Title
Advisory Board on Disability Affairs Meeting of March 4, 2020.
Body
Quorum was reached
Deliver the Dream - Mr. Zach Goldberg, Program Director
Mr. Goldberg made a presentation regarding services provided by Deliver the Dream, which helps strengthen families. Mr. Goldberg stated there are currently three main free programs, longest one running is the retreat program.
Best Buddies - Ms. Victoria Pineda-Saladrigas - Deputy Director, Jobs South Florida
Ms. Liebl stated another of her long-term goals is to have companies within the City be interested in participating in the Best Buddies job program. Ms. Pineda-Saladrigas conducted presentation about the Best Buddies
program. Ms. Pineda-Saladrigas stated she conducted research regarding Coral Gables, which indicated there are currently eight active employers within the City with approximately eleven participants employed.
Ms. Pineda-Saladrigas stated she believes there is an opportunity to expand.
Trolley - Mr. Erin Martinez
Mr. Martinez presented the Board pictures of the trolley showing the difficulty of accessibility and stated he has been vocal regarding this in the past as well. Mr. Martinez advised he utilizes buses, trains as well as
trolley, which he stated are not accessible for wheelchair users and its operators may not have received proper training. Mr. Martinez advised there has been an issue regarding securing wheelchairs, where he has
requested not to be secured and trolley operator insist in doing so and saying he had to be “tied down”, words which he feels are not proper. Ms. Elejabarrieta advised she will forward pictures and provide
Mr. Martinez contact information to Director Kevin Kinney of the Parking Department who is the one in charge of the City trolleys. Ms. Elejabarrieta suggested Director Kinney be invited to next Board meeting to discuss the City’s trolley.
Non-Voting Board Member
Ms. Elejabarrieta advised upon review of City ordinance it states that a request for a non-voting Board member needs to be presented to Commission, therefore if it is the will of the Board, a motion is required.
Motion: To appoint a representative from the City of Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce as an ex-officio member of the City of Coral Gables Advisory Board on Disability Affairs.
Motion by: Ms. Whitehurst / 2nd: Ms. Palacio-Pike / All approved unanimously.