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Access advisory committee names three award recipients, votes unanimously
Summary
The committee confirmed three nominations for its annual recognition program: DJ Chris Benedict, longtime accessibility advocate Bob Burnham and the Santa Barbara Bowl. The committee voted on a three‑recipient slate by voice vote and approved it unanimously.
The Santa Barbara Access Advisory Committee confirmed three recipients for its annual recognition program during the Aug. 12 meeting: local DJ and disability advocate Chris Benedict (nominated as “DJ of Ability”), longtime advocate Bob Burnham and the Santa Barbara Bowl for accessibility work.
Brian (staff) read nominations gathered earlier in the year; committee members discussed whether to cap the number of annual recognitions and whether to use categories (organization vs. individual). After a round of discussion and a straw poll, Committee member Nick made a motion to recognize Chris Benedict, Bob Burnham and the Santa Barbara Bowl. A second was called and the committee approved the slate by voice vote. The motion passed unanimously.
Committee members emphasized that the recognition program is a pilot and asked staff to continue evaluating whether the number of honorees should be limited in future years to preserve the award’s prestige. Several members said they value recognizing organizations because awards support organizational fundraising and outreach; others favored recognizing individuals who have made sustained personal contributions.
Why it matters: the recognition program highlights local accessibility work, gives recipients publicity that can support funding and partnerships, and raises the committee’s visibility in the community.
What the committee decided: the three recipients for this year are Chris Benedict (individual), Bob Burnham (individual) and the Santa Barbara Bowl (organization). Staff will prepare presentation details for the committee’s annual report in October and determine how the awards will be presented to recipients.
