The Holyoke Commission on Disability voted unanimously Sept. 25 to approve a city Zoom account the commission expects to cost about $18.33 per month.

Kelly Curran, the commission’s ADA officer, said the plan is to create a city account so members would not have to use personal credit cards and to allow co‑hosts and better document sharing. "We'll each have our own individual accounts, but we won't have to use personal credit cards to secure it," she said, and added that the treasurer and the procurement officer will meet a Zoom representative Monday.

Kelly also told members that closed captioning is free on Zoom and that Zoom offers translation packages the commission can consider. The chair noted the accessibility benefits for residents with hearing and vision impairments and said the change would be particularly useful during winter and peak illness seasons.

The chair asked for a motion to approve the Zoom expenditure; a member moved, a second was recorded and the vote was unanimous. The commission directed Kelly and the treasurer to complete the procurement steps and report back to the commission at a future meeting.

Why it matters: A paid city account is intended to improve meeting accessibility and reduce logistical barriers for members and residents who participate remotely. The commission will still need to follow city procurement rules for implementation.