Feb 13, 2026 Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities

[00:00:03]

HELLO EVERYONE.

[CALL TO ORDER]

UM, WE'LL START, START WITH, UH, ROLL CALL CHAIR KELLY HERE.

COMMISSIONER ANO? YES.

COMMISSIONER CHANG.

COMMISSIONER COMER.

HAGENS.

I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.

OKAY.

I HEARD COMMISSIONER DIAZ.

I'M HERE.

I'M JOINING ONLINE.

AWESOME.

COMMISSIONER ANTE.

COMMISSIONER MURPHY.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER SAN MARTIN.

MARTIN.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER SLATE.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER VASSALLO HERE.

AWESOME.

AND WE HAVE, UH, NEW COMMISSIONER HERE.

WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER SAN MARTIN.

HE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF BRIEFLY? UH, YES, SIR.

UM, UH, MY NAME'S ALEX SANTINE.

I I CURRENTLY WORK AT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

I'M A ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND I WORK DOWNTOWN, SO IT'S EASY TO GET TO THE MEETINGS OVER HERE AT CITY HALL .

SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SERVE.

SO YEAH, GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE BOARD.

WE'RE WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

OH, THANK YOU, .

UM, SO WE'LL START

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.

CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

RAISE YOUR HAND.

AYE.

AYE.

ALRIGHT, THEN

[2. Staff briefing regarding advancing ADA Compliance and Austin Equity and Inclusion updates. Presentation by Megan Dere, American Disability Act Administrator, Austin Equity and Inclusion.]

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

JUST WRITE.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE SOME SPACE WITH YOU.

WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.

MY NAME IS SHAINA KHAKI AND I SERVE AS THE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING MANY OF YOU, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THESE PAST, UH, NEARLY A YEAR NOW HERE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, DR. LINDSAY WILSON AND MYSELF, BUT JOINED YOU IN SHARING SOME OF OUR COLLECTIVE WORK.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UM, HOUSES, HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND EQUITY.

UM, AND TOGETHER OUR OFFICES ARE WORKING TO EMBED EQUITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS INTO CITY POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES ALONGSIDE NOW HUMAN RIGHTS.

UM, MORE RECENTLY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND WITH MAYOR WATSON AS HE PRESENTED A PROCLAMATION TO THIS COMMISSION.

AND I SHARED WITH ALL OF YOU THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS PRIORITIZING A DA COMPLIANCE CITYWIDE AS PART OF HIS PRIORITY GOALS AND HOUSED A DA WITHIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION, UM, OF OFFICE EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

SO WE ARE TREATING THIS WORK WITH URGENCY, UM, AND A COMMITMENT THAT I TRULY BELIEVE IT DESERVES.

I KNOW STAFF HAVE SHARED UPDATES, UM, ON OUR END REGARDING ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND I HAVE PREVIOUS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE NEXT STEPS RELATED TO THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN.

UM, AND SINCE I WAS LAST WITH ALL OF YOU, WE HAVE ALSO LAUNCHED THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK.

UM, I WANT THIS COMMITTEE TO KNOW THAT THROUGH OUR HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A DA AS A TOP 12 HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND, UM, YOU HAVE ALL BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UPCOMING WORKSHOP ON MARCH 23RD.

UM, I BELIEVE, UH, CHAIR KELLY, YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE EMAIL ON BEHALF OF THIS COM, UH, THIS COMMITTEE.

AND WE SINCERELY WELCOME ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK, YOUR INSIGHTS, AND YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.

BUT TODAY, OUR MOST IMPORTANT UPDATE AND THE ONE I'M MOST EXCITED TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU IS THAT WE HAVE HIRED OUR FIRST A DA ADMINISTRATOR.

TITLE TWO, TITLE THREE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HOUSED WITH AN AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, MEGAN.

DEAR MEGAN BRINGS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT FROM HER WORK, BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND ALONG WITH HER DEEP PASSION FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS AND ACCESSIBILITY.

SHE HAS TRULY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN JUST ABOUT THREE MONTHS, SO I KNOW SHE'LL BE A STRONG POINT OF CONTACT.

OF COURSE, YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR INFORMATION FOR BOTH OUR OFFICE, THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION, AND NOW MEGAN.

SO I WILL PASS THE MIC OVER.

THANK YOU, SHAINA.

UH, ONE THING SHAINA DID NOT MENTION IS HOW MUCH I HAVE BEEN BEGGING HER TO COME AND MEET YOU ALL.

, I AM SO EXCITED TO BE HERE, AND I WAS EVEN NERVOUS YESTERDAY, WHICH IS NOT LIKE ME.

UH, SO I AM TRULY THANKFUL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS COMMISSION.

UH, TO START OFF, I WILL JUST WANNA DO A LITTLE DIS DISCLAIMER THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA

[00:05:01]

UM, SO KICKING IT OFF, I AM A WHITE WOMAN WITH SHOULDER LENGTH BROWN HAIR.

I'M WEARING A BLUE SUIT TODAY.

AND LIKE I SAID, I'M EXCITED.

I HAVE A DEEP COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY AND EXPANDING ACCESS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WELL AS, UH, THE CITY.

UM, AND ALSO ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

AS, UH, SHINA MENTIONED, I'VE SEEN HOW, YOU KNOW, SMALL BARRIERS CAN REALLY IMPACT ACCESS, UH, TO SERVICES, TO PROGRAMS, AND TO DAILY LIFE.

AND, UH, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE, HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES, HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE TO SLIDE TWO, UH, ON SLIDE TWO HERE.

I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE A DA PROGRAM.

I'M SURE SOME OF IT WILL NOT BE NEWS TO YOU, BUT I KINDA WANNA DO A RECAP IN CASE IT IS, UH, ADDITIONALLY WHAT I'VE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO FAR, AS WELL AS MY TOP PRIORITIES.

AND, UM, MY ASK FOR THE COMMITTEE TODAY.

ALSO, CIRCLING BACK ON, UH, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AS I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT IT IN THE PAST.

SO WE, I WANNA TOUCH ON THAT AND HOW IT AFFECTS ACCESSIBILITY IN THE CITY.

AND THEN ALSO HOW YOU CAN BE IN TOUCH WITH ME.

UH, THIS SLIDE DOES INCLUDE AN IMAGE OF AN AUDITORIUM WITH AN ACCESSIBLE RAMP LEADING UP TO THE SEATING AREA.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE THREE, I WANNA START WITH A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF A DA AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO, UM, WITH A DISCLAIMER THAT I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE FULL HISTORY, RIGHT? THESE ARE JUST SOME KEY POINTS THAT I WANNA TOUCH ON AND, UH, KIND OF SHOW WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND WHERE WE, WHERE WE'VE STARTED FROM.

SO IN 1992, WE HAD OUR FIRST A DA TRANSITION PLAN WHEN THE CITY WAS, UM, A LITTLE SMALLER.

WE HAD 25 DEPARTMENTS AT THAT TIME, UH, IN 2019 A DA AND, UH, FOR BOTH TITLE TWO AND TITLE ONE WERE HOUSED, UM, IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

AND IN 2020 THAT SHIFTED WHERE TITLE TWO RESPONSIBILITIES WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, IN 2020.

UH, WELL, MY APOLOGIES, WE JUST TOUCHED ON THAT.

IN 2024, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, FULLY COMMITTED TO ACCESSIBILITY AND, UM, THAT CAME ABOUT WITH A STATUS REVIEW THAT ENCOURAGED THE, UH, CREATION OF A CITYWIDE A DA TRANSITION PLAN.

AND SO I'LL TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON WHAT THAT, THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.

UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THAT COME UP BEFORE.

UH, BUT WE'RE FINALLY MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS DELIVERING ON THAT IN 2025.

UH, AS, UH, SHINA LIKES TO TALK ABOUT IS, WAS THE BIRTH OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION.

AND SO HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION, UH, WAS CREATED, AND THAT IS WHERE I CAME ON BOARD IN OCTOBER OF THIS PAST YEAR IN OCTOBER, 2025, UH, IN 2026, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.

UH, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT FOR FUNDING FOR CITYWIDE TRANSITION PLAN.

UH, AND NOW WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER WITH 40 DEPARTMENTS.

AND SO THAT TRANSITION PLAN IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER IN SCOPE IN THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO LOOK AT AND AND ASSESS FOR FOR HOW WE'RE DOING SLIDE FOUR.

SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE SINCE STARTING.

UM, ONE BEING THAT TRANSITION PLAN SCOPE.

UM, PROBABLY THE THING YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT UNTIL IT'S FULLY COMPLETED.

UH, WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GAPS AND BARRIERS THAT ARE WITHIN, WITHIN THE CITY POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND LOOKED AT ON A DEEPER LEVEL WHEN WE BRING A A, A CONSULTANT ON BOARD, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, THE DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY GROUP WITHIN THE CITY TO WORK ON IMPROVING OUR DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE CITY TO MAKE INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE ON OUR PUBLIC FACING WEBSITES, WORKING ON DEVELOPING TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, UM, ON ACCESSIBILITY AND, UH, ALSO MEETING WITH COMMISSIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.

THIS SLIDE INCLUDES AN IMAGE OF A RECENTLY DEVELOPED SERVICE DOG GUIDE, WHICH IS AN INFORMATIONAL RESOURCE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS.

THAT WAS DEVELOPED AFTER SOME MEETINGS I HAD WITH TRAIL OF LIGHT STAFF.

FOR SLIDE FIVE, I WANT TO KIND OF FOCUS ON MOVING FORWARD.

I WILL BE FOCUSING ON THREE KEY PRIORITY AREAS.

I CALL THEM THE THREE PS.

UH, WE HAVE PROGRESS, SO STAFF TRAINING AND PUBLIC AWARE AWARENESS.

HOW DO WE MOVE THINGS FORWARD? HOW DO WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND, AND MAKE CHANGES TO IT? UH, THAT ALSO FOLDS INTO MY SECOND P, WHICH IS POLICY AND TAKING A LOOK AT CITY POLICIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, CITYWIDE TRANSITION PLAN.

THAT TRANSITION PLAN WILL TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR CITY OWNED FACILITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN INVENTORIED FOR A DA COMPLIANCE, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER AREAS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ADDED.

ADDITIONALLY SINCE, UM, PARKS AND REC DID THEIR TRANSITION PLAN AND SINCE TPW DID THEIR TRANSITION PLAN FOR SIDEWALKS AND, UM, PEDESTRIAN CROSS CROSSINGS.

SO WE WANT 'EM TAKE A LOOK AT POLICIES AS WELL AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR POLICIES HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT WITH AN ACCESSIBILITY LENS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT CREATING ANY BARRIERS WITHIN THEM.

AND MY FINAL P IS PARTNERSHIPS.

[00:10:01]

UM, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION ON THIS SLIDE, IT HAS AN IMAGE OF A POSTED SIGN THAT READS, NOT EVERY DISABILITY IS VISIBLE.

MOVING TO SLIDE SIX.

ALRIGHT, SO FOR SLIDE SIX, THIS IS MY PARTNERSHIP SLIDE.

AND MY ASK ALSO FOR THE COMMITTEE, NOT, NOT FOR JUST RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, ONGOING AND WORKING TOGETHER, I REALLY WANNA HEAR FROM YOU.

I WANNA WORK WITH YOU.

I WANNA KNOW WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING, UM, OR WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS, BUT IT COULD BE BETTER.

UM, AND WE, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO, TO DO THAT.

UH, AS SHINA MENTIONED, THE HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK WORKSHOP IS COMING UP ON MARCH 23RD.

I REALLY HOPE TO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY, UM, UH, NEEDS HEARD AT THAT SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN, UH, TARGETING WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO IMPROVE THAT, TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY.

SO, LIKE I SAID, GOOD, BAD WORKING AND NOT PLEASE FEEL FREE, REACH OUT ANYTIME TO ME.

UM, I, I, I'M A TALKER, SO I LOVE TO TALK AND SO DON'T, DON'T THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING UP MY TIME.

YOU'RE NOT AT ALL.

UM, SLIDE SEVEN.

SO I KNOW MY C COLLEAGUES WERE HERE, I WANT TO SAY BACK IN DECEMBER, I BELIEVE, SHARING WITH YOU ABOUT, UH, ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND THE, UH, FRAMEWORK THAT'S ROLLING OUT AS WELL AS THE TOOL.

AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO, WANTED TO TOUCH ON IT TO KIND OF DRIVE THE POINT THAT THE CITY IS STILL VERY MUCH, UH, LEANING INTO THAT FRAMEWORK AND WANTING TO USE IT FOR, UH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND, AND DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE.

UH, AND ALSO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT, UM, THE CITY HAS INCLUDED ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT ACCESSIBILITY LEADS TO OPPORTUNITY AND SO, AND THEY'RE INTERTWINED.

AND SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT.

I'M THRILLED THAT IN ACCESSIBILITY IS INCLUDED AND WE'RE HAVING A VOICE AT THE TABLE DURING THAT FRAMEWORK AS WELL.

UH, THIS SLIDE INCLUDES AN IMAGE OF A BLACK MALE IN A WHEELCHAIR LOOKING TOWARDS A HORIZON THAT INCLUDES A FERRIS WHEEL AND AN EVENT IN THE BACKGROUND.

SLIDE EIGHT.

SO IN, IN CLOSING, PLEASE REACH OUT.

UH, I WANTED TO SHARE INFORMATION ON HOW ANYONE CAN FILE AN ACCESSIBILITY COMPLAINT, BUT ALSO IF YOU JUST WANNA TALK, YOU JUST WANNA SHARE YOUR CONCERNS OR NOT, OR NON CONCERNS, YOU WANNA TELL ME SOMETHING WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL.

, UM, AL ALWAYS HAPPY TO HEAR IT.

UM, AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU TO MAKE ACCESSIBILITY A REAL LIVED EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, FEEL FREE ALSO TO EMAIL ME.

I WILL READ THE EMAIL OUT JUST IN CASE ANYONE'S NOT, NOT LISTENING OR NOT, NOT ABLE TO SEE THE SCREEN.

, UM, MEGAN DOT DERE, SO M-E-G-A-N DO D E@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV OR AADA@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.

AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, MEGAN.

THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT.

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT ROADMAP.

UM, WE CAN HAVE SOME QUESTIONS NOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY.

I DO.

THIS IS ALL RIGHT.

LET'S, UH, START WITH COMMISSIONER DIAZ AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER SAM MARTIN.

HI.

I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF Y'ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PRESENT, AND I LOVED HEARING FROM YOU.

UM, THE MAIN REASON WHY I JOINED THE COMMISSION IS TO HELP MAKE, UM, THE CITY MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR FESTIVALS AND EVENTS.

UM, AND I'M HAVING, I HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE THIS PAST SUMMER, SPECIFICALLY WITH BLUES ON THE GREEN, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE I WOULD HAVE TO START ASKING OR INQUIRING ABOUT NOW, SO THAT IF THEY DO IT AGAIN, UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A DESIGNATED PICKUP AND DROP OFF SPOT FOR METRO ACCESS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON OR THAT THEY HAD, BUT IT JUST WASN'T TRANSLATING.

AND I STRUGGLED VERY DEEPLY, UH, TO GET HOME SAFELY.

I WALKED, UH, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE GROUNDS ON ZILKER PARK, I WALKED FROM CHEWY'S ALL THE WAY TO WHERE THE, UH, I'M SORRY, FROM ZILKER PARK ALL THE WAY TO CHEWY'S, WHICH IS VERY FAR FROM ME.

UM, SO BLUES ON THE GREEN IS SOME, UH, BLUES ON THE GREEN.

ACCESSIBILITY IS SOMETHING I'M SUPER PASSIONATE ABOUT.

UM, AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU, UH, FURTHER ABOUT IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT IS ONE OF MY HIGH PRIORITIES FOR ALL CITY EVENTS, SO I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU.

YEAH, YEAH.

UM, UM, I'M, I'M ON, I'M ON MY PHONE RIGHT NOW, SO I COULD NOT SEE THE EMAIL.

COULD YOU PLEASE READ IT BACK TO ME AGAIN AND I'LL, I COULD EMAIL YOU? YEAH, IF YOU WANNA HIT ME DIRECTLY, IT'S GONNA BE MEGAN, M-E-G-A-N DOT D E@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.

OKAY.

THANKS SO MUCH.

I WILL, I'LL FOLLOW THROUGH AND HOPEFULLY, UH, YOU CAN HELP GUIDE ME IN THE NEXT STEPS.

'CAUSE I FEEL SORT OF LOST AS A COMMISSIONER IN WHAT I'M ALLOWED TO DO AND WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO IN, UM, REACHING OUT TO THE, THE CORRECT REPRESENTATIVES AT BLUES ON THE GREEN OR, OR ANY FESTIVAL.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE SOCCER GAME, I HAVEN'T EVEN GONE TO A SOCCER GAME

[00:15:01]

LIKE, I HAVEN'T GONE TO ACL BECAUSE I'M SO AFRAID OF IT, YOU KNOW? UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO BRING FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION, JUST HELPING WITH THAT.

BUT IT, BUT IT IS SO OVERWHELMING AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO VOICE HOW OVERWHELMING IT IS.

NO, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

AND I WAS ALSO GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO MEGAN.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE ARE EXPANDING OUR SERVICES WITHIN A DA.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT YOU KNOW, AS CHAIR KELLY, AS I SHARED WITH CHAIR KELLY, IS THAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK WILL ALLOW, UM, A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK.

AND IT'S FEEDBACK LIKE THIS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

WE WANT OUR CITY TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO MITIGATE ISSUES LIKE THIS ONE.

AND SO, UH, PLEASE REACH OUT.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, SPECIFIC RULES SOMETIMES WITH COMMISSIONERS ALL BEING IN A ROOM.

YEAH.

BUT THERE'S BOTH OPPORTUNITY FOR IN PERSON AS WELL AS THE FEEDBACK LOOP IN THE, UH, EMAILS AND THE SURVEYS.

AND SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MEGAN DIRECTLY AND THEN SHE WILL, UM, CONTACT, UH, ME AND OUR HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK TEAM, UM, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU CONNECTED AND ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER ON HERE WHO WISHES TO, TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION AS WELL.

OKAY.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SAM MARTIN, YOU HAD A QUESTION? UH, YES, CHAIRMAN, I, I JUST, UM, WANTED TO, TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING TODAY.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY GOOD INFORMATION TO HEAR WHAT Y'ALL, UM, WHAT YOUR OFFICE, UH, DOES AND HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE AND PARTNER UP WITH Y'ALL.

I, I JUST HAD A, LIKE A QUESTION.

IT'S LIKE A, JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, UM, ABOUT, UM, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BUILDINGS THE CITY OWNS, UM, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF BUILDINGS, UM, I GUESS NEW OR OLD AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, IF YOU'VE LIKE, MAYBE LOOKED AT, UM, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I, I REMEMBER IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, THERE WERE LIKE 25 DEPARTMENTS AND NOW THERE'S LIKE 40, RIGHT? SO, UM, SO HAVE YOU LOOKED AT, UM, IF EACH BUILDING THAT THE CITY OWNS IS ACCESSIBLE? BECAUSE MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE SOME BUILDINGS THAT ARE MAYBE NOT, 'CAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES OLD BUILDINGS ARE NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF MAYBE LOOK AT THAT POSSIBLY.

SO EXCELLENT QUESTION.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

UM, SO THAT IS GONNA BE A BIG PART OF OUR, OUR UPCOMING CITYWIDE TRANSITION PLAN IS THAT THAT EVALUATION HASN'T BEEN DONE.

AND SO WE, WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, UM, AND SEE WHAT, WHAT BARRIERS ARE OUT THERE OR WHAT, UH, IS CURRENTLY ACCESSIBLE AND NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.

AND ALSO JUST TO ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY MANAGER TOO, IN THE SENSE THAT OUR LAST, UH, TRANSITION PLAN, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M WRONG HERE, I BELIEVE WAS 1994 OR 1995.

UM, SO WE ARE OVERDUE.

AND SO THIS A DA TRANSITION PLAN WE EXPECT TO, UM, EXPAND OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

UM, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY, UM, GONNA BE HAVING OPPORTUNITIES AS THAT SCOPE OF WORK IS DEVELOPED FOR THIS COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF OUTPUT SO THAT YOU ARE SEEING THAT THOSE, UM, RESULTS ARE BEING MET.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I KNOW BECAUSE THE CITY OBVIOUSLY HAS LIMITED RESOURCES, WHEN YOU'RE TAKING A LOOK AT ALL THE BUILDINGS, IF YOU COULD LOOK AT, UM, USAGE BY THE POPULATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS DISABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHICH, WHICH FACILITIES WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT THE MOST.

UM, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE THAN THE CITY WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PAY FOR AND UPDATE ON, YOU KNOW, A REASONABLE TIMELINE.

SO JUST, UH, JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.

I HAD A QUICK QUESTION.

THIS IS KIND OF DETAILED, BUT I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU MET WITH THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS ORGANIZERS.

DID YOU, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF THE, WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION LIKE WITH THEM? UM, IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD.

UH, WE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.

I, I DO SEE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THERE, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S BEING INCLUDED AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING ACCESSIBLE PARKING AND THAT'S IT.

RIGHT.

UM, THEY DID ASK SOME GOOD QUESTIONS.

UH, THEY, THEY ASKED, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR FUTURE EVENTS ABOUT, UM, LIKE MUSIC EVENTS AND HAVING SENSORY OR WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT, UM, NEED UH, LESS STIMULATION RIGHT? OR HAVE SENSORY NEEDS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I OFFERED UP, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DOING SOME TYPE OF, UH, SENSORY PODS WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND IT'S A PHONE FREE ZONE AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA HEAR SOME BACKGROUND NOISE FROM THE CONCERT 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T MITIGATE ALL THAT NOISE.

BUT TRYING TO COME UP WITH IDEAS LIKE THAT, THEY SEEMED VERY RECEPTIVE TO OUR IDEAS.

UM, AND I'M HOPING THAT CONTINUES WITH, WITH OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

I THINK, UH, KIND OF COMING UP WITH SOME STANDARDIZATION OF WHAT'S REQUIRED IN THE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS, UM, IN TERMS OF QUESTIONS FOR ACCESSIBILITY, I'M HOPING THAT WILL LEAD TO, YOU KNOW, MORE EVENTS, ACCESSIBILITY BEING THE DEFAULT.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

UM, AND I, I, IF I UNDERSTAND FROM LAST YEAR, THE SAME ORGANIZERS DO BLUES

[00:20:01]

SO IF THERE'S A WAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DROP OFF POINTS, IF WE COULD KIND OF LIKE TRY AND EXTEND THAT TO AS MANY DIFFERENT CITY EVENTS AS POSSIBLE.

I'M SURE THAT PROBABLY INVOLVES CAP METRO AND SO THAT'S A LITTLE TRICKIER, BUT SINCE THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY REPORT TO US.

BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TRY AND GET LIKE DROP OFF POINTS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT GO ON.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ENGAGE AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH CAP METRO.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ARIANO.

THANK YOU MEGAN, FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS ON PASSING THE 120 DAYS SUCCESSFULLY.

WELL DONE.

UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST ONE IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY, UM, PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE SECOND ONE IS THE COUNCIL, UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE BUILDING, UM, CITY CENTER ON RIVERSIDE, UM, AND BUTTON SPRINGS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE, UM, SPECIFIC BUILDING, BUT WE HAVE THIS, THIS AREA AND BUILDING HERE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT.

UM, BUT THAT RECOMMENDATION SEEMS LIKE IT HASN'T GONE THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS.

UM, SO WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH BUDGETING, HOW WE CAN SET THAT UP.

'CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY, FOR DISABILITY AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR DIFFERENT, UH, DIVERSE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, TO BE ABLE TO COME IN TOGETHER IN A, A CITY, YOU KNOW, WITH FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION AND SO ON.

UM, WE'VE GOT THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF THERE, AND SO WE ARE READY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN HAVE MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I, I, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M AWARE OF WHICH RECOMMENDATION, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION, SO I'M A CANADIAN A COMMITTEE MEMBER, UM, UNDER, IT WAS UNDER DISTRICT AREA.

UM, AND I DO SEE OUR COMM, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS FREQUENTLY AND EACH HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIFIC AREA AND DISTRICTS, AND THAT'S QUITE GOOD.

BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN OVERLOOKING DISABILITY FOR SOME TIME UNDER THOSE DISTRICTS.

SO IF WE CAN PLAN, UM, TO HAVE LIKE A DA TO HAVE OUR OWN, UM, DISTRICT MEETINGS FOR EACH AREA IN THE DISTRICT TO HAVE THEIR A DA MEETINGS REGARDS TO THEIR AREA, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THINGS LIKE WHAT DO WE NEED? HOW CAN WE HELP THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, HOW CAN WE GET TO KNOW THEM BETTER? UM, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN EACH HAVE THEIR OWN MEETINGS IN THOSE SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS COMMISSIONERS.

I LOVE THAT IDEA AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO LEAD THAT EFFORT WITH YOU OR FOR YOU OR HOWEVER YOU, YOU SEE FIT.

UM, I ONLY KNOW WHAT I'M HEARING COMING INTO MY INBOX AND MY PHONE.

SO ANY, ANY INPUT I CAN GET DIRECTLY ON THE GROUND, BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IS, IS VERY HELPFUL AND I I WOULD LOVE THAT.

SO, ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, I, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT.

'CAUSE I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR GAPS IS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY IS, YOU KNOW, REACHING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY PART OF ADVOCACY GROUPS AND SPEAKING OF, BECAUSE THEY DEFINITELY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND PRIORITIES AND SO THAT'S DIFFICULT.

UH, COMMISSIONER VASSALLO, YOU HAD, UH, YOUR HAND RAISED? YES.

THANK YOU.

UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

I JUST WANTED, AND WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, ECONOMIC, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, I JUST DON'T EVER, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE, BUT, UM, THE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY, UM, COULD REALLY USE HELP WITH DIFFERENT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, MAYBE WORKING WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.

AND THEN I WOULD ALSO, UM, INCLUDE IN THAT, UM, HOUSING, NOT JUST FOR THE, BUT FOR, UM, THAT HOUSING IS ACCESSIBLE, THAT HOUSING CAN BE RETROFITTED.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND, UM, THE CITY'S INVESTING IN A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ACCESSIBLE UNITS EXIST AND THAT THEY'RE AFFORDABLE.

SO THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

I AGREE ON BOTH, BOTH COUNTS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT FEEDBACK.

WELL RECEIVED, .

THANK YOU.

DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MEGAN? ALRIGHT, WELL THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND THANKS FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING PATIENT WITH US AS WE SEND YOU AWAY WITH A LAUNDRY LIST OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO LOOK INTO.

NO, THANK YOU.

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO RECEIVE MORE, MORE EMAILS DIRECTLY AND PHONE CALLS, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH EACH OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT.

AND WE WILL

[3. Discussion of remembrance of Bob Kafka, co-founder of ADAPT. ]

[00:25:01]

UM, SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, BOB KAFKA WAS A DISABILITY RIGHTS ICON HERE IN AUSTIN, AND HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR, FOR DECADES.

UH, HE WAS ONE OF THE KEY PEOPLE THAT ADVOCATED FOR GETTING LIFTS ON AUSTIN, THE BUSES IN AUSTIN, AND LED TO AUSTIN BEING ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES IN THE US THAT HAD, UH, THAT LIFTS ON ALL THEIR BUSES.

UM, AND HE, HE, AT THAT TIME FOR THAT PURPOSE, HE CO-FOUNDED ADAPT, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THAT TIME, JUST ADVOCATING FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS GENERALLY.

AND THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND, AND BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE, HE WAS A, A KEY KEY COMPONENT OF MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT THE DISABILITY RIGHTS COMMUNITY, UH, WAS ABLE TO ADVANCE HIS GOALS OVER THE, THE PAST COUPLE DECADES.

AND, UM, THEY RECENTLY HAD A MEMORIAL FOR HIM.

AND, AND WE HAD, UM, MAYOR WATTS IN ISSUE, A PROCLAMATION HONORING BOB, UM, IN DEDICATING JANUARY 31ST IN, IN HIS MEMORY.

AND I, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE, UM, A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO, TO PLAY THAT PROCLAMATION JUST SO IT'S ON THE RECORD SO EVERYBODY COULD SEE IT.

EVERYBODY.

IT'S KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TAKING A MOMENT TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE I CONSIDERED A FRIEND AND SOMEONE WHO TAUGHT ME SO MUCH.

AND THAT'S BOB KAFKA.

UH, I GOT TO KNOW HIM 25 YEARS AGO, I GUESS, WHEN I WAS FIRST IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND THEN ALL THOSE YEARS AT THE STATE CAPITOL WORKING WITH HIM ON DIFFERENT ISSUES.

THIS GUY WAS AN EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES, INCLUDING MINE.

SO IT'S MY REAL HONOR TO MAKE, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION AND IT READS, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS BOB KAFKA, FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER OF REV UP AND ADAPT PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2025 AT HIS HOME IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP IN THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

AND WHEREAS BORN IN THE BRONX, BOB SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, LATER BECAME A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, AND DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO EXPANDING DIGNITY, INDEPENDENCE, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

AND WHEREAS BOB HELPED BUILD AND STRENGTHEN DISABILITY ADVOCACY AND INDEPENDENT LIVING EFFORTS AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE COALITION OF TEXANS, TEXANS WITH DISABILITIES, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE COLI COALITION FOR BARRIER FREE LIVING, AND THE HOUSTON CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND A FOUNDER OF THE SOUTHWEST WHEELCHAIR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.

AND WHEREAS BOB'S ADVOCACY TRANSFORMED AUSTIN'S PUBLIC LIFE PRESSING FOR ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FOR CURB CUTS THAT MAKE SIDEWALKS USABLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS AND HELPING PUSH OUR COMMUNITY TOWARD A MORE ACCESSIBLE CITY FOR EVERYONE.

AND WHEREAS BOB ELEVATED DISABILITY AND AGING ISSUES THROUGH STORYTELLING AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, INCLUDING AND HOSTING BARRIER FREE FUTURES AS A RADIO PROGRAM AND PODCAST, AND URGING COMMUNITIES TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH HIS FAVORITE PHRASES, PHRASES ONWARD AND DON'T MOURN, ORGANIZE.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 31ST, 2026 AS BOB KAFKA REMEMBRANCE DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

BOB, YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DID AND I SPEAK TO YOU PERSONALLY BECAUSE I FELT LIKE YOU ALWAYS SPOKE TO ME PERSONALLY.

AND SO THAT WAS BASICALLY IT.

I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SET ASIDE A MINUTE TO REMEMBER, UH, BOB BOB'S, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY AND I KNOW WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY TO MAKE DO WITHOUT HIM.

I KNOW ADAPT IS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, TRYING TO FILL THE GAP FOR A LONG TIME.

UM, UH, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION

[4. Update from Joint Inclusion Committee representative regarding the budget priorities that the commission could consider. ]

AND I THINK THAT IS COMMISSIONER CHANG.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE, UM, BUDGET, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PASSED WITH, UH, IN COMMISSION OR HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE IN

[00:30:01]

UM, SO I'LL JUST SHARE, UH, SOME OF THE MAJOR AREAS, UM, SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES TO REFERENCE OUR, UM, ACCESSIBLE PARKS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, UM, BY AGING COMMISSION AND THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMISSION.

UH, SO, UM, PARKS AND REC ACCESSIBILITY AND CULTURAL INCLUSION ACROSS PROGRAMS AND FROM THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMISSION, UM, CULTURAL DISTRICT INFRASTRUCTURE PILOT.

SO, UM, THOSE, UM, EFFORTS ARE ABOUT EXPANDING PARK PROGRAMMING AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS TO ENSURE ACCESSIBLE ROOTS, UH, SEATING SENSORY FRIENDLY DESIGN AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING STANDARDS ARE BUILT INTO FUNDING REQUESTS.

UM, ANOTHER AREA IS, UM, GENDER NEUTRAL AND ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM INITIATIVES.

AND THAT IS ALSO FROM THE L-G-B-T-Q UH, UH, PLUS COMMISSION.

UM, IT'S REALLY ABOUT ALIGNING, UM, ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITH PROPOSED RESTROOM INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UM, BY HIGHLIGHTING A DA COMPLIANT, UH, LAYOUTS AND ADULT CHANGING TABLES.

AND, UM, UNIVERSAL DESIGN FEATURES, UM, TRANSIT SAFETY AND MOBILITY INVESTMENTS, UM, PROPOSED BY AGING COMMISSION.

UM, AND THAT IS TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SAFETY AND EQUITY FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

SO THAT REFERENCES OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS, CURB RAMPS, LIGHTING AND SAFER BUS STOPS, UM, INTO BROADER TRANSIT SAFETY FUNDING ALREADY BEING DISCUSSED.

AND THEN, UM, ALSO HOUSING STABILIZATION PROGRAMS, IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AND THAT IS, UM, EVICTION PREVENTION EFFORTS AND UNIVERSAL REPRESENTATION AND ALSO, UM, LGBTQ PLUS COMMISSION, UM, WHERE THEY ARE PROPOSING HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

AND THAT'S, UM, SO BOTH OF THOSE AIMS ARE COORDINATING WITH EVICTION PREVENTION AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO INCLUDE ACCESSIBILITY MODIFICATIONS, CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND DISABILITY INFORMED TENANT PROTECTIONS, UM, AND THEN WORKFORCE ACCESS PROGRAMS BY, UM, PROPOSED BY AGENT COMMISSION.

AND THAT IS TO IMPROVE JOB AND VOLUNTEER ACCESS FOR OLDER ADULTS.

BUT IT ALSO CONNECTS WITH DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT GOALS WITH INITIATIVES, EXPANDING JOB AND VOLUNTEER ACCESS BY ADVOCATING FOR FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS ACCOMMODATIONS, ACCESSIBILITY TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS, AND INCLUSIVE HIRING PIPELINES.

AND, UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED THEIR BUDGET PRIORITIES YET.

AND SO I'M HAPPY TO GIVE THAT, UH, UPDATE AT THE NEXT MEETING.

THANKS, COMMISSIONER CHANG, APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.

UM, SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION

[5. Approve a list of legislative priorities for the federal and state government. ]

I WILL, I'M PASSING ON THAT INFORMATION.

UM, THEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET

[6. Approve a Budget Recommendation to Council regarding Elisabet Ney Museum Accessible Restroom Facility]

SO WE'RE, WE, WILL, WE HAVE DRAFTS OF THOSE AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS THOSE A LITTLE BIT AND IF WE NEED TO MODIFY THEM AND, AND VOTE ON THEM.

SO I CAN START OFF DISCUSSING THE FIRST ONE.

UM, THIS IS, YOU MAY RECALL WE ISSUED A, A RECOMMENDATION, UM, REGARDING, UM, SUPPORTING AN ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM FACILITY AT THE ELIZABETH NAY MUSEUM AS IT'S GO UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS.

UM, SO WE PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED SUPPORT AND UM, NOW I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME IF WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, DEVOTE FUNDS TOWARDS THAT.

THEN WE CAN DO THAT IN THE FORM OF THIS RECOMMENDATION IF IT'S PASSED.

UH, IF ANYONE HAS, WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE ANY AMENDMENTS, WE CAN DO THAT NOW OR WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE IF WE HAVE NO COMMENTS.

IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR, GO AHEAD AND SAY I OR RAISE YOUR HAND.

I, OH, MOTION SECOND.

OH, SORRY.

OKAY, I WILL, I WILL MOVE TO, UH, PASS THAT RECOMMENDATION.

CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND? A SECOND.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT, AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.

AYE, AYE.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, THE NEXT ONE, UH, THIS

[7. Approve a Budget Recommendation to Council regarding AWEbility Festival ]

AND WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE CAN'T RECOMMEND A SPECIFIC NUMBER, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVOTE AS MUCH FUNDING AS POSSIBLE.

UH, DO WE, DO WE NEED TO, ANYONE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS OR MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS? COMMISSIONER ARIANO, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS? I DO.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR

[00:35:01]

OKAY.

SO I KNOW THAT THE, UM, COALITION REQUIRES LIKE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FESTIVAL.

SO FOR THAT FULL FESTIVAL IT INCLUDES A L INTERPRETERS, UM, WE HAVE MOBILITY ACCESS, WE HAVE WITH THE, THE STAGE, UM, AND MARKETING.

UM, AND THAT'S ALL INCLUSIVE, UH, IN THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE REQUESTING TO, FOR ALLOCATED FUNDING.

AND AVA, IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD PASS ON MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AFTER MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION, OR DOES IT ALL HAVE TO BE IN THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL? YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY, IF THEY DECIDE TO ALLOCATE FUNDING, WE CAN GIVE THEM MORE DETAIL.

IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO ADD THAT DETAIL IN.

SO IT COULD BE AMENDED TO ADD ANOTHER, UM, THEREFORE BE LIKE UNDER, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.

YOU CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OCCURS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TOWARDS THE OFF ABILITY FESTIVAL FOR 2026 AND IN.

OKAY.

AND, AND WE, WE STILL HAVE TIME TO PASS THAT NEXT TIME, RIGHT? YEAH, OR IF YOU CAN MAKE THE AMENDMENT TODAY, IT CAN BE PASSED TODAY AS WELL.

OKAY.

UM, HOW ABOUT CAN, HOW, WHAT'S THE, I THINK WE CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT.

UM, CAN I, CAN WE PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT AND THEN COMMISSIONER ARIANO CAN SAY THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE? YES.

OKAY, I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO AMEND THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION.

YES.

GET A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MURPHY.

UM, YES.

OKAY.

AND SO CAN WE, THE WILL, IT WILL BE AMENDED TO ADD A SEPARATE PARAGRAPH THAT READS WHEREAS, AND THEN, UM, THE ABILITY FESTIVAL IS SEEKING FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. AND COMMISSIONER ARIANO, CAN YOU LIST THE ITEMS? SO THAT WILL COVER, UM, THE FESTIVAL AND THAT WILL INCLUDE THE VENUE ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES ACELL INTERPRETERS AND CART AND MOBILITY ACCESS.

THAT'S ONE THING.

THEN ON THE STAGE, OUTREACH, MARKETING INSURANCE.

AND THAT LAST ONE WAS OPERATIONS AND THAT WILL INCLUDE, UH, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR MOBILITY FESTIVAL AS WELL.

AND THE COMPETITION COMPENSATION, UM, FOR THE CO UH, FOR COORDINATING THE VENUE, THE COORDINATING POSITION.

THAT'S THE INTERPRETER.

JUST CLARIFYING.

OKAY.

OKAY.

SO THE AMENDMENT WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER ANO TO ADD WHERE THE ABIL FESTIVAL IS SEEKING FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. UM, THE FESTIVAL, THE VENUE ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE A SL, INTERPRETERS AND MOBILITY ACCESS, MARKETING INSURANCE STAGE AND OPERATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND COMPENSATION FOR THE COORDINATOR POSITION.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

I WAS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THAT.

ALRIGHT, I HAVE MOVED TO PASS THE RECOMMENDATION AS AMENDED.

GOT A SECOND.

SECOND.

OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.

AYE, AYE.

OKAY.

THE AMENDED RECOMMENDATION PASSES, UH, THEN WE GO ON TO

[8. Approve a Budget Recommendation to Council regarding therapeutic recreation program]

COMMISSIONER SALA, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT? SURE.

UM, WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAM.

THERE HAS BEEN, UM, OTHER PEOPLE COMMENTING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE SPREAD AROUND THE CITY.

SO WE HAVE, UM, ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN THE RECREATIONAL UM, PROGRAM.

AND I MOVE APPROVAL.

OKAY.

I'LL SECOND

[00:40:02]

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ALRIGHT.

RECOMMENDATION PASSES.

AND THEN WE WILL GO ON TO THE LAST

[9. Approve a Budget Recommendation to Council regarding far Southeast library branch site selection]

COMMISSIONER CHANG, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS FOR JUST A MINUTE? UM, SO, UH, I WILL DISCUSS IT, BUT I WILL ALSO MOVE TO AMEND IT TO ADD THE BUDGET LINE ITEM, UM, IN SIMILAR FASHION TO WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER ARIANO JUST DID, IF THAT'S, UM, BUT I CAN GIVE THE OVERVIEW FIRST.

UM, SO, UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR, UM, REQUEST FOR CITING OF THE FAR SOUTHEAST LIBRARY, WHICH IS ALREADY, UM, ONE OF THE FOUR SITES THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS A PRIORITY A SITE.

AND, UM, SO THE LOCATION HAS NOT BEEN CHOSEN AT THIS TIME.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MULTIPLE POTENTIAL LIBRARY SITES, UM, EQUITY, EQUITY HAS TO GUIDE THAT DECISION.

AND FAR SOUTHEAST AUSTIN REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERSERVED AREAS IN THE CITY WITH FEWER ACCESSIBLE CIVIC SPACES, DESPITE A LARGE AND GROWING DISABILITY POPULATION.

UM, LIBRARY LIBRARIES AREN'T JUST AMENITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE, SAFE, INDOOR SPACE, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, WORKFORCE TOOLS, AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING.

AND, UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCESSIBILITY DECISION HAPPENS AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHERE THE SITE IS LOCATED.

AND BECAUSE TRANSIT ACCESS, SAFE ROUTES AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN CAN'T BE ADDED LATER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED NOW.

UM, AND UH, FAR SOUTHEAST IT'S ABOUT CHOOSING ONE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER ANOTHER.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT CORRECTING LONG STANDING GAPS AND MAKING SURE THE CITY INVESTS, UM, WHERE THE NEED AND IMPACT ARE THE GREATEST.

SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO ENTER INTO, UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT AT THIS POINT OR IF I NEED TO WAIT ON THAT.

I THINK YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PROPOSE THE AMENDMENT.

OKAY.

SO, UM, THIS ONE DOES ACTUALLY HAVE A PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET AND I, UM, NICK ABEL, I JUST SENT, SENT THAT TO YOU, UM, WITH THE LANGUAGE.

UM, SO, UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO READ IT INTO YES.

UM, AND THEN WE CAN, OKAY, SURE.

UM, LET ME PULL THAT UP.

I'M SORRY.

SO, UM, IT IS FOR THE PRELIMINARY SITE IDENTIFICATION AND FEASIBILITY, UM, THAT IS, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 100 TO 250,000.

THAT INCLUDES PARCEL SEARCH AND EVALUATION, ZONING REVIEW, BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS ANALYSIS, AND A SHORT LIST OF VIABLE CANDIDATE SITES.

UM, SECOND IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND DUE DILIGENCE LINE ITEM, AND THAT CAN BE, UH, BETWEEN 75,000 TO 200,000.

UM, AND THIS IS A PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FLOOD PLAIN DRAINAGE CONSIDERATIONS, PRELIMINARY GEOTECHNICAL SCREENING, UM, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EQUITY PLANNING.

AND THAT'S, UM, ENSURING BILINGUAL OUTREACH, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY EVALUATIONS, DISABILITY CENTERED INCLUSION PLANNING, AND THEN, UM, EARLY CONCEPT AND SCHEMATIC DESIGN.

AND THAT'S ROUGH BUILDING FOOTPRINT SCENARIOS, UH, COST RANGE ESTIMATES, UM, UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRIORITIES BAKED IN EARLY, AND I, I APOLOGIZE, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE AMOUNT FOR EACH, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY PLANNING WOULD BE 50 TO 150,000 AND EARLY CONCEPTS DESIGN, SCHEMATIC DESIGN WOULD BE ROUGHLY 100 TO 250,000.

AND SO THE REQUEST IS FOR UPWARDS OF $500,000 FOR THIS SIGHTING.

AND, UM, FROM THERE, UM, THE COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED AND DO FUNDRAISING, BUT IF YOU DON'T CHOOSE A SITE, UM, THEN IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE PRIORITY BY THE CITY, IN WHICH CASE THAT INDEPENDENT FUNDRAISING AND EFFORT CAN'T REALLY BE DONE.

SO, UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MAKE THIS AS INCLUSIVE A SITE AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, I HAVE SHARED THIS INITIALLY WITH THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE AND THERE ARE ALREADY MULTIPLE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COORS.

SO, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLY OR DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO ? NO, BUT WE CAN ADD THAT, LIKE IF YOU SEND ME THAT LANGUAGE, UM, TODAY, I CAN ADD IT TO THIS DRAFT AND THEN IT COULD BE, UM, APPROVED AT THE NEXT MEETING.

OKAY.

DOES THAT, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? YES, I'VE SENT IT, YES.

SORRY, I, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.