Tacoma Area Commission on Disabilities Committee Minutes Zoom Remote Meeting Hosted in Tacoma, WA 98402 Friday, April 8, 2022 Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m. Commissioners Present Krystal Monteros, Todd Holloway, Aimee Sidhu, Lukas Barfield, Tony Caldwell, Richard Smaby, Kristy Willett, James Williams, Amin Tony Hester and Rebecca Parsons Commissioners Absent Luke Byram City Staff Present Lucas Smiraldo (OEHR) Guests Present Ivan Tudela, Emergency Management,, Haley Edick, and Julian Wheeler. Adoption of Agenda A motion was made by Holloway and seconded by Smaby to accept this meeting’s COD agenda. The motion was passed. Acceptance of Minutes The February and March minutes were presented. A motion to approve was made by Holloway and seconded by Sidhu. The motion passed. Public Comment None. Officer Elections Feasibility Study Feedback Comments Reports Chair and Vice Chair Liaison Report Other Commissioner Reports Ivan Tudela, Emergency Response PCAC Report New Business Good of the Order Adjournment Lucas led commissioners through the officer elections process The following were nominated for the Chair and Vice Chair with Commissioner Sidhu withdrawing from consideration as Vice Chair in support of the other candidates. The Slate was as follows: I. Chair: Monteros Byram Hester The following spoke on behalf of Current Chair Monteros: Monteros, Sidhu, Caldwell, Holloway The following spoke on behalf of Current Vice Chair Byram for Chair Byram (submitted letter of qualifications), Holloway The following spoke on behalf Hester: Hester (discouraged commissioners for voting for him in this role), Holloway, Caldwell, Monteros. II. Vice Chair Byram Hester The following spoke on behalf of Byram for Vice Chair Sidhu The following spoke on behalf of Hester for Vice Chair Hester, Monteros Sidhu Elections were carried out via zoom poll with Byram’s proxy vote added to the tally. The results were as follows: * TACOD Chair: Monteros * TACOD Vice Chair: Byram Commissioner Hester agreed to fill in within an unofficial capacity as Vice Chair when Commissioner Byram could not attend a future meeting and will fulfill for the April meeting as Commissioner Byram is out of town. Commissioners responded to the Accessible Taxi Feasibility Study Draft with the following comments * Holloway: Clear that current funding isn’t there with state funds withdrawn. The report paves a way toward deeper partnership. * Monteros: Lot of good information. Monteros disability mobility group is also talking about the need for partrnership. * Parsons: Like the level of detail in the report. The Montgomery model is very encouraging. * Holloway: Encourage everyone to follow accessible model at national level. * Barfield: There is a big budget for police currently and believes that the proscribed level of five millions dollars to fully operationalize the accessible model is possible. * Monteros: There may be money in state transportation budget. * Hester: Has spoken with council members and believes the money is there, it is a question of timing. * Caldwell: Consider grants from all sources to support this initiative * Monteros: Conference on May 3rd on disabilities that will address racism in public transportation. Also Vision Zero event at Star Center on June 18th. Deputy Mayor Ushka plans to be there and play wheelchair basketball as well as other council members plan to arrive incognito. * Hester: Will speak alongside of Black Lives Matter around race and disability. Seeking more access on TCC campus, including signage in different language, maps that indicate best pathways across campus via wheelchair In Byram’s absence, Hester shared the meeting to discuss an endorsement letter for alternative response: Caldwell: Looking at alternative models that include police training. Must also consider that we are short of police in the city currently Hester: The CAHOOTS model is what we are looking at, responses that include mental health and other professionals and are not police driven. Other models include Atlanta which include non-uniform response. Motion to support letter on behalf of full commission was made by Caldwell and seconded by Smaby. The motion passed and the letter will be passed on to Council. * Accessible Taxi report already covered. Mr. Smiraldo indicated that a symposium will be scheduled to help launch a reconciliation effort with the Tacoma Police with both live and remote options. The following commissioners expressed interest in being a part of that gathering scheduled for April 25th. Live: Monteros, Hester Remote: Williams and Caldwell * Mr. Smiraldo indicated that the closed caption notices and window clings had all been mailed and that follow up would be complaint based and focused first on education in advance of enforcement. * A new equity analyst position for Commissions, Board and Committees has been posted and could be on board as early as next month. * An initial meeting to discuss drive through alternatives for people with disabilities will be scheduled before the next general meeting. * South Tacoma Neighborhood Council is mobilizing to support Project Zero and the proposed warehouse and increased traffic could draw more traffic and risk to the area. * Barfield will provide talking points to those who want to speak to concerns around the proposed warehouse to address some of the following: * The warehouse and traffic it creates would contradict the Carbon Resolution passed by Council. * The Warehouse project continues to center pollutants in neighborhoods that have dealt for years with environmental racism. Just completed panel on access and functional needs at event scheduled on the 5th and 7th. Included discussion on COVID response and future training. The state is poised to hire its first Access and Functional needs staff member which is a big step for Washington. PCAC is ready to support letter sent around alternative response and asks for copy of letter and context of letter. Julian Wheeler added Matt Budzak has been advocated for wheelchair accessibility and spoke about a wheelchair tipping over in the middle of an intersection that led to a tragic death. Commissioner Monteros spoke directly to Budzak about his efforts and efforts to alter curb cuts that are too steep across the city. Commissioner Smaby shared that he was meeting with Councilmember Hines and that the city was testing technology that would enable people with disabilities to use their cellphone on 26th and Pearl. Commission agreed this was a huge step forward. None Motion made by Commissioner Caldwell and seconded by Commissioner Smaby to adjourn. Motion carried. The meeting ended at 5:59 p.m.