Meeting Minutes

 

Date:               Thursday, August 9, 2007  -  Approved September 13, 2007

Time:               12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Place:              1400 Emeline Avenue, Bldg K, Room 206, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

 

1.0       Call to Order

Commission Spencer (acting chair) called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.   Vice Chair Quigg took over chairing the meeting when he arrived.

 

2.0       Roll Call

Present:          Doug Patrick, Aaron Spencer, Robert McGaw, Paul Ticknor, Joseph Quigg, Peter Heylin

Excused:         Charles Stone, Arnicia Dynes,

Absent:           Michael Bush, Jeanette Cosentino

Guest(s):         Claire Schwartz, EEO Officer, County of Santa Cruz; Anji Buckner*; Julie Menezes*, Sean McCready*; Lakshmane Cody*; Luis Jimenez*; Gabriel Pantoja* (* CCCIL Youth and Leadership Advisory Group),  Maria Salas, CCCIL ILS team coordinator

Staff:                Mary Thuerwachter, Commission Coordinator

 

3.0 Announcements

 

The new Senior Resource Directory for Santa Cruz County is available.  It contains many resources which are helpful to PWDs.

 

CCCIL will be holding a panel discussion with SPIN on October 18.  CCCIL is also requesting a proclamation on Disability Awareness month.  Anji Buckner and commission staff will coordinate.

 

4.0 Minutes

 

ACTION July meeting minutes were approved.

Msp DP/AS

 

5.0 Additions/Deletions

 

6.0 Oral Communications

 

7.0 Reports

 

At the request of the Commission, Claire Schwartz, EEO officer, County of Santa Cruz, reported on county personnel practices effecting PWDs.  She reported that the County Safety Officer, Josh Riley, is available to evaluate all new employees work environments for health and safety issues.  Modifications to the work site can be made on his recommendation without a request for reasonable accommodation or medical report.  In addition, an employee may request reasonable accommodation for a disability.  Training on disability needs is also part of the 4-day training for all supervisors.  The training task force also offered reasonable accommodation training for County employees in April 2007.  HSA offered a Disabled and Mislabled panel discussion with CCCIL and the EEO officer.  Outreach and recruitment of PWDs is also done at various community events and job fairs, including the Disability Employment Fair in October.  Jobs are posted at Hirediversity.com, abilityjobs.com and sent to numerous community organizations, including CCCIL, through the Human Care Alliance.   All interviewers of applicants are trained on proper questions regarding disabilities.  Accommodations, such as providing interpreters and assistive listening devices, are made for applicants taking the qualifying test upon request.  The county has data only on persons who have self-identified as having a disability.  As a result, any report does not capture information on persons who have not self-identified.   Ms. Schwartz welcomed any suggestions for improving job access for PWDs at 454-2958.

 

Commissioners voiced appreciation for the County’s efforts and Ms. Schwartz’ report to the commission.

 

            7.1 Commissioner Reports

 

Commissioner Patrick announced that the United Way Community Assessment Project comes out in October.  It will include statistics on community organizations serving PWDs.  He also requested that sidewalk enforcement and County Public Works be added to the next meeting agenda. 

 

Commissioner Tichnor reported that an accessible trail in Nisene Marks is scheduled for completion in 2009.  Also, there will be a publicized opening of a new Big Basin accessible trail soon.

 

Commissioner Quigg announced that his group has obtained space for wheelchair repair at the East Cliff Shopping Center and hopes to be in operation soon.  Staff will coordinate a County proclamation  of Disability Awareness Week with the opening.

 

7.2 Coordinator Report

Staff reported that the Commission’s website has been updated and that the Commission will have a table at the Disability Employment Fair on October 3. 

 

8.0 Ongoing Business

 

Accessible Parking Enforcement

 

            New parking code enforcement cards have been printed and were available at the Day on the Beach.  Feedback has been positive.  Commissioner Heylin suggested some modifications, which will be implemented during the next printing. 

 

Inclusive Home Design/Universal Access:

           

            Commissioner Patrick and Commissioners Spencer and Heylin will be meeting with Planning Dept staff and requesting information on accessibility of a new 9-unit condominium being developed.  The group also assigned a person to draft language about accessible design for the Planning Dept website.  The experience working with Planning staff has been positive.

 

Legislation:

 

Disability Awareness/Cultural Competency:

 

Retreat:

 

Commissioner Heylin offered his home for a retreat.  To start retreat planning, staff was instructed to send all commissioners a copy of the last five-year plan.  The retreat will focus on upcoming goals for the commission.

 

            Terry Brickley Scholarship:

 

 

8.2 Commission vacancy update

Arnicia Dynes has been appointed to the vacancy in District 3.  She is ill today and cannot attend.

 

8.3 Emergency Response Protocol for PWD’s

 

8.4 Creating a stronger and more cohesive disability community in Santa Cruz

 

 

9.0 New Business

 

 

Meeting adjourned 2:00 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Mary Thuerwachter

Commission Coordinator