Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Accessibility Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents ask San Luis to expand accessibility services for deaf residents and clarify 4th of July assistance
Summary
During public comment, a resident urged the council to provide captions or sign language at city meetings and to expand outreach to residents with disabilities. Council and staff said no one would be excluded from the city’s Fourth of July celebration and parks staff will work to ensure access for those who cannot afford the entry fee.
James Allen Jr., a San Luis resident, used the public-comment period to ask the council whether the city had considered accessibility for deaf residents and other community members who do not speak English or who cannot attend events in person.
“Have we ever considered our deaf community in the San Luis area?” Allen asked. He urged the city to provide closed captioning or a sign-language interpreter so deaf residents “can get the same information that’s being given out.”
Mayor (presiding) asked the parks and recreation director, Angelica Roldan, to come forward and explain how the department planned to ensure no one would be left out of the city’s Fourth of July celebration. The mayor added, “I feel that we need to clarify. Nobody's gonna be left out. And I wanna clarify that this is a suggestion from parks and rec director, not from us.”
Dr. Robert Trenshaw of Ambita Health, who appeared later for a separate agenda item, told the council his organization would provide $3,700 to help the parks and recreation department’s July 4 celebration.
Council members and staff did not adopt a specific new policy during the public-comment period but directed parks and recreation staff to engage on accommodations and to clarify procedures for low-cost admission. Later in the meeting, Mayor Bridal noted that anyone who cannot afford the $1 entry fee may sign a list and the fee will be covered, saying to parks staff that the city would replicate a similar process used in prior years.
What happened: residents raised requests for captioning, sign-language access and broader outreach to residents with disabilities; the mayor and parks staff reaffirmed a commitment that attendees would not be excluded and noted a mechanism to cover small admission fees for those in need.
Next steps: parks and recreation staff to follow up on accommodations and admissions assistance for the July 4 event; any formal policy changes would require subsequent council action.
