Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Accessibility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newberg resident urges council to preserve disability access to public comments, cites federal ADA rules
Summary
Newberg resident Jesse Ferris Cunningham told the City Council on Nov. 3 that proposed changes to public‑comment procedures should not require people with disabilities to disclose their condition to receive human reading of their written comments.
At the start of the Nov. 3 session, Jesse Ferris Cunningham addressed the council to urge that any changes to public‑comment procedures preserve access for people with disabilities.
Cunningham said the council had discussed reducing public‑comment time limits and changing procedures so written comments are read by computer voices rather than human readers. He argued that requiring disabled residents to disclose a disability in advance to have their comments read aloud by a human would violate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He asked the council to adopt a policy default where written comments would be read by a human unless the author explicitly opts into an electronic (machine) reading.
Cunningham cited federal authorities he said support his view, and he offered the references at the meeting for staff review: "42 USC section 12132, 28 CFR section 34 35.13, and the DOJ title 2 technical assistance manual section 2‑36100 and 2‑38000" (transcript citation format as read by the speaker). He suggested the city consider an "accessibility liaison" to ensure equitable participation for residents who rely on different modes of communication.
What the council heard and did
- Cunningham described lived experience traveling to meetings in a wheelchair and the barriers faced by people who go nonverbal or cannot attend in person. - He asked that time‑limit changes account for access and pacing, and urged that human reading of written comments be the default unless the writer opts otherwise. - The council thanked him; no formal action or code change was taken at the Nov. 3 meeting. The issue remains in the domain of meeting procedure and staff policy.
Key quote
"No one should have to disclose a disability to be included," Jesse Ferris Cunningham told the council, arguing access is dignity, not a convenience.
Clarifying details
- Cunningham requested that written comments be read by a human unless the comment author explicitly authorizes a machine reading; he described advance disclosure of disability as "conditional access." (Public comment record.) - He provided federal statute and DOJ guidance citations for staff reference; council did not adopt an immediate policy change on the record.
