Sep 09, 2025 Mayor's Advisory Board for People with Disabilities

[00:00:02]

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WE WILL START OUR MAYOR'S ADVISORY BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

[CALL TO ORDER]

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A MEETING SINCE MARCH.

SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE THAT'S HERE. HERE.

SO WE WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENTS. IF ANYONE HAS A COMMENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND BRING TO THE BOARD.

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

THERE IS. DO WE HAVE A. YEP.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. MY NAME IS NATALIE KING.

AND I MOVED HERE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, AND I HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES.

EVERYWHERE I GO WITH THE SIDEWALKS AND ACCESSIBILITY AND BEING ABLE TO ACCESS SIDEWALKS TO ACTUALLY HAVE RAMPS, SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T JUST END INTO NOTHINGNESS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A PART OF THE ADA TITLE TWO FOR ACCESSIBILITY.

AND WE HAVE A STREET SWEEPER THAT JUST PUSHES STUFF RIGHT INTO THE ROAD OF WHERE I HAVE TO GO BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS HAVE TORN UP MY ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR TO WHERE I HAVE TO BE ON THE ROAD, AND THE STREET SWEEPERS THROWING ALL THAT DEBRIS AND STUFF THAT I HAVE TO RUN OVER OR TRY TO DODGE AND AVOID.

AND IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING. IT'S HE'S LITERALLY BLOCKING.

AND I HAVE VIDEOS OF IT. HE'S LITERALLY BLOCKING THE RAMP THAT LEADS ONTO THE SIDEWALK TO SALES WITH SIX INCHES OF MUD WHILE HE'S STREET SWEEPING AND CLEANING.

SO THAT'S LIMITING MY ACCESS AND ABILITY. THERE'S ALSO PEOPLE WHO, FOR SOME REASON DISLIKE ME JUST BEING IN A WHEELCHAIR, GOING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE ON SALES, AND WILL MOVE A PORTABLE SPRINKLER ONTO THE SIDEWALK, WHICH ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS AND WATER IS, AND THEY SIT ON THEIR PORCH AND I HAVE TOLD THEM THIS, THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR ME. AND THEY SAID, JUST GO AROUND.

SO I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSES THAT I'M GETTING FROM JUST EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING TO THE POINT TO WHERE I HAVE WHEN I RIDE ON THE STREET, I'M ON THE FAR LEFT HAND SIDE AS A PEDESTRIAN BECAUSE THAT'S LEGALLY WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE. AND I HAVE VEHICLES THAT WILL COME HEAD ON AT ME AND KEEP COMING AT ME WHILE I HAVE MY DOG ATTACHED, THINKING THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY AND THAT I SHOULD JUST BE ON THE SIDEWALK.

AND THEN WHEN I SIT THERE AND WE'RE LIKE, IN A STANDOFF WITH EACH OTHER, I'M BEING DETAINED, I CAN'T MOVE, I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE, AND THE POLICE WON'T COME AND HELP ME.

IT'S FRUSTRATING. AND IN IN AND I HAVE A VERY LIMITED AREA IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAY WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF LOOSE DOGS OR PEOPLE THAT ARE ON METHAMPHETAMINES THAT BOTHER ME.

SO I HAVE A VERY SMALL AREA. SO WHEN IT STARTS GETTING BLOCKED OFF BY PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST INCONSIDERATE OF, I MEAN, EVEN EVEN SOMEONE WITH PUSHING A BABY STROLLER WOULD HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS.

SO JUST A REMINDER, WE CAN ONLY THE BOARD CAN ONLY RESPOND TO THE TOPICS THAT ARE ON OUR AGENDA. BUT PLEASE STAY AFTERWARDS BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR ADDRESS.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

YES.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE WE CLOSE?

[00:05:07]

[MINUTES]

SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT THE MARCH MINUTES OF THE MAYOR'S ADVISORY BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE BEEN APPROVED. GOING ON DOWN THE AGENDA. OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS ZOO IMPROVEMENTS.

[2. Zoo Improvements (Discussion, Public Hearing, Possible Action)]

GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D LIKE TO PRESENT OUR NEWEST RENOVATIONS AT THE ABILENE ZOO CALLED CARIBBEAN COVE.

CARIBBEAN COVE, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO WITH A GOOD AMOUNT OF FUNDS, BUT FUNDS THAT NEED TO BE INCREASED IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MORE ADA ACCESSIBLE AND MORE COMFORTABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THIS IS A BEFORE, AFTER, BEFORE AND AFTER SLIDESHOW THAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU.

SO THIS IS BEFORE, AND NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW GREEN THAT IS.

WE TOOK UP THAT COBBLESTONE THAT DOES A LOT OF DAMAGE ON WHEELCHAIRS AS WELL AS STROLLERS AND MADE A NICE SMOOTH CONCRETE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO EASILY ACCESS IT. WE ALSO HAD A PATHWAY OR A CRUSHED GRANITE.

THIS CREATED A LOT OF EROSION ISSUES, AS WELL AS A BIG DIVOT FOR FOLKS GOING FROM THE ASPHALT INTO THAT AREA AND MUDDY UP TIRES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

WE IMPROVED THAT SIGNIFICANTLY AGAIN WITH MORE CONCRETE AND THESE BEAUTIFUL BOLLARDS THAT KEPT THE PEDESTRIANS AWAY FROM THE ANIMAL CAGING.

SAME THING, THE SAME PATHWAY. DOES, DOES IT DO JUSTICE TO DISPLAYING THE ANIMALS? YES, WE HAVE A CAGE THERE, BUT IT'S NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AS THIS.

LOOK, WE WENT THROUGH A COMPANY CALLED CORNERS UNLIMITED, AND THEY HAVE A VERY MAJESTIC MATERIAL, POWDER COATED ALUMINUM THAT REALLY DISPLAYS THE ANIMALS REALLY CLEAR FOR THE NAKED EYE AS WELL AS THE ANIMAL SIGNAGE.

THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW. THERE'S THAT BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAK THERE.

AND NOW WE CREATED WHAT WE CALL A MACAW ISLAND.

SO IT GETS THE PEOPLE UP CLOSE AGAIN WITH MACAWS.

THEY'RE NOT BEING DISPLAYED BEHIND THIS BIG LIMESTONE WALL.

THEY'RE NOW VERY VIEWABLE FOR NOT ONLY ADULTS, BUT KIDDOS.

I HAVE KIDDOS A LOT OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE KIDDOS, AND THIS NOW HELPS THAT ILLUMINATION OF THESE BEAUTIFUL MAJESTIC ANIMALS.

THE SAND PIT A VERY PRIZED AREA FOR OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.

WITH KIDDOS. WE TRIPLED THE SIZE OF THAT, SO NOW IT ALSO HAS A BIG SHADED ROOF.

WE ALL KNOW THE ELEMENTS OF ABILENE EXTREME FROM THE WINTER MONTHS TO THE SUMMER MONTHS.

SO NOW FULL SHADE FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS. AND AS WELL AS GETTING ALL THOSE HOPEFULLY SHOWERS ONCE IN A WHILE THAT ABILENE GETS IF YOU WANT TO STAY THERE.

JUST THE OTHER DAY, WHEN THOSE RAIN SHOWERS, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE'S A FAMILY IN THERE FOR THREE HOURS, AND THEY DUG A WHOLE RAVINE THROUGH THE WHOLE SAND PIT BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING ELSE TO DO, BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING ON THEM. BUT MY STAFF FILLED IT IN AND THE KIDDOS HAD A GREAT TIME, AND THEY HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE ZOO. THIS IS THE BACK END OF THE ZOO.

THE WEST SIDE. AGAIN, THIS BUILDING WAS ORIGINAL FOR THE ZOO BACK IN 1966 WHEN THEY BUILT IT.

JIMMY TITTLE DESIGNED IT. WE ACTUALLY REPURPOSED THIS WHOLE BUILDING, SO IT'S NOW HVAC CONTROLLED.

AND THEN THIS IS A LITTLE VERSION OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND.

HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, WE'RE GOING TO PUT OTHER SPECIES OF ANIMALS. SO YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO VIEW ANIMALS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS WHOLE BUILDING. THE FEATURE FOR THIS PROJECT WILL BE TAMARINS AND MARMOSETS FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

AND THEY'LL BE THAT ELOQUENT CAGING THAT YOU SAW ON THE OTHER SIDE THERE.

THAT'S HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO PUT THAT IN IN 2027 EARLY 2027.

THIS IS A FRONT. AGAIN MORE SHADING FOR OUR GUESTS.

THIS GETS PEOPLE OUT OF THE ELEMENTS. THERE'S BIG, VIEWABLE LETTERING THAT HELPS THE PEOPLE WITH WAYFINDING. AND IT SAYS CARIBBEAN COVE AND THESE BIG METALLIC LETTERS THAT WERE POWDER COATED.

AND THEN THE INTERIOR HOLDING. WE WANTED TO CONTROL THAT TEMPERATURE AS WELL AS HAVE OUR ANIMALS VIEWABLE YEAR ROUND.

PRIOR TO US RENOVATING, THE ANIMALS WERE ONLY DISPLAYED DURING SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL MONTHS.

DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THEY WERE ALL PULLED FROM THEIR EXHIBITS AND MOVED TO THE BACK SO GUESTS COULD NOT SEE THE ANIMALS YEAR ROUND.

NOW THE GUESTS CAN SEE. YOU CAN SEE THAT YOUNG GIRL LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW.

YOU CAN SEE THE ANIMALS IN THEIR WARM HOLDING YEAR ROUND.

SO IF THEY'RE NOT ON THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF EXTREME ELEMENTS OF THE THE TRIPLE DIGITS OR THE EXTREME FREEZING DIGITS, THEY CAN NOW ACTUALLY GO IN WARM HOLDING AND YOU CAN SEE THEM ON DISPLAY. THERE'S A ADA RAMP TO THAT SAND PIT ALLOWS THE KIDDOS AS WELL AS ADA FOLKS, GO UP AND ENJOY THE SAND PIT, AND WE'VE ADDED SOME LITTLE DIGGERS, AS WELL AS AN ADA COMPLIANT DIGGER THAT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDEWALK.

THIS WAS A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE CFA. CFA HELPS US FUND OUR DREAM NIGHT FOUNDATION THAT WE DO FOR THE ZOO ANNUALLY.

AND SO WE ADDED THAT RIGHT BEFORE THE DREAM NIGHT CELEBRATION THAT WE HAD THIS PREVIOUS FEW MONTHS AGO.

WE'LL CONTINUALLY ADD MORE STUFF. RESTROOMS ARE ALSO ACCESSIBLE.

VERY I'D SAY CUTE BRINGS A SPLASH OF THAT CARIBBEAN LOOK.

[00:10:05]

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CARIBBEAN COVE? LOOKS GREAT.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN A NEW PHASE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT CARIBBEAN COVE WAS PART OF OUR BOND MONEY.

IT WAS NOT. IT WAS ACTUALLY A PRIVATELY RAISED.

THIS IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE BOND. ABILENE ZOO, PHASE ONE AFRICA.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXPANSION OF THE ZOO, WHICH IS GOING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 8 TO 9 ACRES NORTH OF THE ZOO.

AND THIS IS THE FOOTPRINT OR THE SITE MAP OF THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A WHITE BUILDING THAT'S MADAGASCAR TO SORT OF GET YOUR BEARINGS DOWN.

AND IF YOU JUST GO NORTH OF THERE, YOU'LL SEE THE EXISTING RHINO HOLDING AND LION AND HYENA HOLDING.

THAT'S HOW FAR WE'RE EXPANDING NORTH. WE ARE EXPANDING AND FOCUSED ON RHINO BECOMING THREE PADDOCKS.

SO THAT BUILDING NOW HOUSES HOPEFULLY TWO TO MAYBE THREE RHINOS IN THE FUTURE.

WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITH A BLACK RHINO SPECIES.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO ADD A MULTI-SPECIES YARD. IF YOU LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT, IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED THE HOOFSTOCK GIRAFFE AND HOOFSTOCK YARD.

THIS IS GOING TO BE MULTI-SPECIES. MAKE IT MORE NATURAL, LIKE YOU WOULD SEE IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE GIRAFFE ON ONE SIDE AND THE GAZELLES AND ANTELOPE SPECIES WILL ACTUALLY GO UNDERNEATH A BOARDWALK. WE'RE GOING TO PAY HOMAGE TO THAT ORIGINAL BOARDWALK THAT WAS GOING OVER THE GIRAFFE EXHIBIT. THIS WOULD BE A MORE IMPROVED BOARDWALK, AND PEOPLE WILL EITHER BE ABLE TO SEE THE GIRAFFE OR THE IMPALAS ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT BOARDWALK.

AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THAT, YOU'LL SEE IT CROSS OVER INTO HYENA AND LITTLE MEERKAT.

EXHIBIT THAT LITTLE POCKET CIRCLE THERE, AND THEN YOU CONTINUE.

YOU'LL SEE A CHEETAH HABITAT. AND THEN AS YOU COME BACK DOWN SOUTH, YOU'LL SEE A SQUARE BUILDING THAT IS A TWO STORY CAFE.

THE TWO STORY CAFE IS GOING TO BE ATTACHED TO THE LINE EXHIBIT.

THEY'LL HAVE FLOOR TO CEILING GLASS PANELING SO YOU CAN VIEW THE LINES NOT ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE WITH THE ZUMIEZ, BUT ALSO WHILE YOU'RE GRABBING A BURGER BASKET OF FRENCH FRIES.

IF YOU GO TO THE FULL LEFT, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE HALF MOON SHAPE THERE.

THAT'S OUR AMPHITHEATER. IT'S GOING TO BE FOR OUR PRESENTATIONS SUCH AS WILD DAYS AS WELL AS ROCK AND ROARS AND FUTURE EVENTS, BUT ALSO FOR WEDDINGS A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AZA. ZOOS ARE BECOMING VERY WEDDING PRONOUNCED BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL BOTANICALS.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A BRIDE'S ROOM IN THE CAFE, AS WELL AS GROOM'S ROOM AT THE THE AMPHITHEATER AREA.

SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY BE HOSTING WEDDINGS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS, IN THE NICE MONTHS.

AND SO THAT WILL BE VERY ELOQUENT FOR THOSE PARTIES.

AND I THINK I GOT IT ALL. FOR THE RHINO EXHIBIT WE'RE BRINGING IN THE EASTERN BLACK RHINO.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE SOUTHERN BLACK RHINO. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT MANY IN THE UNITED STATES FOR US TO PROCREATE WITH.

SO WE'RE BRINGING THAT ANIMAL BACK TO FOSSIL RIM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN SOME EASTERN BLACKS.

THEY'RE BREEDING VERY WELL IN THE AZA COMMUNITY.

THERE'S APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 5 TO 6 BLACK RHINOS BORN EASTERN BLACK RHINOS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES THAT WILL BE EASILY ABLE TO ACQUIRE THOSE ANIMALS AND BREED THEM HERE AT THE ABILENE ZOO. THERE'LL BE THREE LARGE YARDS. THE WARM HOLDING IS GOING TO TRIPLE IN SIZE.

ANIMAL VIEWING IS ALSO GOING TO BE TSA COMPLIANT AND SHADED.

AND THEN CONCRETE SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PERIMETER, MULTI-SPECIES HABITAT WILL HAVE ANIMAL VIEWING.

YOU'LL SEE THE COMPLIANCE CONCRETE AS WELL AS THE ELEVATED BOARDWALKS.

THE LION EXHIBIT WILL HAVE THE VIEWING LOCATIONS AS WELL.

SIDEWALKS AND ELEVATED BOARDWALK. MEERKAT WILL BE VIEWABLE.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS, WE'LL HAVE AN ADA COMPLIANT, ACCESSIBLE MEERKAT VIEWING TUNNEL.

SO THIS EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO ALLOW KIDDOS TO ACTUALLY CRAWL THROUGH THE HABITAT AND POP UP IN THE MIDDLE EXHIBIT WITH A LITTLE BUBBLE OVER THEIR HEAD SO MOM AND DAD CAN TAKE PHOTOS, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE TUNNEL DESIGNATED TO THE ADA COMPLIANT KIDDOS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY WHEEL A CHAIR IN THERE AND POP THEIR HEAD UP INTO A BUBBLE FOR THE MEERKATS.

LET'S ALSO HAVE AN ELEVATED BOARDWALK AROUND IT.

THE HYENA YARD. SAME THING. WE'LL HAVE THE CONCRETE SIDEWALKS, ELEVATED BOARDWALK, AND SHADE TRELLISES THAT ARE TSA COMPLIANT.

CHEETAH EXHIBIT WILL HAVE SIDEWALKS, ELEVATED BOARDWALK, AND SHADE TRELLISES.

AND THIS IS THE RENDERING OF OUR TWO STORY CAFE THAT YOU CAN SEE THE BOARDWALK ELEVATION CHANGE THERE.

THIS WILL HAVE GENERAL SIGNAGE THAT WILL HAVE BRAILLE ON IT. RESTROOMS, TSA COMPLIANT, THE STAFF BREAK ROOM, SAME THING. WE'RE ACTUALLY ADDING AN ELEVATOR, SO TWO STORIES WILL BE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AN ELEVATED WALKWAYS ARE TSA COMPLIANT. WE'RE ALSO ADDING A MOTHER ROOM FOR NURSING MOMS. WE DON'T HAVE A NURSING STATION IN OUR ZOO JUST YET.

THIS WILL SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. IT'LL BE UP INSIDE THAT CAFE.

POINTS OF SALE DOORS ARE 36. MINIMUM FLOORING WILL BE POLISHED CONCRETE OR TILE.

AND THEN THE BANDSHELL. THE EVENT LAWN. THIS IS WHERE THE BRIDES AND THE GREEN ROOMS FOR THE BRIDES AND GROOMS WILL BE.

TSA COMPLIANT WITH THE DOORS. CONCRETE SIDEWALK AND THE RAMPS TO PLATFORM IS TSA COMPLIANT.

SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE LITTLE RECTANGULAR RAMPS THAT ARE GOING UP TO THE STAGE.

THEY'LL ALSO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE TSA COMPLIANCE.

ANY QUESTIONS? SO THE CURRENT GIRAFFE SETTING THAT'LL BE GONE AND REPLACED OR WILL THAT STAY TO THAT STAYS.

[00:15:03]

WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVE COWS WITH THEIR SONS AND WE HAVE BULLS WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS.

AND SO THAT MEANS I HAVE TO MOVE SOMEBODY OUT OR SEPARATE THEM SO THEY DON'T PROPAGATE IN THE FUTURE.

OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN THEM ALL. SO THIS ALLOWS US TO HAVE TWO YARDS TO ROTATE THOSE THAT HERD.

AND SO THEN WE DON'T GET PUSHED. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE LITTLE SARAH AND SHE'S NOT A CALF ANYMORE.

BUT SHE LOOKS YOUNG. SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE OUT HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO BE SEXUALLY MATURE AND BREED WITH HER FATHER.

ANIMALS DON'T DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCES OF THEIR OFFSPRING, SO THEY CAN INADVERTENTLY INTERBREED.

SO THIS ALLOWS US TO MASSAGE AND DISPLAY THOSE ANIMALS.

WE ALSO WANT TO PROCREATE AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

SO CONGO OUR BIG BULL. HE'LL DO IT AS MUCH AS HE CAN.

BUT WE DON'T WANT CALVES BORN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. AND ALSO WE HAVE WINTER ERIE SITUATION, AND THEY'RE BUNKED UP IN A BARN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

AND SO NOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT CONGO IS SEPARATED FROM THE COWS.

AND HE COMES BACK TO THE COWS WHEN WE WANT THEM TO DROP CALVES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

YEAH. ALL OUR RANCHERS AND FARMERS DO IT. ZOOS DO THE SAME THING.

SO THAT HELPS. SO IT ACTUALLY DOUBLES THE YARD SO MORE GIRAFFES WILL BE ON DISPLAY.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE RESTAURANT OR THE CAFE? YEAH, THE CAFE IS GOING TO BE A MCDONALD'S MEETS MCALISTER'S.

SO IT WILL HAVE A PRE-MADE FOOD. SO IT WILL BE A SIT DOWN A NICE ARRAY OF FOOD.

THERE WILL BE FRIED FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO WANT TO SPLURGE ON THEIR CALORIES.

BUT THERE'LL ALSO BE HEALTHY OPTIONS SUCH AS FRESH SALADS, FRESH SALADS, AS WELL AS PRE-MADE SANDWICHES.

IT'LL BE 3 TO 4 POINTS OF SALE THAT YOU CAN GO UP.

THEY'LL BE SEATING. THEY'LL BE ALL HVAC CONTROL ON THE BOTTOM STORY, BUT IF THAT FILLS UP THE TOP STORY, YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE ANIMALS WHILE YOU'RE EATING, BUT THAT WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS OF THE ABILENE WEATHER, BUT IT WILL BE FULLY COVERED. IT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. YES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO REMIND CONDOLENCE TO THE COUGAR.

YES. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COUGAR. YOU HAD A GOOD LIFE THAT JUST LIKE DOMESTIC CATS, THEY AVERAGE RIGHT UP TO BETWEEN 18 AND 20 YEARS OLD.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT COUGARS ONLY ABOUT 12 TO 13.

AND HE IS LIVING THERE WITH HIS SISTER. THEY WERE RESCUED AFTER WE GET COUGAR ASKED ALL THE TIME DURING THE HUNTING SEASON.

SOMETIMES THEY KILL THAT MOTHER THAT HAS A COUPLE CUBS, SO MORE LIKELY SHE WON'T LIVE MUCH MORE THAN A YEAR OR TWO AS WELL.

SO OUR GOAL IN THE FUTURE IS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE, UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS AND RESCUE THOSE CUBS.

AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SET OF CUBS HERE AT THE ABILENE ZOO. COUNTERS WILL BE ADA COMPLIANT AS WELL AS ONE POINTS OF SALE.

AWESOME. YEP. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW HUNTER IS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

SO. I'M EXCITED. SO THAT'LL BE FUN. THIS IS GREAT FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

THIS BREAKS GROUND HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 2026.

AND WE'LL BE OPENING IN THE SUMMER OF 2027. OKAY.

FOR THIS PROJECT, CARIBBEAN COVE IS RIGHT NOW OPEN. SO PLEASE COME OUT AND ENJOY IT. WE'RE GOING TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THE THE ZOO, THE LITTLE TRAIN. YES WE DO. YEP. WITH THE ADA COMPLIANT CABOOSE.

GOOD. YUP. THAT'S THE AUDIO DESCRIPTION OR SOMETHING.

AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS. WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET, BUT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO IT.

BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE SOME MONITORS THROUGHOUT ALL THE EXHIBITS THAT WILL BE HAVE AN AUDIO AND VIDEO ON THEM THAT ARE EXPLAINING ABOUT THE SPECIES AND TALKING ABOUT BIOFACTS AND SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND AS MUCH TO TOUCH AS POSSIBLE.

ABSOLUTELY. TEXTURES ARE A BIG, FRIENDLY THING THAT WE LIKE TO DO AT THE ZOO AND SET BIG, BEAUTIFUL SANDBOX.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. EXCITED TO SEE THIS.

THANK YOU. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

[4. CityLink Report (Discussion)]

DO YOU WANT. EXCUSE ME, DO YOU WANT TO DO THE REPORT FIRST OR DO YOU WANT TO DO FAIRS? LET'S DO THE REPORT FIRST. I'LL ASK AMANDA TO COME UP AND TAKE CARE OF THAT.

OKAY. HELLO, I'M AMANDA COURTNEY, THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER.

IF YOU CAN SEE ON HERE THE BA ONE RIDES HAVE GONE UP.

PASSENGERS. I DID FORGET ON THE CITYLINK ADA TRIPS UNDER JULY IS SUPPOSED TO BE 2561, AND IN AUGUST IS 2411. THAT DID GET ADDED IN THERE. BA TWO.

RIGHT NOW WE STILL ARE DOING MEDICAL ONLY. HOPEFULLY WE HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COMPUTERS AND PHONES AND STUFF TO KEEP UP WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.

[00:20:07]

OKAY. DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. I'M JUST THRILLED THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A YEAR OR LONGER.

YES, MA'AM. AND I AM SO THRILLED THAT I KNOW YOU'RE DOING SOME CROSS TRAINING.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS KIND OF HOW YOU COME UP WITH KIND OF MADE THAT WORK? YES. WE ARE ENCOURAGING OUR PT DRIVERS TO GET THEIR CDLS AND WE WILL TRAIN THEM AND ALSO MY DISPATCHERS, I AM CROSS TRAINING THEM BETWEEN PT AND FIXED ROUTE AND THEN OUR FIXED ROUTE DISPATCHERS, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE CDLS SO THEY CAN ALSO DRIVE. AND THEN I AM WANTING MY MOBILITY COORDINATOR.

I ALSO WANT HER TO CROSS TRAIN INTO LEARN DISPATCH AND IN BOTH AREAS.

AND THEN ALL DISPATCHERS IN PT WILL START DRIVING.

I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND MAKING THOSE CHANGES.

THAT'S THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CAN WE LOOK AT THE APPLICATIONS DENIED.

YES. CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILLED IN. I KNOW WE HAVE DENIED SOME.

IN AUGUST WE DENIED, I BELIEVE, 11 JULY WAS I THINK IT WAS 6TH JUNE.

I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THAT. AND THEY'RE BEING DENIED BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME THEY DO NOT MEET THE ADA REGULATIONS OR SOMETIMES DOCTORS JUST DON'T PUT ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR US, LIKE THEY CAN'T PUT JUST WHEELCHAIR, THEY'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR AND NO MEDICAL INFORMATION.

SO USUALLY THAT'S AND THEN SOMETIMES WE'LL, WE WILL REACH OUT TO TRY TO GET A DIFFERENT DOCTOR FOR THEM TO FILL OUT SOME MORE INFORMATION.

AND SOMETIMES WE JUST NEVER GET ANYTHING BACK. CAN YOU AND IF YOU CAN, IT'S OKAY BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT. CAN YOU INFORM THE BOARD, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE ADA REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO BE APPROVED? IT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU KIND OF HAVE TO LOOK AT I MEAN, THEY HAVE TO HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES.

IT CAN BE MENTAL. IT DEPENDS ON HOW FAR THEY ARE FROM THE BUS STOP, IF THEY HAVE SIDEWALKS, IF IT'S A BUSY STREET. WE LOOK AT ALL THAT CRITERIA FOR THAT.

OKAY.

WE'RE GETTING BACK UP THERE AGAIN. IT'S LOOKING BETTER.

OH, A LOT BETTER. THANK YOU. YEAH. WE DO HAVE NEW DRIVERS THAT JUST GOT RELEASED FROM A CLASS, AND WE HAD A NEW CLASS START YESTERDAY WITH NEW DRIVERS AS WELL, SO WE SHOULD.

I THINK WE'RE ONLY SHORT TWO RIGHT NOW. OKAY.

PARATRANSIT? YES, SPECIFICALLY. YEAH. THAT'S AWESOME.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WILL THE ONLINE THING BE BACK ONE ONE OF THESE DAYS? I SURE DO MISS THAT. I JUST GOT A NOTICE TODAY THAT ECO LANE FOR THE SELF SERVE.

IT PROBABLY WON'T BE BACK UP UNTIL WE'RE FULLY EQUIPPED WITH COMPUTERS AND THINGS.

OKAY. AND THE PHONES. I'M JUST CURIOUS IF AT SOME POINT.

YEAH, YEAH WE ARE. I DID GET AN EMAIL TODAY ABOUT THAT.

AND SO I DID START RESEARCHING THAT TODAY TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK, BUT IT'LL PROBABLY BE IN PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT TILL WE GET THE COMPUTERS BECAUSE I TRIED TO LOG IN AND SEND MY ACCOUNT HAD BEEN REMOVED.

YEAH. YEAH, WE DISABLED IT BACK IN MAY. YEAH.

YEAH. OKAY. I WILL MAKE A COMMENT THAT WHEN I STARTED USING CITYLINK, IT WAS LIKE A FAMILY. LIKE, YOU GUYS REALLY WORKED WELL TOGETHER, AND I KNOW THAT WE WENT DOWN.

BUT I WILL DEFINITELY SAY THAT WHEN YOU KIND OF LIKE, HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE TYPE THING.

KIND OF LIKE THAT WITH THE BUS DRIVERS. AND I REALLY CAN SAY THAT YOU'VE GOT HAPPY DRIVERS.

SO HAPPY RIDERS. RIGHT? SO JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND IF WE CAN HELP IN ANY WAY, LET US HELP. OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE? WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. IF WE WANT TO. I KNOW WE KIND OF SWITCHED THINGS, AND I APOLOGIZED ON BUT IF WE WANT TO GO TO THE CITYLINK FARE INCREASES THAT

[3. CityLink Fare Increases (Discussion, Public Hearing, Possible Action)]

[00:25:05]

LESLIE DID THAT. DID THAT FARE? DO YOU ALL Y'ALL HAVE IT PRINTED OUT? OKAY, THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD DEAL. ALRIGHT, SO PART OF OUR STRATEGY IN TRYING TO IMPROVE THE DRIVER SITUATION HAS BEEN WE KNEW WE WERE ON THE LOW END OF PAY, SO WE NEEDED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS THERE.

MADE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD WITH THAT. COUNCIL APPROVED AN INCREASE TO THE CITYLINK BUDGET OF ABOUT $743,000 IN FY 26. SO A BIG COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY GOING INTO THE FY 26 BUDGET.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST. ALL OF THAT IS FOCUSED ON SALARY OR PAY INCREASES FOR OUR CITYLINK STAFF, REALLY FOCUSED ON THE DRIVERS.

SO BUT BUT I THINK GENERALLY THERE IS AN INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD THAT GETS US TO TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER ENTITIES AROUND TOWN THAT THAT HAVE DRIVERS AS WELL.

SO FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT. THAT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT.

AND AGAIN, A BIG COMMITMENT FROM CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT.

AND I WAS VERY PLEASED THAT COUNCIL RESPONDED THAT WAY.

AND THAT HELPED THE THE ATTENTION THAT WE GOT THROUGH THE MEDIA THROUGH THIS BOARD WHERE WE WE HAD A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON, THAT WE WERE TRYING TO HIRE PEOPLE, BUT WE COULD JUST COULD NOT KEEP THEM IN PAY BEING ONE OF THOSE FACTORS.

BUT AGAIN, I SAID THAT WAS PART OF A STRATEGY.

RIGHT? SO THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THAT STRATEGY.

BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO CHANGE SOME CULTURAL THINGS INSIDE CITY LINK TOO.

AND I THINK WE'RE WELL UNDERWAY WITH THAT. WE DO HAVE A NEW GENERAL MANAGER WHO STARTS MONDAY.

SO EXCITED ABOUT HIM COMING ON BOARD. AND HE WILL EVENTUALLY HE'LL BE INTRODUCED AT YOUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AS WELL.

BUT SOMEBODY ON THIS, THIS BOARD ALLUDED TO IT A LITTLE WHILE AGO WHEN AMANDA WAS UP HERE, AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT HER. SHE HAS BEEN THROWN A LOT OF CURVE BALLS OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO.

AND SHE WAS FAIRLY NEW TO THE ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER MANAGER POSITION, BUT SHE'S REALLY STEPPED UP AND HAS RESPONDED WELL, AND I THINK SHE'S PROBABLY LEARNED A WHOLE LOT OVER THESE LAST THREE MONTHS BY BY FORCE.

SO KUDOS TO HER. SHE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AND STEPPED UP WHEN WE NEEDED SOMEBODY TO REALLY STEP UP.

SO. SO AGAIN, PART OF THAT STRATEGY WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE THE REVENUE PORTION FOR CITYLINK.

WE HAVE WE THE 743,000 WAS A BIG BOOST. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT FARES.

AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT FARES OVER THIS PAST SPRING AND HAVE COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE THE FARES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE MIDDLE COLUMN THERE, THE INCREASE IN REVENUE.

THAT IS THE TOTAL INCREASE TO THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.

SO LIKE UNDER FIXED ROUTE, LET'S JUST SAY DAY PASS A $1.50 INCREASE TO THE DAY PASS ON THE FIXED ROUTE BUS.

THE CITY MANAGER, EMILY CRAWFORD, WHO HAD BEEN HERE JUST A FEW WEEKS WHEN I PRESENTED THIS TO HER, AND THEN THE DISCUSSIONS. AND SO SHE HAS DECIDED, LET'S LET'S DO THIS IN TWO OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.

SO IT ISN'T SUCH A BIG HIT RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, A BIG HIT TO OUR PASSENGERS, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO WE WILL SEE A 75 CENT INCREASE EFFECTIVE IF EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH WITH COUNCIL APPROVING IT. SO THAT WOULD BE A 75 CENT INCREASE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 3RD, AND THEN ANOTHER 75 CENT INCREASE ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. SO THAT WAY SPREADS THAT INCREASE OUT OVER TWO YEARS.

SO IT'S NOT SUCH A BIG HIT TO PEOPLE. SAME THING WITH ALL THESE OTHER FAIRS THAT YOU SEE DOWN, DOWN THE LINE. THEY'RE ALL SPLIT UP 50% IN, IN ON NOVEMBER 3RD AND 50% AND THE REMAINING 50% ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE FAIRS.

IT HAS BEEN SINCE JANUARY 1ST, 2017 THAT WE LAST RAISED FAIRS.

SO OUR GRANTS THAT WE GET FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND FROM TXDOT FOR OPERATIONS,

[00:30:04]

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A FIXED AMOUNT. IT DOES NOT CHANGE VERY MUCH OVER EACH YEAR, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR THE INCREASED COSTS OF OPERATING THE SYSTEM IN SOME WAY. AND AGAIN, WITH COUNCIL STEPPING UP WITH THE 743,000 IN FY 26, WE DO NEED AN INCREASE TO OUR FARES. AND I THINK THAT IS I THINK THIS IS A FAIR FAIR FARE ADJUSTMENT.

CURRENTLY, CITY CITYLINK IS CONDUCTING A TWO WEEK PERIOD OF NOTIFYING ITS RIDERS, CHANCE FOR THEM TO RESPOND AND COMPLETE A SURVEY. AND THEN THAT WILL END ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, THAT SURVEY PERIOD. AND THEN FROM THE FROM SEPTEMBER 22ND THROUGH OCTOBER 3RD CITY STAFF WILL BE DEVELOPING AND COMPLETING AN EQUITY ANALYSIS REPORT, WHICH IS PART OF OUR TITLE SIX OBLIGATION.

THAT'S THE CIVIL RIGHTS OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT IMPACTING ONE GROUP WORSE THAN ANOTHER GROUP, BASICALLY. SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A FAIR INCREASE.

AND THEN OCTOBER 7TH I THINK THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OCTOBER 9TH, BUT OCTOBER 9TH IS A COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT FARE INCREASE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST TIME ON OCTOBER 9TH.

AND THAT IS THAT'LL BE A TWO PART. SO YOU'LL BECAUSE THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, IT'LL BE A FIRST READING ON OCTOBER 9TH AND THEN A SECOND READING AND FINAL VOTE ON OCTOBER 23RD, WHICH AT THAT POINT CITY AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON OCTOBER 9TH AS WELL, BUT A A A FULL SECOND HEARING PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 23RD AND THEN COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THAT. AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.

PART OF THAT IS I MEAN, IT IS A MANDATED PROCESS THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING OF COURSE, WE WANT WE WANT PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS.

SO IF THAT PASSES ON OCTOBER 23RD, THEN IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE ON NOVEMBER 3RD, THAT 50% INCREASE.

ANY QUESTIONS? WHERE ARE WE WITH THE CREDIT CARDS? I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOME GRANTS. RIGHT NOW WITH ONE GRANT THAT I DID FROM 22 WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET ONE FARE BOX.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE A SLOW PROCESS IN THAT AREA TO BE ABLE TO UPDATE ALL THE FARE BOXES AND GET NEW BUSSES IN, NEW VANS IN. SO IT MAY BE A FEW YEARS. HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS SMOOTH FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT USE DIB? I THINK I HEAR IT SAYING YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE IT, CORRECT? YEAH. IT'S ELIMINATED. SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE GIVING US.

LIKE 60. LIKE AN AMOUNT MONTHLY. SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE THEM TICKETS? THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT THEY'LL HAVE TO DO IS BUY BOOKS OF TICKETS.

OKAY. SO THE CHALLENGE IS, IS WHEN PEOPLE A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS CAN'T GET TO YOUR OFFICE.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO GET THOSE TICKETS ON THE BUS OPERATORS.

THE OPERATORS HAVE BOOKS OF TICKETS ON THEM AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY THEM.

SO THEY'RE OKAY. I WILL FIX THAT. IS THAT FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THOSE ON THEM? OKAY. OKAY. I WILL CORRECT THAT. YEAH. SO LIKE IF AN INDIVIDUAL COMES IN AND ON THE BUS AND SAYS DIB. IF THEY DON'T HAVE, LIKE, THAT'S THE OTHER THING IS WE WERE DISCUSSING THE CREDIT CARD, AND I GET THAT.

SO WITH THE DIB, THEY COULD IF THEY HAD LESS, LIKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THEN THEY CAN'T.

THEY COULDN'T GET HOME BECAUSE THERE WASN'T THAT CERTAIN AMOUNT.

SO IT'S A MAYBE A GOOD THING THAT YOU'RE CUTTING DIED OUT ALL AT ONCE.

[00:35:05]

THAT IS CORRECT. WE DON'T GIVE CHANGE. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY PUSH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE USED DIB THAT THEY CAN'T JUST GIVE, LIKE, LIKE LET'S SAY THAT THEY BUY A BOOK OF TICKETS, RIGHT? AND STARTING IN NOVEMBER THIRD, YOU'RE GOING TO BE, WHAT, $25? SO LET'S SAY THEY GIVE THEM NOT 25, BUT THEY GIVE THEM 30.

WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO EDUCATE THE DRIVER, THE WRITERS, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE EXACT CHANGE.

BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT DON'T.

OKAY. ALSO WHAT YOU COULD DO ON THAT TOO, IF THEY HAVE, SAY, 30.

I KNOW WE DON'T GIVE CHANGE, BUT THEY COULD ALSO PAY FOR THAT TRIP THAT DAY WITH THE CASH AND BUY THE BOOK OF TICKETS.

YEAH, TO HELP WITH THAT TOO. THAT'LL HELP. BUT JUST EDUCATION WITH THE WRITERS BECAUSE THEY.

OKAY. AND, DON, THOSE DATES THAT YOU WERE GIVEN FOR THE PUBLIC THE LIKE YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT HIM IN OCTOBER.

THEN THE TIMES. WE DON'T HAVE THOSE DATES. I DON'T HAVE THAT.

OH, IT'S NOT ON THIS. YOU'RE RIGHT. YEAH. IT IS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT AMANDA HANDED ME WITH ALL THE DATES ON THERE. BUT. YES, IF WE COULD GET A COPY OF THAT SO WE CAN EDUCATE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

OKAY, DON, I CAN SEND THAT OUT. I'M SORRY. I CAN SEND THAT OUT.

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. LIZ. THANK YOU. ARE Y'ALL STILL GOING TO TAKE CASH? YES. OH THANK GOODNESS. YES. SO IT'LL BE CASH OR CHECK? NO. YES. YES. CASH OR CHECK OR TICKET? CASH. OKAY.

AND AND ALSO I MEAN, SO OUR TRANSITION TO GO TO, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS THAT HAS ALSO BEEN SLOWED.

AND I HATE THAT WE KEEP BLAMING THE CYBER ATTACK, BUT THAT HAS REALLY JUST TAKEN ITS ATTENTION OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.

RIGHT. FIVE MONTHS. AND IT IS ANY, ANY PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING TOWARD THAT IS JUST STOPPED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE IT AND FINANCE INVOLVED IN THAT. AND IT'S JUST REDUCED CAPACITY RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT. TO HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I WANT THAT AS WELL.

I THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THAT.

OVER TIME. I THINK IT'LL HELP YOU GUYS AS A WHOLE.

YES. YEAH, BECAUSE YOU GUYS WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH CASH AS MUCH.

YEAH. YEAH, I THINK I THINK PARTICULARLY FOR DAWN, IF YOU DON'T MIND GETTING CLOSER TO THE MIC.

YEAH, I THINK PARTICULARLY FOR CITYLINK PASSENGERS, WE DO NEED TO ACCEPT CASH.

WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THAT AS AN OPTION.

SO THAT ALSO THE WORLD'S ALSO MORE. IT IS. YEAH.

THE WORLD IS CHANGING. AND THE APPLE. YEAH. HARD TO GET CASH LATELY.

I MEAN YOU JUST DON'T USUALLY GET CASH ANYMORE FOR STUFF.

RIGHT. YEAH. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I'M EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS. DO YOU WANT PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW? YES. OKAY. SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU, SIR. COMMENT, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

YES. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. JUST STATE YOUR NAME.

YES, MA'AM. MY NAME IS RILEY RODRIGUEZ. I'M A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I SUPPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND.

AND THAT I UNDERSTAND THE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE AND EVERYTHING, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF REINVESTMENT THAT GOES INTO IT.

BUT HOWEVER, I DO OPPOSE THE IDEA OF RAISING THE PRICE OF FARE FOR THE RIDERS BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE SHIFTING THE BURDEN ONTO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DEPEND ON AN AFFORDABLE, DEPENDABLE SERVICE TO GET THE DOCTOR TO THE DOCTOR AND TO WORK.

AND NOW I REALIZE, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET'S BEEN PASSED AND EVERYTHING, BUT I WOULD JUST ASK, AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE A LOT OF INDUSTRY MOVING INTO OUR AREA AND PERHAPS SOME OF THAT REVENUE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GENERATING FROM THOSE THAT INDUSTRY COULD POTENTIALLY BE REALLOCATED INTO AN INVESTMENT INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO PAY OUR DRIVERS MORE AND WE NEED MORE DRIVERS, BUT PERHAPS WE COULD ALSO TAKE SOME OF MORE OF THAT MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE THINGS

[00:40:04]

CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, HOUSING COSTS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF, COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP IN OUR AREA DUE TO THE RAPID GROWTH AND EVERYTHING.

AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, IT JUST CONCERNS ME THAT THE MOVE WOULD BE SHIFTING THE COST ONTO CONSUMERS FIRST, INSTEAD OF POTENTIALLY FINDING A MAYBE A DIFFERENT AVENUE THAT WE COULD GO TO TO TO GET THAT FUNDING.

BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU, GUYS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WILL SAY.

I WILL SAY THAT AS AS BEING A PERSON. YOU HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THAT USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND I'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC THAT AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO APPLAUD WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF, BECAUSE. TWO MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS NOT THAT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE WRITERS DID NOT FEEL LIKE THEIR LIFE REALLY MATTERED BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST GETTING DROPPED OFF AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT TIME. SO I WILL I WILL SAY THAT WATCHING OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REALLY STEP UP AND REALIZE THAT AND AS ONE OF THOSE WRITERS, I WOULD PAY $0.50 MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GOOD, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT THE WRITER IS GETTING TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS ON TIME. THAT MEANS THAT THEIR LIFE IS NOT GETTING ALL HUSTLED AND BUSTLED.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THIS INCREASE.

BUT I DO AGREE. AND I KNOW ALSO, THOUGH, IF THERE'S A WAY THE CITY IS REALLY GOOD.

AT SHOWING WHERE THE FUNDING GOES. AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT THE FUNDING AND THE INCREASE IS GOING TO HELP. LIKE IT'S NOT JUST COMING BACK ON THE CONSUMER.

SO, DON, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE DONE SOME WORK WITHIN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON THAT.

LIKE, IF WE LIKE, IT'S COMING IN FROM THE CITY, LIKE WE ARE GETTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY.

BUT IF WE CAN SHOW THAT THERE IS MONEY, THAT WE'RE THE CITIES TRYING THEIR BEST NOT TO INCREASE.

AND THIS IS I MEAN, I THINK YOU'RE SHOWING IT BY EVEN SPLITTING UP WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN TWO YEARS.

BUT IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT THE MONEY HAS ALSO COME FROM OTHER PLACES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

IS THERE? YEAH, WE WE CERTAINLY CAN SHOW THE BREAKOUT OF OUR GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE.

IT GETS A LITTLE HARD TO FOLLOW, RIGHT? FOR ME TOO.

BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE OPERATING GRANT GRANTS, WE HAVE CAPITAL GRANTS.

SO WE HAVE HAVE THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT THAT BROKEN OUT.

WHAT OUR GRANT REVENUE IS, WHAT OUR FAIR REVENUE IS, WHAT OUR PROJECTED FAIR REVENUE IS WITH THIS INCREASE.

AND THEN WHAT THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE CITY CONTRIBUTES TO CITY LINK OPERATIONS EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE SHOWING THAT AT THE CITY COUNCIL? I CAN, BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, I CAN GET THAT TO LESLIE AND SHE CAN PASS THAT ON TO YOU.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO AND IF THERE'S I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CITY COULD SHOW THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS, LIKE, HEY, WE'RE WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

AND ACTUALLY ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS IN THE, THE BUDGET THAT'S ONLINE.

OKAY. IT'S IT IS THERE. OKAY. JUST HAVE TO KIND OF DIG FOR IT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IT IS THERE. OKAY. BUT I CAN I CAN SEND THAT TO LESLIE AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO FOLLOW.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH WHICH

[5. Disability Awareness Month (Discussion, Public Hearing, Possible Action)]

[00:45:10]

AND I KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING BIG, BUT I.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE YEAR TO DO THAT. TWO COMMENTS THAT I HAVE ON ARE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT I HAVE ON THIS. PART OF THE REASON OF PUTTING THIS ON THERE ONE IS YES, OCTOBER IS DISABILITY AWARENESS AWARENESS MONTH, AND THERE IS TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO DO A PROCLAMATION.

ONE IS OCTOBER 9TH AND ONE IS OCTOBER 23RD. IN LIGHT OF CITY LINK TAKING THEIR ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL, THE FIRST READING IS ON OCTOBER 9TH AND THE SECOND READING IS ON OCTOBER 23RD.

THE NINTH IS ON CONSENT. SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK.

YOU WOULD SPEAK KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE DO AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 23RD.

IT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA, AND IT DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO I WANTED TO THROW THOSE TWO OPTIONS OUT THERE.

IF IF THE BOARD, WE DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM TO.

BUT WE DO LIKE REPRESENTATION FROM THE BOARD AT THE PROCLAMATION.

SO THROWING BOTH DATES OUT ON, IS THERE A PREFERENCE ON WHICH DATE AND I CAN GET WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND AND LET HER KNOW.

WHICH DATE DO YOU THINK IS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THIS PROCLAMATION TO COME OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH OR TOWARD THE END OF THE MONTH? WE TYPICALLY DO IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.

WE DO. I WAS THINKING OCTOBER 9TH WOULD PROBABLY BE, WELL, EITHER ONE WOULD WORK, BUT PREFERABLE.

TO BE FLEXIBLE EITHER WAY, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME TO BOTH.

THANK YOU. HOWEVER, I WONDER WITH THE 23RD, THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A LOT MORE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THERE WHERE IT MAY. HAVE MORE OF A SIGNIFICANCE.

I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE A LOT AT BOTH, BUT SINCE THAT'LL BE THAT WAS LIKE THE FINAL, LIKE IT'S ON THE AGENDA KIND OF THING.

WELL, JOANNE'S THINKING I'M GOING TO THROW TWO OTHER THINGS OUT THERE. IT HAS BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET, BUT AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD THERE WAS A PRESENTATION FROM ARI ON MARKETING ABOUT HAVING A PAGE FOR THE DISABILITY BOARD.

THE, THE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO POTENTIALLY COULD DO IN OCTOBER IS MAKE THAT PAGE LIVE AS PART OF THAT MONTH.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAD ASKED FOR IS VIDEOS.

AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO FILM THOSE VIDEOS BECAUSE, AGAIN, NOT TO BLAME THE CYBER ATTACK, BUT EVERYTHING GOT TURNED UPSIDE DOWN IN APRIL AND WE ARE JUST NOW STARTING TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO START RECORDING, EDITING AND PRODUCING THOSE. I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.

ON IF WE COULD TURN IT AROUND FAST ENOUGH TO HAVE THOSE START AIRING IN OCTOBER, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY TALK TO THEM.

SO THAT'S TWO OTHER POSSIBILITIES OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN IN OCTOBER.

BESIDES JUST THE DATE OF THE PROCLAMATION. A GOOD IDEA.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR SO LONG TO FINALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO START PUTTING INTO PLAY, I THINK WOULD BE I THINK IT'S GREAT, BENEFICIAL AND A GREAT TIME.

THE TIMING IS PERFECT, THE TIMING IS PERFECT.

BUT DOES IT GIVE HER DOES IT GIVE MARI ENOUGH TIME? IF WE DID IT THE NINTH. THAT'S WHY I WAS THINKING.

THINKING THE 23RD. I CANNOT SPEAK FOR MARI. I KNOW, THAT'S WHY.

YEAH, YEAH. IT DEPENDS ON HOW I THINK THEY. I THINK THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS IS FAIRLY CLOSE TO BEING.

I THINK THEY HAVE THE QUESTIONS. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING A DAY AND TIME AND RECORDING THEM.

SO I CAN CERTAINLY FIND OUT. I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY KIND OF DETERMINES THE NINTH THROUGH 23RD, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE I MEAN, THE CITY COUNCIL IS ONE OF THE BIG MEETINGS IN THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE IT THE MOST PUBLICITY IS WHENEVER WE DO THE, THE PROCLAMATION TO

[00:50:02]

WE CAN ADVERTISE THAT THEY WILL START BEING AIRED WHEN WHEN WE'RE HANDED THE MICROPHONE TO TALK ABOUT DISABILITY MONTH.

I WOULD HAVE TO ASK. I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT.

AND I DON'T WANT YOUR DECISION TO BE MADE ON WHETHER THAT CAN OR CANNOT HAPPEN.

THERE'S TOO MANY VARIABLES ON THAT DECISION. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK. LIKE WHEN THEY DO AWARDS, THEY SHOW LIKE A CLIP, I WAS WONDERING, AND THOSE AWARDS ARE ARE FILMED WAY IN ADVANCE. THEY'RE DONE. AND SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY GUARANTEES, ANY PROMISES THAT I HAVE NO WAY OF FULFILLING.

I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THE 23RD KIND OF GIVES EVERYBODY TIME TO PUT THINGS TOGETHER, THAT IF ON THE OFF CHANCE, WE CAN AT LEAST SAY AS OF TODAY, THE 23RD, THOSE VIDEOS WILL BE GOING LIVE OR BE, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHATEVER WE NEED TO SAY. BUT THEN IT GIVES EVERYONE ENOUGH PLANNING TIME BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, GETTING IN DEEP TO SEPTEMBER. SO THAT WOULD THAT WOULD LEAVE WHAT, LIKE A MONTH.

IT GIVES YOU EXACTLY A MONTH. GIVES HER A. YEAH, EXACTLY.

PRETTY MUCH A MONTH. SO I FEEL LIKE THEY MAY APPRECIATE A FURTHER OUT DEADLINE TOO, IF IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL LOOK TO.

AND I FEEL LIKE THE 23RD IS LIKE ONE WEEK FROM THE END OF THE MONTH, WE'VE ALREADY SACRIFICED THREE FOURTHS OF THE MONTH FOR FOR OUR OUR MONTH BEFORE WE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IT. SO I'M THINKING BACK AT THE BEGINNING.

STILL, I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A DECISION, BUT JUST THROW IT OUT.

DEBORAH. YES. YOUR THOUGHTS? I'M AGREEABLE TO EITHER.

NO NO NO NO. THE EARLIER, THE BETTER. EARLIER THE BETTER.

YEAH. JOANNE BLAINE WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS HERE.

IF YOU DON'T MIND LETTING HIM COME UP AND SPEAK FOR A MOMENT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I SHOULD SAY GOOD AFTERNOON. BLAINE BEYER, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WORKING ON SEVERAL THINGS FOR THE DISABILITY BOARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO HAVE WAS THE WEB LINK THAT MARI SHARED WITH YOU IN MARCH, AND THAT IS, THAT IS LIVE, BUT IT IS HIDDEN. IF THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GO LIVE, I THINK WE CAN SEND IT TO THEM FOR REVIEW.

THAT WAY YOU HAVE EYEBALLS ON IT BEFORE IT DOES GO LIVE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS READY AND AVAILABLE.

IT AND WHAT IT HAS ON THERE RIGHT NOW. IT HAS YOUR AGENDAS FOR EVERY MEETING THAT YOU HOST.

IT IT HAS THE PAST MEETINGS THAT ARE RECORDED FOR EACH.

IT'S THE VIDEO AND THE AUDIO FOR THE RECORDING FOR AND THEN A CONTACT FORM THAT WOULD REACH OUT TO YOU.

THAT'S WHAT THE IT'S DESIGNED TO DO. AGAIN, I CAN WE CAN SEND THE LINK TO LESLIE AND SHE CAN FORWARD THAT ON TO YOU SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT BEFORE IT DOES GO LIVE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO HAVE READY AND AVAILABLE FOR YOU.

WE DID TALK THIS MORNING ABOUT DOING INTERVIEWS WITH BOARD MEMBERS. IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DO THINK WE COULD TURN AROUND WITHIN THE MONTH. DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT. BUT I THINK THE LONGER WE DO HAVE THE BETTER PRODUCT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT INFLUENCES YOUR DECISION ON WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMEMORATE DISABILITY BOARD OR DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND THAT WE ARE READY AND CAPABLE TO DO.

IT JUST IS A MATTER OF THE TIMING AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT FOR YOU IN A, IN A, IN A QUICK IN A QUICK TURNAROUND.

BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WILLING TO HELP YOU.

AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, THE THING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW, WHAT BOARD MEMBERS WOULD WE BE ABLE TO FEATURE AND WHO WOULD BE AVAILABLE WHEN. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE OUR TIMELINE IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S AVAILABLE AND WHEN WE COULD GET THOSE INTERVIEWS RECORDED. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT. AND THIS COULD NOT BE PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ON OCTOBER 23RD.

THE THE WEBSITE, LIKE THE INFORMATION I WILL HAVE TO ASK.

I CANNOT SAY THAT IT CAN BE, I WILL HAVE I WILL HAVE TO ASK AND GET APPROVALS FOR THAT.

AND THAT'S PART OF LIKE I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S PART OF OUR LIKE RESPONSIBILITY AND AGENDA IS TO LIKE, INFORM AND EDUCATE THE CITY. AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR THE CITY TO SAY, HEY, WE DO HAVE THIS. SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT ON THE AGENDA ON THE 23RD.

THEN I WOULD SAY DO THE PROCLAMATION ON THE NINTH.

AND THEN IT SHOWS THAT WE. ARE VERY ACT LIKE WE'RE ACTIVE THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF ABILENE.

[00:55:03]

I MEAN, NOT CITY COUNCIL BOARD. YOU GOT YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR $0.02 IN, BUT I WOULD.

PUT THAT ON THE THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL IF POSSIBLE THE 23RD AND DO THE MADE PROCLAMATION ON THE NIGHT. I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET APPROVAL FOR THAT.

YOU DON'T? I DON'T THINK SO. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY, CAN WE HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN THE EVENT THAT IS THERE? THE DAY FOR THE PROCLAMATION, THEN. AND THEN WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THE VIDEO AND AND GETTING APPROVAL.

BUT I WOULD GO AHEAD AND PICK THE DATE FOR THE PROCLAMATION, FOR DOING IT WITHOUT THE THEN I WOULD SAY, THEN THE NINTH, THEN I WOULD DO THE, THE PROCLAMATION.

THE NINTH. OKAY. I AGREE. HOW ABOUT YOU? AND THEN I WOULD STILL GET YOU AGREE.

THEN I WOULD STILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU GUYS THE DATE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, PULL UP, OPEN IT UP, GO LIVE THE 23RD. HOPE IF WE CAN DO IT, THEN GREAT.

BUT IF NOT, THEN ON THE NINTH WE CAN AT LEAST SAY THE 23RD.

THIS WEB PAGE WILL BE LIVE. OKAY. AND THAT WILL GIVE US TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND GIVE SUGGESTIONS TO.

AND JOANNE, LET ME BACK UP A SECOND TO MAKE SURE I'M ON THE SAME PAGE WITH YOU.

THE WEB PAGE CAN GO LIVE THE SAME DAY AS THE PROCLAMATION.

RIGHT. IT'S THE VIDEO THAT I CAN'T GUARANTEE IF IT CAN GO ON A ON THE CITY.

THE CITY AGENDA. OKAY. SO THE VIDEOS WOULD GO LIVE THE 23RD.

THE VIDEOS ARE WHOLLY DEPENDENT ON WHO'S AVAILABLE TO INTERVIEW AND WHEN.

BUT IF WE CAN SCHEDULE THOSE INTERVIEWS, THEN I CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF WHEN WE COULD HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE.

I WILL SAY, SINCE THE WHOLE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS THE AWARENESS MONTH, WE DO HAVE THE WHOLE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO PRODUCE AND PUBLISH THOSE NOT ONLY ON THE WEBSITE BUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. OKAY. SO DON'T DON'T FULLY HOLD ALL THE CARDS ON A COUNCIL MEETING.

WE HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO. OKAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY IF WE COULD HAVE I DON'T WANT TO PIGEONHOLE US TO THE NINTH AND THE 23RD.

IF THERE'S OTHER DATES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD.

OKAY. AND SO THAT WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY ON PRODUCING A VIDEO IN THE SENSE OF WE'RE NOT BOUND BY A COUNCIL MEETING.

IF WE HAD SOMETHING AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BUT ALSO WE WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVAL TO EVEN SHOW IT.

RIGHT. BUT SAY DURING THE MEETING, LIKE THERE WILL BE VIDEOS AND INTERVIEWS ON THE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA DURING THAT TIME SO THAT PEOPLE CAN START LOOKING FOR THEM ON OR AROUND THIS DATE.

NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

YOU KNOW, IF IT HAPPENS TO BECOME AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, BEFOREHAND THE 19TH OF OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, THAT WAY WE'RE NOT BOUND BY TWO COUNCIL DATES FOR STUFF WE CAN JUST SAY.

AND THESE VIDEOS CAN CONTINUE RUNNING PAST OCTOBER.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP THEM ON OCTOBER 31ST.

BY THE WAY, WE'RE DONE. YEAH. WE'RE DONE. NO MORE.

SO QUESTION WHERE WILL I BE SHOWN? WE CAN HAVE THOSE PRODUCED AND THEY CAN BE PUBLISHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND THEY WOULD GO ON YOUR WEB PAGE THAT WE THAT WOULD GO LIVE.

THE WEB PAGE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE VIDEO. THE WEB PAGE IS ALREADY ALREADY ACTIVE, BUT IT AND IT HAS A LOT OF I FIND IT IF I'M JUST A PERSON IN THE PUBLIC, HOW WOULD I SEE THAT IT WOULD BE ON THE WEB PAGE THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE TO YOU? THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DISABILITY BOARD, AND IT WOULD ALSO BE ON OUR SOCIAL THE CITY OF ABILENE SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO YOU WOULD GO TO LIKE THE CITY'S WEBSITE, THE CITY'S WEBSITE WOULD BE A LINK TO.

CORRECT. YEAH. AND THEN I GUESS THERE WOULD BE A LINK ALSO ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO TO LIKE.

YES. OKAY. AND AND THOSE WOULDN'T BE CONCURRENT.

THEY WOULD I MEAN WE HAVE WITH THEY WOULD BE STRATEGICALLY PLANNED ON WHEN THEY WOULD POST AND THAT WOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO YOU.

BUT THEN THAT WAY. LIKE IF PEOPLE WANTED TO LEARN MORE, THERE'D BE A LINK POSTED WHERE THEY COULD GO AND.

FIND THE WEBSITE OR FIND OUR PART OF THE WEB OF OUR INFORMATION.

YES. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, PERFECT. SO IS THERE ANY WAY THOSE COULD BE TURNED INTO PSAS AND PUT OUT ON ON THE TV STATIONS? THAT IS UP TO OUR OUR DISABILITY MONTH AWARENESS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TO THINK ABOUT AS FAR AS OUR CONTACT WITH OUR MEDIA PARTNERS.

AND WE'D HAVE TO. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO DISCUSS.

I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'VE WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING SOMETHING TO TO SPONSOR THIS MONTH.

[01:00:02]

I UNDERSTAND THAT I'VE DONE IT BEFORE, BUT COULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE APPROACH OR LOOK INTO? AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO AS A BOARD? ONCE THOSE VIDEOS ARE PRODUCED, YOU COULD REACH OUT AS A BOARD TO THOSE MEDIA PARTNERS.

NO, NO THEY CAN'T. OH THAT'S RIGHT. LEGALLY, THEY CANNOT DO THAT.

SORRY. NO, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE BUTCHER'S, Y'ALL.

RIGHT. CORRECT. OKAY. SO I'M ASKING IF YOU COULD PLEASE TRY TO DO HE.

AND I'M. I'M SAVING HIM. HE IS NOT. HE CANNOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION TODAY.

I CANNOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION. BUT I'M MAKING THE SUGGESTION. YES.

THANK YOU. I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO FALL AWAY AND GET LOST.

I WILL SAY OUR MEDIA PARTNERS DO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITE, AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO PICK IT UP, THEY WILL. BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT, RIGHT? I WANT MORE THAN THAT. I'M SORRY. I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE DISABLED TO HAVE THAT WHERE THEY WHERE THEY HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO IT WHEN THEY WATCH THE NEWS.

THAT'S ALL. MY THAT'S A COMMENT. THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. SO. I I KNOW THAT YOU THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED IS WHO DO WE WANT ON THE VIDEOS? SO, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO TO AND I'M AVAILABLE ANYTIME.

I'LL REACH I'LL REACH OUT WITH SOME DAYS AND AND TIMES I WILL.

YEAH. I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU THE DAYS AND TIMES AND Y'ALL CAN SIGN UP FOR THEM AND WE'LL GET IT SET UP.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALWAYS ORGANIZED. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M TRYING TO THINK. DID WE ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS? I THINK SO, AS LONG AS WE ARE COORDINATED WITH LESLIE ON TIMES AND AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.

OKAY. AND THEN LESLIE WILL SEND US WHAT YOU HAVE SO FAR ON THE WEBSITE.

WE'LL LOOK AT IT AND AND IF WE CAN, AT LEAST SOMEWHERE.

WHEN ON THE NIGHT. SAY THAT THIS IS LIFE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT WOULD BE. MY GOAL IS TO SAY THAT THAT WEBSITES LIVE ON THE NIGHT.

PERFECT. AND THAT'S ALL CONTINGENT ON YOUR APPROVAL.

YEAH. AND I THINK IF YOU CAN SEND THAT TO US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH, OUR BIG HIGHLIGHTS ARE THE WEBSITE GOING OUT, THE VIDEOS AND AND THE PROCLAMATION.

SOUND GOOD? SOUNDS GREAT. OKAY. THEN UPCOMING BOARD TOPICS.

[6. Upcoming Board Topics (Discussion)]

AND. MY MY THOUGHT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS BOARD IS MAKING SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT IN THE PAST ARE BEING STILL CONSIDERED OR NEED TO BE BROUGHT BACK UP IN THE VERY FIRST PLACE.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WAS THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS NOT UNDERNEATH THE CITY ANYMORE.

SO THE BILL WE OWN, THE BUILDING WE LEASE. RIGHT.

THE MANAGEMENT. RIGHT. SO WE CANNOT GO. WE OWN THE BUILDING.

DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ADA RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE GAVE BACK IN 20 1718? ARE YOU ASKING TO DISCUSS THEM OR ARE YOU ASKING TO TOUR THE BUILDING? IF I WOULD SAY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO TOUR THE BUILDING TO SEE IF THOSE GOT DONE.

OKAY. WE WE CAN WORK ON MAKING THOSE ARRANGEMENTS.

I DO WANT TO THROW SOMETHING OUT THERE. ON NOVEMBER, THERE'S ALREADY THREE ITEMS THAT I HAVE FOR CONVERSATION.

OKAY. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE TIME FOR A TOUR AS AS WELL.

OKAY. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY. MAYBE WE MOVE IT TO JANUARY OR GET A TOUR IN JANUARY, BUT IN NOVEMBER DUE TO TIMING JUST

[01:05:02]

GV DANIELS PLAYGROUND NEEDS TO COME FORWARD IN NOVEMBER.

AND THEN OF COURSE, I ALSO HAD ON HERE THE MARKETING VIDEOS.

SO WHILE WE CAN START RELEASING THEM IN OCTOBER, WE CAN SHOW THOSE AT THE MEETING HERE IN NOVEMBER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE.

BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING OUT DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO NECESSARILY CATCH ALL OF THEM.

AND WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU SO SO WITH THOSE THREE THINGS, I MEAN THAT WILL TAKE A WHILE.

THAT WOULD BE I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

AND THEN THE LAST TOPIC IS GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING 2026.

OKAY.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE, THE HOMEWORK I WOULD HAVE FOR THE BOARD IS BRING THOSE TOPICS IN NOVEMBER.

WHAT YOU WANT IN 2026? YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS JUST IN CLOSING IS THE STATE. I CAN JUST SAY THAT IT'S VERY CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW FOR NONPROFITS IN ABILENE. AND SO, AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO TO HELP OUR LOCAL NONPROFITS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT WORK WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE IF THEY NEED ANY VOLUNTEER WORK. SO ANYTHING ELSE? NO. I THINK THE TOPICS WE HAVE FOR NEXT MEETING ARE PERFECT, AND I THINK WE'LL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THAT GIVES US TIME TO FOCUS ON GOING FORWARD WITH THINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

YEAH, I HAVE A JUST AN OBSERVATION AS A FAIRLY NEW MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL.

THIS BOARD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE THINGS THAT MIGHT BE HANGING OUT THERE THAT THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE COMPLETED OR NOT.

IS THERE A IS THERE A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE OUGHT TO BE FOLLOWING UP ON? THERE'S NOT. NOT PARTICULARLY. OKAY. OKAY. WE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2018, 2019, AND I'M NOT SURE ANYTHING FROM BACK THEN EXISTS ANY REALLY.

WE LOST A LOT BECAUSE WE'VE LOST IN THE SYSTEM.

OKAY. WELL I'LL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE.

AND THEN IF THAT'S SO THEN, THEN WE NEED TO JUST ACT LIKE A CLEAN SLATE AND, AND GO THROUGH THE TOURS AGAIN. I WILL SAY WITH THE PARK AND REC YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT OF THOSE.

SO WHEN WE DID THE PARK AND REC TOURS AND I THINK EVEN WITH THE ZOO.

BUT JUST TO GO BACK BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE HAVE NOT WE'VE MISSED SOME STUFF LIKE PARKS AND REC HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD AT COVERING THE ZOO.

WE CAN'T REALLY DO BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON WHAT WE SUGGESTED.

I MEAN, TAKE IT YOU JUST SAW THE PICTURES. YEAH, RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. THAT'S A HUGE ONE. YEAH. WHEN WE TOURED WITH THE ZOO.

YEAH. YEAH. OVER THE OTHER, I THINK THE LIBRARIES, YOU SEE, ALL THE LIBRARIES ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE AND.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE. I FEEL LIKE WE JUST NEED THAT.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS CHANGING. WE MAY JUST NEED TO WAIT. AIRPORT EXPANSION. THAT ONE IS IS.

SO I THINK I THINK WHAT SOMEWHAT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF STUFF HASN'T HAPPENED.

IT IS IN THE WORKS OF HAPPENING. IT'S JUST NOT OVERNIGHT.

WE HAVE TO COME LATER WHEN ALL THE EXPANSION FUNDING COMES.

BUT THAT'S RIGHT AND I AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK LITTLE THINGS LIKE SOME OF THE EXIT SIGNS WERE OUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE FIXED WITHIN A WEEK. YOU KNOW SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT WE SAW, THOSE WE FIXED QUICKLY,

[01:10:02]

I JUST KNOW THIS BUILDING IS NOT COMPLETE YET ON THIS BUILDING TOO.

ALRIGHT, LIKE IT WAS IN MARCH, BUT NOTHING WAS RECOMMENDED.

YEAH. SO THAT'S THAT'S MY THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I FEEL IF WE DO, WE NEED TO COME BACK TO CITY HALL, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED THAT WEREN'T.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO A BOARD MEETING TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION. YOU CAN JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL.

OKAY. OKAY. BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD KNOWS THAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE, I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BE A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE LIKE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS ALL IN AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT'S A TEAM EFFORT, NOT A ONE PERSON EFFORT.

I GUESS MAYBE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

OUR FIRST ONE TODAY. IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, YEAH, CAN ADDRESS AND LOOK INTO ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS AND BEING ACCESSIBLE AND NOT BEING BLOCKED OR I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT SCOPE WE ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS.

BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY I MEAN, THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S.

NO, IT'S NOT. SO BUT I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT CAPACITY WE'RE ABLE TO OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS TO MAKE SURE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO LOOK INTO AND ADDRESS AND THEN SEND TO US OR WHATEVER.

I DON'T THINK I THINK THAT IS A PUBLIC AREA THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT.

I'M GOING TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND, AND LOOK INTO IT.

BUT I KNOW THE LAST TIME SIDEWALKS WERE BROUGHT UP, I MEAN, IT WAS ADDRESSED WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.

BUT THAT IS WE'RE SOMEWHAT AT THE LIMIT OF HOW FAR WE CAN TAKE THAT INFORMATION.

AND WHAT ABOUT, LIKE, THE STREET SWEEPERS? BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE A CHANGE.

I PLAN ON SENDING AN EMAIL TO THAT DEPARTMENT AS WELL AFTER THIS MEETING, WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION.

OKAY. IF WE COULD KEEP A LIST OF WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IN THE FUTURE SO THAT MAYBE WE COULD KEEP TRACK.

WELL, WE HAD, BUT THE CYBER ATTACK COULD RUIN THAT FOR US.

LIKE, I WOULD HAVE TO FIND, LIKE, I. I DON'T EVEN THINK.

I THINK I HAVE LIKE A FULL LIST, BUT LIKE, I'VE MOVED AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT PAPERWORK SPECIFICALLY IS, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I KEPT IT BECAUSE I, BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, WELL, THE CITY IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE IT, BUT WE COULD START AGAIN. LESSON LEARNED. I KNOW.

YEAH, I CAN LOOK BACK THROUGH BECAUSE I USUALLY TYPE UP MY STUFF.

MAYBE, BUT IT WAS BEFORE YOU EVEN CAME. OKAY.

IT WAS BEFORE LAST WEEK. I MEAN, I LOST EVERYTHING.

YEAH, IT WAS BEFORE LESLIE. IT WAS BECAUSE YOU'RE.

YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE MEMORY THAT GOES THE FARTHEST BACK.

YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE LEADER OF THE GANG. I KNOW, BUT BUT TO BE HONEST, I.

I DON'T DEBORAH, WERE YOU HERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING? GUINEA. WHAT WAS THAT? WERE YOU AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF OUR BOARD? I THINK YOU WERE. YES. OKAY. SO IT'S YOU AND I.

THAT'S IT. BECAUSE CAT. CAT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOARD.

SO IT WAS THOSE THREE. AND WE'VE LOST SOME SINCE THEN.

OH, GRACIOUS. SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A RECKONING OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE STILL NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.

YEAH. OKAY. SOME OF IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, AND WE JUST AREN'T AWARE OF IT.

WELL, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S SAYING. YEAH. THEN WE CAN FEEL LIKE WE'VE REALLY ACCOMPLISHED MORE.

YEAH. OKAY. I FEEL IT'S GETTING DRY. SORRY. ALRIGHT.

OH. IS THERE SOME ANYTHING ELSE? TOPIC WISE? I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT CONCLUSION WITH NOVEMBER.

[01:15:04]

RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE? I WILL MAKE A MOTION.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT THE NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER. WOW. WOW. I KNOW SEPTEMBER.

MEETING OF THE MAYOR ADVISORY BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

IS NOW ADJOURNED. AND WE WILL MEET BACK IN NOVEMBER, THE SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 3:00.

SOUNDS GOOD. GOOD. AWESOME.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.