Commission on Human Needs Minutes - 05/21/2001 I RECEIVED IN
COMMISSION ON HUMAN NEEDS CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
MINUTES OF MEETING _ Iq_Q
May 21, 2001 Date .
By Time vi• AM
Today's meeting is a regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission on Human Needs. The
meeting was convened in the City of Wichita Falls City Council Conference Room. Attendance
was as follows:
Present Staff Liaison
Katherine Philips David Goodrich
Penny Miller
Brent Walker
Dennis Marquardt
Kirby C. Haskins Absent
Cheryl Krause Renee' Jackson
Rita Vokes David Coddington
J.D. Jamar Maria Maldonado
Bob McBee Keith Cupples
Veronica Moody Vickie Tanner
Kay Geurin
Steve Young
1. Call to Order
Item 1. Ms. Penny Miller called the commission to order at 5:06 p.m. by a quorum. The
April 16, 2001 minutes were approved with minor corrections and the following
items were discussed:
2. Old Business
Item 1.Committee on Aging- Mrs. Kay Geurin said her committee had not met for this
month. Yet the committee did not meet, they are still making contacts with the
agencies on the assigned lists and verifying the services provided. Positive
comments were made regarding the public announcements made on television.
Item 2.Committee on Disability- Mr. J.D. Jamar said his committee was still in the
process of validating the information on the City's Web page. They would like
the City Web page to provide the community with four pieces of information:
A. The goals of the Commission
B. Accomplishments of Commission goals
C. The goals of individual Committees'
D. Accomplishments of individual committees'goals
E. Listing of the commission's officers, individual committee members and
Wichita Falls' liaison officials
F. Copies of previous and past year commission minutes to date.
G. Information concerning current events involving the commission members
Some commission members found the city's web page to not be "user friendly." Ms.
Miller asked Mr. Jamar to pass this information on the City's Web master. Also, she
requested he investigate the possibility of having the brochure on the Human Needs
Commission inserted on the City's Web page. Mr. Jamar will provide an update at the
next meeting.
Commission on Human Needs(continued)
Item 3.Committee on the Status of Women- PURCHASING VIVITAR CAMERAS
FOR EACH WICHITA FALLS' POLICE DEPARTMENT (WFPD) CARS TO
USE DURING INVESTIGATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES-Mrs.
Rita Vokes reported the following:
a. Her committee raised $4,200. This amount exceeded the required
amount to purchase cameras for the WFPD. She gave "Kudos" to the
Lutheran Brotherhood who contributed a $1,000 and to the Wells
Fargo Bank for still holding an account for those still wishing to
contribute.
b. The extra money is designated to purchase 10 Vivitar cameras to assist
the Wichita County Sheriffs Department during their investigation of
domestic violence cases.
c. A formal ceremony and luncheon to present the money for the cameras
is scheduled for June 1, 2001, at 11:30 in the Police Academy
classroom in the Wichita Falls Police Department. All members
desiring to attend must make prior reservations with Ms. Vokes or
members of her committee
d. The seminar on domestic violence scheduled for October is postponed
till the spring. The committee wants time for ample and additional
planning.
Item 4.Committee on Human Needs-Ms. Katherine Phillips said that her committee had
not met but they were working diligently on making more contacts in the
community regarding race relations.
Item 5.Needs Assessment Survey-The Needs Assessment Survey is complete. The final
assessment should be complete in June or July.
3. New Business:
Item 1.Mr. Larry Blowers, Transit Administrator, came and spoke to the commission on
the transportation needs for the city of Wichita Falls. He reported the following:
a. The Transit Division has a total of 12 buses.
b. Six buses are operated on any given day during a normal workweek.
c. It costs an estimated $29 per hour to operate a bus.
d. His budget is approximately$1.2 million a year.
e. The Federal and state government subsidizes with 75% of the funds
needed to operate the Transit System.
Commission on Human Needs (continued)
f. He gave the following specifics for elderly and disabled bus services:
(a) The bus service operates in compliance with the American's With
Disabilities Act(ADA).
(b) The ADA imposes many challenging regulations that must be
adhered to.
(c) The city charges the disabled, students and persons who are 65
years of age or older 350. Other passengers are charged 750 per
trip. When an elderly person is handicap certified, then they fall
under the ADA.
(d) All buses are wheelchair accessible. It may take up to 7 minutes to
lower, collect and rise with the disabled/elderly person on board.
This poses a time restriction, but if the driver is asked to deploy the
lift,then they will do so to aid the person with the special need.
(e) The drivers are allowed to deviate their travel service route. This
is where the bus may pull up to the establishment or to a person's
residence to reduce the risk of harm to the rider.
(f) Mr. Blower is willing to set up public informative meetings with
the public. His phone number is 761- 7433.
Item 2: Mr. Bob McBee informed the commission that the sexual Assault Awareness
program at MSU was a resounding success.
4. Adjourn.
Item 1.There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded. The motion to
adjourn was unanimous. The committee adjourned at 6:07 p.m.
Item 2.The next meeting will be held in on June 18, 2001 at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council
Conference Room.
h ��lj+ h/crsil,Hs Rhny jf,//er
akG
Mr. Kirby C. Haskins Ms. Penny Miller
Secretary Chairperson