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The next RTA ADA Advisory Committee meeting will be held on October 18, 2010 from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM in the RTA Board Room. Pease contact Michael VanDekreke at (312) 913-3204 (voice), (312) 913-3122 (TTY) or by email at
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at least two business days prior to the meeting if you need to request an accommodation in order to attend.
On Monday, July 12, 2010, the RTA ADA Advisory Committee met from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM in the RTA Board Room. Those in attendance are listed at the end of this memo. This memo is a summary of the items covered.
Welcome and Introductions: Michael VanDekreke began the meeting by introducing Stephen Schlickman, RTA Executive Director who thanked the committee for participating in the RTA ADA Advisory Committee. Mr. Schlickman stated: While the RTA does not operate service, the RTA is responsible for oversight of operations of all service, including ADA service, and is responsible for annual reporting on compliance with the ADA. The RTA has been dedicated to making sure that that we are compliant with at least the minimum requirements of the ADA, and in many ways we exceed the minimum requirements. We need to make sure that we not only provide the best possible service on the street, but also the most cost effective service since, as you know, we are very strapped for funding here at the RTA. So your input is very important to us and we will use your direction to help move us forward as we report to the RTA Board on our ADA service. Michael VanDekreke then moved into roll-call. All members present are listed at the end of the summary. A quorum of the voting members of the Committee was present. Michael also explained that later in the year two additional non-voting members would be joining the committee representing the CTA ADA Advisory Committee and the Metra ADA Advisory Committee once those two committees finalize their process of reforming. Michael then asked all committee members to introduce themselves so that all members could get to know one another. Once all Committee members introduced themselves, Michael VanDekreke asked all individuals in the audience to introduce themselves as well so that all in the room could be aware of who was present.
Presentation: RTA History and Purpose: Michael VanDekreke introduced Gil Feliciano, Manager of Public Outreach for the RTA, who gave a brief presentation of the RTA structure and our responsibilities so that the committee could receive a more general orientation to the RTA. The presentation covered the vision of the RTA, how the RTA was created, an outline of RTA departments, and general annual budget information for the RTA and Service Boards. Gil passed out the RTA Factbook which outlines the structure and purpose of the RTA and the Service Boards. Michael VanDekreke then gave a brief overview of the ADA related services that are currently provided by the RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace and new initiatives that are in the process of being developed to benefit people with disabilities.
Purpose of the Committee: Michael VanDekreke explained that the RTA wanted to explain what the RTA sees as the purpose of the RTA ADA Advisory Committee so that we can make sure that all members understand their role, how the Committee structure will work and assure we are all under the same understanding of the Committee’s function. Michael explained that the main function of the Committee is for the RTA to obtain input on services, programs and oversight policies that relate to people with disabilities in this six-county region. The RTA will bring presentations to each meeting on various topics that we are looking for the Committee’s input. We may also bring our budgetary concerns around ADA service to the Committee and ask for input on funding options or creative solutions for generating additional funding. Michael also explained that the nature of an advisory committee is that while we are looking for input, there may be times that we do not take the input provided. We want the Committee to understand that if we do not implement the Committee’s input, it is not that we don’t value it; it just means that there were other factors that lead to us not taking the input at that time. Another purpose of the Committee is to help the RTA get out messages to the disability community. So there may be times that the RTA asks Committee members to pass on information to their program participants or other individuals that they represent. Michael then asked the Committee if there were any questions about their role. No questions or concerns were raised.
Structure of the Committee and Committee Meetings: Michael then explained the structure of the Committee. He reported that the meetings will take place on a quarterly basis and will be two hours in duration. There are two different tiers to the Committee; voting members and non-voting members. Michael read the names of the seven members who are voting members, whose responsibility is to vote on acti Save ons the Committee is asked to take. Michael then read the names of the nine non-voting members on the Committee and explained that their role is to act as a liaison to the entities they are there to represent and to make requests to the committee of business items they would like the Committee to address on behalf of the entity they represent. Michael also explained that his role as Chair is to run the meeting as well as act as the liaison between the RTA and the Committee. He explained that the meetings will run under Robert’s Rules of Order. The RTA will ask the Committee to provide input on topics related to the RTA Travel Information Center, the RTA Fare Programs, the RTA Travel Training Program, the ADA Paratransit Certification and Appeal Programs, the accessibility of RTA websites, any coordination of regional transit between the Service Boards, budgetary issues related to ADA Paratransit and input into our oversight responsibilities to ADA minimum requirements.
Reading and Adoption of the Committee Bylaws: Michael read the draft bylaws to the Committee, which is attached to this summary. After reading the bylaws Michael asked the Committee if there were any questions about the bylaws. Amber Smock expressed concern that potentially the Chairman has too much responsibility. She provided a few examples from the bylaws. First, the bylaws state that the Chairman is also the Chair of all working groups. Amber suggested that perhaps that chairmanship could be shared for working groups. Amber also expressed concern over the role of the Committee Advisor to the Chair. She felt that this role should perhaps be a role for the Committee as a whole through member consensus. She also asked if instead of Committee members having to talk to the Committee Advisor to the Chair, that they can talk directly to the Chair. Lastly she discussed that perhaps there could be someone set up to help decide if an audience member needs to be ejected from a meeting since there is such active disability advocacy groups in this region. Ms. Amber Smock stated that these suggestions do not have to be adopted right now, but they are issues that she would like to see considered by the Chair. Mr. VanDekreke stated that the bylaws state that the Committee can vote to request a change to the bylaws by a two-thirds majority vote, and then RTA staff would bring that request for revision to the RTA Board for consideration. Michael also stated that the RTA wants to make sure that the Committee understands that the Committee is purely advisory is nature and not an advocacy group. Executive Director, Stephen Schlickman, asked Michael to explain the difference between the RTA ADA Advisory Committee and the Service Boards’ ADA Advisory Committees. Michael explained that the Service Boards’ ADA Advisory Committees are charged with giving advice on actual service operations. The RTA ADA Advisory Committee would be providing advice on coordination of service, planning initiatives or very specific programs run by the RTA. So if an advocacy group wanted to address a transit operational issue in this region, they would be best served by working with the Service Board that provides the operation of the service that they are concerned with. Mr. Barry Taylor asked if we knew the timeline for the restructuring of the CTA ADA Advisory Committee. Michael explained that the CTA has almost completed their process or reforming and it is anticipated that their committee will be up and running before the next RTA ADA Advisory Committee meeting in October, therefore adding their new Chair to our Committee. Lynn O’Shea asked if all of these advisory committees are a requirement of the FTA. Michael explained that the RTA act states that there has to be one or more ADA Advisory Committees in this region to advise on ADA related transit concerns. In this region there are four ADA Advisory Committees, thus we are going above and beyond the requirement. Once discussion ended, Michael VanDekreke asked for a motion to accept the draft bylaws as written. It was explained that once the committee agreed to the draft bylaws, the RTA staff will request that the RTA Board of Directors adopt the bylaws, thus allowing the Committee to move forward as a Committee of the RTA. Lynn O’Shea made the motion but asked to comment during discussion. Emily Kerry seconded the motion. For discussion, Lynn O’Shea asked that Amber Smock write up her suggestions for revisions to the bylaws and email them to Michael VanDekreke to distribute to the Committee members. Ms. Smock agreed to this plan. Ms. O’Shea stated that she would like the Committee to revisit the proposed revisions from Amber at the next meeting, but still moved to adopt the draft bylaws until then. The Committee unanimously adopted the draft bylaws.
Mr. VanDekreke asked if there are any members of the public that would like to make comments during the last fifteen minutes of the meeting. No one from the public requested to make a statement.
Division of Initial Terms: Mr. VanDekreke discussed the need to develop staggering terms for the Committee members so that no all Committee members’ terms end at the same time. Four of the members of the inaugural Committee will have a two-year first term and three of the members will have a one-year fist term. However, it was noted that the members who agree to a one-year first term have the option to continue for an additional two, two-year terms where the members who agree to initial two-year term have the option of only one additional two-year term. Michael asked members to volunteer for the term length that is most desirable to them. Ms. Emily Karry asked if at the end of a term a member does not continue, does the organization they represent send a new member, does their county get a different representative, or does the county they represent lose their representation? Mr. VanDekreke explained that the RTA wants to have a member from each county, so if someone resigns or their term ends, the RTA will look to replace that member with someone else from that county. The RTA would definitely be open to suggestions from the member leaving the Committee for their replacement, and we would work with the RTA Board of Directors to adopt new members at the beginning of each new term. Amber Smock asked if she needed to resign from the Committee for any reason, could she send someone else from Access Living to take her place. Mr. VanDekreke reported that the RTA would be happy to get a recommendation of a replacement that was agreed upon by the Committee members, but ultimately it will be the final decision of the RTA on who the replacement would be. Committee members then began to volunteer for initial one and two year term lengths. Lynn O’Shea, Emily Karry and Bob Griffin volunteered for one-year initial terms and Pam Heavens, Amber Smock, Dr, Janet Szlyk and Barry Taylor volunteered for an initial two-year term. Michael Explained that the terms will begin with the start of the next meeting.
Election of the Advisor to the Chair Position: Michael VanDekreke explained the purpose of the Advisor to the Chair position. He explained that the individual in this position would act as a liaison to the Committee members to help plan topics for agendas. Mr. VanDekreke explained that the RTA will be bringing presentations on topics to each meeting that fit with the timing of decisions that need to be made within the RTA, but there will be meetings where we would have time to present on additional topics that are of interest to the Committee members. The Advisory to the Chair will be responsible for communicating the requests for these topics from Committee members to the Chair and assist in general planning of agendas for the Committee. Lynn O’Shea nominated Barry Taylor for this position. Barry reported that he would be willing to take this position, but noted that sometimes there is a preference for leaders in ADA Committees to be a person with a visible disability. Michael VanDekreke asked the Committee how they felt about this issue. There was no objection from the Committee members to have Barry in this role. Michael then asked for a vote. Lynn O’Shea made a motion to elect Barry Taylor as the Advisor to the Chair position on the committee. Bob Griffin seconded the motion. There was no discussion. The committee voted unanimously to elect Barry Taylor as the Advisory to the Chair. Michael VanDekreke indicated that this position on the Committee is a one-year time commitment, and each year we will re-elect the Advisor to the Chair position.
Scheduling Future Meetings: Michael reported that future meetings will take place quarterly in the months of January, April, July and August. Through discussion it was agreed that the next meeting would take place on October 18, 2010 from 1:30-3:30 PM. Lynn O’Shea asked if the third Monday of the month would work on an on-going basis for the Committee members. The Committee agreed that the third Monday of January, April, July and October from 1:30-3:30 would be the on-going meeting day and time for the RTA ADA Advisory Committee going forward.
Input on Travel Training Video: Michael VanDekreke asked the Committee if this item could be added to the agenda. No one opposed. Michael introduced Suzanne Snipes who explained the project. Suzanne Snipes reported that the purpose of the video is to create a product that encourages people who are applying for ADA Paratransit to consider participating in the RTA Travel Training Program. This video will play at the RTA assessment sites in the waiting room while individuals are waiting for their paratransit assessment interview. The purpose of this video is to dispel commonly heard myths associated with Travel Training and benefits of participating in the training program. Suzanne asked the Committee members to provide input into the development of the video and provided a questionnaire for Committee members to fill out and return to Michael VanDekreke. Michael stated that he will email the questionnaire to the Committee members as well so they can fill them out and return them electronically. Barry Taylor asked if the video will be fully accessible. Michael responded affirmatively. Amber Smock asked if the video will be available in alternate language formats. Diane Palmer of the RTA Communications Department responded that we can work with our production company to provide alternative language captioning.
Public Comment: Michael VanDekreke asked the audience again if there were any individuals from the audience that would like to make a public comment. There were no requests for public comment.
Additional Committee Comments: Barry Taylor requested that a contact sheet be distributed to all Committee members. Amber Smock asked if there are quality control measures in place that the RTA is currently implementing for the Service Boards or will there be in the future. Michael VanDekreke explained that each Service Board is responsible for implementing their own policies on quality control, but Michael will follow-up internally to find out what the RTA is doing to oversee quality control. Commissioner Karen Tamley requested that at some future meeting the Committee receive a presentation on all of the ADA related service being provided in the region by the RTA and service boards so that the Committee can understand what is being offered currently and to think about ways to help coordinate efforts across the region.
Adjournment: A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Dr. Janet Szlyk. Emily Karry seconded the motion. The Committee unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting.
In Attendance:
Voting Committee Members
Bob Griffin
Pam Heavens
Emily Karry
Lynn O’Shea
Amber Smock
Dr. Janet Szlyk
Barry Taylor
Non-Voting Committee Members
Brian Barnes ~Via Conference Call
Jim Ferneborg
Sandra Saunders~ Via Conference Call
Commissioner Karen Tamley
Michael VanDekreke
Other RTA and Service Board Staff:
Gil Feliciano, RTA
Diane Palmer, RTA
Anne LeFevre, RTA
Suzanne Snipes, RTA
Stephen Schlickman, RTA
Al Cacciottolo, Pace
Deborah Lopez, CTA
Public:
Paula Trigg
Jim Watkins
Marica Trawinski
Michelle Host
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RTA ADA Advisory Committee