ADA coordinator flags WCAG deadline, confirms ASL and braille vendors and contract timing

Angie Wise, the City of Columbus ADA coordinator, briefed the commission on accessibility operations and logistics, telling commissioners the city is preparing for a digital-accessibility deadline and confirming the commission's current vendors.

Wise said the commission is using Heritage Interpreting for ASL interpretation and Clover Nook for braille agendas, and that both vendors went through the city vendor process. "We're using Heritage Interpreting for our ASL interpretation and Clover Nook for the braille agendas," she said. She added the current contract ends March 31 and staff are coordinating with vendors on a new contract that begins in April 2026.

Wise also flagged a compliance deadline for web accessibility: "the approaching deadline of 04/24/2026 in which all digital content has to be made accessible," and said the city will need to ensure captions and any required audio descriptions are in place before posting hybrid meeting recordings on the City of Columbus YouTube page.

Why it matters: The WCAG deadline will affect how the commission shares meeting recordings and agendas online and requires staff time for caption editing and, if necessary, audio description.

What commissioners asked: Commissioners sought clarification on vendor counts and contract term lengths; Wise confirmed the department expects full three-year terms for reappointed commissioners following city council approval via Legistar and said city staff will monitor vendor compliance and conditions on projects that receive city dollars.

Next steps: Wise said staff will share vendor and contract updates with commissioners and announced the next CACD meeting will move to April 30. She also thanked interpreters and noted staff will circulate contact and program details as requested.

Provenance: Statements in this article come from the ADA coordinator update during the CACD meeting.