Mayors Committee for People with Disabilities

Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Meeting Minutes for February 8, 2024 Members Present Liaisons Guests Vivian Austin, Secretary Kimberly Judge, Sara Snowden, Office of Hampton City Schools Emergency Management Gwen Burnett, Treasurer Shaeron King, William A. Jackson, Triad, Parks and Recreation Zion Baptist Church Evelyn Alston Taiub Mohammad, Shirley Nettles, City Manager’s Office Special Olympics Rev. William E. Anderson, Sr Hui-Shan Walker, Sally Jo Nichols, City Manager’s Office Special Olympics Venezia Jimenez Dora Parker-Jimenez Ellen Shackelford, Chair Absent (Excused) The meeting began at 3:00pm with a roll call of all members present. The minutes for January were addressed, moved, seconded, and approved with no corrections. The treasurer’s report was read. The Outside Agency Quarterly Disbursement Request (Form#2) paperwork for each quarter has been turned in to Mr. Kenneth Barrentine, Budget and Management Analyst. It was moved, seconded, and the treasurer’s report was approved as read. Liaison Reports Taiub Mohammad, City Manager’s Office: City staff are working on the FY2025 budget. There are several opportunities for citizens to attend public input meetings to express their preferences on capital improvement projects. The first one will be on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 6:30pm at Bethel High School, 1067 Big Bethel Road, Hampton, VA. The second one will be on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 9:00am at Kecoughtan High School, 522 Woodland Road, Hampton, VA. If you can’t attend either session but want to ask questions, you can do that from home when City Manager, Mary Bunting, will hold a Facebook Live session on Tuesday, March 12, at 6:30-8:00pm on Hampton's Facebook page. If Mr. Mohammad is unavailable for a meeting, Hui-Shan Walker, Interim Assistant City Manager, will be his alternate. Meeting attendance sheets will be copied and filed in the City Manager’s Office. A question was asked about the projects on Shell Road and LaSalle Ave. Mr. Mohammad will check the status. Shaeron King, Parks and Recreation: Special Olympics athletes, coaches, council members, family, and friends participated in the Polar Plunge. $2,000 was raised for the Hampton Area 30 athletes. A 50/50 split of the funds will go to Special Olympics and Hampton Area 30. The “Tip 1 a Cop” fundraiser, where the police officers serve as waiters and waitresses, will be held at Longhorn Steakhouse. All tips will be donated to Hampton Area 30 Special Olympics. On February 4th, Special Olympics participated in the Tip Ball Regional Basketball Tournament at Boo Williams Sportsplex. All Hampton teams took first place in their division. On February 18th, the Special Olympics River City Regional Basketball Tournament will be held in Richmond, Va. Spring Break Camp will be held April 1-5, on the therapeutic center campus from 7:00am- 6:00pm. The fee is $100 for members and $120 for non-members. Registration is currently online. Spaces are available for participants ages 6-22, if they are enrolled in school. Kimberly Judge, Hampton City Schools: The Special Education Advisory Council will hold a resource fair on April 9, 2024, from 6:00-7:30pm at One Franklin Street, Hampton, VA on the first floor. Requests for vendors will be sent out. You can reach out to the Special Education Department at 757-727-2400 for more information or to request to be a vendor. The Hampton Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities can have a table. Guest Speaker, Sara Snowden, Deputy Coordinator, Office of Emergency Management: Mrs. Snowden spoke about the importance of being prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency. She stressed the concept of whole community preparedness, to include all residents as well as pets. She painted a picture of what needs to happen if an emergency happens in your home, on the job, in a movie theater, grocery store, etc. We must consider and be ready to respond to the community and all people in their situations. She brought various resources from her office and Assistant Fire Chief Maurice Wilson to share with the committee. Mrs. Snowden also stressed the importance of having this plan in place right now before a disaster happens and first responders, medical or home health support personnel must enter your home. This preparation is especially important for our citizens who are differently abled. Mrs. Snowden offered to speak to senior groups as her schedule permits. Each committee member, guest, and liaison received an emergency backpack with essential items needed in an emergency. There will be a Community Preparedness Fair at West Hampton Community Center on Saturday, May 5. Committee Reports Accessibility: Ongoing assessment of businesses and buildings who are or are not in compliance with American Disability Act (ADA) standards. Newsletter: Rev. Anderson reminded us that all newsletter submissions must be reviewed for appropriateness and turned in by the 25th of each month. The guests were given a chance to speak. The meeting was adjourned at 3:57pm. 2