Hamilton County commissioners hear plan for countywide accessibility advisory board

Hamilton County commissioners on May 15 heard a presentation proposing a countywide accessibility advisory board to advise on facilities, infrastructure and county grants that affect people with disabilities.

The proposal, presented by Neil Kelly and Christie Bridal, urged the commissioners to authorize a county board that would provide “everyday experts” and measurable accessibility standards that could be layered into existing grants and county projects. Kelly said the board would gather lived and technical expertise from municipalities across the county; Bridal, describing work on Cincinnati’s Accessibility Board of Advisors, said universal-design approaches and baseline checklists could prevent creating barriers in future projects.

The idea matters because county-owned facilities and county-funded projects intersect with city and suburban jurisdictions and county resources such as stadiums, transportation and social-service facilities. Presenters argued a county commission-endorsed advisory body could provide consistent review of grant criteria, infrastructure plans and public-awareness efforts to improve access for people with disabilities.

Commissioners praised the concept but did not adopt a final policy. Commission President Denise Driehaus said the county prosecutor is reviewing a resolution that would formally create the advisory body and that the board is not prepared to pass it at the May 15 meeting. Driehaus said the commission had “spoken with Neil Kelly and Brie Moss” and welcomed the proposal to bring “a lens over the work we do, as it impacts people with disabilities on all fronts.”

Commissioner Stephanie Summer O'Dumas asked presenters for a municipality-by-municipality breakdown of needs — for example, what Lincoln Heights and Norwood reported — so the county can target assistance and grant language. Bridal agreed to provide those details. Commissioner Alicia Reese, who described prior city-level accessibility work she helped lead, endorsed the idea and called for a county-level group that could produce policies and trainings for smaller municipalities.

Presenters recommended several specific roles for the proposed advisory board: advising on county capital projects and stadium access; recommending accessibility measurables for county grants; helping with emergency-preparedness planning and providing guidance on accommodations at county venues including the justice center and county-operated stadiums; and coordinating with existing bodies such as SORTA, Cincinnati’s Accessibility Board of Advisors and municipal staff.

No formal motion to create the advisory board was made at the meeting. Driehaus said the prosecutor is reviewing a resolution and commissioners will take it up later when the draft language and partners list are available. Bridal and Kelly said they will submit documents and partner names to the county; Bridal noted the group has already contacted multiple municipalities, including Deer Park, Blue Ash, Cheviot, Golf Manor, Madeira, Montgomery, Norwood and Saint Bernard.

Commissioners and presenters repeatedly framed the proposal as an enabling, advisory tool rather than a regulatory body. Commissioners asked that the county consider how the advisory board’s recommendations could be incorporated into existing grant requirements and county-level project checklists to ensure county-funded projects meet consistent accessibility standards.

Looking ahead, the prosecutor’s review and the board’s decision to place a resolution on a future agenda will determine whether the county takes a formal step to create the advisory board and whether measurable benchmarks are tied to future grant dollars. Presenters requested that, if commissioners approve a resolution, the county include a mechanism for deploying subject-matter experts and for coordinating grant incentives that reward accessible design.