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EVERYONE.[Agenda]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING.TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, 2026, AND THE CURRENT TIME IS 6:07 PM.
QUORUM HAS BEEN MET, AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER A FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO GO OVER ON A REGULAR BASIS.
FIRST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY, WE KINDLY ASK THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAMERAS ON AT ALL TIMES SO WE CAN COUNT YOU PRESENT.
SECOND, IF YOU WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION.
AND LASTLY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONERS HAVE CONCERNS THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, AND WE REALIZE THERE ARE MANY.
KINDLY BE ADVISED THAT WE HEAR YOU, BUT REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AS BRIEF AND CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS TO GIVE OTHERS IN THE OPPORTUNITY...
THIS IS TO GIVE OTHERS IN THE ROOM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS OPENLY.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER TWO, IS ROLL CALL.
WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED, PLEASE SAY YES IF YOU ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER SELENA GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
CANDACE WIX, DISTRICT THREE? YES.
UM, COMMISSIONER MARLISA COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
COMMISSIONER ROCKWELL FROM DISTRICT FIVE IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER CARRIE PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WHITE, DISTRICT NINE.
COMMISSIONER WHITE'S NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER LAURA LEE GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
AND COMMISSIONER NANCY DEITCHMAN, DISTRICT 11.
COMMISSIONER DEITCHMAN, YOU ARE MUTED.
NANCY DEITSCHMAN AND I AM PRESENT.
UM, WE HAVE DIS- DISTRICT 12 IS VACANT.
COMMISSIONER STEVEN HUSCHKA, DISTRICT 13.
COMMISSIONER HUSCHKA NOT PRESENT.
AND COMMISSIONER PATTERSON, DISTRICT 14, NOT PRESENT.
OUR NEXT SET OF ROLL CALL CONCERNS ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER AND CITY STAFF ROLL CALL.
STARTING WITH MR. CHRISTOPHER GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
WE HAVE MR. GARY COPELAND, THE CITY'S ADA MANAGER.
AND MS. SELENA MEEKS, UM, THE SENIOR PRO - UM, PROJECT SPECIALIST FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE ROLL CALL SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ONCE AGAIN APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR DEVOTING YOUR TIME TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND ITS EFFORTS.
OUR NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE AGENDA IS, IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS THAT WISH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, UM, THERE IS A COMMISSIONER, MS. MILLER KERR.
MS. KERR, YOU HAVE, YOU, YOU ARE WELCOME TO PROVIDE YOUR COMMENT, YOUR TESTIMONY, AND AS A REMINDER, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? KERR? YES, WE CAN.
COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME, FOUR WORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS OTHERS IN THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS MILLER KERR, AND I WAS JUST 10 YEARS OLD WHEN I DEVELOPED A RARE NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER, CRPS.
FROM THERE, I LOST THE ABILITY TO WALK, MY MUSCLES BEGAN TO ATROPHY, AND EVEN THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE ON MY LEGS SENT ME TO TEARS.
THE TRICKY THING IS, CRPS DOESN'T SHOW UP ON AN MRI OR AN X-RAY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE.
AS A LITTLE GIRL, I HAD TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO GET FRIENDS, DOCTORS, AND EVEN AT TIMES MY OWN FAMILY TO
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BELIEVE IN MY PAIN.THANKFULLY, I RECEIVED A DIAGNOSIS WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT EVEN HERE IN DALLAS, DOCTORS TOLD ME I WAS PRETENDING TO BE IN PAIN OR TURN ME AWAY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HELP.
EVENTUALLY, I FOUND A DOCTOR HERE WHO DID, BUT MY CASE WAS SO SEVERE I HAD TO TRAVEL TO THE CLEVELAND CLINIC FOR THE TREATMENT I NEEDED.
13 YEARS LATER, I CAN WALK, BUT I STILL LIVE WITH PAIN IN BOTH LEGS.
SOME DAYS IT'S SO DEBILITATING THAT I CAN'T GET OUT OF BED OR WALK WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
AND WITHIN THOSE 13 YEARS, ONE THING HASN'T CHANGED.
TOO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT CRPS IS.
THROUGH MY FRIENDSHIPS WITH OTHER CRPS WARRIORS HERE IN DALLAS, I'VE LEARNED THAT MY EXPERIENCE IS FAR FROM UNIQUE.
MANY SHARE STORIES OF BEING DISMISSED BY DOCTORS, STRUGGLING TO FIND TREATMENT, AND HAVING TO EDUCATE THEIR OWN MEDICAL PROFESSION - PROVIDERS ABOUT THE DISEASE THEY'RE LIVING WITH.
THAT'S WHY I'M WORKING TO CHANGE THINGS.
THROUGH MY NONPROFIT, BURNING HOPE, WE'VE RAISED MORE THAN $100,000 THROUGH OUR WALK STRONG 3K EVENT TO SUPPORT CRPS RESEARCH, A PORTION OF THESE PROCEEDS GOING DIRECTLY TO THE PAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF DALLAS.
WE WANT CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE THE CARE THEY DESERVE WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES TO FIND IT.
THROUGH OUR BLANKET PROJECT, WE'VE ALSO DELIVERED MORE THAN 1,000 BLANKETS TO CHILDREN FACING CHRONIC ILLNESSES, REMINDING THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.
AN ESTIMATED 200,000 AMERICANS LIVE WITH CRPS, AND TO EVERY WARRIOR I MEET, I REMIND THEM THAT LIVING WITH THIS DISEASE DOESN'T MAKE THEM WEAK.
IT REVEALS JUST HOW STRONG THEY ARE, BECAUSE IF WE CAN FACE THIS KIND OF PAIN EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE CAN DO ANYTHING.
WE MAY JUST HAVE TO DO IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
SO TODAY, I ASK EACH OF YOU TO CARRY THAT MESSAGE INTO YOUR DECISIONS FOR A DALLAS COMMUNITY.
BELIEVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY TELL YOU THEY'RE IN PAIN, HELP SHARE THEIR STORIES, AND ABOVE ALL, RECOGNIZE THEIR STRENGTH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE MOST POWERFUL THING YOU CAN DO FOR SOMEONE LIVING WITH AN INVISIBLE ILLNESS IS SIMPLY BELIEVE THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. KERR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH US.
THE TRUTH IS, AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS, THAT THE MORE TIME WE DEVOTE IN LISTENING TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHETHER THAT BE VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE, AND SHARING IN THEIR TRUTHS, THE BETTER FORCE WE CAN BE IN DRIVING THE POSITIVE CHANGE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EACH ONE OF YOU, COMMISSIONERS, TO SHARE WITH INDIVIDUALS AROUND YOUR CIRCLES ABOUT THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON ANY ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO DISABILITY JUSTICE, DISC - YOU KNOW, DIS - THE MISTREATMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ANYTHING, ANY ISSUE THAT RELATES TO THE DISABILITY EXPERIENCE.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO LET PEOPLE AROUND YOUR CIRCLES KNOW ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS AT THIS TIME THAT WANT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? IN THAT CASE, THIS SEGMENT, THIS PART, IN THIS, IN THAT CASE, THIS CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT SEGMENT OF OUR AGENDA.
[Voting Items ]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026 MEETING MINUTES, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HAD THE TIME TO REVIEW AND READ CAREFULLY.ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT WISH TO MAKE EDITS TO THE MINUTES BEFORE THEY ARE ACCEPTED AS READ, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE? NO EDITS.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
COMMISSIONER PARKS, DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN CA - CHAIRMAN CALL CONLEY, AND I WISH TO MAKE NO EDITS AT THIS TIME.
BEFORE WE PROCEED, ASK ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED?
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ANY FINAL WORD OF DISCUSSION BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED? I MOTION WE ACCEPT.ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026 MEETING MINUTES WITH NO EDITS, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, THE MOTION CARRIES FORWARD.
[Briefing Items ]
OF OUR AGENDA CONS- CONSIDERS BRIEFING ITEMS. I WILL BEGIN BY PROVIDING THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.ON OCTOBER 8TH, I HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE 2026 AGING AND HOUSING SUMMIT, HOSTED BY THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, WHERE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS ONE OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.
I WAS HUMBLED TO GET TO KNOW THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR FOCAL AREAS AND THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIORS LIVING IN DALLAS.
IT WAS ALSO A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, INVESTIGATE WAYS WE COULD COLLABORATE, THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AND DISCUSS AREAS THAT INTERSECT.
WHILE OUR FOCAL AREAS MAY BE DIFFERENT, ONE COMMON GOAL THAT WE COULD THAT BOTH COMMISSIONERS SHARE IS BUILDING A DALLAS WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF AGE AND ABILITY, IS ABLE TO WORK, FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND LIVE WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE.
I CERTAINLY HOPE TO BE INVITED BACK NEXT YEAR AND VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE DO COLLABORATE WITH THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION ON ISSUES THAT RELATE TO ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING.
ON OCTOBER 10TH, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO ATTEND THIS YEAR'S STEPS TOWARD UNITY COMMUNITY WALK.
THIS IS AN ANNUAL WALK HOSTED BY THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT EVERY YEAR AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL HATE CRIME FORUM.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO BRING ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, UM, PEOPLE CONSISTING OF ALL FAITHS, BACKGROUNDS, ETHNICITIES, AND ABILITIES, TO REALLY SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF INCLUSION.
AND HERE ALSO, I WAS HUMBLED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOSTERING MUTUAL RESPECT FOR MEMBERS OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND SHARE ABOUT HOW RECOGNIZING THE DIGNITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND UPHOLD THE IN- INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IS A PART OF EVERYDAY WORK.
AND ON OCTOBER 13TH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TOURING ENVISION DALLAS WITH COMMISSIONER GUNN.
ENVISION DALLAS IS A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION, AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, TO LEARN ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE AND ALSO REFLECT ON WAYS THEY COULD BE A PART OF THE COMMISSION'S WORK AND SUPPORT.
WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ENVISION DALLAS AND OTHERS WHO SUPPORT AND BELIEVE IN THE CAPABILITIES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR MAY HAVE OTHER DIFFERENCES.
THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF THEIR OWN.
AND IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO REPORT AT THIS TIME, YOU CERTAINLY MAY INDICATE SO WHEN YOUR NAME AND RESPECTIVE DISTRICT ARE CALLED.
I WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK DISTRICT ONE.
HELLO, THIS IS COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, AND I WANNA SAY, UM, THANK YOU TO OUR SPEAKER EARLIER WHO TALKED ABOUT CRPS.
I FEEL LIKE, UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD IT ON THE NEWS, BUT HOW IT'S CONNECTED TO, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT DALLAS AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK.
UM, I, ON OCTOBER 11TH, WAS ABLE TO GO TO AN EVENT AT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART WHERE, BECAUSE IT'S OCTOBER KIND OF VISUAL IMPROVEMENT AWARENESS MONTH, THEY HAD AN EVENT OF WHERE IT'S CALLED ART BEYOND SIGHT, AND AIRCHRIS AND JOCELYN,
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UM, THEY WERE THERE TO SHOW HOW DESIGN, YOU KNOW, HOW AI IS EVEN BEING IN...USED AT SOMETHING LIKE THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART TO EXPLAIN, UM, GIVE VISUAL, UM, DESCRIPTIONS ABOUT ART.
AND ALSO, THEY HAD SOME WHERE YOU COULD TOUCH TEXTURES, PATTERNS.
UM, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE.
I CONNECTED WITH THE COMMISSIONER, UM, FOR THE, UM, PARATRANSIT FOR MY DISTRICT.
UM, SO IT WAS JUST REALLY GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO WENT OUT ON OCTOBER 17TH, UM, AT THE DALLAS ZOO.
THEY HAD DALLAS WHITE CANE DAY ENVISION DALLAS DID.
THIS WAS THEIR SECOND YEAR THEY HAD IT THERE.
UM, I THOUGH IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
I TOOK MY GIRLS OUT THERE, MY HUSBAND, MY, UM, BROTHER-IN-LAW AND HIS GIRLFRIEND.
SO IT WAS JUST GOOD TO SEE, AGAIN, ALL DIFFERENT AGES, ENJOYING THE ZOO.
UM, IT WAS VERY ORGANIZED, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, FEATURE, UM, YK - WHITE CANE DAY EVENTS THAT THEY PUT ON AS WELL AS ALL OVER DFW, THERE ARE EVENTS, UM, GOING ON.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU DIDN'T GET TO GO TO ONE THIS OCTOBER, CHECK 'EM OUT NEXT YEAR.
UM, THEY HAPPEN EVERY OCTOBER, UM, AND MORE AND MORE, UM, KEEP POPPING UP, UM, IN ALL DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, TOWNS AROUND DFW OR CITIES AROUND DFW.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
WIX FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY...
OUR REPORT IF YOU WISH TO REPORT.
THANK YOU, SIR, CHAIR, AND GOOD EVENING TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.
UM, AT THIS TIME, BEING THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AN ELECTION, I'VE BEEN DOING NONPARTISAN WORK REGARDING JUST ENCOURAGING, UM, THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE REMINDED THAT THERE ARE ADA ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR US IN THE DALLAS COUNTY AREA AND ABROAD IF THEY NEED TO VOTE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT WE ARE REMINDED TO USE THE CURBSIDE VOTING, AND IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED OR NEEDED, THAT THEY GO TO THE ELECTIONS JUDGE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PARTICULAR, UH, NEED.
AND SO, UM, I HAVE SHARED INFORMATION ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE PERSONALLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF, UH, PROTECTIONS, RIGHTS, AND PRIVILEGES OF THOSE OF US WHO ARE, UH, WITHIN THE ADA UMBRELLA.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY GLAD YOU SHARED THIS REPORT BECAUSE ONCE THE R - SHARING OF REPORTS IS OVER, WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT WHO WILL BE BRIEFING US ABOUT ACCESSIBLE VOTING OPTIONS, SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER C - UM, COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR A REPORT.
UM, JUST ONE THING TO REPORT, SO YESTERDAY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF, UM, PRESENTING ALONGSIDE WITH FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UM, GUNN AND ROCKWALL TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION ABOUT, UM, YOUTH CARETAKERS AND THE RESOURCES AND GUESTS, UM, THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, IT WAS A, A REALLY, UM, EXCITING PRESENTATION, AND WE GOT A LOT OF REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE YOUTH COMMISSION, UH, SO MUCH SO THAT, UH, BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE A FOLLOW-UP WHERE THE YOUTH COMMISSION WILL TAKE, UH, LEAD ON A PROJECT TO COLLECT DATA ABOUT, UM, YOUTH CARETAKERS, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NOT ONLY HAVE, BUT THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, UM, AND THE GAPS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF IN THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THEM.
SO, UM, WANTED TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR, NUMBER ONE, ENGAGING THE YOUTH COMMISSION.
UM, IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SIT WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT ALSO, UM, GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THEM AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE FURTHER.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND SEEING, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO AS THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITY TO ENGAGE FURTHER, UM, THE YOUTH COMMISSION OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT, THANK YOU.
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10.
UM, YES, I'LL KIND OF JUST BRIEFLY SPEAK.
I KNOW, UH, CHAIR AND I, LIKE YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT, WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO ENVISION, AND THE OFFER IS STILL AVAILABLE IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD STILL, UM, ENJOY THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING AND GO AGAIN.
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TO WHITE CANE WALK, WHICH WAS, UH, JUST ANOTHER PHENOMENAL YEAR, UM, AT THE DALLAS ZOO.SO, UM, I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER COLLIER THAT WAS...
IT WAS EITHER COMMISSIONER COLLIERCOCK THAT WAS SPEAKING KIND OF JUST ON THE EVENT.
I THINK IT WAS GLASS CAUCUS, BUT SORRY.
UM, THAT WAS KIND OF JUST SPEAKING ON SOME OF THOSE EVENTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING RECENTLY AND ARE COMING UP AND JUST REALLY, UH, EMPHASIZE EVERYONE, TRY TO GET OUT AND BE ABLE TO ATTEND SOME OF THOSE.
UM, AND BESIDES THAT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, I HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE ALSO AT THE POP-UP FOR, UH, PORTIA DAWSON AND HER HUSBANDS.
I KNOW WE GOT SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT IN DECEMBER, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE.
IS THAT YOUR REPORT, COMMISSIONER? YES, THANK YOU.
DEITCHMAN FROM DISTRICT REPORT, UH, DISTRICT 11.
UM, RECENTLY, WE HAD A, WHAT WE CALL KITCHEN CABINET WITH DISTRICT, UH, 11, WITH OUR COUNCILMAN ROTH, AND IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE GET TO INTERACT WITH EVERY OTHER COMMISSIONER IN DISTRICT 11.
SO I ASKED HIM, NUMBER ONE, WHAT WAS OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR? HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD ANSWER.
AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT? AND THEN LATER ON, IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO, UM, CONSIDER WITH THEIR OTHER COMMISSIONERS SETTING UP A KITCHEN CABINET LIKE OUR REPRESENTATIVE HAS, WE ACTUALLY GET TO INTERVE - INTERACT WITH WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, WHAT I LEARNED, UH, LEARNED ABOUT THE VETERANS COMMITTEE.
I LEARNED ABOUT ALL SORTS OF THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT I DON'T THINK I GET THAT INFORMATION HERE.
AND I WOULD LOVE IF WE COULD GET MORE INFORMATION OF OUR ACTUAL COOPERATION WITH THE OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE COMMITTEE.
IT WAS A VERY ENJOYABLE MEETING AND VERY ENLIGHTENING MEETING.
DEITCHMAN, FOR SHARING YOUR REPORT.
IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE FOR US? YES.
IN THAT CASE, I THINK WE GOT EVERYONE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING ALL YOUR REPORTS, AND OCTOBER HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A PRODUCTIVE MONTH FOR ALL OF US.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM ON THE AGENDA CONCERNS ACCESSIBLE VOTING METHODS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE ARE SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
THIS BRIEFING PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT ENSURES ACCESSIBLE VOTING METHODS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, THIS IS VERY RELEVANT, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE MIDTERM ELECTIONS COMING UP IN NOVEMBER.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MR. MR. NICK SOLORIZONDO TO THE FLOOR TO GIVE HIS PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL HAVING ME HERE, UM, AND WORKING WITH ME, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, EARLY VOTING'S UNDERWAY, AND SO THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, AND, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AND TO ASK QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL START GOING THROUGH, UM, OUR PRESENTATION.
SO, AS YOU ARE AWARE, UM, LAST MONDAY, OCTOBER 19TH, WE STARTED EARLY VOTING IN A MIDTERM ELECTION, AND THAT FIRST DAY, OCTOBER 19TH, UH, WE SAW, WE SAW RECORD-BREAKING, UM, TURNOUT.
IT'S OUR HIGHEST DAY OF TURNOUT IN DALLAS COUNTY EVER.
UM, WE, UH, WE SURPASSED PRESIDENTIAL CYCLES.
THIS HAS, YOU KNOW, BEEN GOING, UM, PRETTY STRONG THE LAST FEW DAYS.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF I CONTROL THE SLIDE, SORRY.
SPEAKING OF SLIDES, SIR, WE KINDLY REQUEST, WHEN YOU ARE MOVING THROUGH THE SLIDES, TO PLEASE SAY, "NEXT SLIDE," SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW ALONG.
SO, I'LL GO BRIEFLY OVER WHAT WE DO, AND THIS WILL COVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE SLIDES, BUT DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS, WHETHER YOU'RE RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF IRVING OR YOU'RE TRYING TO PASS A BOND ELECTION, AN ISD ELECTION, WE RUN THE ELECTION, RIGHT? YOU CALL THE ELECTION OF THE CITY OF DALLAS AS DALLAS COUNTY AS IRVING ISD, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CALL THE ELECTION RERUN IT.
SO, JUST TO KIND OF RUN DOWN WHAT WE ARE DOING CURRENTLY, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY US CONGRESSIONAL RACES, WE HAVE A SENATE RACE, UH, GOVERNOR'S RACE.
WE HAVE A FEW BOND ITEMS. WE HAVE A DALLAS COUNTY, UM, PROPOSITION.
UM, AND SO, WE PUT ON THE ELECTIONS, WE HIRE AND TRAIN THE POLL WORKERS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ABOUT 4,500 POLL WORKERS.
DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS GOES FROM ABOUT 60 PEOPLE, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF DALLAS COUNTY, TO ABOUT 4,060 PEOPLE EVERY ELECTION.
SO, WE'RE GONNA BRING IN AND TRAIN EVERYONE ON ALL THE EQUIPMENT, PLACE THEM, UM, PAY THEM, AND,
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UM, BUILD THE BALLOT FOR YOU IN THREE LANGUAGES, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND ENGLISH, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE, AND WE FOLLOW ALL THE GUIDELINES OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, UM, MOSTLY STATE LAW.STATES ARE IN CHARGE OF ELECTIONS, UH, UNDER THE US CONSTITUTION.
WE'RE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS.
UM, WE ALSO MANAGE VOTER REGISTRATION.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT IN THE NEWS ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION AND SUSPENSE VOTING.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT.
UM, WE COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE.
THAT'S OUR OVERARCHING RULE BOOK FOR US.
THERE, IT'S ABOUT 1100 PAGES OF CODES BUILT ACROSS THE LAST, UH, HUNDRED YEARS OF TEXAS.
SO, UM, WE FOLLOW, UH, AND PREPARE FOR ALL ELECTIONS AND MANAGE THE VOTER DATABASE, WHICH IS ABOUT 1,490 SOMETHING THOUSAND VOTERS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK BREAKDOWN, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THESE, BUT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATION, OBVIOUSLY, HR RECORDS, FISCAL COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, WE RUN THE ELECTION, Y'ALL PAY FOR THE ELECTION.
SO IF THE CITY HOLDS AN ELECTION, WE CHARGE YOU FOR RUNNING IT.
UM, OPERATIONS, IT'S VOTER REGISTRATION, TRAINING, MAIL BALLOT, VOTING SITES, LOGISTICS.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW TEAMS, UM, AND TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS OUR CENTRAL COUNT, THAT'S WHERE YOUR BALLOT GETS COUNTED AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.
UM, ELECTION HARDWARE, THAT IS THE EQUIPMENT YOU USE, AND GIS, THAT'S WHERE WE MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT BALLOT.
YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR COULD HAVE DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT THE SAME CONGRE- CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, SO WE BUILD THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS.
SO WHEN YOU GO AND YOU CHECK IN AT THAT E-POLL BOOK, UM, WE MAKE SURE WE PICK UP THE RIGHT BALLOT, AND THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD T - UH, GIS TEAM THAT WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF.
UM, OH, I ALREADY TALKED A BIT ABOUT TRAINING GIS IN OUR HR AND RECORDS.
UM, LIKE ANY GOVERNMENT, WE ARE, UM, PUBLIC AND WE ANSWER THE PEERS, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, SO WHETHER IT BE BALLOT IMAGES, VOTER ROSTERS, STUFF LIKE THAT, UM, THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR RECORD KEEPING.
AND WE KEEP ALL ELECTION RECORDS FROM EVERY ELECTION FOR AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF 22 MONTHS.
OKAY, SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT VOTER SUSPENSE AND CHECKING YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION.
DALLASCOUNTYVOTES.ORG, AND THAT'S OUR SOLE SOURCE OF TRUTH.
WE GO THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE CAN FIND ANYTHING YOU, YOU NEED.
AND SO IF YOU VISIT DALLASCOUNTYVOTES.ORG, UM, YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR VOTER LOOKUP TOOL.
IT'S YOUR FIRST NAME, YOUR LAST NAME, AND YOUR DATE OF BIRTH, AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHETHER YOU'RE AN ACTIVE VOTER, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT, OR POSSIBLY A VOTER THAT'S IN SUSPENSE.
AND SO I'LL CLARIFY SUSPENSE QUICKLY.
UM, SUSPENSE DOES NOT MEAN LIKE A SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T DRIVE ON A SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE.
SUSPENSE IN THIS CASE MEANS YOU'RE KIND OF IN A HOLDING PATTERN WITH US.
UM, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED AND WE NEED TO CONFIRM YOUR ADDRESS.
YOU, YOU CAN STILL GO AND YOU CAN STILL CAST A BALLOT IF YOU'RE IN SUSPENSE, IF YOU CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS.
I WAS TALKING WITH SOMEONE, A REPORTER FROM KERA THE OTHER DAY, AND THE REPORTER AND HER HUSBAND BOTH SWITCHED FROM DENTON COUNTY TO DALLAS COUNTY.
THEY FILLED OUT THE VOTER REGISTRATION CHANGE OF ADDRESS.
WE SENT THEM THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS, THOSE CERTIFICATES YOU GET IN THE MAIL.
AND, UM, SHE GOT HERS RETURNED TO US AND HER HUSBAND'S, THEY BOTH REGISTERED AT THE SAME TIME WITHIN THE SAME PROCESS.
HE GOT HIS, THE, HERS GOT REJECTED AND SENT BACK TO US.
WHEN IT GETS BACK TO US AND SAYS, UM, UNDELIVERABLE, WE HAVE TO PUT YOU IN SUSPENSE, RIGHT? WHICH JUST SIMPLY MEANS NOW THE STATE REQUIRES US TO SEND YOU A PIECE OF MAIL CONFIRMING YOUR ADDRESS.
SO WE SEND YOU A NOTICE OF, UH, CONFIRMATION OF ADDRESS FORM, AND YOU FILL THAT OUT AND YOU GIVE IT BACK TO US, AND WE'RE LIKE, "OH, YOU ARE REGISTERED AT THIS LOCATION." UM, WE DON'T PATROL WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MAIL.
WE DON'T KNOW WHY CERTAIN THINGS GET RETURNED AS UNDELIVERABLE, BUT WHEN THEY DO, WE PUT YOU IN SUSPENSE.
YOU CAN STILL GO TO YOUR POLLING PLACE.
YOU CAN STILL GO, YOU CAN STILL VOTE A REGULAR BALLOT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM GOING, "I AM REGISTERED HERE.
IT'S CALLED A SOAR OR A STATEMENT OF RESIDENCE." UM, AND SO IF YOU'RE A SUSPENSE VOTER, YOU CAN STILL VOTE.
IF YOU'RE AN ACTIVE VOTER, YOU CAN VOTE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, TALK TO YOUR JUDGE.
WE TRAIN THE JUDGE AND THEY TAKE A THREE AND A HALF, FOUR-HOUR TRAINING CLASS, AND EACH JUDGE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO VOTE, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN VOTE BY MAIL.
THAT IS LIMITED TO A FEW THINGS.
UM, THERE ARE FIVE GROUPS, UM, OVER THE AGE OF 65 IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU CAN VOTE BY MAIL.
UM, PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, YOU CAN VOTE BY MAIL.
UH, GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY FOR ALL OF EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY.
I NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW THEY PROVED THAT, BUT YOU SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER SAYING, "I'M NOT GONNA BE IN THE COUNTY AT ALL FOR THE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING OR ELECTION DAY." AND YOU CAN VOTE BY MAIL.
UM, PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING I - ONE I THINK THE STATE LAW HAS ON THE BOOKS IS, UM, GIVING BIRTH THREE WEEKS BEFORE OR THREE WEEKS AFTER ELECTION DAY.
[00:30:01]
AND SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.UM, EARLY VOTING, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALREADY STARTED OCTOBER 19TH TO THE 30TH.
UM, AN ELECTION DATE IS NOVEMBER 3RD.
YOU CAN VOTE FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM EVERY E- EARLY VOTING DAY AND EVERY ELECTION DAY.
AND BALLOT BY MAIL, UM, THOSE ARE DUE IN OUR OFFICE ON ELECTION DAY.
UM, OR THEY CAN BE DELIVERED THE NEXT DAY AS LONG AS THEY ARE POSTMARKED ON ELECTION DAY BY 7:00 PM CLOSED POLLS.
SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE KEY DATES.
I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, GOING AROUND TOWN GIVING THIS SPEECH.
BUT YEAH, SO, UM, NOVEMBER 4TH MAIL BALLOTS POSTMARKED BY 7:00 ON ELECTION DAY IF RECEIVED BY 5:00 IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THE OC - YOU KNOW, OCTOBER 19TH, FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING.
OCTOBER 23RD, WE'VE ALREADY PASSED AS WELL.
THAT'S THE LAST DAY TO GET AN APPLICATION FOR MAIL BALLOT TO US.
OCTOBER 30TH, THIS FRIDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO EARLY VOTE.
WE HAVE 84 EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN VOTE AT ANY ONE OF THEM.
THEY ALL HAVE, UM, MACHINES THAT I'LL GO OVER HERE IN A MINUTE.
WE ARE EXPECTING LINES ON ELECTION DAY.
SO IF YOU, UH, HAVE ANY HESITATION ABOUT VOTING IN PERSON OR CURBSIDE VOTING, PLEASE GO VOTE EARLY.
CURBSIDE VOTING, I WILL SAY, DOES GET VERY, VERY BUSY ON ELECTION DAY.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN, PLEASE GO VOTE, UM, EARLY BEFORE, UM, ELECTION DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE VOTING BY MAIL, SEND IT BACK NOW.
WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THE MAIL BALLOT PROCESS.
IF IT GETS TO US TWO DAYS AFTER ELECTION DAY, WE CAN'T ACCEPT IT.
IF IT GETS TO US ONE DAY AFTER ELECTION DAY AND YOU MAILED IT ON ELECTION DAY BEFORE SEVEN, WE CAN ACCEPT THAT.
BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE A MAIL BALLOT, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS A MAIL BALLOT, HAVE THEM FILL IT OUT, HAVE THEM DROP IT IN THE MAIL TODAY, TOMORROW, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND TO ENSURE THAT, UM, YOUR MAIL GETS TO US ON TIME.
WHO CAN VOTE BY MAIL? WENT OVER THAT.
THE INTERESTING THING IS YOU CAN GET AN ANNUAL APPLICATION.
IF YOU ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65 OR, UM, A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, YOU CAN JUST, AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY JANUARY, SEND IN AN APPLICATION AND MARK A BOX THAT SAYS ANNUAL VOTE BY MAIL.
THAT ENSURES YOU'LL GET A VOTE BY MAIL NO MATTER HOW MANY ELECTIONS WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW ELECTIONS.
IF YOU JUST DO A REGULAR VOTE BY MAIL, YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR THAT EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU WANNA...
THERE'S SO MANY DATES, RIGHT, BEFORE EVERY ELECTION YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR.
SO IF YOU CAN, PLEASE JUST DO THE ANNUAL VOTE BY MAIL AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO MAKE SURE WE SEND YOU YOUR APPLICATION OR YOUR BALLOT EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.
UM, OH, AND IF YOU'RE VOTING BY MAIL, YOU'RE GONNA SEE TWO OPTIONS, UM, AND YOU HAVE TO FILL THEM OUT ONCE YOU RETURN YOUR MAIL BALLOT TO US.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPTION TO GIVE US THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY, OR YOU CAN GIVE US YOUR FULL TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE ID NUMBER, WHETHER THAT'S YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, YOUR, UM, UH, JUST REGULAR ID OR EVEN, UM, CONCEALED HUNTING GUN LICENSE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR ONE OF THOSE FULL NUMBERS OR THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF A SOCIAL SECURITY.
IT'S JUST SAFE TO INCLUDE BOTH.
IT'S WHATEVER NUMBER WE'RE MATCHING UP AGAINST, UM, THAT YOU REGISTERED.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER WHEN THEY GAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IF THEY GAVE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF SOCIAL SECURITY WHEN THEY REGISTERED.
THERE'S A BLANK SPACE FOR BOTH.
UM, OH, THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY HELPFUL AS WELL FOR...
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THE STATE LAW AND TEXAS ELECTION CODE BETWEEN AN ASSISTANT AND A WITNESS.
IF YOU VOTE BY MAIL AND YOU GET YOUR MAIL BALLOT, SOMEONE WHO HELPS YOU ACTUALLY MARK THE BALLOT IS CONSIDERED AN ASSISTANT.
SOME PEOPLE, UM, WILL HAVE SOMEONE, UH, READ OUT LOUD THEIR CHOICES.
UM, THEY HAVE YOU READ IT, UNDERSTAND THE BALLOT, MARK IT FOR YOU.
UM, THE ASSISTANT CANNOT BE AN EMPLOYER.
UM, THEY CAN'T BE AN OFFICER OR AN AGENT OF A, OF A LABOR UNION.
THERE'S JUST THESE, UM, SPECIFIC RULES, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A SECRET BALLOT AND THERE'S NO INTIMIDATION ALONG YOUR BALLOT, RIGHT? A WITNESS IS SOMEONE WHO SIGNS THE APPLICATION OR THE BALLOT, UM, FOR YOU OR CARRIES IT FOR YOU OR DROPS IT OFF AT THE POST OFFICE.
THERE'S A SPACE FOR YOUR ASSISTANT AND A WITNESS ON YOUR MAIL BALLOT WHEN YOU RETURN IT TO US TO FILL OUT THEIR INFORMATION AND SEND IT TO US.
SO PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUCTIONS, FOLLOW EACH STEP, AND YOU'LL BE FINE.
WE JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE'S A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ASSISTANT AND A WITNESS.
SO IF YOU JOIN US IN PERSON, THESE ARE THE, UM, SEVEN IDS THAT ARE ACCEPTED IN TEXAS TO, TO VOTE.
UM, SO IF YOU COME IN PERSON, YOU NEED ONE OF THESE, A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE, A TEXAS PERSONAL ID CARD, A US MILITARY ID WITH A PHOTO, A US PASSPORT, BROKER CARD WITH A PHOTO, TEXAS ELECTION ID CERTIFICATE.
THOSE ARE OFFERED FREE IF YOU'RE OVER THE AGE OF 65 OR A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, A TEXAS HANDGUN LICENSE AND A US CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE WITH PHOTO.
SO THOSE ARE THE SEVEN THINGS THAT YOU COME IN, YOU GET IN LINE, YOU SHOW US ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, WE'LL SCAN IT, WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR
[00:35:01]
BALLOT.UM, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PHOTO ID OR CANNOT GET A PHOTO ID, YOU'LL HAVE TO SIGN A FORM CALLED, UM, IT'S A READ, REASONABLE IMPEDIMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST A FORM SAYING, "I, I CAN'T, I DON'T, I CAN'T GET THESE DOCUMENTS.
I CAN'T GET THESE DOCUMENTS." AND IF THAT HAPPENS, UH, BIRTH CERTIFICATE, VOTER REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE THAT WE MAIL YOU, UTILITY BILL, BANK STATEMENTS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE'LL TAKE YOUR RID AND WE'LL TAKE THAT AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE.
UM, THINGS YOU CAN BRING WITH YOU.
UM, THIS IS ALWAYS ASKED EVERY TIME.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO WALK IN WITH ACTUAL PRINTED MATERIALS FROM A CANDIDATE.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO SHOW UP AND HAVE THEM, UH, A SHIRT THAT SAYS VOTE FOR WHOEVER ON IT.
BUT THE THINGS YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO WHEN YOU VOTE IN PERSON, WRITTEN MATERIALS.
SO IF YOU PRINT OFF A SAMPLE BALLOT OR YOU HAVE HANDWRITTEN NOTES, YOU CAN BRING THOSE WITH YOU TO HELP YOU VOTE.
UM, ELECTRONIC DEVICES, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED WITH 100 FEET WITHIN THE POLLING LOCATION, SO WE DON'T WANT ANYONE RECORDING OR, UM, DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, ELECTIONEERING, SO NO SIGNS OR FLYERS OR OTHER CAMPAIGN MATERIALS ARE ALLOWED, AGAIN, 100 FEET.
THAT'S WHY YOU ALWAYS SEE THOSE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF A VOTE CENTER THAT, UM, ARE JUST OUTSIDE THAT 100-FOOT MARKER AND KIND OF RUN UP TO YOU WHEN YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CAR AND ASK YOU WHO YOU'RE VOTING FOR.
UM, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE WITHIN THE 100 FEET.
THERE ARE APPOINTED POLL WATCHERS CAMPAIGNS AND CANDIDATES SEND APPOINTED POLL WATCHERS.
UM, THEY CAN BE WITHIN THE 100 FEET, BUT THEY CANNOT WATCH YOU VOTE.
THEY KIND OF HAVE TO STAY UP NEAR THE JUDGE OR THE CLERK.
YOUR BALLOT IS PRIVATE, UM, AND IF YOU FEEL THAT THEY'RE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER, PLEASE, UH, NOTIFY A CLERK OR JUDGE.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO BE IN THE VOTE CENTER ROOM, NOT ALLOWED TO BE OVER YOUR SHOULDER.
UM, 84 EARLY VOTING, UH, CENTERS, UM, RIGHT NOW RUNNING UNTIL OCTOBER 30TH, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE 444 ELECTION DAY CENTERS.
DALLAS COUNTY IS REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL VOTERS.
WE ARE INCREASING OUR NUMBERS.
I THINK WE HAD 71, UM, LAST MIDTERM ELECTION, AND NOW WE'VE BUMPED THAT UP TO 84 JUST TO MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR YOU TO VOTE.
EVERY VOTE CENTER, AND I, AND I STRESS THIS, EVERY VOTE CENTER WILL BE ADA COMPLIANT.
WE, UM, SPEND A LOT OF OUR OFF TIME...
WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR NON-ELECTION CAMPAIGN SEASON, UM, GOING TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE ADA ACCESSIBLE, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WE FIGURE OUT SOME KIND OF WORKAROUND TO MAKING IT SELL WHILE WE'RE IN THAT BUILDING.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE CURBSIDE AT ALL LOCATIONS, UM, AND ALL EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM A POLL WORKER.
AND, UM, YOU ALSO GET VOTING ORDER PRIORITY IF YOU'RE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN THOSE LONG LINES.
YOU CAN GO FIND A JUDGE, LET THEM KNOW, UM, THAT YOU'RE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVE THAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING ANY KIND OF DOCUMENTATION WITH YOU.
UM, YOU JUST LET THEM KNOW AND THEY CAN MOVE YOU TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE IF YOU GO VOTE IN PERSON.
TWO WAYS OF ASSISTANCE HERE IF YOU GO VOTE IN PERSON, KIND OF LIKE THE WITNESS AND THE ASSISTANCE FOR YOUR MAIL BALLOT.
IF YOU BRING SOMEONE TO TRU - YOU TRUST, THEY CAN HELP YOU VOTE.
SO ANY VOTER WHO HAS TROUBLE READING, WRITING, OR WITH ANY KIND OF OTHER PHYSICAL DISABILITY THAT MAY IM - HINDER THEM FROM VOTING IN THAT WAY MAY GET HELP.
NO PROOF OF DISABILITY IS NEEDED.
CHOOSE ANYONE EXCEPT, AGAIN, AN EMPLOYER OR AN AGENT OF YOUR EMPLOYER OR AN OFFICER OR AGENT OF YOUR UNION.
UM, ELECTION WORKERS CAN ALSO BE ASKED TO HELP.
SO YOU CAN BRING SOME IN WITH YOU.
THEY CAN GO TO THE BALLOT WITH YOU.
THEY CAN HELP YOU MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UM, SOME PEOPLE DO PREFER THAT.
WE DO GET QUITE A BIT OF THAT.
UM, THINGS TO KNOW, A PRIVATE ASSISTANT READS THE OATH OF ASSISTANCE ALOUD AT THE E-POLL BOOK, THAT'S WHERE YOU CHECK IN, UM, AND SIGNS IT, UH, WITH THEIR ADDRESS AND RELATIONSHIP TO YOU.
THEY MUST DISCLOSE THAT THERE IS NO PAYMENT OR BENEFIT FOR THEM HELPING YOU.
AND POLL WATCHERS MAY OBSERVE HELP ONLY IF IT IS AN ELECTION WORKER.
SO THERE'S AN ELECTION WORKER AND YOU SAY, "WILL YOU PLEASE COME HELP ME VOTE?" A POLL WATCHER CAN WALK WITH YOU THERE.
UM, IF YOU BRING A PERSON WITH YOU, NOT AN ELECTION WORKER, THE POLL WATCHER CANNOT FOLLOW YOU.
IT'S STILL YOUR VOTE, YOUR SECRECY VOTE.
THEY ONLY ALLOW THE POLL WATCHER TO WATCH IF IT'S AN ELECTION WORKER TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS ABOVE BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, THE SELECTIONS YOU'RE TELLING THEM TO MAKE ARE BEING MADE.
UM, SO YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN INTERPRETER.
EACH JUDGE HAS A SMARTPHONE, UM, THAT IS EQUIPPED TO HANDLE, UM, WE, WE HAVE BALLOTS IN SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, ENGLISH.
IT WILL ALSO BE, UM, ASL AS WELL.
THEY TAP IT, YOU TAP THE LANGUAGE YOU WANT ON IT.
THEY HAND IT TO YOU AND THAT PERSON START...
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT DALLAS COUNTY'S PRETTY PROUD OF.
WE TRY TO GET REAL INTERPRETERS, UM, AT, UM, EVERY LOCATION OF VIETNAMESE AND SPANISH.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO SOMETIMES, SO OUR BACKUP, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR ASL OR SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE IS THIS LIVE SMARTPHONE AND A LIVE INTERPRETER.
UM, ALL MATERIALS ARE IN THREE LANGUAGES.
AGAIN, VIETNAMESE, SPANISH, AND ENGLISH.
[00:40:01]
OF POPULATION.THE DOJ COMES DOWN AFTER THE CENSUS, TELLS US WHAT POPULATION HAS INCREASED OVER 5% OF A NATIVE SPEAKING, AND WE OFFER THE BALLOT IN THAT LANGUAGE.
SO VIETNAMESE HAS CROSSED THE 5% MARKET VOTE FOUR YEARS AGO, SO WE OFFER IT.
I THINK INTERESTING ENOUGH, TARRANT COUNTY HAS FOUR LANGUAGES.
UM, WE'RE HERE STILL AT THREE AND WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON A COUPLE THAT MIGHT COME ACROSS OUR, OUR WAY IN, UM, THE NEXT CENSUS.
THERE ARE A COUPLE VOTING MACHINES, UH, OFFERED IN, UM, ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE CERTIFIED.
AND THIS IS, UM, THE ONE WE WENT WITH.
IT HAD AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ACCESSIBLE FEATURES.
SO, UM, IT HAS A TACTILE KEYPAD.
SO IF YOU, UM, ARE VOTING THROUGH, UH, HEARING, YOU CAN PUT ON HEADPHONES AND USE THE ARROW UP AND DOWN KEYPAD YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, UM, TO VOTE AND TO MAKE YOUR DECISIONS, AND IT WILL READ YOU BACK EVERY SELECTION YOU MAKE, AND THEN AT THE END OF IT, IT WILL READ YOUR ENTIRE BALLOT AND ALL THE SELECTIONS YOU MAKE, AND EVERYTHING CAN BE AUDIO.
OH, OTHER THINGS THEY CAN OFFER IS, UM, IT CAN INCREASE THE FONT REALLY LARGE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, IT CAN, IT CAN CHANGE COLOR AND IT CAN DO CONTRAST.
UM, THOSE ARE, UH, QUITE A FEW THINGS THAT IT WILL DO.
IT'S MULTILINGUAL, LIKE I SAID, ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
IT WILL READ YOU THE BALLOT IN ALL THOSE LANGUAGES AS WELL.
SO IF YOU ARE USING THE HEADPHONES AND THE TACTILE PAD, IT WILL READ IT IN VIETNAMESE, YOUR SELECTIONS, AND IN SPANISH.
UM, AND THEN AT THE VERY END, IT WILL MAKE SURE, UH, THESE ARE YOUR SELECTIONS AND READ THEM BACK TO YOU.
UM, SO WE HAVE HEADPHONES THERE.
THE, UM, TACTILE PAD IS RIGHT THERE AS WELL, UM, ON EVERY SINGLE MACHINE, UM, EVEN THE CURBSIDE.
CURBSIDE VOTING, CURBSIDE, IF YOU'RE, UM, UNABLE TO ENTER A POLL CENTER, UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS PULL UP AGAIN.
THEY WILL NOT ASK FOR ANY KIND OF PROOF.
JUST GO SAY IT'S DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO GET INTO THE BUILDING AND, UM, YOU'RE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND THEY'LL LET YOU VOTE.
THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ASKED AFTER THAT.
THEY'LL BRING A CART AND THEY'LL BRING THE VOTING MACHINE TO YOU.
THEY'LL BRING YOUR PAPER BALLOT, THEN YOU CAN PUT YOUR OWN PAPER BALLOT INTO THE MACHINE AND MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS LIKE NORMAL.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO BRING SOMEONE TO ASSIST YOU.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE DRIVING YOU, THEY CAN BE IN THE CAR WITH YOU AND HELP YOU VOTE.
UM, AND SO, YEP, WE'LL OFFER IT AT EVERY SINGLE LOCATION.
BUT AGAIN, WE SAY IT'S PROBABLY EASIEST FOR YOU IF YOU GO EARLY.
UM, ELECTION LINES, WE DO S...
ELECTION DAY, WE DO SEE A FEW LINES AT OUR CURBSIDE VOTING.
WE TRY TO ANTICIPATE LOCATION.
UM, WE TRY TO ANTICIPATE HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL VOTE THERE, SO WE'LL DO SEVERAL CURBSIDE VOTING MACHINES AT OUR BIGGER LOCATIONS.
SOME OF OUR SMALL LOCATIONS ONLY HAVE ONE, BUT BEST TO VOTE EARLY AND GET IT OUT OF THE WAY AND JUST SIT BACK AND ENJOY ELECTION DAY.
I THINK WE WENT OVER A FEW OF THESE.
UM, OH, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ONE.
SO IF YOU HAVE WRITTEN PROOF OF A DISABILITY FROM SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OR THE VA, UM, YOU'LL DON'T EVEN NEED AN ID.
YOU CAN JUST USE YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD.
WE PUT A SPECIAL MARKING ON IT AND YOU CAN JUST USE THAT TO VOTE NO ID NECESSARY.
IT'S JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR EVERYONE.
AND YOU GET VOTING ORDER PRIORITY.
SO AGAIN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, JUST GO TO YOUR JUDGE, SAY, UM, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY OR I HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES, AND THE JUDGE WILL WALK YOU STRAIGHT TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.
THIS IS THE LAST QUESTION THAT WE LEAVE EVERY MEETING WITH.
WE ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION? NOT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO OR NOT.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO VOTE? IF WE CAN GET YOU TO MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE, UM, YOU'RE JUST AT ONE MORE STEP CLOSER, RIGHT? SO WE JUST LIKE TO END ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THIS.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO VOTE? GIVE IT SOME THOUGH.
I'M GONNA TAKE MY BROTHER, SISTER, NIECE, AUNT THEOTHEA, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
WE'RE GONNA GO VOTE TOGETHER ON ELECTION DAY.
BUT JUST THINK TO YOURSELF AND ASK ANYONE YOU COME UP WITH AND NOT WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA VOTE, BUT DO YOU PLAN TO VOTE? UM, AND GET THEM THINKING ABOUT HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE.
BUT YEAH, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND...
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH US.
IT IS VERY RELEVANT, NECESSARY, AND IMPORTANT.
AND OF COURSE, IT IS OUR BELIEF AS THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, BEING ABLE TO, FOR PEOPLE WITH, WITH DISABILITIES, BEING ABLE TO VOTE, UH, PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS BOTH A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND A CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY WHICH STRENGTHENS THE CORE VALUES OF DEMOCRACY.
AND, AND WHILE, OF COURSE, UM, THE IDEA HERE IS NOT TO BE PARTISAN, BUT OF COURSE, COMMISSIONERS IN THIS ROOM ARE ENCOURAGED TO VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO, WHOM THEY BELIEVE BEST REPRESENTS THEM, BOTH AS CITIZENS AND AS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING YOUR
[00:45:01]
TIME, AND I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, AS AN ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST, I WORK WITH PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AND I ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THE ROUTE TO THEIR CLOSEST VOTING LOCATION.
SO THIS IS SO IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA TAKE THIS BACK INTO PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT, AND I HOPE THAT, UM, WE HAVE, YEAH, A CONTINUED GOOD TURNOUT FOR THE REST OF THE, UM, ELECTION PERIOD.
WIX FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR, FOR BRINGING THIS DETAILED PRESENTATION TO US.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, ARE WE AS COMMISSIONERS ABLE TO GET A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION SENT TO US VIA EMAIL? OF COURSE, YEAH.
I'M, I'M HAPPY TO EMAIL ANYONE, AND, UM, CAN I...
I'LL JUST HAVE THEM SEND MY EMAIL ADDRESS.
I WAS JUST THINKING IF Y'ALL NEED ANYTHING OR IF YOU, UM, GO TO A VOTE CENTER AND YOU DON'T FIND IT, UM, ADA ACCESSIBLE, WE WANNA HEAR IT.
UM, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME, UH, THAT MOMENT WHILE YOU'RE THERE, AND WE'LL TRY TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
NO, NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ME.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE UPDATE AND INCREDIBLE WORK YOU ARE DOING.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO QUESTIONS.
EVERYTHING WAS REALLY ORGANIZED THIS GO AROUND.
I WAS THERE OPENING DAY AND IT WAS SO NICE JUST TO BE ABLE TO GO IN, GET IN, GET, GET YOUR VOTE DONE, AND GET OUT.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND GETTING ORGANIZED.
WE, WE HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE AMAZING PEOPLE.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
NO COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK THE SPEAKERS FOR THEIR TIME AND PRESENTATIONS.
DEITCHMAN FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, DUE DILIGENCE AND, AND YOUR, UH, YOUR WONDERFUL SPEAKING.
UH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION THOUGH.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU NEEDED A HANDGUN LICENSE IN TEXAS ANYMORE.
I GET TO TALK TO A LOT OF OTHER STATES AND ONE OF THE, UM, INTERESTING THINGS THAT A HANDGUN LICENSE CAN STILL BE USED TO VOTE.
AND, UM, IN TEXAS, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER STATES WHERE THAT, THAT THEY'RE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT FROM US.
BUT YEAH, IN TEXAS, UH, YOU CAN USE A HANDGUN LICENSE IF YOU HAVE ONE.
AND WITH THAT THEN, WITH, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DEVOTING YOUR TIME.
I MEAN, THANKS TO THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND, UM, MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS YOUR VOTE.
SO THAT'S OUR, ALL WE WILL SAY THERE.
OUR NEXT BRIEFING ITEM CONCERNS ONGOING REQUIRED NON-DISCRIMINATION TRAINING.
WE ARE VERY DELIGHTED TO HAVE MR. CHRIS GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THIS BRIEFING WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY OF DALLAS'S TITLE VI PROGRAM COMPLIANCE, UH, COM - UH, COMPLIANCE PLAN, DISCUSS TYPES OF DISCRIMINATION, EXPLAIN THE SCOPE OF DALLAS'S NON-DISCRIMINATION TO POLICY IDENTITY...
TO POLICY, IDENTIFY WAYS TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION, AND PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMPLAINT DISPOSITION PROCESS.
SO WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME MR. GRAVES TO THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INTRODUCTION, CHAIR.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE TO SET THE TIMER.
I KNOW IT'S 7:00, AND I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, TWO BRIEFING ITEMS TO GO.
OF COURSE, THIS TRAINING ON, UH, NON-DISCRIMINATION, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT.
SO NORMALLY, THIS PRESENTATION IS ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
I'M GONNA REALLY TRY TO CONDENSE IT DOWN INTO ABOUT 12 MINUTES, SO THAT WAY I CAN GIVE YOU SOME TIME BACK IN YOUR DAY.
[00:50:04]
OKAY, WONDERFUL.IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO AS THE CHAIR ALREADY SAID, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, NON-DISCRIMINATION TODAY.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THAT IS THE CITY HAS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A TITLE VI PROGRAM COMPLIANCE PLAN.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE EQUAL ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S PAYING A WATER BILL, WHETHER IT'S SPEAKING TO A BOARD OF COMMISSION, WHETHER IT'S SPEAKING TO CITY COUNCIL, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, ALL RESIDENTS HAVE THE CHANCE FOR EQUAL ACCESS, RIGHT, WHETHER IT'S A PROGRAM, A SERVICE, OR ACTIVITY.
AND SO TITLE VI APPLIES TO US AS GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
IT ALSO APPLIES TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AS APPOINTED OFFICIALS, YOU ALSO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO UPHOLD TITLE VI.
SO THE GOAL OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO JUST INFORM YOU WHAT TITLE VI IS, THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION THAT ARE REALLY CODIFIED IN FEDERAL LAW, THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROTECTED CLASSES THAT ARE PROTECTED AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
THERE'S BEEN A FEW CHANGES IN, UH, AT THE, A FEW RECENT YEARS ABOUT WHAT PROTECTED CLASSES THERE ARE.
WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE CITY'S, UH, PROGRAM.
THE CITY ALSO HAS A NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY THAT WE'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON.
AS THE TITLE VI COORDINATOR, I ALSO HANDLE COMPLAINTS.
WE'LL JUST TAKE YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS REALLY HIGH LEVEL, AND WE'RE GONNA SKIP ALL THE KNOWLEDGE CHECKS BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO, UH, BE AS, UH, CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT, SO HERE WE'RE GONNA START WITH JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE TITLE VI PROGRAM COMPLIANCE PLAN.
SO THIS PLAN HAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY YEAR.
THE FIRST FULL REALLY SUBSTANTIVE UPDATE WAS DONE IN 2024.
WE'VE HAD TO DO IT ANNUALLY EVER SINCE THEN, AND SO IT IS SIGNED BY OUR CITY MANAGER, KIMBERLY.
ALL THE TITLE VI COORDINATION IS DONE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, AND THEN MY ROLE IS ALSO TITLE VI COORDINATOR.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY ROLES THAT I HAVE HERE AT THE CITY, IN ADDITION TO HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
NOW, THE CITY OF DALLAS DOES HAVE A FEW KEY FEDERAL GRANTS WHERE THERE WERE PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAD TO ADDRESS IN THE TITLE VI PLAN.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE CITY OF DALLAS RECEIVES NUMEROUS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRANTS.
THERE ARE REALLY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY IN THE TITLE VI PLAN.
SO CERTAIN COMPONENTS ARE REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE THE PLAN MULTIMODAL, BECAUSE DEPENDING ON THE FEDERAL AGENCY, THAT MAY TRIGGER DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
UM, IT REALLY DEPENDS, IS IT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION? IS IT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE? SO WE TRY TO BE MULTIMODAL SO THAT WAY THE CITY IS PROACTIVELY COMPLIANT.
BUT OF COURSE, IT CAN HAPPEN THAT IF IT'S REVIEWED, FOR EXAMPLE, BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE UPDATES, WHICH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND OF COURSE, IN YOUR ROLE AS COMMISSIONERS, AS PART OF THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, THE CITY OF DALLAS DOES HAVE A POLICY STATEMENT THAT APPLIES TO US AS EMPLOYEES AND YOU, OF COURSE, AS COMMISSIONERS.
SO THAT POLICY STATEMENT SAYS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS COMMITTED TO COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AND RELATED AUTHORITIES.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
THERE ARE A FEW OTHER KEY LANDMARK CIVIL RIGHTS BILLS THAT ARE ALSO PART OF THE TITLE VI PLAN.
AND REALLY, THE GOAL IS NON-DISCRIMINATION IN PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND ACTIVITIES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE EQUAL ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES, GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHETHER IT'S, UH, SOMEONE COMING TO A BOARDING COMMISSION MEETING GIVING PUMP COMMENT, IF YOU'RE MEETING WITH A CONSTITUENT, PERHAPS A OFFSITE, IF IT'S A PRESENTER COMING TO A BOARDING COMMISSION, ALL THOSE ARE PARTICULAR SPACES WHERE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE UPHOLDING TITLE VI AND PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS.
IMPORTANTLY, MY ROLE IS ALSO TITLE SI - TITLE VI COORDINATOR, SO I ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM, WORK WITH COMPLAINTS, ALSO MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS, AND I DO TRAININGS LIKE THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE AWARE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES I'M GIVING THE PRESENTATION TO.
WE EARLIER PRESENTED TO THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
LATER THIS YEAR, WE'LL PRESENT TO SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
I ALSO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, THE TITLE VI OBLIGATION IS REGARDLESS OF FUNDING SOURCE.
YOU MAY SAY THAT THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES DOESN'T RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS.
IF ONLY ONE DIVISION AT THE CITY OF DALLAS RECEIVED A FEDERAL GRANT, THE WHOLE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ON THE HOOK FOR TITLE VI.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY, UH, WE HAVE TO DO IT FOR, UH, COMPLIANCE PURPOSES TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID, IT'S ALSO THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
HERE, WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE PROTECTED CLASSES.
RIGHT CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SIX PROTECTED CLASSES.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THERE WERE EIGHT PROTECTED CLASSES.
[00:55:01]
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A RUNDOWN, RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.IMPORTANTLY, NATIONAL ORIGIN ALSO INCLUDES A LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT DESIGNATED ENGLISH AS THIS NATIONAL LANGUAGE.
JUST KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL A CONTINUING OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION.
GOING ON, WE ALSO HAVE SEX, AGE, AND THEN AGE CAN BE A YOUNG PERSON, IT CAN BE A SENIOR CITIZEN, UM, IT COULD BE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A DISABILITY BECAUSE THE ADA IS PART OF THE RELATED AUTHORITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI, BUT OF COURSE WE HAVE, OF COURSE, GARY COPELAND, OUR ADA COMPLIANCE MANAGER, AND THE CITY HAS A WHOLE ADA TRANSITION PLAN.
SO NOW THAT WE KNOW SOME OF THE PROTECTED CLASSES, IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW DOES DISCRIMINATION OCCUR? AND THESE ARE REALLY CODIFIED IN FEDERAL LAW, AND I'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH EACH OF THEM.
I'LL SAY THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT THE VERY LAST ONE BECAUSE IT'S PARTICULAR TO EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT FIRST, UH, FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION.
IF SOMEONE IS OUTRIGHT DENIED A SERVICE, AND ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF A PROTECTED CLASS.
SO IF SOMEONE IS DENIED A SERVICE, IF THEY RECEIVE DIFFERENT TREATMENT THAN OTHERS, IF THEY RECEIVE SEPARATE TREATMENT, IF THEY ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS THAT OTHERS, UH, DON'T HAVE TO COMPLY WITH, IF THEY'RE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS THAT DON'T APPLY TO OTHERS, OR IF THERE ARE JUST GENERALLY, UH, DENIAL OF PARTICIPATION OR, AGAIN, RESTRICTIONS AROUND PARTICIPATION, THOSE ARE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION.
NOW, THE VERY LAST ONE, UH, I, I WON'T GO INTO JUST BECAUSE IT IS PARTICULAR TO EMPLOYEES.
OKAY, SO HERE, I JUST REALLY WANNA CONNECT THE DOTS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTED CLASSES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION.
SO HERE, I JUST REALLY WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR.
WE HAVE A FEW, UH, HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS ABOUT HOW...
WHAT, WHAT DISCRIMINATION WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SLIDE, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS BASED ON RACE.
SO, THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE.
A CASE MANAGER WORKING FOR LOCAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT HELPS RESIDENTS APPLY FOR SNAP AND OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS.
FOR SOME RESIDENTS WHO TEND TO BE BLACK, THE CASE MANAGER REQUIRES DOCUMENTATION ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED.
AND OF COURSE, HERE, THE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS BASED ON RACE.
SO, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
THERE IS STILL AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS, AND OF COURSE, DISCRIMINATION CAN BE SEPARATE TREATMENT BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN.
SO, THE EXAMPLE IS, THERE ARE SEVERAL CHINESE AMERICANS WHO WANT TO ATTEND A COMMUNITY MEETING BY THEIR CITY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE TOPIC OF THE MEETING IS STREET AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
NOW, THEY HAD MADE A REQUEST FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES, PARTICULARLY INTERPRETATION, SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND.
THEY WERE TOLD BY THE DEPARTMENT THEY HAD ALREADY EXPENDED ALL THE FUNDS FOR THE YEAR, AND THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE INTERPRETATION.
THEY STILL ATTENDED, BUT WERE TOLD TO WAIT IN A SEPARATE ROOM APART FROM WHERE THE OTHER ATTENDEES WERE.
THEY WERE GIVING A SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION WHERE THERE WAS NO Q&A.
SO, OF COURSE, HERE, WE HAVE DRAMATICALLY SEPARATE TREATMENT BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN.
OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALSO HAVE DENIAL OF SERVICE BASED ON DISABILITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, A RESIDENT IN A WHEELCHAIR TRAVELS TO CITY HALL WHERE HE WOULD LIKE TO PAY HIS WATER BILL.
AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN DO THAT HERE AT DALLAS CITY HALL ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
UPON PARKING IN ONE OF THE DESIGNATED ACCESSIBLE SPOTS, HE SEES HE IS ACTUALLY UNABLE TO ACCESS THE BUILDING BY HIMSELF BECAUSE THERE IS NO CURB CUT MAKING THE PATH TO THE ENTRANCE INACCESSIBLE.
AND SO, OF COURSE, IN THIS EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE DENIAL OF SERVICE BASED ON DISABILITY.
SO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTED CLASSES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION.
WE'VE TRIED TO CONNECT THE DOTS WITH REALLY CONCRETE EXAMPLES, BUT JUST KNOW THOSE EXAMPLES COULD HAVE BEEN VERY CLEARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARDING COMMISSION.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY HAVE A RANGE OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND THIS IS ALL HYPOTHETICAL, BUT IF, IF IT TENDS TO BE THE CASE THAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS FROM A CERTAIN ETHNICITY ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY DURING PUBLIC COMMENT THAN OTHERS, THAT COULD BE DISCRIMINATION AND THERE COULD BE A TITLE VI COMPLAINT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE, UH, A RANGE OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND FOR THOSE WHO TEND TO BE...
THEY COULD BE AFRICAN AMERICAN, THEY COULD BE HISPANIC, THEY COULD BE, UM, FROM, FROM, FROM EUROPE, THEY COULD BE JAPANESE.
IF THEY'RE ONLY GETTING TWO MINUTES, BUT THEN A WHOLE OTHER GROUP OF SPEAKERS WHO ARE WIDER THAN THREE MINUTES, THEN THAT IS DISCRIMINATION.
[01:00:01]
THOSE EXAMPLES WERE PARTICULAR TO KIND OF GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, YOU CAN STILL HAVE DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARDING COMMISSION.SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE GIVING THIS PRESENTATION.
NOW, WITH THE CITY'S TITLE VI PLAN, IT INCLUDES WHAT'S CALLED A PROGRAM ASSURANCE.
THERE'S A GENERAL ASSURANCE AND THEN THERE'S A SPECIFIC INSURANCE.
AND JUST KNOW THAT THE CITY'S COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE VI AND THESE ASSURANCES ENSURES THAT WE GET OUR FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID, WHICH OF COURSE IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, IN ADDITION TO THIS BEING THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO THE GENERAL ASSURANCE IS INSTITUTION-WIDE.
THE SPECIFIC ASSURANCE IS PARTICULAR TO VERY SPECIFIC FEDERAL AWARDS THAT WE, UH, HAVE RECEIVED FROM, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THEY HAVE PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSPORTATION OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS TO INCLUDE A WHOLE, UH, PROGRAM ASSURANCE AND APPENDICE IN THEIR CONTRACT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TITLE VI REQUIREMENTS ARE BAKED INTO THE CONTRACT.
HERE WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM.
WHAT I'LL SAY IN THIS SLIDE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, TITLE VI DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
IT EXTENDS DOWN TO CONTRACTORS AND TO SUBCONTRACTORS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CITY GIVES OUT A CONTRACT AND THAT CONTRACTOR, THE PRIME CONTRACTOR HAS SUBCONTRACTORS, TITLE VI FLOWS DOWN, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SUBCONTRACTOR LEVEL.
AND IF THEY ENGAGE IN DISCRIMINATION, THAT INDIVIDUAL CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH ME, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION.
SO IN MY ROLE AS A TITLE VI COORDINATOR, WE, WE SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AT THE START.
I NOT ONLY DO TRAINING PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, I ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE TITLE VI PUBLIC NOTICE IS DISPLAYED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
WE HAVE STARTED TO ROLL IT OUT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S POPULATED AROUND WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ARE.
WE ALSO HAVE IT UP AT THE MLK CENTER AND THE WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
SO THAT'S A CONTINUING EFFORT ON OUR PART.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS.
WE WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS ALONGSIDE THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS A NEED FOR TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES, WE PROVIDE THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ALSO ADDRESS, UH, COMPLAINTS AS THEY COME IN.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS, WHAT ARE THE PROTECTED CLASSES, AND IF THEY NEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT, THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
THE PUBLIC NOTICE PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THAT.
AND EVEN IF THEY WANT MORE INFORMATION, THEY CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO ME.
IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO PROVIDE THIS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS, AND IF THEY NEED IT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, CURRENTLY WE HAVE IT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WE CAN PROVIDE DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS TO THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
LANGUAGE ACCESS, OF COURSE, THERE'S THIS CONTINUING OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS.
FOR ALL LANGUAGE ACCESS REQUESTS, WE GET A KEY DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHICH IS OUR, UH, CCX 311 DEPARTMENT.
THEY HANDLE ALL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION REQUESTS.
THERE'S ALSO A PROGRAM WHERE EMPLOYEES CAN PROVIDE DAY-TO-DAY, UH, INTERPRETATION, BUT THAT'S NOT A SUBSTITUTE IF YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETER FOR...
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A WITNESS INTERVIEW BY DALLAS POLICE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT TO REPLACE THOSE INSTANCES WHERE YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED INTERPRETER.
I'LL TRY TO, UH, BE VERY, UH, CONCISE WITH THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE WAYS THE TITLE VI INTERSECTS WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THERE ARE A FEW WAYS THAT WE'RE STARTED TO LAYER IN TITLE VI IN TERMS OF A BOARD AND COMMISSION WORK.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE CITY OF DALLAS'S VALUES OF SERVICE.
THAT MEANS WE WANNA BEHAVE EXCELLENTLY.
ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO THAT IS YOU'LL NOTICE WITHIN THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AGENDAS, WE INCLUDE THE TITLE VI PUBLIC NOTICE LANGUAGE.
WE'VE STARTED TO DO THAT WITH A LOT OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE EMPATHETIC TO THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN TERMS OF A BOARD AND COMMISSION, IF SOMEONE'S GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE A, A, A, A SPEECH COMPETITIVE, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO VOCALIZE THEMSELVES, BUT THEY'RE HERE AND THEY'RE GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT.
OF COURSE, THERE IS A THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT, BUT IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT UPON US TO RECOGNIZE WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS ADDITIONAL TIME AND TO THEN GRANT THEM THAT TIME, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT KIND OF A MAGIC WORD THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAY IN TERMS OF REQUESTING THEIR ACCOMMODATION.
IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT ON US TO MAKE THAT RECOGNITION, PROACTIVELY OFFER IT TO THEM.
ONE THING I DO WANNA MENTION HERE, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TITLE VI WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THROUGH THE MEETING AGENDAS, THROUGH DOING
[01:05:01]
TRAININGS LIKE THIS.THE ONE THING I, I, I DO WANNA ALSO EMPHASIZE, BECAUSE SOME COMMISSIONERS ALSO, UH, TAKE PART IN EVENTS.
BY TAKE PART, I MEAN LEAD AN EVENT.
SO WE'VE HAD A F- FEW COMMISSIONERS DO THAT.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ON THE FLYER...
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONER AND STAFF.
WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN ACCOMMODATION POINT OF CONTACT ON THE FLYER.
SO IF SOMEONE NEEDS A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR PERHAPS THEY NEED A LANGUAGE ACCESS SUPPORT, YOU ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE YOU DESIGNATE SOMEONE ON THE FLYER WHERE THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AND BE THAT, UH, ACCOMMODATION POINT OF CONTACT.
SO IN TERMS OF COMPLAINTS, THERE'S A 180-DAY DEADLINE FOR THEM TO FILE THE COMPLAINT BASED ON THE DATE OF THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE.
IT DOES HAVE TO BE IN WRITING, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS SO THAT WAY THEY SUCCESS- SUCCESSFULLY FILE THE COMPLAINT.
IT CAN BE BASED ON A PROGRAM SERVICE AND ACTIVITY, SOMETHING DONE BY A CONTRACT OR SOMETHING DONE BY A SUBCONTRACTOR.
SO WE ASSIST WITH COMPLAINT INTAKE.
WE PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS IF NEEDED.
WE HAVE SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS TO, UH, RESPOND AND CONFIRM THAT WE RECEIVED IT.
WE HAVE 30 BUSINESS DAYS TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION.
OF COURSE, THAT MEANS WORKING WITH, UH, THE RESIDENT.
THAT INCLUDES WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO PERHAPS WERE WITNESSES.
THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A WRITE-UP AND RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THAT 30-DAY WINDOW.
FOR MORE TRICKIER INSTANCES, WE DO WORK WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEY PROVIDE ADVICE FOR US IF IT, IF IT BECOMES A, UH, PERHAPS A COMPLICATED ISSUE WE NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH.
UM, IF THE PROGRAM THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE COMPLAINT RECEIVES SPECIAL FINANCIAL AID, WE ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE A REPORT OF THE WRITE-UP TO THAT FEDERAL AGENCY.
AND OF COURSE, THE RESIDENT HAS A RIGHT OF, RIGHT TO APPEAL.
OF COURSE, THEY CAN GO TO OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED, THEY CAN GO TO OUR DIRECTOR AND SO ON AND SO FORTH UP TO CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I, I, I TRY TO BE AS CONCISE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM Y'ALL, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GRACE, FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO SHARE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION WITH US.
UM, AS THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE AND, AND REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN, UM, WORK FOR, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND LIVE WITH INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AND SELF-CONFIDENCE.
SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY ESSENTIAL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORK OF ADDRESSING ANTI-DISCRIMINATION IS ACTUALLY A...
IT'S A WORK THAT RELATES TO ALL OF US.
IT'S A PART OF WHAT WE ALL AS CITIZENS DO.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ALTHOUGH I DID WANNA ASK, SO WITH REGARDS TO THIS IS, THIS IS THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, UH, COMPLIANCE PROGRAM PLAN, TITLE VI COMPLIANCE PLAN YOU HAD DISCUSSED.
IS, IS THIS SIMILAR TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN THAT YOU HAVE, OR IS THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENT? I JUST WANTED TO GET A CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
NO, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
AND SO THERE IS A HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN THAT WAS DONE BY THE NORTH TEXAS FIFA WORLD CUP ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE WORLD CUP.
SO THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE LED THE EFFORT.
CITY DALLAS WAS A COLLABORATOR, BUT THAT HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN, IT WAS TO FULFILL A FIFA OBLIGATION AND FIFA HAD A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK THAT ENCOMPASSED SAFEGUARDING AND INCLUSION, WORKER RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO REMEDY.
BUT WITHIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN, THERE WAS ALSO NON-DISCRIMINATION.
SO IF YOU READ THE ACTUAL, UH, WORLD CUP, UH, HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN FOR NORTH TEXAS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE, THE TITLE VI PLAN IS REFERENCED.
SO THERE IS A STRONG INTERSECTION.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN DOES KIND OF GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TITLE VI, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE TITLE VI WITHIN THAT NON-DISCRIMINATION BUCKET.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, UH, VERY DETAILED AND VERY, UH, INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
WELL, ONE QUESTION AND MAYBE A FOLLOW-UP.
UM, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PRESENTATION THAT YOU DID HERE TONIGHT, IS THIS BEING SHARED WITH THE, UH, CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS THAT HAVE CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS TO EXECUTE PROGRAMS SUCH AS HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PLAN?
[01:10:02]
NO, AND I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ACTUALLY AN EXCELLENT QU...AND I WILL, UH, MAKE AN EXAMPLE, UH, BUT LIKE IF THERE ARE USHERS IN, UM, IN PROGRAMS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE RESPECTABLE IN TERMS OF SEATING AND, UM, ALSO WITH THE, UH, HOTELS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, ARE THEY GIVING THE SAME INFORMATION? YES, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
TO ANSWER THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION FIRST, IF WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WITHIN OHCE, WE'RE ALSO REACHING THOSE TEAMS WHO ARE OVER HOUSING WHO MANAGE CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS.
GARY AND I ACTUALLY JUST DID THE FIRST OF A, THE FIRST OF A CITY-WIDE TRAINING.
WE ACTUALLY DID THIS TITLE VI PRESENTATION AND GARY LED THE WHOLE PRESENTATION ON REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS BECAUSE THE TOPICS COME UP PARTICULAR TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND THEN ALSO WITHIN HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS IT, AND SO GARY LED A WHOLE PRESENTATION ON REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, AND THE FOCUS WAS ON OUR DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTRACT MANAGERS, WHETHER THEY'RE WITHIN HOUSING, WHETHER THEY'RE WITHIN COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, THEY KNOW THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TITLE VI.
AND WE ALSO MADE SURE WE LET THEM KNOW THAT IF THEY ARE MANAGING CONTRACTS AND THEIR CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS WANTED A PRESENTATION ON TITLE VI, WE COULD PROVIDE THAT PRESENTATION.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING.
AND THEN TO ANSWER ANOTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE OFFICE OF ALT - ARTS AND CULTURE DOES MANAGE DIFFERENT VENUES.
SO ACTUALLY STARTING IN NOVEMBER, WE'LL BE DOING A SERIES OF CITY-WIDE PRESENTATIONS WHERE THE FOCUS WILL BE ON PUBLIC FACING DEPARTMENTS THAT INTER- INTERACT WITH RESIDENTS THAT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION OF PUBLIC WORKS, IT COULD BE THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
SO FROM NOVEMBER TO SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BELIEVE THE MONTHLY CITY-WIDE PRESENTATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INTERACTING WITH RESIDENTS, SO THAT WAY THEY KNOW ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VI, WHO TO REACH OUT TO IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, AND THEN ALSO SAID THAT THEY KNOW IF THAT A COMPLAINT DOES COME UP, THEY KNOW THEY CAN COME TO ME FOR MORE INFORMATION AND I CAN PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
AND MY LAST, MY LAST COMMENT IS, UM, IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION.
WHEN THE CITY OF DALLAS IS DOING THEIR MEDIA PRESENTATIONS, UM, ONLINE, IS THIS ONE THAT IS GOING TO BE SHARED? TELL ME, T- TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY, UH...
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN YOU SAY PRESENTATIONS? OKAY, WHAT I MEAN IS, YES.
OKAY, LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU JUST DID THIS PRESENTATION TO, FOR US TONIGHT.
UM, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL HAS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, COMMERCIALS, UM, WHEN THEY ARE ON BREAK AND WHEN THEY GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, ET CETERA, ON THOSE - OH, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
RIGT, ON THE TV, ON THE TV - OH.
UM, STATIONS THAT THE CITY OWNS.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PROVIDED? YOU KNOW, I AC- ACTUALLY HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE MUNICIPAL TV STATION, THEY RUN PROGRAMMING.
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO MAYBE A 30-SECOND, ONE-MINUTE, UH, PSA, SO THAT WAY WE COULD REACH, UM, PEOPLE WHO WATCH, PEOPLE WHO COME TO CITY COUNCIL, SO THAT IT'S ACTUALLY AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
YES, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT.
THAT IS MY COMMENT, SIR, CHAIR.
WIX, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER WIX FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
YOU MEANT COMMISSIONER COLLIER? COLLIER, YES.
THANK YOU, MR. GRACE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COLLIER.
NEXT IS COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
NO COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
DEITCHMAN, OR ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONER GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
NO QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, CHRIS.
DEITCHMAN FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
[01:15:01]
BUT I WAS WONDERING IF SCOTUS INVOLVES ANY OF THIS? CAN, CAN, CAN YOU SAY THAT WORD AGAIN? YO SAID WHO, WHO, WHO'S INVOLVED? THE SUPREME COURT, SUPREME COURT CAME OUT AND ROLLED OUT MAJOR PORTIONS OF TITLE VI.HOW DOES THIS AFFECT US? NO, THAT, THAT IS A GOOD POINT.
SO THERE WERE A FEW UPDATES TO THE TITLE VI PLAN.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, WELL, UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, SOME OF THE ACTIONS WERE AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS RESCINDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND HAD TO DO WITH, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO MINORITY POPULATIONS THAT WAS SIGNED BY BILL CLINTON.
THAT ACTUALLY CODIFIED SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AS A PROTECTED CLASS.
WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION RESCINDED THAT EO, IT TOOK AWAY SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
SO WE COULDN'T INCLUDE THAT WITHIN THE TITLE VI PLAN ANYMORE.
AND THEN WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON ENGLISH LANGUA - UH, THAT DESIGNATED ENGLISH AS THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE, UM, WHAT WE HAD TO DO, AND WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IS THAT WE COULDN'T SEPARATELY SAY, UH, LANGUAGE.
WE HAD TO REMOVE THAT REFERENCE, BUT THERE HAD TO BE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS STILL WITHIN NATIONAL ORIGIN.
WE COULD, WE JUST COULDN'T SEPARATELY SAY LANGUAGE.
AND THEN I, I DO KNOW THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS GONNA ROLL OUT SOME UPDATED GUIDANCE BASED ON THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER, SO THINGS MAY CHANGE, BUT, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE IS STILL A REQUIREMENT.
AND MR. GRAVES, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR SHARING THIS VALUABLE PRESENTATION WITH US.
OUR FINAL BRIEFING ITEM IS GOING TO BE THIS ITEM CONCERNS REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF THE 2027 ANNUAL REPORT AND DISCUSSION OF PLANNED CONTENT.
AGAIN, WE'RE SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE CHRIS GRAVES, HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS, OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THIS BRIEFING WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF THE 2027 ANNUAL REPORT AS DETAILED IN CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE CITY CODE.
THE COMMISSION WILL FURTHER DISCUSS PROPOSED CONTENT TO INCLUDE IN THEIR 2027 ANNUAL REPORT.
BEFORE I TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. GRAVES, I DO WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE ANNUAL REPORT IS.
THIS IS A REQUIRED DOCUMENT THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE WRITTEN, DRAFTED, WRITTEN, AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS WELL.
AND ESSENTIALLY, THIS DOCUMENT OUTLINES, UM, IT, THE PURPOSE AND, AND MISSION, IT, THE, AND SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION.
THERE'S A CHAIR'S MEMO, A STATEMENT ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S MISSION PURPOSE.
IT OUTLINES THE PAST ACTIVITIES, SO THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE COMMISSION ENGAGED IN DURING, UH, THE PAST YEAR AND PROPOSED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I WILL NOW TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. GRAVES TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE.
AND IF WE COULD, UH, PLEASE BRING THE PRESENTATION UP, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO AS CHAIR SAID, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THIS BRIEFING ON THE ANNUAL REPORT.
REALLY, THE GOAL OF THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE AWARE, YOU KNOW, CHAIR ALREADY EXPLAINED THE GOAL OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE ABOUT WHAT'S REQUIRED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT, AND WHAT'S REQUIRED IS CODIFIED WITHIN CITY CODE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE.
WE ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT AREAS WHERE WE'RE REALLY GONNA LEAN ON COMMISSIONERS TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
SO THERE ARE PARTS IN THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT ARE MORE STAFF-DRIVEN.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, WE'LL WRITE THE COVER PAGE.
OF COURSE, WE'LL WRITE THE MISSION STATEMENT FROM THE ORDINANCE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SECTIONS WHERE WE'RE REALLY GONNA LOOK TO THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE INPUT ABOUT BOTH WHAT TO HIGHLIGHT WITHIN YOUR PAST YEAR AND REALLY WHAT TO FOCUS ON FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH CHAPTER EIGHT OF THE CITY CODE.
WE HAVE A DRAFT TIMELINE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
WE'LL, WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO REALLY PROMPT DISCUSSION AMONG COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, I'M HERE AND THEN OUR TEAM IS HERE TO REALLY WRITE DOWN ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS COMING
[01:20:01]
ANNUAL REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE WITH Q&A.AND SO, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S WITHIN CITY CODE THAT HAS A, A SECTION DEALING WITH THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY, IT'S REQUIRED FOR THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE AND THEN TO TRANSMIT THE ANNUAL REPORT BY FEBRUARY 1ST OF NEXT YEAR, 2027.
THE TRANSMITTAL IS TAKEN CARE OF BY US AS STAFF, BUT REALLY THE ANNUAL REPORT SHOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
US AS STAFF TAKING LEAD ON CERTAIN ITEMS, AND THEN REALLY LEANING ON THE COMMISSION TO LET US KNOW WHAT DIRECTION THE COMMISSION SHOULD GO INTO FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO THERE ARE A FEW REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
CHAIR OUTLINED A FEW OF THOSE.
OF COURSE, THE STAFF WILL TAKE CARE OF THE COVER LETTER WHERE WE'LL CHAIR ON THAT SO WE CAN SIGN IT.
THE ANNUAL REPORT ALSO INCLUDES A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
THE MISSION STATEMENT ACTUALLY COMES FROM THE ORDINANCE, THE ENABLING ORDINANCE FROM THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY LOOKED AT THE COMMISSION FOR FEEDBACK.
SO WHAT FROM THE PAST YEAR DO YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT IN THE ANNUAL REPORT? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SUCCESSES? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ATTENTION DO YOU REALLY WANNA DRAW ONTO YOUR ACTIVITIES FOR THE LAST YEAR? WHAT THINGS DO YOU WANNA FOCUS ON FOR THE NEXT YEAR? DO YOU HAVE OBJECTIVES, GOALS THAT YOU WANNA PROPOSE TO, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS, RIGHT? AND THEN IT'LL BE, OF COURSE, BY MAJORITY OR VOTE, ULTIMATELY, WHAT TO INCLUDE WITHIN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS IS ALSO YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THE ANNUAL REPORT GOES TO CITY MANAGER.
SO REALLY, UH, REALLY TRY TO LEVERAGE THIS OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT'S RELATED TO A BRIEFING ITEM THAT THE COMMISSION HAS, UH, TAKEN ON FOR THIS PAST YEAR.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS A PROVISION FOR A MINORITY REPORT.
SO IF A COMMISSIONER FEELS VERY STRONGLY, MAYBE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY FEEL THAT THE REVIEW HASN'T BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE MAJORITY OPINION, IN THE MAJORITY VIEW OF WHAT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE NEXT YEAR, THERE IS A PROVISION ENABLING THEM TO HAVE A MINORITY REPORT THAT'S WRITTEN SOLELY BY THE COMMISSIONER, AND THEN IT IS INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
SO JUST KNOW THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU CHOOSE TO EXERCISE THAT.
THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OTHER INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED WITHIN CITY CODE, BUT SOMETHING PERHAPS THE COMMISSION FEELS VERY STRONGLY YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S LISTED HERE.
OF COURSE, ONCE THE ANNUAL REPORT IS PASSED BY THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, US AS STAFF WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRANSMITTED TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY SECRETARY, AND OF COURSE, EVERYONE HERE WILL, OF COURSE, GET A COPY.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'LL HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW DRAFTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AND OF COURSE, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN THE DRAFTING OF THE REPORT.
THERE ARE A FEW, UH, JUST, UH, TECHNICAL ASPECTS TO THE REPORT THAT, BUT THAT'S, UH, TAKEN CARE OF BY STAFF.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PROPERLY FORMATTED.
WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE CITY OF DALLAS LOGO.
THIS IS A LOT MORE ABOUT MINORITY REPORTS, SO THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN FULL DISCLOSURE IN THE REPORT.
THE MINORITY REPORT IS WRITTEN SOLELY BY THE COMMISSIONER WHO WANTS TO MAKE THAT MINORITY REPORT, SO IT'S NOT WRITTEN BY STAFF.
NOW, IF THE MAJORITY REPORT IS LESS THAN 100 PAGES, THE MINORITY REPORT'S GONNA BE PLACED AFTER THE LAST PAGE OF THE MAJORITY REPORT.
I THINK OUR ANNUAL REPORTS KINDA RANGE UP TO, LIKE, 25 PAGES.
NOW, IF THE MAJORITY REPORT IS 100 PAGES OR MORE, WE HAVE TO PLACE THE MINORITY REPORT AFTER THE SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MAJORITY, BUT BEFORE THE FULL MAJORITY REPORT.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF MINORITY REPORTS AT, DURING THE Q&A.
NOW, IT IS WITHIN THE COMMISSION'S PREROGATIVE IF THEY WANNA PUBLISH A REPORT OTHER THAN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVE AND YOU WANNA, THE COMMISSION DECIDES JOINTLY TO AUTHOR A REPORT, THAT'S A POWER THAT'S GRANTED TO YOU WITHIN CITY CODE, SO YOU CAN DO THAT.
UM, LASTLY, WE DO PROVIDE THE REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND THEN WITHIN CITY CODE, THE CITY MANAGER HAS UNTIL MARCH 15TH TO REVIEW ALL THE REPORTS.
THAT'S, OF COURSE, THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, THAT'S ALL THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HERE'S A ROUGH TIMELINE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OF COURSE, WE'RE STARTING IN OCTOBER.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE FULLY AWARE ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS IS ALSO A CHANCE FOR BRAINSTORMING AT THE END, AND WE'LL HAVE A FEW PROMPTING QUESTIONS.
WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE GONNA GET A DRAFT OF THE REPORT DONE BY NOVEMBER, SO THAT WAY YOU HAVE TIME TO REVIEW IT.
DECEMBER, OF COURSE, WE HAVE NO MEETING, BUT WE'RE ANTICIPATING MAKING, UH, MAKING THE DRAFT AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW.
WE'LL PROVIDE A COPY TO EVERYONE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE YOUR FEEDBACK.
IF YOU DON'T PROVIDE FEEDBACK AS OF DECEMBER, DON'T
[01:25:01]
WORRY, BECAUSE JANUARY IS ALSO YOUR CHANCE WHERE YOU CAN ALSO SUGGEST EDITS.JUST KNOW THAT IT'LL BE BY MAJORITY VOTE WHETHER AN EDIT IS APPROVED AT THAT STAGE OR NOT.
AND THEN FINALLY, AT THAT JANUARY MEETING, THE EDITS WILL HAVE TO BE FULLY CONSIDERED, AND THEN THE COMMISSION DOES NEED TO ADOPT THE REPORT, WHETHER AS READ OR AS EDITED, HOWEVER THE COMMISSION DECIDES.
AND THEN US AS STAFF SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY SECRETARY, THAT SHOULD SAY FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO BY FEBRUARY 1ST IS OUR DEADLINE.
AND REALLY, THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE PARTS OF THE REPORT ARE IN REGARD TO THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE LAST YEAR AND YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
AND SO KIND OF OUR QUESTIONS WE'RE REALLY JUST HOPING TO PROMPT DISCUSSION IS WHAT ARE THE C - WHAT DOES THE COMMISSION WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR THE PAST YEAR? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS? WHAT PROGRESS HAVE WE MADE IN MEETING OUR OBJECTIVES? WHAT'S THE COMMISSION GONNA PROPOSE FOR THE NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF ITS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? IN TALKING WITH OA - WITH OUR DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP, THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR ALL COMMISSIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO REALLY HONE IN ON TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES AND GOALS, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG, THAT TOOK TWO YEARS, RIGHT? SO OUR LEADERSHIP JUST WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMISSIONS ARE PROPOSING, UH, REASONABLE GOALS THAT ARE FEASIBLE WITHIN THE YEAR, AND THAT WAY AT THE END, YOU CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMISSION, WE ACCOMPLISH THOSE TWO GOALS.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WANNA INCLUDE, THAT'S TOTALLY WITHIN YOUR PREROGATIVE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF THERE'S A COMMISSIONER WHO FEELS THAT THEIR VIEWPOINT HAS NOT BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE MAJORITY, THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF WRITING A MINORITY REPORT, WHICH WE WILL INCLUDE.
AND THEN FOR YOUR REFERENCE, WE'VE HYPERLINKED ALL OF THE ANNUAL REPORTS FOR 2025, 2024, 2023.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WE'VE ALSO HYPERLINKED THE PAGE WHERE YOU CAN SEE ALL ANNUAL REPORTS FOR ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, FOR THE CITIZEN HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION, SENIOR AFFAIRS, YOU CAN VIEW ALL THE REPORTS IF YOU WANNA DO A COMPARISON BETWEEN THEIRS AND OURS, OR PERHAPS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAINSTORM PERHAPS WHERE YOU WANNA PROPOSE FUTURE GOALS.
AND WITH THAT, WE REALLY WANNA WRAP UP AND REALLY SAY THANK YOU.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE HOPEFUL THIS NEXT PORTION, WE'RE LOOKING TO HEAR FROM COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THEIR IDEAS FOR CONTENT THEY WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND REALLY GOALS YOU WANNA ACHIEVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GRACE, FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION.
THE ANNUAL REPORT, AS I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE THE PRESENTATION STARTED, WAS IT IS A REQUIRED PIECE OF THE, UM, AGENDA THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW EVERY YEAR.
AND SO, UM, WE ALL DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTRIBUTING, YOU KNOW, SHARING ITEMS WE WANT TO SEE BEING INCLUDED, AND THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS, AND I WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK, CAN'T HEAR YOU.
SORRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
UH, I KNOW ON OUR, UH, REPORT LAST YEAR, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT UNDERSTANDING ACCESSIBILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND, UM, I HAD LOOKED AT SOME WEBSITES, AND THERE HAD BEEN SOMEONE THAT HAD TALKED RECENTLY ABOUT THE DALLAS, LIKE, SIDEWALK PLAN.
UM, AND I GET EMAILS FROM PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS AND INTERSECTIONS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT A PRIORITY, UM, AS FAR AS GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICTS, UM, AND YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL MY ONLY COMMENT RIGHT NOW.
NEXT, WE'LL GO TO COM - UH, DR.
WIX FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, AGAIN, UM, THIS, THIS WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW THAT IN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS, WE HAVE BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF CONCERNS, UM, AND, UM, OR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I WANTED TO KNOW FROM STAFF IF THAT WOULD BE, UH, BROUGHT UP.
NUMBER ONE, UM, I KNOW THAT WE DID CHANGE THE TIME OF OUR MEETINGS THAT WAS DONE.
NUMBER TWO, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION...
[01:30:01]
CHAIR FOR THIS COMMISSION.AND THEN, UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, ASK, SINCE THIS IS, UM, THE LATTER PART OF OCTOBER, UM, WHAT, WHAT DISCUSSIONS HAS STAFF HAD, UM, OR, OR, OR SIR CHAIR, FIRST OF ALL, SINCE I NEED TO ADDRESS YOU AS THE CHAIR, UM, HAVE WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, ADDRESSING ANY ISSUES REGARDING THE DISABLED VETERANS, BEING THAT THE VETERANS DAY, UM, OBSERVANCE IS COMING UP WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS? I KNOW THAT WE HAD THE ELECTIONS PIECE TONIGHT, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT, WHAT ARE WE AS THE DISABILITY COMMISSION GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DISABLED VETERANS? AND ALSO, UM, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF US CONTINUING OUR PARTICIPATION WITHIN THE MLK, UM, OBSERVANCE FOR 2027 IN THE PARADE.
WICKS, FOR BRINGING THESE POINTS UP.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO THE COMMISSION PARTICIPATING IN THE 2027 MLK DAY PARADE, UM, WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT AT OUR MEETING IN NOVEMBER, THERE WILL BE A VOTE.
SO THE COMMISSION WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE, UM, IF THEY, IF, IF WE FULLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND TAKE PART IN THE MLK DAY PARADE.
NOW, IN TERMS OF COLLABORATING WITH VETERANS AHEAD OF THE VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE AND WHAT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IS DOING, THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY VALID, UH, SUGGESTION THAT YOU BROUGHT UP AND WE CAN THINK ABOUT THAT FURTHER AS WE MOVE ALONG.
HAVE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS? OH, TH- THOSE THAT, UM, THAT I BELIEVE YOU CAN, BUT, UH, SINCE THERE IS, SINCE THERE ARE, UM, A FEW OF, OF, UH, FEW VETERANS EVENTS, AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING, I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS THAT WORK WITH OUR COMMISSION ALSO WORK WITH THAT COMMISSION.
ARE THEY ABLE TO SHARE WITH US AND ALSO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION VIA EMAIL, UH, REGARDING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM? AND IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC, UM, OR A, A TARGETED, UH, EVENT FOR THE DISABLED VETERANS? I'M JUST CURIOUS TO HEAR THAT.
OH, UM, THESE ARE, THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, DR.
WIX, AND I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT CHRIS, MR. GRAVES, OUR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, UH, IF HE MAY, PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO ACTUALLY, IN ADDITION TO THE COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, WE'VE RECENTLY STARTED TO SUPPORT THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, STARTING THIS SUMMER.
SO THERE ARE A FEW EVENTS GOING ON FOR VETERANS DAY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE, UH, PARTICULAR TO, UM, DISABLED VETERANS, BUT THERE ARE A FEW CITY-SPONSORED, UH, VETERANS DAY EVENTS GOING ON.
THERE IS ALSO A CITY SPONSORED VETERANS DAY PARADE.
SO I, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE COMMISSION ON SOME OF THE EVENTS GOING ON WITH THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
HAVE WE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS, DR.
WIX? THE LAST ONE WAS THE FIRST QUESTION, WHICH WAS, WILL THIS COMMISSION HAVE A VICE CHAIR THAT WAS, THERE WAS PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ON THAT TOPIC? YEAH, AND ACTUALLY THERE, UH, HAS BEEN A DEFINITE MOVEMENT ON THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S READY TO BE ANNOUNCED YET, BUT THERE HAS BEEN ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK THE ACTUAL, UH, DOCUMENTATION HASN'T BEEN FULLY APPROVED YET, BUT, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE MAY BE A, A PENDING ANNOUNCEMENT SOON.
ARE THOSE YOUR ONLY QUESTIONS, DR.
NEXT, WE GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER FROM DISTRICT FOUR FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. GRAVES FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY ANY QUESTIONS, BUT RATHER A COMMENT, UM, AND THIS REALLY ALIGNS WITH THE QUESTION ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THE COMMISSION WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, FOR PREVIOUS YEARS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THEN PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR'S OBJECTIVES.
UM, LOOKING AT THE 25 - 2025, EXCUSE ME, REPORT, UM, I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO CARRY OVER, UM, AND MAYBE ASK FOR A BIT
[01:35:01]
MORE INSIGHT AND, UM, TRANSPARENCY AROUND, SO SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENTS THERE AROUND ADA ACCOMMODATION.UM, WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN AUDIENCE WITH THE FOLKS THAT KIND OF HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS.
I, I GUESS NAMELY THE, THE CITY MANAGER WHO DOES A LOT OF THE ALLOCATING.
UM, AND SO I, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, UM, BECAUSE I AM, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING TO, TO GET QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT FOUR ABOUT THOSE ALLOCATIONS, UM, FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION AND WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO JUST UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THE INVESTMENT IS THERE FOR, FOR ADA INFRASTRUCTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER COLLIER.
UM, NEXT, I WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY COMMENTS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.
NEXT WILL BE COMMISSIONER GUNN, DISTRICT 10, FOR ANY COMMENTS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE.
DEITCHMAN FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I HAVE NO COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
AND THIS IS CHAIRMAN JOHN, CAL CONLEY, UH, AND I DO WANT TO ACTUALLY COMMENT, UM, I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH SOME OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID, AND I THINK COMMISSIONER GLASSCOCK BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW ACCESSIBLE ARE INTERSECTIONS AND SIDEWALKS.
LOOKING BACK, UM, FROM LAST YEAR'S ANNUAL REPORT, WE FOCUSED A LOT ON, UM, THE DISABILITY PRIDE FLAG INITIATIVE, WHICH HONESTLY, I, WHICH I, I BELIEVE AND ALL OF US BELIEVE WAS A SUCCESS FOR THIS YEAR, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH HIGHLIGHTING.
AND WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO THAT IS MORE IMPACTFUL IN TERMS OF A FLAG RAISING CEREMONY.
SO CONTINUING THAT DISABILITY JUSTICE INITIATIVE AND REALLY ADOPTING THE DISABILITY RIGHTS FRAMEWORK WHEN WE ARE, ARE ENGAGING IN ALL THIS WORK.
UM, SO TAKING A, A DISABILITY RIGHTS APPROACH WHILE ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEING MINDFUL OF THE COMMISSION'S MISSION AND, AND STATEMENT, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WORDS BEING INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ACTUALLY FOR UP, THE UPCOMING YEAR IS REALLY FOCUSING ON, SO TRANSITIONING FROM, YOU KNOW, FOSTERING BELONGING NOW TO OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE INITIATIVE THAT COULD BE USEFUL, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M CALLING, AND OTHERS MAY JUMP IN IF THEY WISH, BUT, UH, PROVIDING...
SO CALLING A NEW IN - STARTING A NEW INITIATIVE CALLED PATHWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT REALLY BEGINS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, FIRST MAKING SURE THAT THE, THAT SIDEWALKS ARE INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S ADA CONTRACT, AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE DO TAKE ON THE SIDEWALKS ISSUE, BECAUSE I AM AWARE AND I HEAR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO CONSTANT, WHO FACE INJURIES, YOU KNOW, WHO FALL OR HURT THEMSELVES IN OTHER WAYS BECAUSE, OR CAN'T, SIMPLY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS AREN'T ACCESSIBLE.
SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE REALLY IS A BUDGET, YOU KNOW, SET FOR THAT, AND MAKING SURE THAT FIRST, YOU KNOW, WE, THAT THE, WE IDENTIFY ROUTES THAT CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS AND SERVICES AND SCHOOLS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL, YOU KNOW, ASPECTS OF LIFE TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIVING.
SO THAT'S ONE STEP, AND REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES BEYOND JUST IDENTIFYING ROUTES, BUT THEN WE ALSO WANT TO, UM, I WOULD, UH, AT LEAST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST SOME FORM OF ACCOUNTABILITY WHERE A REPORT GOES OUT FROM STAFF, YOU KNOW, WHERE A PUBLIC, A PUBLICATION IS MADE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN TERMS OF SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
SO REALLY INCREASING THE ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK, IF YOU WILL.
UM, UH, IN ADDITION TO YOUR, UH, COMMENTS REGARDING THE SIDEWALKS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT RAMPS, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE RAMPS ARE, UM, INCLUDED, UH, FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON WALKERS
[01:40:01]
AND SO FORTH.SO IF YOU WOULD INCLUDE THAT ALSO AS AN AREA OF NEED.
WICKS, YOU BROUGHT UP A REALLY VALID POINT, AND YES, RAMPS ARE ESSENTIAL, UM, IN TERMS OF WHEELCHAIR ACCESS.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP THAT COMMENT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN DRAFTING AND COLLABORATING ON THIS.
UH, IF WE HAVE NO COM - FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO NOW MOVE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE ADJOURNMENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE REGARDING OCTOBER.
OCTOBER IS BLINDNESS AWAR- AWARENESS MONTH.
THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND LIVED EXPERIENCES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO, WHO ARE BLIND AND HAVE LOW VISION.
IT IS ALSO A TIME WHERE WE UPLIFT THE, YOU KNOW, UPLIFT BLIND DISABILITY CULTURE AND REALLY TAKE PART IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCES.
OCTOBER IS ALSO NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH WHERE WE REFLECT ON AND WE HONOR, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES THAT DO PRIORITIZE DISABILITY INCLUSION AND, AND TAKE THE TIME TO HIRE INDIVIDUALS WHO ACTUALLY HAVE TALENTS AND CAN CONTRIBUTE, YOU KNOW, SUCCINCTLY.
SO IT IS A TIME WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT THAT.
OCTOBER IS ALSO DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH, SO IT IS A TIME WHERE WE TAKE, WHERE WE HONOR THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH READING AND OTHER, OTHER LEARNING DIFFERENCES.
I LIKE TO CALL OCTOBER AS DISABILITY HISTORY MONTH.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH HONORING THE EXPERIENCES OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE DYSLEXIC AND WHO HAVE OTHER KINDS OF DIFFERENCES, IT IS A TIME WHERE WE REFLECT ON HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AS A COUNTRY AND A CITY.
WE REFLECT ON THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE AND THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS STILL LEFT TO DO TO FULLY LIVE UP TO OUR IDEALS OF EQUALITY AND FREEDOM, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE EXPERIENCE.
THE, THOSE ARE MY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR NOW, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THINGS OVER TO COMMISSIONERS WHO MAY WISH TO SHARE ANNOUNCEMENTS IF THEY DESIRE, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER GLASCOCK, DISTRICT ONE.
WIX FROM DISTRICT THREE FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT, WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER COLLIER, DISTRICT FOUR.
NEXT WILL BE COMMISSIONER PARKS FROM DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'LL GO TO...
UM, NEXT WE GO TO COMMISSIONER GUNN FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER DR.
DEITCHMAN FROM DISTRICT 11 FOR ANY CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NO CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT ON THE AGENDA NEXT YEAR TO DO MORE STUFF FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP THAT IN MIND.
ANY LAST CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE A M- MOTION IS ADJOURNED, UH, BEFORE A MOTION IS ENTERTAINED TO ADJOURN? I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN, SIR CHAIR, UH, DR.
CANDACE WICKS, DISTRICT THREE.
UH, ANY, ANY SECONDS? ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SECOND? DR.
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THIS MEETING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL, ANY OPPOSED? THE CURRENT TIME IS NOW 7:51 PM AND THIS MEETING HAS ADJOURNED.