Date: Thursday,
January 10, 2008
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: 1400 Emeline
Avenue, Bldg K, Room 207, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1.0 Call to Order
Chair Stone called the meeting to order at
12:35 p.m.
2.0 Roll Call
Present: Charles Stone, Arnecia Dynes, Aaron Spencer,
Robert McGaw, Joseph Quigg, Doug Patrick, Paul Ticknor Peter Heylin, Jeanette
Cosentino, Michael Bush
Absent: None
Staff: Mary
Thuerwachter, Commission Coordinator
3.0 Announcements
The
disabilities section on the United Way Community Assessment Project (CAP)report
was completed and published with the assistance of Commissioner Patrick.
Chair
Stone will attend the Disaster Planning Project for PWDs.
Commissioner
Cosentino-Workman received a letter from Supervisor Campos wanting to know more
about the work of the Commission and how he could help.
Supervisor
Pirie added the Commission and IHSS for notification regarding emergency
related ordinances.
6.0 Oral Communications
None
7.0 Reports
7.1 Commissioner
Reports
Commissioner Patrick proposed that
the Commission be a cosponsor, with United Way and others, of a project to
gather information from organizations providing services to PWDs.
Commissioner Dynes reported
that she is on the Mental Health Community Awareness Committee that meets
monthly and is composed of members of the Mental Health Board, NAMI Board
Members and NAMI members and Clients.
Their primary focus is public education and involvement. This committee is based on Mental Health
Stigma Reducation with guidelines developed through Department of Mental Health
and Human Service and also guided through NAMI National.
7.2 Coordinator Report
Abilities Expo will be held in Anaheim May 30 – June 1. There is no expo scheduled for Santa Clara
this year.
8.0 Ongoing Business:
Accessible Design
There was a discussion of an
accessible design conference. It was
proposed that it be on a Friday in
October. UCSC, the Attic, the Mil and
Soquel Grange are possible locations.
The logistics, scheduling and content are still in the planning stages. Commissioners Patrick Spencer and Heylin
are discussing mailing on accessible design through the Planning Department
Terry Brickley Scholarship
The Terry
Brickley Scholarship commitment will be discussed at the February meeting.
Accessible Parking Enforcement
There was a discussion of the
purpose of the Blue zone cards. They
can be used for both educating the public on how to report violators and
informing the violators regarding the penalties. It was suggested that the next printing include wording “USE THIS
CARD TO INFORM OTHERS”.
9.0 New Business
Priorities were
unanimously approved as follows:
HIGH PRIORITY
1. Invite Specialists to report to the Commission
2. Evaluation of Community Resources for PWDs
3. Accessible Design issues
4. Blue Zone enforcement
5. Public policy and education of the public regarding the
needs of persons with disabilities
MEDIUM PRIORITY
1. Mental Health Issues
2. Recreational Opportunities
3. County ADA compliance – annual report from EEO
4. Demographics
5. Sidewalk accessibility
6. Inter-Commission communication and cooperation
7. History of COD and Disability Community in Santa Cruz
County
Msp JQ/MB
Annual Report
was unanimously approved with changes proposed by Commission Patrick and
changes to mission proposed by Commissioner Cosentino-Workman. Msp JQ/MB
The Reel Work
film festival is coming up in April. Commissioners
Spencer and Dynes will investigate possible films with staff.
Commissioner
Cosentino requested that the Commission look at how disability is
defined. Staff will research the
definitions under various statutes and distribute to the Commission for further
discussion.
Election for Chair
of the Commission will be on the agenda for next month, as Chair Stone’s term
is ending.
Commissioner
Patrick proposed a restructuring of the agenda to assure the focus is given to
ongoing projects. This format will be
used for the next meeting.
Meeting
adjourned 2:00 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Thuerwachter
Commission Coordinator