Title
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report
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FileID
File ID: 2024-00577
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Receive and file.
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Contact
Contact: Jesse Gothan, Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-6897, jgothan@cityofsacramento.org; Ofelia Avalos, Engineering Manager, (916) 808-5054, oavalos@cityofsacramento.org, Department of Public Works
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Presenter
Presenter: None.
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Annual Report
3-DAC Item 2022-01483 - Public Meeting Accessibility
4-DAC November 2021 Letter to Council for Accessibility
5-DAC March 2022 Additional feedback letter
6-Clerk's Response to DAC regarding Public Meeting Accessibility
7-Reference Department of Rehabilitation - Public Meeting Accessibility
8-Golden 1 Center Photos Vehicles in Pedestrian Access Route
9-Golden 1 Center Video
10-Feb 2022 DAC inclusive housing letter
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The Disabilities Advisory Commission (DAC) includes five powers and duties as set forth in Section 2.53.040 of the City Code:
A. To serve as an advisory body to the city regarding compliance with federal and state disability laws. The commission shall not advise the city concerning litigation or administrative proceedings to which the city is a party;
B. To review policies, programs and activities within the city as they affect persons with disabilities;
C. To recommend procedures for city employees with disabilities to request and receive reasonable accommodations;
D. To provide information, referral and technical assistance to the city in matters pertaining to disability issues;
E. To establish a liaison with the city’s ADA coordinators to assist with policies, procedures and programs as they relate to federal and state disability laws.
Chapter 17 of the Council Rules of Procedure states that each city advisory body shall provide an annual report for review by the Personnel and Public Employees Committee (P&PE). At a minimum, reports should include the following:
• Enacting Code
• List of members
• List of staff
• Purpose/Powers and Duties
• Highlights and accomplishments from the previous year and any resulting recommendations
• Resources needed to support the legislative body
• Projects, Priorities, and Objectives for the upcoming year including resources required
The attached Annual Report is being forwarded to the P&PE Committee for action. The DAC also specifically requested to include attachments that reflect their official correspondence.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: Chapter 2.53 of the City Code outlines the responsibilities of the DAC: The commission is established for the purpose of providing advice and recommendations to the mayor and city council on strategies and policies designed to ensure and enhance the city’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations
Chapter 17 of the Council Rules of Procedure outlines the Advisory Body reporting process.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not Applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This action is not a project that is subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5)).
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not Applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: On December 6, 2023, the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission passed a motion forwarding their Annual Report to the P&PE Committee for consideration. On February 13, 2024, the P&PE Committee passed a motion forwarding the annual report to the City Council.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: So that advisory bodies may effectively incorporate their important role, voice, and work to provide thoughtful community recommendations to the City Council on a consistent basis the P&PE Committee shall facilitate the process for advisory bodies to communicate their accomplishments, projects, priorities, and recommendations to the City Council.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: This report includes recommendations that if implemented, would require additional resources. At this time, staff has not analyzed the specific costs of these recommendations.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not Applicable.
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Background
Background: The Disabilities Advisory Commission was established in 2001 and outlined in Chapter 2 of the City Code.
Chapter 17, Section C of the Council Rules and Procedures, establishes the following requirements for Advisory Body Reports:
Advisory body recommendations and reports to the city council shall follow the procedure set forth in this Rule 17.C. 2. Annual report preparation.
a. Each advisory body shall provide an annual report for review by the Personnel and Public Employees (P&PE) Committee.
b. The annual report shall be provided in a format established by the city clerk and should include highlights and accomplishments from the prior year’s work; proposed projects, priorities, and recommendations for the upcoming year; and any other information required of the advisory body according to the Sacramento City Code.
c. The city clerk shall manage an advisory body annual report calendar so that city staff can gather input to prepare a proposed report to the advisory body in a timely manner.
d. Each advisory body must approve its annual report before presentation to the P&PE Committee. When presenting proposed reports to advisory bodies, staff should include information on the feasibility of any recommendations therein.
The Annual Plan includes the following seven recommendations. A discussion of feasibility as reviewed by staff follows.
1. Add a citywide ADA coordinator position in the next budget cycle. This position would be responsible for enhancing ADA programs citywide; working with internal and external stakeholders; coordinating ADA activities and providing leadership relative to the city’s commitment to a strong and effective ADA program. The ADA Coordinator would serve as the City’s spokesperson on ADA issues; staff the city’s Disabilities Advisory Commission and bring at least one matter in each of the Powers and Duties on an annual basis, and recommend policy and programs to the City Council and City Manager.
Analysis: Over a decade ago, the DAC and ADA coordination had a different structure. The DAC was staffed through the Human Resources Department. Public Works had a Program Specialist position that administered ADA requests and ADA reporting for transportation infrastructure. The transportation requests and reporting duties were subsequently assigned to other staff in Public Works rather than through a single position. Later, management and staffing of the DAC was reassigned from the Human Resources Department to the Public Works Department. An additional position to serve citywide ADA coordination and functions as recommended by the DAC would require a General Fund budget augmentation or realignment. The actual salary would depend upon the classification.
2. By February 2024 or as soon as possible, ensure all public meetings are ADA accessible. This includes ADA compliant agendas available in print and online, closed captioning for all meetings which are live streamed, automated entrances to council chambers, integrated seating in council chambers, disability awareness and etiquette training for clerks who staff public meetings, and an ADA compliant virtual option for individuals with mobility challenges and/or who are transportation challenged as a result of their disabilities.
Analysis: This would require one-time improvements to the Council chambers and ongoing costs for operations. Facilities staff has a project for automatic doors estimated to cost $100,000 that will be implemented later this year during the next recess. The IT Department staff is currently in the process of updating the city website, which will include a comprehensive assessment and remediation of website accessibility compliance and a corresponding report. The completion is scheduled for this summer. Staff has not analyzed specific costs associated with the other recommended items.
3. Update the City’s Mandatory Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Training for City Elected Officials, Council Staff, and Appointed officers to include “Disability Awareness & Etiquette,” ableist and person-first language, and self-description training for inclusive meetings.
Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
4. Update the City’s Race & Gender Equity Plan 2020-2025 and future plans addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to include individuals with observable and non-observable disabilities.
https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/Divisions/ode/workforce-equity-documents/Full-RGEAP.pdf
Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
5. Invite the Disabilities Advisory Commission to present to the Council’s Racial Equity Committee regarding the intersectionality of disability with race and gender in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
6. Establish a reasonable and equitable ADA drop-off and pick-up location for the Golden1 Center with appropriate wayfinding and assign resources to monitor and enforce this location.
Analysis: City staff are exploring an update of the Transportation Management Plan for the Golden 1 Center and Downtown and seeking to secure funding for this effort.
7. The Commission requests that an additional opportunity for open public comment be added after the opening of all public City meetings as a reasonable accommodation.
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