Laramie Advisory Commission on Disabilities

Laramie Advisory Commission on Disabilities City Hall Council Chambers 5:00-6:00 pm Thursday, November 1st, 2018 Meeting Minutes Members Present: Nick Wiseman, Jerrica Becken, JoCarol Ropp, Mark Sparks, Michelle Blakely, Sam Burkett, Michaela Rank Members Absent: Jasper Hunt, Marla Puett-Sandberg Council Liaison: Erin O’Doherty Staff Liaison: Jasmine Parten Nick called the meeting to order at 5:04 pm. I. Nick asks commission to go around table and introduce themselves and explain why they are here. II. Michaela makes a motion to approve October minutes. A. Sam seconds. B. Carried with voice vote. III. Nick opens nominations for each officer position Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. i. Jerrica asks what the role is of each position. Nick responds that Vice Chair backs up the Chair and runs meeting if the Chair is gone. Secretary does not have to do much, s most of the communication goes through Jasmine to correspond with the public. ii. Mark asks that nominating and voting be in a more discreet manner. Nick passes around sheets of paper and everyone passes votes to Erin. iii. Nick is nominated and accepts to be Chair. Mark is nominated and accepts to be Vice Chair accept. Sam is nominated and accepts to be Secretary. IV. Nick moves on to discuss a plan for Disability Awareness Month in March. He would like to have a booth in the Union again like last year. At the previous meeting it was discussed that books would be donated, and businesses nominated for being ADA accessible. The businesses nominated last year were Thai Spice, The Laramie Soup Kitchen, Laramie Senior High School and Speedgoat. JoCarol asked how businesses would be nominated. Nick would like nominations to be through Facebook. Jerrica asked if we go through a public forum, or if it would be possible to do an open meeting. Michaela asked how our meetings are advertised now. Jasmine answered that they are advertised through the City of Laramie website and posted in the brown cabinet in City Hall. JoCarol said that Headstart already do awareness for disability. The board could donate $50 to the Albany County Public Library and have them display books in the children’s section. Jasmine will check to see if this is something the commission is allowed to do. Mark likes the idea of nominating businesses. Asks if it would be possible to give a prize. JoCarol said that the businesses were recognized at a council meeting, and that there is the green badge that we could give. Nick said there was a proclamation done at that council meeting. Jerrica suggested that a plaque is given to the winner. Nick said that last year every business that was nominated was recognized. Jasmine explains what was done last year. Nick asks the board what they would like to do for March. Mark votes to nominate business for ADA accessibility to be featured on Facebook. JoCarol thinks the board should work with the libraries. Michaela thinks the libraries would be supportive of disability awareness. Jerrica asked do we do anything with the schools. Nick states that they have not in the past but have to donate to the schools. JoCarol will contact Monica and see if they already have books they can display. Jerrica asked if we have a  disabilities representative from the school board? Nick said that he is unaware of one and does not have any contacts with the school board. Sam thought the board should do the proclamation. Sam also suggested reaching out to the high school; they used to do a campaign called Spread the Word to End The Word. Jerrica said that she thought that was a national program and may have resources. Thought it may be too ambitious for this March Nick asked the board if they wanted to have a booth at the union. Jerrica asked what day it would be. One of the board members said that they would have to pair with RSO to be able to have the table. Michaela said that The Lions Club came to help last year, and Wind came with assisted devices. Nick will try to reach out and get ahold of them. Nick asked is the board wants to have a guest speaker at the March meeting. JoCarol asked if there were any green stickers left. Nick and Jasmine both said no. JoCarol said she thought they are good to market with. Mark agrees. Erin asked if it could be smaller. JoCarol asked what size. The board said 4x4. Nick asked if everyone still wanted to do certificates. Jerrica said she thought it was a nice thought. Erin suggested that they do a story in the media and maybe get trick wheelchairs. Nick in the past they got several council members to try to wheelchair downtown. JoCarol said they could try to get celebrities but may not be worth it. Erin will contact council and ask about trying to wheelchair downtown. Jasmine will reach out to the boomerang. Michaela motions to have a proclamation to declare March as Disability Awareness Month, a second proclamation to recognize businesses who have been nominated for being ADA accessible; to provide businesses with stickers and certificates. To partner with RSO to have a booth at the Union and to reach out to libraries to display disability books. They will also reach out to council members about downtown accessibility conditions. 1. Jerrica seconds. 2. Carried with voice vote. B. Mark motions to have a special meeting on Wednesday, February 6th to finalize plans for March. 1. Sam seconds. 2. Carried with voice vote. V. Nick redirects the board to a concern that came up during interviews. Nick suggested doing an assessment to City buildings. A. Michaela asked what the outcome of the assessment would be. JoCarol asked how far they want to go with this. The Civic Center elevator has been broken and the handicap door are broken. Nick offered to talk to the director at the Civic Center. Jasmine asks the board what the goal of the assessment would be. Mark said he will schedule a meeting with the City Manager’s Office. 1. Michaela motions to ask for assessment. 2. Michelle seconds. 3. Carried with voice vote. VI. OLD BUSINESS: A. Erin would like to see some awareness about snow removal. She suggests posting a video to show what happens when a wheelchair tries to get through a curb cut. Nick stats that the board did some tidbits in the newspaper the last couple of years. JoCarol has seen flyer around town about it. Nick will e-mail out the flyer that was created. Jasmine will check with billing to see if an insert can be put in with the water bills. VII. ADJOURNMENT 6:06 PM.