[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6479286,"mediaKeyId","5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9","parentId",5701686,"title","City of Bend accessibility committee approves June minutes unanimously","audioSeconds",181,"startMs",280000,"endMs",461000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9&start=280&end=461","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9/thumbnail_280000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6479286/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/City-of-Bend-accessibility-committee-approves-June-minutes-unanimously","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479286-1045648bfd0a12869532908577ceebcd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773643410&Signature=fQuw9iqdZxstdVGUZfMWgygFAC9qvdB6FtzZkCloV~WPFYEl9jjV5AuG~-SFDJeyjFXk2L2koulkSrSw8ge7~WaMRAuGLvF6iwXN6-fj0RMs8~Rp47NrTX6t-h53~4HEWruzZgkxhHkBuGcsWHv~CgA4KM8kPhSAqr03~TViP-2ePmxAXBUlWZ8dI~32jmLVbIjmhzBokaSbKK-j85IJteholOPEVgFf6vnUuAXOeBcMZ84r9J7ttGDGBJ0W4F3eTw8Bdc-fJGJaK572aru46dwCepwOK4XoHqf5fJRypLVZAa4inNERd2NsX~Mi3ptPGr96R2B~zzNyCALzV~v2pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bend, OR","date","2025-08-29T09:33:36Z","article","The City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee voted to approve the draft minutes from its June 26, 2025 meeting during the Aug. 28, 2025 session. Amanda Hamer moved to approve the minutes and Stephanie Utzman seconded; Chair Liz Woodfin called for the vote and members voted in favor.

Committee members requested one correction: the word \"invasive\" should read \"evasive\" in a passage related to the Dial‑A‑Ride application. Committee staff said they would correct the typo and reissue the minutes. Chair Woodfin confirmed the motion carried unanimously.

No other corrections were recorded during the meeting's minutes approval item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee Regular Meeting - 08/28/2025 - 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","At its Aug. 28 meeting the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee voted to approve the June 26, 2025 draft minutes with a minor wording correction; the motion carried unanimously.","taxTitle","Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon","taxId",2850,"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},6479291,"Cascades East Transit outlines new fares, committee raises concerns about paratransit impacts",1906,2267000,4173000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9&start=2267&end=4173","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9/thumbnail_2267000.jpg","/articles/6479291/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Cascades-East-Transit-outlines-new-fares-committee-raises-concerns-about-paratransit-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479291-0b2e8c8674c3486911589922cbc5fa7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773643410&Signature=agmKFrMFxiU6gm8T6UCvq86qObFftLT8RKxHmJyAoljI~wIcc76mD~P2zkIsQML6ErLVCvQqB6923s4UXPR2JdW5FnjFlcyeSRYK~GtoRoBUjtAkDAdqFlBkxpsZsMPy-ky2oEep~mzMBIHrYvcQqRC1Ibwl9ClrF6Pkh9847w28JMtTwsDx42wr0h7VOZTWFuyD~yuEnBJGxQ7JL6Oc7GXmzUs4NMQ5p8lODwo9D1JQI-X20a6owGucN1oDRpLW~xCapovn~I5ZIOo2bDIElx0A2fbxR6u915ujlWvfZ5K2VkskmCtJ1eYPqThFn78oskrsUgRv9G9TZzNwV9~V0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bob Townsend, director of Cascades East Transit, briefed the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee on Aug. 28, 2025, about a recently approved fare schedule and public outreach leading to implementation later this year. Townsend said the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council board approved the fares on Aug. 8 and that staff are planning implementation and rider education in October with fares going live in January.

Townsend explained that the agency paused fares during the pandemic and has pursued an extended outreach process to reintroduce fares and simplify pricing across services governed by the Federal Transit Administration. \"What was approved by the COIC board, as of August 8,\" Townsend said, referring to the recommended fare schedule.

Townsend summarized historical and new fares: he said Bend fixed‑route fares were $1.50 in the 2017 schedule and the proposed city fixed route fare is $2.00. He said community connector (regional) fares that had been $3.75 are set at $2.00 under the new schedule. He described a two‑tier approach for Bend Dial‑A‑Ride: the first 10 rides in a month would be priced differently than subsequent rides to encourage appropriate use of fixed routes when feasible. \"Now it's $2 for the first 10 rides in a month, $4 for anything after that,\" Townsend said.

Committee members asked for details and raised concerns. Liz Diether Martin asked whether the two‑tier Dial‑A‑Ride approach would penalize frequent users; Townsend said the pricing is intended to reflect higher per‑ride operating costs for door‑to‑door paratransit and to encourage use of fixed routes where practical. He said paratransit rides can cost the system significantly more per trip than fixed‑route rides.

Members representing service providers and disability advocates said many users rely on door‑to‑door service for safety and practical reasons, and that charging could reduce access if fixed‑route alternatives are not viable where riders live. Several committee members urged CET to pair fare changes with expanded routes and better outreach in places such as Redmond, where Dial‑A‑Ride is currently used like a taxi because of limited fixed‑route coverage.

Townsend acknowledged tradeoffs and said some rural services that now operate as free taxi‑style Dial‑A‑Ride may shift to a qualified paratransit model in future service changes. He also said the agency is moving toward automated tools for trip booking and vehicle tracking, which officials expect will improve customer experience.

Townsend said the agency will continue to refine implementation details and work with partners; he asked the committee for continued input during the October–January education and rollout period.","CET Director Bob Townsend described a new fare structure approved by the COIC board and the outreach behind it; committee members raised concerns about effects on paratransit riders and service gaps in Redmond.",{"_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},6479295,"City of Bend previews redesigned website with accessibility, plain‑language goals",1411,448000,1859000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9&start=448&end=1859","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5701686-7fdcedbc18d83bf09d30d883a736f5f9/thumbnail_448000.jpg","/articles/6479295/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/City-of-Bend-previews-redesigned-website-with-accessibility-plainlanguage-goals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479295-811796ea1eccb87c32c2657bf8272770/orig.mp4?Expires=1773643410&Signature=o3Y2mmwRDXtWuciAa2gBeQ-ebxfydE9ODEDarg8Un6e96UbAasZZ0tFER1BmdqeeRefOga4wj1sTRVEOAqn3bAA7kfe-S6aVWzJGpzj0KrjPdpW5Yp0s5VkSJ4RVqovPesLoMwvxxoyQDC5-YpD-2M7W8QHvUppIN9KNPvFDvkKx-VvwvyqeuC8I3NaNtHqdCov~l-i7pgDTJzmqZ1T7Vft2xjiMRmrrtPJNJ~N4s7NrHffxltTPmWUY-PVNCDF~uIFB-bnAzoW4yYFMnAgbNDoIzZ8vvs4~xu92UYX0y2Y2YdqMnJPV1UX2c7hCJr0bleaFzFvkSfnWqKG6Kt9XAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jacob Riggle, a user‑experience designer for the City of Bend, previewed a prototype of the city’s redesigned website at the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting on Aug. 28, 2025. The redesign emphasizes web accessibility, clearer language and a mobile‑first layout, and staff said they plan community user testing before a full launch in January 2026.

The committee heard that the city is working with Boulder design firm Moxie Sozo and that the project aims to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. \"We're going to make sure that everything meets the WCAG, 2.1, double a standards,\" Riggle said. He said the city has audited department sections, pared down content, and will continue to iterate after launch based on community feedback.

City staff said accessibility changes in the prototype include larger default type (a minimum of 16 pixels), increased line spacing, clearer heading hierarchy for screen readers, attention to color and contrast ratios, and improved keyboard/tab navigation. Riggle described design goals to reduce clutter and improve readability, and to avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning.

Committee members raised specific accessibility concerns. Liz Diether Martin and others warned that hover‑driven animations and tightly spaced interactive elements could present problems for people with limited dexterity or vestibular/visual sensitivities. Riggle acknowledged those concerns and said the team will address spacing and reduce motion where needed. The prototype also will be tested with assistive technology: Riggle said the city intends to include people using screen readers in user‑acceptance testing planned for December and January.

Staff noted the scope of the site: \"there are currently a little over 800 pages,\" Riggle said, and the city is working with departments to rewrite content in plain language and to group or remove outdated pages. He said the city plans a full site launch in January 2026, with outreach beginning in October and user acceptance testing in December/January to validate accessibility in the built product rather than only the prototype.

Committee members suggested alphabetizing service lists or ranking commonly used services, adding options for text‑to‑speech or dyslexia‑friendly typography, and ensuring mobile and tablet layouts remain usable. Riggle said the city will retain in‑house control to make changes after launch and invited the committee to participate in beta testing.

The presentation included examples of remaining issues the team will fix with the vendor, such as low contrast for some text over imagery and the use of all‑caps in interface elements. Committee members also urged plain‑English permitting pages and clearer pathways for people to find building and permit information.

The committee offered to participate in testing and follow‑up reviews. Riggle and web staff said they will share details for volunteer user testing and continue outreach to collect post‑launch feedback.","City of Bend staff presented a prototype of a redesigned city website that emphasizes WCAG‑informed accessibility, plain language and a mobile‑first layout, with user testing and community feedback planned before a full launch in January.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City of Bend accessibility committee approves June minutes unanimously

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City of Bend previews redesigned website with accessibility, plain‑language goals