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Residents and council members push for an ‘All Abilities’ citizens committee to advise city services
Summary
Public commenters and council members discussed creating a citizens committee focused on accessibility and services for people with disabilities; staff will compile existing programs and meet with departments, and the committee gave a working name: All Abilities Advocacy Committee.
Public comment and a committee discussion on March 27 raised the prospect of a citizens board to advise Garland on accessibility and programs for people with disabilities.
David Moorhead, a member of the city's Parks and Recreation Board, urged the council to consider a board focused on special-needs issues, saying accessible features such as push-button doors at recreation and senior centers help people with disabilities use city facilities.
"I do believe that the city... could benefit from having a board that would focus on the issues of those of us that do have special needs," Moorhead said during the public-comment period.
Heather Bryant, of the Achievement Center of Texas, also spoke during public comment and said the city should designate someone to advocate for inclusion at regular committee meetings if a separate committee is not created.
During the committee item, council members and staff discussed whether the effort should be a council committee or a citizens board. Council Member Dutton said she favored a citizens board similar to the city's multicultural commission and suggested the working name "All Abilities Advocacy Committee." Dutton and other council members described gaps they see in police training and event planning for residents with differing needs.
Dutton said the police department's "Safe at Home" program exists but that officers often lack special-needs training. "We have 0 special needs training," Dutton said of the department in the meeting transcript, and she urged inviting the police chief to discuss training and procedures.
Council members recommended the board include members with lived experience or professional expertise—examples mentioned included representation for people who are visually impaired, hearing impaired and those on the autism spectrum. Staff noted the city recently updated its ADA plan and said Paul Lukey, who chairs that staff committee, could brief the council on existing work.
The committee asked staff to compile current city programs and departmental practices related to accessibility and to prepare information for the next committee meeting. No formal board was created at the March 27 meeting; the committee directed staff to return with materials and to coordinate input from police, parks, events, public relations and other departments.
