[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6606278,"mediaKeyId","2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59","parentId",2966403,"title","At-a-glance: Committee approves March minutes, forms working group, names representatives and elects officers","audioSeconds",3075,"startMs",956000,"endMs",4031000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59&start=956&end=4031","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59/thumbnail_956000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6606278/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/At-a-glance-Committee-approves-March-minutes-forms-working-group-names-representatives-and-elects-officers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606278-e2225b21137db0aef9676a7485192cdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097648&Signature=U9yC3w2lKyztLBWViWkqhtOd0XUFfQQjSIxSLq6Dq9N-tEFAcRJqL~C9Bv6dYeeWOiihBUc6ap50KRBZGhYLDVaAR90FFfTu-WJUmOMwM-ALs1aZD2AmRptMFDReJXnyAxnFXroplsV1EMiqItba21URvO0fwIKV2~8o7VoW8dxEiPhvjFpBjWQCTXDJvXn5N68pLMxFCzNCAJwMGV6UHHCrGFU0Pj7CYZXYM-ibE55kETSjRMjiXtP~9ihIotV8WCdZ9mYGxOWGmWlADEMo5IX1kvs9Ah5zHkT~-0aH5lQS4zKSOE~dSLpHMpeb88nK~5eKHdOwoP066jUGtW1lpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-04-11T00:00:00Z","article","At its April meeting the Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities recorded several formal actions: approval of the March minutes, the formation of a working group to develop priorities (up to five members), appointment of a primary and alternate to the Joint Inclusion Committee, and elections for committee chair and vice chair.

Minutes: The committee approved the March meeting minutes by voice vote. No roll-call names for mover/second were recorded in the public transcript.

Working group: The committee voted to form a working group (membership limit discussed as up to five people) to develop a prioritized list the committee can use when asked to participate in hiring or interviews and to advance festival planning. The chair stated the motion was moved by Commissioner Connor Kelly and seconded by Commissioner Kristen Vasallo; one member (Audrey Diaz) abstained.

Joint Inclusion Committee representatives: Commissioner Chang was approved as the committee’s primary representative to the Joint Inclusion Committee; Commissioner Connor Kelly was approved as the alternate. The committee noted the Joint Inclusion Committee meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m., often remotely.

Officer elections: Commissioner Connor Kelly was elected chair; Elizabeth Meyer was nominated and approved as vice chair. Voting included at least one abstention during the chair vote.

The committee’s staff will place the working-group membership and scope on the May agenda and will accept written proposals and materials from community members for distribution ahead of that meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities - Apr 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities approved its March minutes, formed a working group to set priorities for candidate participation and festival planning, designated representatives to the Joint Inclusion Committee, and elected committee officers.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6606282,"Owner of Austin sensory-recreation center seeks funding access for low-income families",179,488000,667000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59&start=488&end=667","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59/thumbnail_488000.jpg","/articles/6606282/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Owner-of-Austin-sensory-recreation-center-seeks-funding-access-for-low-income-families","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606282-34339102ef496c29a3e7c9c3006576fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097649&Signature=U6FjpPx7aRVllvDSiID-1zmN-1qv5qGkdg90F0Tobi0rulfs0ezIut5bDet8YHHFAATmLIqVSxa4c7hVfL5shHP3RTvzMml9kDtwf6bzsZyMXrv5PS9vIxDutxHPRIyR8N4n5VJpIA~4oCjqZvNAFhT-hi6H2HjLQ1xHpjDjnK0PSd2chFTtEMDgF6JgcwZgXhfzwKb4EQUj1e52jDBsxIJSsb9eTHa4GVOD0K9fyAZHboTryNt76ryyYT5AOLF5uBTzXNH9V0YB2Pq~IMz-n1QEP65Q0mdEZj8KddBavw1mkTl68vJmaMHeaQswnfAXTbkS6f2cYq3Rh~nprKboQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Azza Hassan, who opened The Sensory Club in Austin in January 2025, asked the committee during public communication for help connecting to state and local funding sources so families who cannot afford memberships can use the facility.

“We opened the Sensory Club in January 2025. It is the only recreational space in Austin that is dedicated to families with members with disabilities, and schools and therapists are using it,” Hassan said. She said similar franchises in other states receive membership funding from state and county programs and that, in Austin, she has so far been unable to secure help from Travis or Williamson counties or from the governor’s office.

Hassan asked the committee to refer her to the right funding contacts or programs and to consider whether committee support could help the Sensory Club access state or county resources that pay for adaptive recreation memberships in other jurisdictions. Melinda Crockham of the Governor’s Committee left proclamations for Fair Housing Month and Autism Awareness Month and offered the governor’s committee’s support; the committee also discussed possible sponsorship and partner outreach through local nonprofit organizations.","Azza Hassan, founder of The Sensory Club in Austin, asked the committee for help connecting to state and county funding so memberships and adaptive recreation can be covered for families who cannot afford them.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6606286,"Committee moves to plan October disability festival; state committee offers support",1151,1003000,2154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59&start=1003&end=2154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59/thumbnail_1003000.jpg","/articles/6606286/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Committee-moves-to-plan-October-disability-festival-state-committee-offers-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606286-150ad12442fe72d3374f20cd86b8e8f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097649&Signature=mR2iSd8azg~QmoXIy5FLFgan0JmtIdOlJjwlRQdwVyMr1Jabqq9~bhS2YlAbmKH4Yn4Kfa5LEhHm7oTJetGLhtUyWYWMcdqG9Y~pdWD~hWbbcIh-Sdeyy1tVXO5ttm~ac~mfsvZB2YSedJ9PXJKCIiguomOP1H-1~lkWdrgyiE2jfizvib5PDXpw2zZR8sg2XVFwaPUInyrpBVDFVjcYGTtMZ9DLSuj57iJ3UsblCGHRmJHifjW-1UxbAiGkx3h4hq2TgAWm94Y~5YYDz-8jNh0947myO4iw~ZnlkUa5R~LK-1PfuXbEubJOA85DoR32dtLBdU1UZ6E3l~k3AYPO3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Gabriel Arellano, who led discussion of a proposed Austin disability festival, told the Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities that organizers are aiming for an October event timed with National Disability Employment Awareness Month but would also recognize the ADA’s anniversary during activities.

“I'm thinking about a place where this festival can be held ... right over the property across the way by the Long Center,” Gabriel said, describing a visible downtown location near City Hall that could host indoor and outdoor elements.

Ron Lucey, executive director of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, said that his state committee will hold a quarterly meeting in Austin and invited the mayor’s committee to present at that meeting. He recommended sharing model ordinance language and best practices — especially on micro-mobility policies — so other cities need not “pay for the same good idea more than once.” Melinda Crockham, outreach coordinator for the governor’s committee, left proclamations for Fair Housing Month and Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month with the committee.

Former committee chair Ron Lucey (speaker later identified as the former chair) and other long-serving members urged organizers to recruit associate or ex officio partners — for example, service organizations and employers — to bring volunteers, facilities and sponsorships. The committee discussed potential partners, including Goodwill Industries, Easterseals Central Texas and the National Federation of the Blind chapter, and proposed reaching out to Austin City Council members for sponsorship.

Committee members voted to form a working group to develop event priorities and outreach; staff said the working group will be placed on the May agenda to formalize membership and the planning timeline. Members discussed fundraising constraints and suggested exploring whether the committee can accept donations or whether a supporting nonprofit would be necessary to manage sponsorship funds.

No final date or budget was adopted at the April meeting; committee members asked organizers to report back with a subcommittee proposal, prospective partners and sponsorship needs.","Committee members discussed planning a disability festival for October, aligning with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and heard offers of assistance from the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities and local partners. Members voted to form a short working group to develop priorities and outreach.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6606293,"Austin users, advocates raise safety and warranty concerns after MetroAccess reclassification",1133,2113000,3246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59&start=2113&end=3246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2966403-d8c1dc33232f98fbb3b8e9c691cc5f59/thumbnail_2113000.jpg","/articles/6606293/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-users-advocates-raise-safety-and-warranty-concerns-after-MetroAccess-reclassification","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606293-803fdbc3c8e3770c79102767e84117ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097649&Signature=oTRO-2yydjrEeEoYi0vmfobrSn5wwvdV87LLmrvLwts72rPWcF6Da83O5a61LLiUdDumrF-aE2E7EjYtjqacnrp1Yt~Yby2ccGV8kbNdXltcaAyZeP7DNOymQIQYhsWi-oM7ru28ZT8-t4Kv6G5Urc3jeqv7tzqe1VBwtyEuXBegiT6gHAXcRMKh0QwVYd5sSs7LlUswh9Vr~wkLTmrtjlvHrOF4PHYkm1--3tAIbxuel-iSQAzBPtnCMPY4ygEWvMRlEszxIK7bJj0R1F~GInKI8YB261V2gfxFgMybnEjbXGIwRP876ncrpDHN~x8T-CdLjrQu4sf62KrMoCwOpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deb Miller, a community mobility advocate who identified herself as “Diamond Dev,” told the Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities on its April meeting that a Capital Metro/MetroAccess policy now classifies many people who use power wheelchairs as “provisional riders,” which she said creates safety and warranty problems and increases reliance on costly emergency responses.

“The cost they estimated is $50 for each pickup, which is $100 round trip anytime they pick up a wheelchair from anywhere,” Miller said, describing Capital Metro’s per-pickup cost estimate and arguing that current service and warranty rules make independent travel harder for low-income riders.

Miller described several effects she attributes to the policy change: damage or warranty voiding for some power chairs when users roll off sidewalks to reach bus stops; longer waits or missed trips on MetroAccess that left riders stranded overnight; and repeated emergency “lift assists” to the same housing units. She said an individual in her building required an estimated $335,000 a year in pickup costs under the current system, and that a commonly used power chair she referenced costs roughly $22,000. She proposed city-supported services to fix chairs on demand, provide loaner batteries and tires, and a peer-based training and support pilot she called the Blue Apple Express.

Several committee members and public commenters described first-hand transit problems. Rue Johnson, a visually impaired Austin resident, described instances in which bus operators attached restraints to wheelchair wheels rather than secure points, and urged the committee to address fixed-route accessibility and operator training. Committee members asked Miller clarifying questions about what “provisional rider” means; Miller said the MetroAccess eligibility department now factors device brand into classifications and expects many users of electric mobility devices to use fixed-route service except when no other option exists.

Committee members encouraged Miller to share formal proposals in writing and to bring them to Capital Metro advisory bodies. Miller said she had already taken concerns to the Capital Metro advisory committee and to ATP but that she had frequently been unsuccessful in securing fixes. Committee members offered to add the topic to a future agenda and recommended Miller send written proposals to the committee staff for distribution.

The committee did not adopt formal policy changes during the meeting, but members asked staff to place a Capital Metro/ATP update on the May agenda and invited Miller to submit the pilot proposals by email.","Community members and an advocate urged the Austin Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities to press Capital Metro/ATP for changes after a recent policy that classifies many mobility-device users as “provisional” riders. Speakers described warranty, safety and service gaps and proposed local pilot programs and peer training.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

At-a-glance: Committee approves March minutes, forms working group, names representatives and elects officers

Owner of Austin sensory-recreation center seeks funding access for low-income families

Committee moves to plan October disability festival; state committee offers support

Austin users, advocates raise safety and warranty concerns after MetroAccess reclassification