Mayor & Commission Meetings

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Monday, November 20, 2023 Committee Members Present: Committee Members Absent: Commissioner Patrick Davenport, Committee Chair Commissioner Mike Hamby Commissioner Dexter Fisher Commissioner Tiffany Taylor Commissioner Melissa Link Staff: Josh Edwards, Assistant Manager Sherrie Hines, Chief Assistant Attorney Sarah George, Assistant to the Manager Jeff Montgomery, Public Information Officer Jean Spratlin, Clerk of Commission James Alexander, Central Services Director Shemekia Armstrong, Deputy Clerk Alphonso Daniel, Fire Chinesia Thompson, Recorder Beth Smith, Facilities Management Administrator Committee Chair Davenport called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. A. Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Fisher made the motion to approve the Minutes of the October 23, 2023 meeting with amendment to text that replaces the word resolution with ordinance in the last paragraph of the minutes. Commissioner Link seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. B. Commission Identified Items of Interest: Recommend updates to BAC procedures as recommended by Manager’s Office, Public Information Office and the Clerk of Commission (Mayor Girtz assigned to GOC on July 19, 2022) Assistant Manager Josh Edwards informed the committee that they would be reviewing three BAC’s. The committee had requested examples of discuss in order to identify areas needing improvement. Attorney Sherrie Hines selected three BAC’s that would allow the committee to focus on creating greater consistency across all BAC’s going forward. The BAC’s discussed were ACAC, AIM, and Commission on People with Disabilities. Attorney Sherrie Hines reviewed each BAC in detail with the committee. They discussed various updates, consolidations, and changes that could be made to streamline and unify all BAC’s. Specifically, they talked about: • Creating consistent standards, terms, and language across all BACs • Updating the ADA transition plan and clarifying the mission of the Commission on People with Disabilities • Drafting an ordinance for AIM to formalize their purpose and standardize their bylaws • Routing all funds for BACs through the M&C rather than providing funds directly to the BACs • Requiring that BACs work through department liaisons to identity and apply for relevant grant opportunities  • Uniformity of removal process from members of BACs Jeff Montgomery presented a spreadsheet listing all of the BACs. He explained the different tiers applied to categorize the BACs on this tracking sheet. Josh added that the spreadsheet is a live document that will be continuously updated moving forward. Jeff also noted he will add a column indicating the number of members for each BAC group. Evaluate opportunities for Inclusive Athens-Clarke County Facilities (Mayor Girtz assigned to GOC on May 4, 2021) Beth Smith shared her experience assessing the accessibility of City Hall from the perspective of someone with a disability. She explained that there is only one handicap parking spot, and it is not properly designated. Upon entering the building, there is no wayfinding signage directing people to the elevator for accessing upper floors. Additionally, the second floor only has one ADA-compliant restroom. Beth noted that City Hall would be an ideal place to launch the pilot focusing first on interior/exterior signage, entry doors, and lighting upgrades. She presented the committee with different signage options and cost estimates. The group discussed appropriate interior/exterior wayfinding signage directives. For the restroom, they decided on universal "Unisex" signage. The pilot will concentrate on enhancing inclusivity through improved signage, entry doors not requiring too much force to open, and better lighting using City Hall as a starting point to test these upgrades. Commissioner Link made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Fisher seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 2:22 p.m. Government Operations Committee Meeting Minutes Page 2 11202023