Parent presses HRC over lack of changing table and temporary accommodations at PACOM; urges immediate action

A mother and caregiver used the commission’s public-comment time to demand immediate action to secure temporary restroom and adult-sized changing-table accommodations at the PACOM facility in Oklahoma City. "It has been 6 years, and I want to see action tomorrow," said Audra Beasley during public comment, describing repeated grievances she said she filed both with the city and with the U.S. Department of Justice. Beasley said she had earlier filed ADA grievances about restroom access at several public venues, including the State Fairgrounds, and credited attorneys from the Oklahoma Disability Law Center for prior assistance at the State Capitol. Beasley said the PACOM building still lacks temporary on-site accommodations and urged commissioners and city staff to provide a named contact who could confirm a safe, private location for her son at the meeting site. She told the commission she had emailed city staff and had not received transparent follow-up and said she expected a phone call and visible remedial steps. Commission staff responded during the meeting by clarifying process and jurisdictional limits. The chair and staff noted the city has an ADA grievance procedure and that complaints tied to city-owned facilities must be processed through the city ADA coordinator. Scott Hodgdon, the city ADA coordinator who spoke earlier in the meeting, is the contact the city identified for such grievances and follow-up. Why it matters: Beasley’s comment highlights a practical accessibility problem that affects caregiving families and people with significant mobility or toileting needs. Her remarks underscore the difference between (1) advisory or investigatory roles that the HRC may play and (2) operational responsibilities that rest with city departments and the ADA coordinator’s enforcement and remediation processes. Discussion and next steps: Commissioners acknowledged the complaint and reiterated the city grievance route. The commission did not adopt a separate action during the meeting; instead staff and the ADA coordinator were identified as the operational contacts to investigate status and possible temporary accommodations. Beasley said she would file or continue her complaint with federal authorities if the city did not act more quickly. The commission did not vote on remedial measures at the meeting; staff indicated they would document the complaint and advised use of the city's grievance procedure for official investigation and written determination.