PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, ET CETERA.
NOW, ALL THESE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS THAT WOULD ATTEND THESE MEETINGS WOULD COME WITH THEIR VOLUNTEERS, THEIR RESOURCES, THEIR FACILITIES.
AND SO WHEN THIS COMMITTEE PUT ON A PROJECT, IT WASN'T JUST THE BODIES IN THIS ROOM, THE, UH, NINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IT WAS ALSO THOSE ASSOCIATE MEMBER PARTNERS.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE VERY NOTABLE THAT CAME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED WITH AWARDS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS COMMITTEE USED TO PUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY FAIR.
[00:25:01]
IT WAS, UH, HELD AT AN INDOOR EVENT CENTER, AND IT WAS AN EXHIBIT OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.IT WAS A JOB FAIR THAT, UH, HAD, UH, JOB EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES, OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION PROVIDERS, UH, SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT THEN ALSO HAD COMPANIES THAT WERE LOOKING TO FILL THEIR EMPLOYMENT NEEDS LATER.
THAT MORPHED INTO THE COMMUNITY CAREER EXPO, WHICH WAS, UH, ABOUT A 10 YEAR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE AND GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND, UM, THEN THIS, UH, COMMITTEE ALSO HAD, UM, ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT AWARDS PROGRAMS DURING NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH.
THOSE WERE HELD FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES.
UH, AND THEY RECOGNIZED OUTSTANDING EMPLOYERS.
THERE WAS ALSO A MARTHA ARBUCKLE AWARD, WHICH WAS KIND OF A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD NAMED FOR ONE OF THE ORIGINAL CHAIRS OF THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE, WHITE CANE DAY, WHICH I, I KNOW ELIZABETH MEYER AND, UH, VICE CHAIR FRANKS CERTAINLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY IN ITS CURRENT FORM.
IT WAS INAUGURATED BY THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE.
THIS COMMITTEE PULLED TOGETHER THAT PARTNERSHIP OF ALL OF THOSE DOZENS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THE FIRST WHITE CANE DAY CELEBRATION WAS HELD ON THE STEPS OF THE OLD CITY HALL.
AND, UH, THIS COMMITTEE GOT THE SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO, UH, UH, DONATE THE USE OF A PARK HERE IN AUSTIN, AND ALSO HELP WITH SETTING UP TABLES.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I THINK THE EVENT THAT YOU, UH, ARE THINKING ABOUT SOUNDS FANTASTIC, BUT I THINK, THINK YOU'RE GONNA NEED PARTNERS TO PULL IT OFF.
UH, I KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A BUDGET, AND I CAN'T RECALL WHAT THIS COMMITTEE'S BUDGET IS, BUT YOU CAN'T SPEND THAT BUDGET ON FOOD OR REFRESHMENTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BY BRINGING IN PARTNERS, THOSE PARTNERS WILL BRING RESOURCES, UH, AND COVER THINGS THAT PERHAPS THIS COMMITTEE CAN'T COVER.
UM, THIS IS AN EXCITING IDEA, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO FORM A SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND, UH, YOU NEED TO, IF YOU'RE GONNA HOLD IT THIS YEAR AND NOT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, YOU NEED TO PACE THAT SUBCOMMITTEE APPROPRIATELY.
MAYBE MEET EVERY TWO TO FOUR WEEKS TO START PLANNING FOR IT.
THERE ARE SOME EXISTING A DA CELEBRATIONS ALREADY BEING PLANNED.
UH, WE ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED IN THREE OF THEM.
ONE IS FROM THE GEORGE BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN BRYAN COLLEGE STATION.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THE RELATIONSHIP OF PRESIDENT BUSH TO THE A DA.
UH, WE'RE ALSO BEING INVITED TO ONE IN HOUSTON WITH, UH, THE HOUSTON MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IS PLANNING A STATEWIDE EVENT, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY GONNA BE VIRTUAL OR ONLINE.
AND IT, IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID DURING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY.
UH, AND BECAUSE OF COVID, WE HAD TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
AND SO WE HAD ABOUT 700 PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE PARTICIPATE.
THIS COMMITTEE ALSO PARTICIPATED.
YOU HAD A VIDEO FROM YOUR MAYOR, UH, AT THE TIME, UH, MAYOR ADLER, UH, THAT WAS GREETING, UH, THREE, FOUR MINUTE GREETING WITH THIS CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THE A DA.
UH, SO, UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE, THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE WE'RE GONNA BE IN SAN ANTONIO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
UH, MELINDA, DO YOU RECALL OUR AWARDS PROGRAM? IT'S, UH, AROUND THE NINTH, I THINK.
UH, SO, AND THEN SOME OF OUR STAFF ARE GONNA BE, WELL, ONE OF OUR STAFF IS GETTING MARRIED IN THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.
SO
SOMETIMES WE CAN PULL IN, UH, OTHER STATE AGENCIES TO SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MATTHEW DICKENS, OUR ACCESSIBILITY AND DISABILITY RIGHTS COORDINATOR, AND HE HELPED COORDINATE A EVENT FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY LAST YEAR WITH THE TEXAS PARKS IN, UH, WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, WHICH I THINK WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, KIND OF A DEAF DAY AT THE PARK.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE TALENTS AND ABILITIES OF AUSTIN RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
I DID TRY TO GET A SHORTCUT FOR YOU GUYS.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ABILITIES EXPO? THEY, THEY HOLD AN ABILITIES EXPO IN HOUSTON, AND THEY HOLD ONE IN DALLAS.
AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE, NOTHING IMPORTANT HAPPENS FOR, UH, PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT TEXAS BEING INVOLVED.
BUT FOR THE ABILITIES EXPO, THEY ONLY HAVE SEVEN IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, AND TWO OF THOSE ARE HERE IN TEXAS.
SO GETTING THEM TO HOLD A THIRD ONE HERE IN AUSTIN WAS TOO BIG OF AN ASK.
UH, BUT I DID ASK, COULD YOU HOLD AN ABILITIES EXPO IN AUSTIN IN OCTOBER? 'CAUSE THAT WOULD COME WITH CORPORATE SUPPORT.
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF FUNDING, THESE SORT OF THINGS HAVE TO BE SELF-FUNDED OR YOU HAVE TO BRING IN PARTNERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR CITY ORDINANCE ALLOWS YOU TO ACCEPT
[00:30:01]
DONATIONS, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROBABLY CHECK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO, UH, BUILD UP SOME SORT OF FUND.BACK 20 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A NONPROFIT PARALLEL ORGANIZATION CALLED THE AUSTIN MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR A DISABLED PERSONS INCORPORATED.
AND IT HAD THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE DONATIONS AND SPEND MONEY ON THINGS THAT THIS COMMITTEE COULDN'T.
IT WAS A NONPROFIT THAT SUPPORTED THE MISSION OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
CERTAINLY SOMETHING LIKE THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE ONCE AGAIN.
BUT, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE SINCE I ROTATED OFF OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE IN 2014.
UH, AND SOME CHANGE IS GOOD, BUT, UH, IT DOESN'T HURT TO LOOK BACK AT WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE IN THE PAST AND SEE IF ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST WERE THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD.
LIKE EXPANDING THE, THE PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE TO INCLUDING AN EX OFFICIO OR AN ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP SO THAT YOU, YOU HAVE MORE DIRECT TIES INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM THOSE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.
BECAUSE THOSE EXECUTIVES, THOSE VICE PRESIDENTS, THOSE PRESIDENTS ARE GONNA ALSO BRING THEIR IDEAS AND THEIR ENER ENERGY, UH, TO YOUR COMMITTEE AND HOPEFULLY HELP YOU GUYS MAKE BETTER POLICY AS WELL.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL REALLY GREAT IDEAS.
I DO, UM, TO MR. LUCY'S POINT, I DO REMEMBER BEING PART OF THOSE, UM, THE, THE, THE EMPLOYMENT AWARDS.
AND I WAS THERE AS, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF EASTER SILLS.
I GUESS WE PARTNERED WITH Y'ALL, SO, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I DO THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT A COMMITTEE, UM, LATER IN THE AGENDA, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT A SUBCOMMITTEE OR WORK COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE, UM, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? NOW REMEMBER GUYS HERE IN A MINUTE, WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS THIS UNDER ACTION ITEMS AGAIN, SO WE WILL CIRCLE BACK TO THIS TOPIC.
I JUST HAVE SOMETHING, UH, QUICK AND IT PERTAINS TO WHAT RON, WHO WAS SAYING WITH OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN CHAPTER, THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF TEXAS, AND I'M SURE OUR CHAPTER WOULD BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, BRING OUR IDEAS AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS DISABILITY, UH, FESTIVAL GOING.
AND ALSO THE LIAISON ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, IF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE AS WELL.
IF YOU NEED OUR SUPPORT TO HELP WITH HOSTING THOSE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE HAVE AN A SL BUDGET, WE HAVE A ZOOM PLATFORM, WE HAVE MEETING SPACE, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY HELP TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT PLANNING.
UH, ONE OF THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE IS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT, THE ESTABLISHMENT, UH, THE GROWTH OF MAYOR'S COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO IT'S NOT A BIG ASK FOR YOU GUYS TO ASK US TO HELP.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING AND SHARING ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK.
IT'S VERY CRITICAL AND WE DEFINITELY DO NEED THE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WILL START WITH.
AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY APPLICANTS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED OR ARE YOURSELF INTERESTED, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, AND WE ALSO COULD USE SOME SPONSORSHIP FUNDING IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
AND I'M SORRY, I ALSO TALKED WITH MARK DUNCAN, WHO IS THE DISTRICT 10 COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, GOT A CHANCE TO, TO TALK WITH HIM.
AND HE'S INTERESTED IN SOME SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
SO WHAT SPECIFICALLY? UM, AFTER THIS MEETING, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH HIM.
BUT THAT IS ONE STEP THAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UM, GABRIEL, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND KIND OF GETTING US MOVING.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS KIND OF A TOPIC THAT WE'VE KIND OF THROWN AROUND AND HERE AND THERE, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY TO REALLY LIKE CHAMPION THIS TOPIC AND MOVE IT FORWARD.
UH, CHAIR, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, THIS, UM, UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, YOU GUYS WILL BE DISCUSSING A FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP, CORRECT.
OH, IT'S FOR A DIFFERENT TOPIC.
OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS THIS TOPIC.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AT THE MAY MEETING.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET THAT ON THE AGENDA.
SO DURING THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, WE WILL ADD THIS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS TOPIC THAT GIVES YOU SIX MONTHS TO PLAN? YEP.
[3. Discussion regarding provisional ridership of paratransit on CapMetro. Presentation by Deb Miller, community stakeholder and advocate for the disabled.]
MOVING ON TO JUST, UH,[00:35:01]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION REGARDING PROVISIONAL RIDERSHIP OF PARATRANSIT ON CAPITAL METRO PRESENTATION BY DEB MILLER, A COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER AND ADVOCATE FOR THE DISA DISABLED.I'M DIAMOND DEB, AND I'M A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND AUTHOR, AND BASICALLY AN EXPERT ON MOBILITY, TRANSPORTING THE DISABLED.
AFTER MY RESEARCH THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A BOOK.
DEBBIE DOES AUSTIN BY WHEELCHAIR.
AND I WANTED TO WRITE A HAPPY ENDING.
BUT IN DOING SO, I'VE HAD TO GET VERY POLITICAL AND WORK FOR, UM, INCLUSION ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN THE PLANNING OF THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE WITH OUR CITY HERE.
UM, THE REASON THAT I CAME TODAY, THE MOST OFFENSIVE THING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE IS, UM, FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS I WORKED WITH THE CAP METRO, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DEVELOP A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES LIKE ME, WHO USE AVAIL DEVICES TO HAVE THE TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO USE THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.
WHEN I PUT THIS PROPOSAL THROUGH TO THE BOARD, A TP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, CAPTAIN, UM, PRESIDENT TRA ILION TOLD, AND ERIC, ERIC STRAT STRATTON OF THE BOARD, TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE BEST IDEA ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HAD EVER PRESENTED WITH THEM BECAUSE OF THE COST SAVINGS.
THE COST THEY ESTIMATED IS $50 FOR EACH PICKUP, WHICH IS A $100 ROUND TRIP ANYTIME THEY PICK UP A WHEELCHAIR FROM ANYWHERE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND FOR A LADY THAT LIVES IN MY APARTMENT, IT COSTS $335,000 A YEAR JUST TO TAKE HER TO WORK, NOT TO GO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
SHE NEEDS TO DO, SHOP, GO TO THE DOCTOR, ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR.
WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE OF MY RESEARCH AND BECAUSE WHAT I'VE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, I PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL FOR A GRANT THAT WAS TO BE HIRING DISABLED PEOPLE TO HELP EACH OTHER LEARN TO RIDE THE BUS, AND TO TRAIN US TO DO THAT.
THEY DECIDED TO HIRE IN-HOUSE FULL-TIME PEOPLE.
THEY TOLD ME I COULDN'T WORK FOR THEM 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SKILLS.
THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS TO EVEN INTERVIEW ME FOR A JOB AS A TRAINER FOR THE DEPARTMENT THAT I CREATED THE, THE FUNDING FOR.
UM, IN ADDITION NOW, BECAUSE I TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE QUANTUM, WHICH IS THE ONLY CHAIR THIS APPROVED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND MADE BY A MANUFACTURER IN THE UNITED STATES.
EVEN THAT'S APPROVED FOR USE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.
BUT WHEN MEDICARE OR MEDICAID LETS ME HAVE IT, WHICH IS HOW MOST OF US GET ONE, RIGHT? THE MINUTE I TAKE IT OFF THE SIDEWALK, ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY.
NOW, YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND, WE LIVE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND WE BARELY CAN PAY RENT.
IN FACT, I NEED TO POINT OUT THAT THE LOW INCOME HOUSING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, INCLUDING FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, IF A PERSON IS ON SOCIAL SECURITY AS A SENIOR OR DISABLED PERSON, WE DON'T MAKE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDIO APARTMENT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE DISABLED, LIVING UNDER THESE BRIDGES AND UNATTENDED TO, IS BECAUSE WE CANNOT GET ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THESE DEVICES, MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION FOR THE NEED FOR DISABILITY PAYMENTS, THEY PAY OUR RENT AND OUR HELP.
OKAY? SO THE PROBLEM IS THEY DECIDED THAT EVERY PERSON THAT HAD THIS CHAIR, THE QUANTUM, IS NOW A PROVISIONAL WRITER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS CHAIR, YOU MUST BE UNABLE TO STAND UP, UNLIKE MYSELF OR HAVE A GREAT FALL RISK FROM SOMETHING, A SERIOUS DISEASE LIKE PARKINSON'S, LIKE I HAVE, OR HAVE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT, THAT YOU REALLY ALMOST NEED AN ATTENDANT WITH YOU.
IT'S THAT HARD TO GET THIS $22,000 CHAIR, RIGHT? THE, BUT EVERYONE THAT HAS THIS CHAIR IS NOW A PROVISIONAL WRITER, REGARDLESS OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR SITUATION, BLIND, WHATEVER, WHATEVER MULTIPLE COMBINATION OF DISABILITIES WE HAVE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ONE Y'ALL.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT OFTEN HAVE SIMILAR SOLUTIONS AND THEY AREN'T BEING USED.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW IS, UM, WELL, LET ME FINISH.
SO RIGHT NOW, BY CAUGHT BY REQUIRING EVERYONE WHO HAS A WHEELCHAIR LIKE I DO, TO GO IN THE STREET AND USE THE FIXED ROUTE, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS EVERY TIME I GO OFF THE SIDEWALK TO GO TO A BUS STOP, I HAVE BROKEN THE WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS ON MY DEVICE.
I CAN NO LONGER GET A BATTERY.
I CAN NO LONGER GET PARKED AND I CAN LONGER GET SERVICE.
I MAY BE DENIED FROM GETTING A, A CHAIR IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I USED IT IRRESPONSIBLY ACCORDING TO MEDICARE AND MEDICAID RULES THAT DO NOT APPLY FOR THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THEY WANT VETERANS TO GO TO WORK.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE DISABLED BECAUSE THEY SEE US AS OBJECTS TO CARRY AROUND, NOT HUMAN BEINGS WHO
[00:40:01]
CAN LEAD PRODUCTIVE SELF-SUPPORTING SELF-SUFFICIENT LIVES IF WE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED.UM, SO, UH, RIGHT NOW SINCE THE PANDEMIC, MEDICAID MADE THE DECISION THAT EVERY ELDERLY AND DISABLED PERSON WOULD NEVER GO BACK OUTSIDE AGAIN.
SO EVERY DEVICE THAT THEY HAVE APPROVED SINCE 2020 AS FAR AS 2021 AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS ILLEGAL TO TAKE OUTSIDE.
UM, IN ORDER, IF I WERE TO, AND I'VE DONE THE RESEARCH, IF I WERE TO TRY AND NOT CROSS THE SIDEWALK AND USE THE BUS, I WOULD HAVE TO RIDE THE ENTIRE ROUTE AROUND TO CATCH A BUS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BECAUSE THE BUSES DON'T MEET IN THE MIDDLE GOING DIFFERENT WAYS UNLESS YOU CROSS THE STREET SOMETIMES WITH THE SIDEWALK, SOMETIMES WITH THE CROSSWALK, BUT NOT ALWAYS.
UM, BECAUSE OF THIS, UM, BECAUSE OF MEDICARE'S DISCRIMINATORY WARRANTY POLICY, VOIDED THE PO FOR POWER WHEELCHAIR USERS, THIS CREATES AN INSURANCE.
UH, WE NEED TO CREATE AN INSURANCE PROGRAM TO PROTECT WHEELCHAIR USERS IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS OR DAMAGE.
RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS LIABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENS TO ANY WHEELCHAIR USER AS A RESULT OF FOLLOWING THE RULES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY THE METRO ACCESS ELIGIBILITY DEPARTMENT DETERMINATION AS OF JANUARY OF 2025.
UM, AS AN ADVOCATE, I HAVE PETITIONED AND FOUGHT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TO NOW ALLOW PEOPLE WITH NO PERMANENT ADDRESS TO ALSO USE THE, THE, UM, UH, PARATRANSIT METRO ACCESS SERVICES, WHICH THEY WERE NEVER ALLOWED BEFORE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS HORRENDOUS.
UM, TO SAY A PERSON THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DRESS, DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO A DOCTOR OR ISN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE HELP, WAS, WAS HEINOUS TO ME.
AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT ANYONE WHO HAS EVER REGISTERED WITH ECHO CAN NOW GET THE FREE TWO YEAR BUS PASS.
THAT'S PARATRANSIT BECAUSE OF MY ACTIONS.
UM, LET ME SEE THE OTHER POINTS I HAVE.
UM, OKAY, SO MY BIGGEST DEFENSE, WELL I GOT REALLY INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, WAS IN, UH, MY APARTMENTS.
I HAVE A 22 UNIT AND IT'S DISABLED SENIOR HUD PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE 30 70 PROGRAM THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHERE WE PAY 30% OF OUR SOCIAL SECURITY.
WE HAD TO BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ABILITIES WHEN WE MOVED IN ABLE TO LIVE BY OURSELVES.
MOST OF US HAVE BEEN THERE 10 YEARS NOW.
WHAT WE COULD DO AT 50, WE CAN'T DO AT 65.
SO, UM, AND I GOTTA POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU AGE WITH A DISABILITY, IT'S AT A GREATLY ACCELERATED RATE OF AN ORDINARY PERSON.
UM, SO I GOT THE DATA FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
UM, IN 2020, UH, WHEN I GOT THE BEGINNING OF THE STATEMENT, UH, 4,000 TIMES 4,000, UH, 44 TIMES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SENT TO A PERSON'S HOUSE TO JUST HELP THEM OUT OF THE CHAIR WHEN THEY AREN'T HURT.
'CAUSE IT'S HARD TO STAND UP SOMETIMES, Y'ALL.
UM, WHEN I BECAME AWARE OF THIS IN MY APARTMENTS IN 2022, THE FIRE TRUCK WAS COMING TO OUR 22 UNIT APARTMENT TO HELP ONE OF FOUR PEOPLE UP OUT OF A CHAIR WHO WEREN'T HURT FOUR TIMES A DAY OR MORE.
THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE I WAS AWARE OF IT WHEN THE MANAGER LEFT IN 2022, AND WE HAD NO ONE ON SITE FOR THE BUILDING FOR 22 SEVERELY DISABLED PERSONS WITH NO ONE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, A CALL BOX THAT WAS NO WAY TO FIND OUT IF ANYBODY WAS HOME TO NO MAIL DELIVERY, NOTHING.
SOME OF 'EM DIDN'T EVEN HAVE PHONES DURING THAT TIME.
THERE WERE, UH, 4,000 IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY OF THESE LIFTS, ASSISTS.
AND FROM MY PERSONAL APARTMENTS, THERE WERE 24 A YEAR WHERE SOMEONE WASN'T HURT, THEY JUST WANTED TO HELP STANDING UP.
UH, I FOUND THIS REALLY OFFENSIVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOME OTHER SYSTEM THAN SENDING A FIRETRUCK FIVE CREW, A SUPERVISOR TO HELP SOMEONE STAND UP FOR A CHAIR EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S THE SAME PERSON THAT CALLED YESTERDAY.
AND THEY'VE TOLD EMS 9 1 1, I'M NOT HURT.
I DON'T NEED EMS. THIS DOES NOT EN ENCOUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN EMS CAME TO, OR THE PERSON WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY HAD RESPIRATORY OR PANIC OR CHEST ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE CHECKED OUT.
THIS IS JUST WHEN SOMEONE NEEDED HELP STANDING UP.
THE PROGRAM THAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE HAVE A WHEELCHAIR WRECKER SERVICE, A BATTERY LOANER PROGRAM, TIRES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR MOBILITY DEVICES AVAILABLE ON DEMAND LIKE WE WOULD FOR ANY CAR.
ONLY THAT WE SUPPORT IT WITH THE CITY FINANCES BECAUSE MOST OF US ARE SO
[00:45:01]
LOW INCOME.WE DON'T, I I DON'T HAVE FAMILY TO CALL AND MOST OF MY FRIENDS ARE ALSO DISABLED.
I'VE BEEN STUCK OUT OVERNIGHT THAT WHEN METRO ACCESS TAKES YOU SOMEWHERE, IT USED TO BE YOU HAD A GUARANTEED RIDE HOME THAT NO LONGER EXISTS, WHICH I THINK IS HORRIBLE.
I'VE BEEN LEFT OUT OVERNIGHT BY THE FIXED ROUTE DRIVERS WHO ASSUME I HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
THE POLICE, WHEN I WAS LEFT OUT BY CAP METRO ACCESS, WHEN THEY CHANGED OVER TO THEIR NEW SYSTEM, LEFT ME OUT OVERNIGHT, THE POLICE WOULD NOT CALL THE DISPATCH OF CAP METRO TO SAY, HEY, SHE'S STILL HERE.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HER? I WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT.
AND THIS IS STANDARD PRACTICE TODAY.
WHAT WE NEED IS A SYSTEM WHERE WE EITHER GO 24 HOURS WITH PARATRANSIT AND WE BACK UP WITH PARTS AND SERVICE, BECAUSE AS LONG AS WE'RE COMING BACK DAY AFTER DAY, PICKING SOMEBODY UP BECAUSE THEIR CHAIR BROKE DOWN OR GOT STUCK IN THE MUD, RIGHT? INSTEAD OF FIXING THAT FOR ONE THIRD OF WHAT IT WOULD COST FOR THE FIRE TRUCK TO COME BACK THE SECOND TIME, WE ARE WASTING TAXPAYERS MONEY.
WE ARE ENFORCING INCREASING DEPENDENCY AND, UH, AND NOT EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES WHERE THEY WANT TO WITH THEIR, WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE COMFORTABLE AND SELF-SUPPORTING MANNERS.
WHEN, LET'S SEE, UM, I HAVE THE DATA FROM THAT.
SO WHAT I DID WAS I CREATED WHAT WAS CALLED A BLUE APPLE EXPRESS PILOT PROGRAM.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M WORKING ON A PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM WHERE WHAT I'M HOPING WE WILL FUND IS WHEN WE CAN IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE THAT CALL REPEATEDLY FOR THE LYFT ASSIST AND LIKE THE 8, 7, 7 NUMBER FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE WOULD GO THERE, WE WOULD HAVE A PEER SUPPORT PERSON GO AND TALK TO THE PERSON IN THEIR HOME AND EVALUATE WHAT'S IN THE WAY OF GETTING AROUND, WHAT'S STOPPING THEM FROM STANDING UP.
ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS A LIFT RECLINER THAT WILL STAND THE PERSON UP.
THESE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH MEDICARE MEDICAID, BUT THEY ONLY PAY FOR THE LIFT PART.
THE COST OF THIS CHAIR IS MUCH LESS THAN THAT FAR TRUCK, LEMME TELL YOU, ESPECIALLY REPEATEDLY.
ANOTHER THING IS LIKE, I'M GONNA CALL IT A STRIPPER POLE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
THEY HAVE POLES THAT GO TO THE CEILING IN THE FLOOR THAT THE PERSON CAN PULL THEMSELF UP OFF THE TOILET.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER OPTIONS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE ARE JUST IGNORING.
WE ALSO IGNORING THE FACT THAT DRIVERS AS THEY AGE ALSO CANNOT REACH THE TETHERS TO TIE US IN.
THE CAP METRO BOARD IS BUYING TINIER AND TINIER SPACES AS IF WE ARE JUST GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER.
WHILE THE INDUSTRY OF MOBILITY DEVICES IS GETTING LARGER AND MORE FIT, MORE COMPLICATED, WE ARE FACING A NEW WORLD WHERE MOBILITY DEVICES WILL BE SELF-DRIVEN OFF OF AN APP.
UH, ELON MUSK IS COMING AT 'EM VERY SOON WITH ONE THAT'S DRIVEN OFF THE TESLA APP.
RIGHT NOW, THE GUIDANCE ON THE CAP METRO APP FOR PASSENGERS PUTS ME WALKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.
IT'S NOT USABLE FOR A PERSON THAT USES A WHEELCHAIR OR HAS ANY KIND OF MOBILITY PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT EVERY BUS IN THIS CITY HAS TO ACCOMMODATE FOR PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AT NEARLY EVERY STOP.
THEY'RE PUTTING THAT RAMP DOWN.
THEY'RE HAVING TO HELP EITHER SOMEONE HAS TROUBLE PAYING THE FAIR P TROUBLE LOADING THE BUS.
MANY PEOPLE ARE CARRYING THEIR GROCERIES OR THEIR, UH, LAUNDRY AND THEY NEED THE RAMP TO GET ON THERE.
IT'S HARD TO CARRY THAT STUFF.
AND WE'RE FIGHTING FOR THAT A DA SPACE ALREADY.
UM, WHEN I GO IN OTHER AREAS OF TOWN WHERE I'M NOT THE PREDOMINANT PERSON THERE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF RACIAL, UM, THREATS AND PROBLEMS AS A RIDER BECAUSE I TOOK UP SPACE DISPLACING FOUR OTHER TIRED PERSONS WHO WERE SITTING THERE WHO ALSO HAD MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
BUT BECAUSE I'M IN A WHEELCHAIR, I TRUMP EVERY ONE OF THEM.
SO WHEN THERE'S NO NEGOTIATION FOR WHO HAS THE MOST, WHO GOT THERE FIRST IS THE ONLY RULE.
RIGHT NOW WHEN A FIXTURE OUT DRIVER SEES A PERSON THAT THEY ASSUME IS HOMELESS AND THEREFORE HAS NOWHERE TO GO AND IS TAKING UP VALUABLE SPACE ON THEIR BUS, THEY REFUSE ADMITTANCE TO THAT PERSON, WHETHER THEY'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR WHETHER THEY'RE IN A ROLLATOR OR WHAT THEY'RE CARRYING.
IT, THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW, THE DEVICES THAT THE CITY IS BUYING DO NOT ACCOMMODATE THE FUTURE OF WHEELCHAIRS.
IF YOU'LL GO TO THE UK, YOU WILL LOOK, WE HAVE TRAFFIC RULES THERE.
WE HAVE, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY HAVE CERTIFICATION TO USE YOUR WHEELCHAIR IN THE STREET.
[00:50:01]
STUDIES, I RIDE THE E-BIKE LANES.I GO SIX MILES AN HOUR IN MY OUTSIDE CHAIR BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA AVOID THE WARRANTY ON THE ONE THAT IS COVERED BY MY INSURANCE.
BUT MY OUTDOOR CHAIRS, I HAVE DONE IT.
I HAVE USED THE LARGEST CHAIR THAT WILL FIT ON THE BUS, WHICH WEIGHS 500 POUNDS IN ALL FORMS OF TRANSIT HERE IN AUSTIN.
I HAVE, UM, USED, UH, THE CART SYSTEM.
I'VE TAKEN THE TEXAS EAGLE TO THE DALLAS ABILITIES EXPO.
I'VE ALSO TESTED THE, UH, TRANSIT SYSTEM IN HOUSTON.
I GOTTA TELL YOU THAT AUSTIN IS MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE LOOKING FORWARD.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TO THE, BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, YOU CLEARLY HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND HAVE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO REACH OUT TO, UM, THE CAPITAL METRO ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS PART OF A TP AND ALSO TAKE THIS TO THEM AS WELL.
AND THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN THE PEOPLE THAT USE WHEELCHAIRS.
THEY'RE ONLY CONCERNED WITH OTHER DISABILITIES, IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THEM.
OH, THAT'S WHY THAT'S NOT GONNA' HERE IS BECAUSE I CAN'T BE HEARD ANY FURTHER WITH THE CAP METRO HEP BOARD.
UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, I I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I I KNOW YOU SENT AROUND, UH, MAYBE AN INTRODUCTORY EMAIL BEFORE, AND YOU HAD ME MENTIONED THE WRITERS BEING, UH, RECLASSIFIED AS PROVISIONAL.
DO YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THAT THAT MEANS FOR YOU? A PROVISIONAL RIDER LIKE ME IS A PERSON WHO IS EXPECTED TO ALWAYS USE THE FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT, WHICH IS THE REGULAR STREET BUS.
ANYTIME THAT IS POSSIBLE, UNLESS THERE'S, I HAVE TO GO OFF THE SIDEWALK, THEY'RE TRICKY ABOUT THAT, WHICH EVERYONE DOES TO GO HOME.
WHICH MY CHAIR, I DRIVE MY CHAIR OUTSIDE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE ELECTRICITY AND WATER IS A BAD COMBINATION, BUT THEY HAVE MADE EVERYONE, I MEAN, YOU, YOU CAN LIE WHEN YOU MAKE A RESERVATION AND SAY, OH, THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT INVESTIGATING THAT.
BUT THE PRINCIPLE AND THE RULE IS THAT AS A PROVISIONAL WRITER, YOU'RE EXPECTED TO TAKE THE FIXTURE OUT AND OCCASIONALLY TAKE THE A DA SERVICE WHEN NOTHING ELSE WILL DO.
AND HOW DID THEY DETERMINE WHO'S CLASSIFIED AS PROVISIONAL? THEIR ELIGIBILITY DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THAT, AND NOW IT'S BASED ON THE BRAND OF THE WHEELCHAIR TOO.
SO IS THAT, IS THAT ALL ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS OR JUST CERTAIN BRANDS? CORRECT.
THAT INCLUDES SCOOTERS AND OTHER MOBILITY DEVICES AS WELL AS ROLLATORS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVICE DOGS AND I MEAN ALL DISABILITIES THAT THEY HAVE.
SO THE, THE PRESUMPTION IS IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR, THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO USE THE FIXED ROUTE.
BECAUSE IT WILL TRAVEL AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK DESPITE THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT MENTALLY PREPARED FOR THE STRESS OF BEING OUTDOORS ALONE.
MAKE SURE YOU, UH, TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE.
UH, DEV AND I ARE FAMILIAR WITH EACH OTHER, UH, FROM THE SHACK AND FROM THE BUS.
UH, SO I'M ON THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, DEB.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WANTED TO ASK IS, UM, WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE LEFT OVERNIGHT, UH, WERE YOU ABLE TO CALL THEM OR DID YOU NOT HAVE A PHONE OR, UM, MY PHONE BATTERY WAS DEAD.
I DROVE MY WHEELCHAIR LATE AT NIGHT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 2:00 AM WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED THEY WEREN'T COMING.
OVER TO THE TRANSIT STORE AND SLEPT IN MY CHAIR THERE OVERNIGHT UNTIL THEY OPENED A DISPATCH AT 4:00 AM AND FINALLY AT ABOUT FIVE 30, THEY SENT SOMEONE TO GET ME.
SO YOU WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE, UH, TRANSITION? NO.
I SAT OUTSIDE IN MY WHEELCHAIR OVERNIGHT.
AND, AND MANY TIMES, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S THE MAIN QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS WHAT, WHAT TIME WAS THAT? UH, I, I'VE GOT THE REPORT HERE.
YEAH, BECAUSE AS FAR AS I KNOW, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IF, IF YOU NEED A RIDE HOME, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GUARANTEED TO GIVE YOU A RIDE HOME.
THEY JUST FAILED TO SHOW BECAUSE IT WAS THE DAY THEY PUT THE NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE.
AND SO THEY ALLEGEDLY COULD NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AM AND PM IS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
SO THEY WERE NOT COMING TO PICK ME UP AT AM.
UM, AND SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO GET A RIDE BECAUSE YOUR PHONE WAS DEAD? RIGHT.
AND THE POLICE WOULDN'T CALL FOR ME EITHER.
UM, AND SO REAL QUICK, UM, YOU SAY THAT WHEN YOU ATTEND THE ACCESS ADVISORY MEETINGS, WHAT, WHAT HAS
[00:55:01]
BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE? I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT CAP METRO AND METRO ACCESS WILL NEVER CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF PEOPLE USING THEIR MOBILITY DEVICES AS TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.THEY WILL ONLY CARRY US AS OBJECTS.
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN EVEN PURCHASING A MOBILITY DEVICE TO TRAIN THEIR DRIVERS WHO RIGHT NOW ARE VIOLATING PEOPLE'S SPACE BY TOUCHING THEM INAPPROPRIATELY.
AND BASICALLY LAYING ON TOP OF THEM BECAUSE THE DEVICES IN THE TRAINING DON'T MATCH.
SO YOU'RE PROPOSING, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UH, AS FAR AS I'M UNDERSTANDING, YOU'RE PROPOSING SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP TO KIND OF COVER, UM, WHERE MEDICAID FAILS WELL, AND WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN FAILS TO PROVIDE TRANSIT LATE NIGHT.
AND ON AN, ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS FOR PERSONS WITH MOBILITY DEVICES? YEAH.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM, I THINK IT STOPS RUNNING AT 2:00 AM OR, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
THE LATEST YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION, I BELIEVE IS 11:00 PM ON A SUNDAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY REDO STUFF.
UM, I'VE GOT RISE AS LATE AS, UH, 2:00 AM RIGHT.
UH, WEEKEND'S A LITTLE HARDER TO SCHEDULE ALSO.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY FOR PEOPLE, UM, YOU HAVE TO BE ON, IN AN AREA, UM, THAT PROVIDES LATE NIGHT SERVICE? NO, NOT FOR METRO ACCESS.
UM, METRO ACCESS, THAT'S HAS SERVICE HOURS FOR P FOR THE WHOLE AREA.
THE SAME AS FAR AS I'VE BEEN TOLD.
UM, WELL, AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM, YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS, UM, ACCESS TO A NIGHT OWL BUS.
SO THIS IS VICE CHAIR FRANK? UM, THAT IS SOMEWHAT CORRECT.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW LATE THE BUS IS RUNNING IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
'CAUSE I'M A METRO ACCESS, UH, CUSTOMER MYSELF.
SO SOME AREAS THEY WILL DO REDUCED SERVICES BECAUSE THERE'S NO, UH, LATE NIGHT BUS THAT GOES TO THAT PARTICULAR BUS STOP WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? NO.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND, UM, GIVING US THIS INFORMATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC PROPOSALS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE EMAILED OUT? UM, I'M WORKING ON A, UH, SOME PROPOSALS WITH THE TEF FOR, UM, A PILOT PLANNING PROGRAM AND THEN TWO DEMONSTRATION GRANTS, UM, BASED ON HELPING PEOPLE, UM, USE THEIR MOBILITY DEVICES AS TRANSPORTATION AND HAVING SAFE HOUSING TO DO THAT.
IF, IF WE COULD ACTUALLY HOUSE PEOPLE NEXT TO TRANSIT CENTERS WHO USE MOBILITY DEVICES, WE WOULD SAVE THE CITY BILLIONS.
IF WE HOUSE THEM IN CEDAR PARK, WE WOULD SAVE THE BILLIONS BECAUSE CEDAR PARK WOULD THEN HAVE THE EMS SERVICES.
SO, UM, IF YOU LIKE, WHEN YOU'VE, WHEN YOU FINISH THOSE PROPOSALS, UM, YOU CAN EMAIL THEM TO, UM, CHRISTIE AND SHE CAN GET THEM OUT TO THE REST OF US.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE MAYOR, HIS INAUGURATION AND HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE AND NOTHING EVER HAPPENED.
[4. Update from the Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) representative regarding the meeting on March 26, 2025.]
UM, FOR MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AN UPDATE FROM THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.THIS IS AN UPDATE ON OUR, UH, MEETING ON MARCH 26TH.
WE DISCUSSED, I BELIEVE OVER 35, UM, PROPOSED BUDGET ITEMS AND, UM, MOST OF WHICH WERE, UM, ADOPTED OR ADOPTED WITH CHANGES.
AND, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AT THAT POINT.
READY? AS WE KNOW, WE HAD OUR SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS THOSE BUDGET ITEMS, UH, TWO DAYS LATER ON MARCH 28TH.
BUT SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WERE, UM, BENEFICIAL AND WOULD WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT TO CO-SPONSOR, UH, WERE RECOMMENDED BY, UH, THE COMMISSION ON AGING AND I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION ON, UM, IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS.
BUT, UM, THAT COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ITEMS, UM, IS LISTED, UM, ON THEIR WEBSITE.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROCEDURAL RECOMMENDATIONS I WOULD MAKE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THE FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS BUDGET, UM, BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, SO THAT IMMEDIATELY BY JANUARY OF THE NEXT YEAR, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE WOULD BE, UH, ONE OF WHICH SHOULD BE, UM, A MEMBER OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, WE COULD CONVENE AND DISCUSS ITEMS, UM, SOME
[01:00:01]
FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THEN NEW RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, BE ABLE TO GO OVER THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT HOME COMMITTEES, UM, OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE.UM, AND I WOULD SAY THAT THEY ARE ALSO PUSHING TO, UM, MOVE UP THE BUDGET PROCESS EARLIER.
UM, THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE READY BY FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR.
SO, UM, I, YES, IT WAS A VERY LONG DETAILED MEETING AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU, UM, VISIT THAT SITE.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, MAKING THE TIME FOR THE MARCH 28TH SPECIAL, UM, MEETING THAT WE HAD, UH, FOR THE PASSAGE OF THOSE TWO ITEMS, UH, TO RECOMMEND.
COMMISSIONER CHANG, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE SUPPORTING SOME OF THE EXISTING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE BEING PUT FORTH AT THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
DID, DID WE EVER, DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO DO THAT? IT WAS TOO LATE AT THAT POINT.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER POWELL WHO HAD AGREED TO PUT THAT FORWARD.
YEAH, I JUST, SO, UM, I DO AGREE THAT WE DO NEED TO START MUCH EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THIS YEAR WAS IN DECEMBER, THERE WASN'T, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANYTHING THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS EARLIER.
AND I AGREE MAYBE TO PUT THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, DEFINITELY BY NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
SO, UM, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, WE MAY BY FEBRUARY.
SO MAYBE JUST GO AHEAD AND GET THAT SORRY.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS TOPIC? NO.
[5. Approve the formation of a Working Group to make a candidate qualities priority list for City of Austin interview panel participation.]
NOW WE ARE ONTO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, APPROVAL OF A FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO MAKE CANDIDATE QUALITIES A PRIORITY LIST FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INTERVIEW PANEL PARTICIPATION.OKAY, SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT TRICKY.
I'M STILL NOT SURE THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS OR HOW WE COULD PARTICIPATE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT AS A CHAIR, I DO GET EMAILS PERIODICALLY FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING, UM, INTERVIEWS FOR A POSITION THAT WE WOULD, MAY BE INTERESTED IN.
UH, MOST RECENTLY I GOT ONE FOR A CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICER AND THEY INVITED ME TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND IN THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE WAY OUR BYLAWS ARE SET UP, YOU CAN'T REALLY JUST SEND SOMEBODY TO PARTICIPATE WITHOUT HOLDING A MEETING, PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA, HAVING EVERYBODY AGREE AND VOTE THAT YOU CAN GO REPRESENT.
UM, SO I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE EMAILING ME AND THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, CAN YOU SHOW UP NEXT WEEK? OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T GET A SPECIAL MEETING AND ALL OF THAT DONE IN A WEEK.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS COMMITTEE PARTICIPATES IN THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
UM, THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR THEY DIDN'T WANT ME, LIKE, AS A CITIZEN, THEY WANTED ME WITH MY, LIKE LITTLE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RUBBER STAMP.
AND I TOLD 'EM THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I WAS DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH CHRISTIE AND SHE SAID THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET A WORK GROUP TOGETHER AND DEFINE SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN, LIKE MAY, LIKE DEFINE SOME, UM, PRIORITIES AND THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN CANDIDATES.
AND MAYBE WE COULD JUST PRESENT THAT TO PEOPLE THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR IT TOO.
CHRISTY, IS THAT, IS THAT KIND OF YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
SO, UM, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY, AFTER THE WORK, IF THE WORK GROUP IS FORMED, THEY BRING FORTH THE PRIORITY LIST TO THE COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE APPROVES IT, THEN THAT LIST IS SOMETHING THAT THE WHOLE COMMITTEE HAS VOTED ON AS PRIORITIES FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES THAT THE CITY SHOULD HIRE.
SO THEN IF, UM, THE CHAIR GETS AN EMAIL LIKE THAT, THEN WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE, BUT HERE'S OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES.
SO, UM, IS ANYBODY INTERESTED IN SERVING ON A WORKING GROUP LIKE THAT? YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A RATHER SHORT TERM WORKING GROUP.
WE WOULD KIND OF GET TOGETHER, UM, GET SOME PRIORITIES.
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVE TO MEET JUST A COUPLE TIMES.
COMMISSIONER KELLY'S INTERESTED.
[01:05:01]
I HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S INTERESTED? I AM.UM, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CREATE THAT WORKING GROUP? I'LL MOVE.
ANY OPPOSED? CAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, OF COURSE.
UM, AND SO THIS IS AVAILABLE TO ONLY COMMISSIONERS OR TO THE PUBLIC? NO, IT IS.
UM, SO YOU'RE A NEW COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, UM, THE WAY OUR, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL WORKING GROUPS AND IT'S WHEN LIKE THREE OR FOUR, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE ON A WORKING GROUP? FIVE.
SO YOU CAN HAVE UP TO FIVE PEOPLE IN A WORKING GROUP.
AND SO THE WAY YOU DO IT IS YOU COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, YOU SAY, WE WANNA COMMIT, UM, MAKE A WORKING GROUP RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THIS.
RIGHT? YOU PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE, FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON MM-HMM
AND THEN WE DISCUSS IT, WHICH WE'RE DOING NOW, SOMEONE MAKES A, UM, MOTION THAT WE DO CREATE SAID WORKING GROUP SOMEONE SECONDS, AND, UM, THEN WE VOTE YES, WE WANNA CREATE THAT, OR NO, WE DON'T MM-HMM
SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTIVE WORKING GROUPS.
THIS ONE WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE.
SO, AND CHAIR, I, I CAUGHT THE, UM, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KELLY AND THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASA.
UM, BUT I DIDN'T CAPTURE THE VOTE FULLY.
COMMISSIONER DIAZ, WERE YOU VOTING ON THAT ITEM? UM, DO I HAVE TO, YOU CAN ABSTAIN IF YOU LIKE.
UM, AND ABSTAIN MEANS I'M NOT FOR IT, RIGHT? NO, ABSTAINING JUST MEANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO REALLY MAKE THE DECISION AT THE MOMENT.
IT, UM, OR IF YOU'RE NOT FOR IT, THEN YOU WOULD VOTE NAY OR NO? UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON SO YOU ABSTAIN ON THE VOTE? YEAH.
JUST BECAUSE I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
OKAY, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MYSELF, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER KELLY, AND THEN KRISTEN, WE HAVE TWO MORE SPOTS.
YES, THIS IS, UM, COMMISSIONER, I'M INTERESTED, I'M SORRY, IS COMMISSIONER WHO? COMER.
I WILL, UM, I WILL ADD YOU, I JUST HAD A QUICK PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
I MEAN, COULD WE DO LIKE A STANDING AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ON THE COMMITTEE TO REPRESENT THE COM, THE COMMITTEE AT INTERVIEWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UNFORTUNATELY, NO.
WOULD YOU PROBABLY ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WOULD WAY TOO? YEAH.
YOU, YOU COULD AUTHORIZE SOMEBODY IF YOU HAVE THE PRIORITIES LIST, THEN YOU COULD AUTHORIZE SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO THAT PRIORITIES LIST.
SO THEY WOULDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, BUT THEY WOULD TALK TO THE PANEL, LIKE THE, THE, THE ACTUAL PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE INTERVIEWING ABOUT THE PRIORITY LIST, YOU MEAN? RIGHT.
THEY COULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE IF THEY HAD HAD THAT AUTHORIZATION.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY PRETTY GOOD IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY.
SO, UM, AND THEN DEFINITELY, UM, OKAY,
[6. Approve a primary and secondary representative to the Joint Inclusion Committee.]
SO, UH, DISCUSSION, ACT ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER SIX, APPROVE A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY REPRESENTATIVE TO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.UM, IS ANYONE INTERESTED? I KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER CHANG, ARE YOU STILL INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? I AM.
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN SERVING AS ALTERNATE, I HAVE ATTENDED ALL BUT ONE OF THE MEETINGS.
SO, UM, IT IS TOUGH TO MEET SOMETIMES AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON ON A WEDNESDAY.
BUT, UM, I FEEL LIKE I, YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO STAY ON IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, DO WE HAVE TO MAKE, RECOMMEND, WE HAVE TO MAKE MOTIONS, RIGHT? YOU DO NEED TO MAKE A MOTION, OKAY.
FOR THE PRIMARY AND THEN A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE SECONDARY INTAKE.
TAKE VOTES FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL ONES.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER CHANG HAS SELF NOMINATED FOR PRIMARY COMMISSIONER CHANG.
CAN I, I CAN SECOND THAT, RIGHT? YES, YOU CAN.
SECOND, UM, COMMISSIONER CHANG.
SO WE ARE FIXING TO VOTE ON, UM, COMMISSIONER CHANG BEING THE PRIMARY REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS COMMITTEE TO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANYBODY ABSTAINING?
[01:10:01]
COMMISSIONER DIAZ, ARE YOU ABSTAINING ON THIS ONE OR DID YOU VOTE AYE OR NO? UM, HER BEING THE PRIMARY TO THE JIC HAVE TO SAY I SO YOU DO, YOU VOTE FOR IT.YEAH, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, PROCEDURAL RULES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED I WAS REALLY CONFUSED AS WELL.
I PROMISE IF YOU JUST STICK AROUND, YOU'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT EVERY TIME WE TAKE A VOTE, YOU, YOU HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME WAY.
YOU CAN SAY I, OR YES, YOU CAN SAY NAY OR NO, OR YOU CAN ABSTAIN, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU'D RATHER NOT VOTE ON IT.
AND THEN THE LAST OPTION IS RECUSE IF YOU HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
WE NEED A SECONDARY, UM, MEMBER.
IS ANYBODY INTERESTED IN DOING THAT? UM, WE, SORRY.
I I JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE MEET ON, UM, WEDNESDAYS AT THREE O'CLOCK ONCE A MONTH AT THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND, UH, WE ALSO FREQUENTLY HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS.
THE MEETINGS CAN LAST UP TO TWO HOURS AS USUAL.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, THE TOPIC OF BUDGETING OR CITY BUDGETS, THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMISSION IS A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO START IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TIME COMMITMENT, BUT, UM, THEY REALLY HAVE THEIR LIVES TOGETHER OVER THERE.
THEY DO A LOT OF TRAININGS AND, UM, SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF THING, IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH YOUR TIME.
COMMISSIONER CHEN, DID THEY DO, UM, REMOTE? YES, MOST OF, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, FROM THEIR HOME COMMISSIONS DO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY AND ALTERNATES ARE ALSO, UM, INVITED TO, UH, PARTICIPATE.
THEY JUST HAVE A NON-VOTING ROLE IF THE PRIMARY IS PRESENT.
I MEAN, IN THAT CASE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE IF NOBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED.
IT MIGHT BE TOUGH TO KIND OF MAKE THAT TIME SLOT SOMETIMES, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY DO MY BEST.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER KELLY BEING THE ALTERNATE FOR THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
ANY OPPOSED? UM, IS ANYBODY ABSTAINING? NOPE.
I DO KNOW THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMISSION, UH, COMMITTEE, THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE IS QUITE A TIME COMMITMENT, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMITTEE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF VERY USEFUL INFORMATION.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO IT IS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMITTEE.
[7. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair.]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CONDUCT OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
SO WE NEED TO, UM, EVERY APRIL WE CONDUCT ELECTIONS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE.
I WOULD SAY THAT LAST YEAR I SERVED AS THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED SERVING THIS COMMITTEE AND I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS COMMITTEE.
DO WE VOTE SEPARATELY ON THEM, RIGHT? YES.
UM, HAVING SAID THAT, I, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF MY JOB, I'M A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO GET AWAY DURING THE DAY TO LIKE, TAKE SOME PHONE CALLS OR MAYBE SHARE THE PRIORITIES THAT OUR, UH, WORKING GROUP COMES UP WITH.
SO, HAVING SAID THAT, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, UM, STEP DOWN AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, AND I AM GONNA RECOMMEND THAT COMMISSIONER KELLY BE OUR NEW CHAIR.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WANNA THROW THEIR HAT IN THE RING OR RECOMMEND SOMEBODY ELSE? I MOVE APPROVAL FOR COMMISSIONER KELLY TO BECOME CHAIR KELLY.
SO, UM, WE ARE NOW VOTING ON COMMISSIONER KELLY TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN MAYORS COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DI DISABILITIES.
I KNOW THAT THE LAST FEW MEETINGS, HE HAS BEEN HERE IN PERSON.
UM, HE HAS BEEN PUTTING IN THE WORK FOR THIS COMMITTEE, AND I AM REALLY EXCITED.
SO, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE NOMINATION, UH, CHAIR MEYER.
I, I KNOW, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HEARD, BUT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS OF, UH, ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION WAS THAT CHAIR MEYER IS GOING TO NOT LEAVE THE COMMITTEE AND SHE'S GONNA STAY HERE AND HELP US ANYWAY, SO
SO LET'S, MY APOLOGIES, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER DIAZ, DID YOU ALSO VOTE FOR YAY.
[01:15:01]
IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE JUST TO SAY, UM, YOUR VOTE VOCALLY, UH, VERBALLY, AND THEN ALSO RAISE HANDS THAT WOULD HELP ME CAPTURE THE VOTES.OKAY, SO NOW WE NEED TO DISCUSS THE ELECTIONS FOR THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, THIS IS JONATHAN VICE CHAIR FOR THE NEXT MINUTE.
UM, AFTER THIS, CAN YOU COMMITTEE FOR EIGHT YEARS? IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, BUT DUE TO THE NATURE OF MY JOB, IT'S HARD TO REALLY, UH, LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER LIKE, UH, ELIZABETH WAS SAYING THAT IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO GET AWAY TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT EMAILS AND RESPOND, AND I WANNA GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW BLOOD TO TURN THE, THE NEW DIRECTION OF THIS, UM, THIS COMMISSION.
SO I'M, I'M NOT THAT I'M STEPPING DOWN AS VICE CHAIR, BUT REMAINING AS A COMMISSIONER FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY TERM THIS YEAR.
UM, VICE CHAIR FRANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
EIGHT YEARS IS QUITE A LONG TIME.
APPRECIATE WE AS CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
UM, SO I AM, I AM HAPPY IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO NOMINATE ANYBODY ELSE, BUT, UM, I AM ALSO HAPPY TO STAY ON AND SERVE AS VICE CHAIR.
I'LL NOMINATE, UH, CHAIR MEYER FOR VICE CHAIR.
I'M HAPPY TO SECOND, I'LL SECOND.
UM, SO I, I KNOW THAT EVERY, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO YEARS, BUT WE GET OUR LIVES TOGETHER A LITTLE MORE AND A LITTLE MORE.
I AM REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE NEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE TAKEN, UM, HAVE TAKEN SPOTS ON THIS COMMITTEE, AND NOW WE HAVE A FULL COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT YEAR BRINGS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, UH, FORMATION OF A WORK GROUP, UM, TO DISCUSS, UH, THE, WHAT IS IT? SORRY GUYS.IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY AND A LONG WEEK
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I'M, I'M SORRY.
I CAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT? OH, YEAH.
SO, UM, SO YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED TO TALK, YOU CAN JUST, JUST TALK.
UM, BUT SO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, THAT MEANS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY MM-HMM
THOSE WERE OUR AGENDA ITEMS, RIGHT? SO OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT IN THE FUTURE.
WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WORK GROUP IS EARLIER WHEN MR. LUCY CAME AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A CAREER EXPO AND, UM, GABRIEL GAVE HIS, UM, HIS PRESENTATION WITH SOME IDEAS.
WE WANNA CREATE A WORK GROUP, WE'LL, WE WANNA DISCUSS AND WITH AN ACTION ITEM NEXT MONTH YEAH.
TO CREATE A WORK GROUP TO MAYBE MOVE THAT ALONG AND GET SOMETHING PLANNED FOR OCTOBER.
UM, AND THEN, UM, SORRY FOR MY IGNORANCE.
UM, SO I HAD TALKED TO, HOW DO YOU SAY YOUR LAST NAME? IT'S PATELLA BAT PATELLA? YES.
YEAH, SO WOULD, SO SHE SENT Y'ALL AN EMAIL OF SOMETHING I WANTED TO INTRODUCE.
WOULD THIS BE THE TIME TO BRING THAT UP? OH, YEAH.
SO DO I READ THAT EMAIL OR YOU CAN JUST GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU'RE WANTING TO DISCUSS? YEAH.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UM, I WAS ON, I, I TAKE METRO ACCESS PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TIME, FIXED ROUTE HERE AND THERE, BUT MOSTLY I'M ON METRO ACCESS.
SO I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT PARATRANSIT SAFETY BECAUSE IT'S MY LIVELIHOOD AS, AS IT IS SO MANY OTHERS.
UM, AND SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I WAS ON THE BUS AND I WAS ON SHARED RIDE, UM, AND WE WERE PICKING UP A MAN FROM AN ELDERLY MAN FROM THE MOSQUE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS, UH, BASED ON RELIGION OR I, I MEAN, I DIDN'T, I COULDN'T REALLY HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT A, THE DRIVER ENDED UP SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS, UM, TO A CLIENT.
[01:20:01]
LIKE I SAID, THE CLIENT WAS ELDERLY AND BLIND.UM, HE WASN'T HOLDING ON TO ANYTHING ON THE BUS, AND THE DRIVER MOVED THE BUS WHILE THIS MAN WAS STANDING UP.
UM, AND HE WAS DRIVING VERY RECKLESSLY, UM, EVEN WHEN THIS MAN, UH, WAS SEATED AND HE WAS TALKING ON THE CELL, ON HIS CELL PHONE, UM, WHILE HE WAS DRIVING.
UM, AND I WAS VERY SCARED AND I WAS TERRIFIED.
UM, SO I REPORTED IT, THIS MAN DID GET FIRED, UM, AND JUST RECENTLY MAY, I THINK MARCH 14TH, HE PICKED ME BACK UP AND I WAS APPALLED THAT THIS MAN, UH, GOT REHIRED AS FAR AS I KNOW.
UM, AND I WAS SCARED THAT HE PICKED ME BACK UP.
UM, SO I WANTED TO QUESTION METRO WHY HE WAS ABLE TO GET REHIRED AFTER ACTING SO HEINOUSLY TOWARDS A CLIENT.
UM, AND THEY DID TELL ME THAT, UH, HE WENT THROUGH SOME COURT ATTRI, HOW DO YOU SAY ATTRIBUTION, ATTRI, I DON'T KNOW THE WORD.
THAT, UM, AND, UH, I GUESS HE, HE WENT THROUGH SOME TRAINING AND, AND YOU KNOW, THEY REHIRED HIM ON A, ON A SECOND CHANCE BASIS.
BUT FOR ME, I MEAN, THIS WASN'T SOMETHING LIKE, THIS WASN'T SOMETHING LIKE, OH, THE DRIVER, UH, LEFT A CLIENT OUT OF THEIR 30 MINUTE WINDOW, OR THIS, TO ME, THIS WAS, THIS WAS EVIL AND I FELT LIKE THIS DRIVER JUST HAD NO SOUL TO, TO DO WHAT HE DID, AND HIS ACTIONS WERE CAUGHT ON TAPE.
BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, UM, THE TAPE ISN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
BUT THE, BUT THE REPORT IS, AND SO I'M SURE I CAN UNEARTH THAT REPORT.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF MY HANDS OR THE METRO'S HANDS ARE COMPLETELY TIED, UM, WITH MTM TRANSIT IN THE UNION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ENFORCE A POLICY THAT THIS, IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED AGAIN, A DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET REHIRED.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THE WAY THE NATURE CAPITAL METRO WORKS, I'M STILL FIGURING OUT MYSELF.
BUT CAPITAL METRO IS ITS OWN ENTITY, RIGHT? IT'S NOT PART OF THE CITY MM-HMM
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE SAY OVER THEIR POLICIES.
HOWEVER, UM, YOU COULD ATTEND A CAPITAL METRO, UM, ADVISORY COMMITTEE OR, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO I'M ON THE CAP METRO ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A REALLY APPROPRIATE PLACE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO DISMISS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH YOU.
THERE SHOULD BE A ZERO TOLERANCE AND LIKE IF YOU, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY YES, A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT THIS COMMITTEE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
ANYBODY ELSE? NO, UH, THIS IS JONATHAN.
NO, PRETTY MUCH WE CAN'T, LIKE THE TWO ENTITIES WE CAN'T TOUCH IN AUSTIN ARE CAPITAL METRO AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN OKAY.
LIKE, UH, CHAIR MEYER WAS SAYING THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEIR OWN PRIVATE ENTITY, SO IT'S KIND OF HARD.
I MEAN, YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE INVITE MARTIN HY TO SPEAK AT A MEETING, I THINK.
AT LEAST HE CAN LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, AND HE SAYS HE'S PART OF THE DISABILITY, UM, ASPECT OF CAPITAL METRO.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD, UM, INVITE HIM AT A FUTURE MEETING.
YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY, I COULD DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND YOUR FEAR AND, YOU KNOW, SHOCK OF, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF, THAT DRIVER COMING BACK.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE YOU WENT THROUGH THAT.
UM, AND I AGREE THERE SHOULD BE A ZERO TOLERANCE, SO WE COULD, WE COULD MAYBE INVITE MARK, SEE IF HE'S AVAILABLE IN MAY.
SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE HIS CONTACT INFO, UM, IF YOU COULD ARRANGEMENTS I, I CAN, OR YEAH, IF NOT, I CAN GET IT.
UM, SO SORRY AGAIN FOR MY IGNORANCE.
AGAIN, I'M JUST LEARNING, SO THAT'S FINE.
WOULD INVITING, UH, MR. CAR CARI BE AN AGENDA ITEM? YES.
WE WOULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR MAY.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, UM, YOU COULD EMAIL HIM AND SAY, OR CHRISTIE, OR WE USUALLY DO IT, OR YOU, NORMALLY I JUST HANDLE THE CITY OF AUSTIN PRESENTERS SINCE THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF CITY OF AUSTIN.
IF YOU WANNA MAKE ARRANGEMENTS, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU LOOP ME IN SO THAT I KNOW THAT HE'S CONFIRMED AND THAT HE, IF HE HAS A SLIDE DECK, FOR INSTANCE, THAT HE PROVIDES IT TO ME.
SO WHEN YOU SEND THE EMAIL CC CHRISTY ON IT.
UM, THE PERSON JUST FOR Y'ALL'S REFERENCE, THE PER THE PERSON, UM, BE, BECAUSE I DID, UH, MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, SO IT WOULD BE THE APRIL MEETING.
UM, AND THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED UP WITH ME WERE MR. R JACKSON, UH, MS. JULIE LAMBKIN, AND MS. SARAH SANFORD.
SO WOULD THEY BE ON THE EMAIL AS WELL? THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED UP WITH
[01:25:01]
ME? IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO START THERE.UM, AND JUST FOR Y'ALL'S REFERENCE, UH, MR. R JACKSON TOLD ME TO TRUST THE METRO THAT THEY WERE MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION TO BRING THIS MAN ON.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GASLIGHTING.
AND I WANT, I DON'T KNOW IF CAP METRO HAS POWER OVER THE UNION OR MTM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S MTM IN THE UNION VERSUS CAP METRO.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THIS IS A ABUSE OF POWER AND I THINK THIS IS ABUSIVE AND I THINK THEY'RE UPHOLDING, UH, ABUSE.
AND I JUST WANT, I WOULD LIKE MTM TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.
I DO THINK IT'S FULLY REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT IF YOU WERE FIRED FOR PUTTING CLIENTS AT RISK, THAT YOU WILL NOT BE REHIRED.
BUT LIKE YOU SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE UNION AND WHAT THE LAWS ARE, SO, BUT WE'LL ASK IN MAY, WE'LL FIND OUT.
I MEAN, PART OF THE REASON WHY I JOINED THE THE COMMISSION IS BECAUSE I'M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT PARATRANSIT RIGHTS AND WANT TO HELP, WANT TO HELP AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, I'M A MUSIC JOURNALIST AND SO I HAVE TO GO TO A LOT OF SHOWS AND EVENTS AND I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING, UM, HELPING, UH, FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AND VENUES BE MORE ACCESSIBLE.
THE MAIN REASON WHY I'M HERE, PLEASE.
UM, WELL, WELCOME TO OUR COMMITTEE.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, PLEASE JUST ASK QUESTIONS.
YOU SEE TONIGHT, I'M STILL LIKE, LA LA IS THAT RIGHT? CHRISTY? LIKE, SO, AND I'VE BEEN HERE TWO YEARS, UM, SO I'VE BEEN HERE DATE AND I'VE HAVE QUESTIONS.
DON'T, AND THAT GOES TO ALL THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, UM MM-HMM
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
WILL THERE BE A JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE UPDATE AT THE NEXT YES.
YEAH, WE COULD PUT THAT AND, UM, YOU COULD PUT A, UM, A-T-P-C-A-C UPDATE AS WELL.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAVE OUR MEETING THE DAY BEFORE.
IT'S THE CAPITAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OR CAPITAL METRO ADVISORY.
YEAH, IT'S, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, CAPITAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW THE A-T-P-C-A-C, IF YOU HAVE ANY EMAIL DETAILS.
YEAH, LEMME KNOW FOR THE AGENDA.
SO I KNOW, UM, OUR, OUR COMMITTEE, OUR, OUR THING THIS WEEK WAS CANCELED.
UM, AND SO, UH, I'M WORKING ON THAT TRAINING THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED, BUT, UH, I DON'T WANNA ADD AS AGENDA ITEM YET.
LET ME GET FINISHED WITH IT FIRST, AND THEN I'LL JUST SEND AN EMAIL AROUND AND THEN WE CAN GET A GET ON THE AGENDA MAYBE FOR MAYOR NEXT ONE.
WELL WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
AND, UM, WELCOME COMMISSIONER KELLY TO BEING OUR THANK YOU FEARLESS LEADER.
DO I, I DON'T HAVE TO GET A, DO I HAVE TO GET A MOTION? NO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, IF POSSIBLE, DID, CAN DEB TALK TO YOU? DO Y'ALL, UM, WHAT, WHAT WERE YOU, WHAT WERE, WHAT WERE Y'ALL ON? I WAS LISTENING TO GOVERNOR.
SO YOU WERE, YOU ALREADY TALKED TO HER.
I JUST THINK THAT YOU MAYBE NEED MORE SUPPORT.
THEY, THEY MADE SPECIAL TIME TO TALK.
JUST MAKING SURE ALL WELL, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, UM, TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY FOR COMING IN AND LETTING US KNOW, UM, YOUR ISSUES.
AND PLEASE DO, WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THOSE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO CHRISTIE.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN MAY.
REMEMBER, CHECK YOUR EMAIL AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.