Public commenter urges Fruita to make municipal digital content accessible and plain‑language compliant

Tessa Bynum of 255 North Ash Street urged the Fruita City Council to improve accessibility for people with disabilities and to use plain language in city materials.

Bynum cited guidance from the state Office of Information Technology, noting a statutory timeline she said required state and local governments to improve digital accessibility by July 1, 2024. She referenced several legislative items during her remarks as reported in the meeting transcript, including “house bill 21 11 10,” “house bill 24 13 68” and “house bill 20 4-11 22,” and she said Colorado statute “22,801” requires bills and amendments to be written in clear, plain language.

Bynum told the council that many city documents and agenda items are written at reading levels that she said are higher than most residents’ comprehension. She cited the meeting agenda, the proclamation read that night, a lease on the agenda and sections of the municipal code as examples of material she said were written at an elevated grade level, and she recommended using plain language tools and readability checks.

“Accessibility is defined as perceivable, operable, and understandable digital content that enables an individual with a disability to access the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services,” Bynum said in her remarks, as recorded in the meeting transcript. She closed by telling the council, “You guys can do hard things,” and asked the city to make access and materials a priority.