Advisory Commission on Disabilities

400 S. Eagle Street City of Naperville Naperville, IL 60540 Meeting Minutes - Final Advisory Commission on Disabilities Wednesday, August 7, 2024 6:30 PM NEU A. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Wronski called the Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Present 6- Donielle Deering, Allison Longenbaugh, Wendy Pligge, Suhel Siddiqui, Ghousia Wajid, and Thomas Wronski Absent 1- Lisa Cesal Also present: Dawn Portner, City Clerk. C. PUBLIC FORUM: No speakers for Public Forum. D. REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Receive an update from the Accessibility Community Task Force Mary Hamill, Chair of the Accessibility Community Task Force (ACTF) updated the Commission on the following ACTF initiatives: 1) At the May 7th City Council Meeting, the ACTF presented the 2024 Student Recognition Awards to the following students: Kendall Southern (NNHS), Brandon Gray (Connections 203), Brandon Loos (MVHS), Kate Scardina (NVHS), Markeesha Carwell (STEPS 204), and Janessa Vargas (WVHS). 2) Mary Hamill attended the second Riverwalk Commission Annual Asset Management Plan Walk on May 1st. Since the first Plan Walk, the Naperville Park District has, based on the ACTF recommendation, installed another bench along the Riverwalk. 3) ACTF members Allaina Humphreys and Mary Hamill are the ACTF representatives on the City’s 2024 International Residential Code Team #2 to discuss incorporating visitability into the Naperville building code. Since the last ACD meeting, three new housing developments have been reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and under the current code, will not be visitable. City of Naperville Page 1 Printed on 11/14/2024 Advisory Commission on Disabilities Meeting Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 4) Representatives from the ACD, ACTF, Little Friends, Western DuPage Special Recreation Association and the Paralyzed Veterans of America attended the July 16th City Council meeting proclaiming July 2024 as Disability Pride Month. This is the first time in the City’s history that this has been done. Also, for Disability Pride Month, the ACTF collaborated with staff from the Naperville Public Library to make its programming more accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities. 5) The ACTF’s Accessible Icon Project working group studied the feasibility of doing this in Naperville and found that it would be beneficial to Naperville and recommend the City begin updating its accessible parking spaces. 6) The ACTF participated in Representative Janet Yang Rohr’s Diversity & Inclusion Citizen’s Advisory Panel meeting on June 11th. 7) The ACTF recommended that a representative of the ACD participate in the Riverwalk Commission 2025 Capital Improvement submittal. This submittal was presented at the July 10thRiverwalk Commission meeting. Design for accessibility is especially important in the Grand Pavilion Improvements project. 8) The ACTF recommended that a representative of the ACD work with City staff to verify that all City buildings to be used by the DuPage County and Will County Clerks as voting locations will be fully accessible for persons with disabilities. Commissioner Deering gave an update on the Tower Court Residences development schedule to open in 2026. The affordable housing development will have 71 units for seniors and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities located on Rt. 59 and 103rd Street. The property will also included Lifetime Fitness, which will offer the residents employment opportunities. The developers have received their first major grant but two additional grants are needed. E. OLD BUSINESS: 1. Approve the minutes of the May 1, 2024 Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting Commissioner Siddiqui made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Deering, to approve the Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting minutes of August 7, 2024. The motion carried by a voice vote. 2. Approve the submission of a proclamation for Naperville Special Olympics Day The Commission discussed and agreed to support the proposal of making November 19th Naperville Special Olympics Day. If time allows this will include a tour of the Municipal Center and meeting department directors. A Proclamation will be read at the Council meeting and a small reception will be held for community partners and civic organizations. F: NEW BUSINESS City of Naperville Page 2 Printed on 11/14/2024 Advisory Commission on Disabilities Meeting Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 1. Presentation by the Accessible Community Task Force on the Accessible Icon project Commission inquired whether the current accessibility icon had been decommissioned by the State of Illinois and can there be a shift by local governments to use the new and updated icon. Portner stated that she reached out to the City's Building Code official to see if the City could make the change to the new icon on City owned property but the City will not make this change until the new icon is approved through the IL Accessibility Code. Commissioner Siddiqui stated he will contact IL. State Senator Laura Ellman's office to see if she could provide additional information and will report back at the November ACD meeting. 2. Discuss the development of a 2024 Boards and Commissions Annual Report Portner discussed the City's effort to continually review boards and commissions and each group has been asked to develop and submit a one-page report by January 31, 2025. The report will be discussed at the Commissions November 7, 2024 meeting. Topics to include accomplishments, challenges and upcoming work for 2025. Commissioner Siddiqui discussed the ADA challenges he witnessed at the Halal Festival held at Frontier Park on August 3, 2024. He stated for example there were issues with people being able to reach the event since parking was so far away, he has discussed his concerns with the event organizers and suggested that changes need to be addressed which includes a review of the City's Accessibility Plan. Portner stated that she would address the concerns with the City's Special Events Coordinator and the event organizers at their after event meeting. G. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Siddiqui made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Wajid, to adjourn the Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting of August 7, 2024 at 7:46 p.m.. The motion carried by a voice vote. /S/ Dawn Portner Dawn Portner City Clerk City of Naperville Page 3 Printed on 11/14/2024