The city does not offer closed captions of the videos, nor does it offer a transcript. And our meeting minutes are laughably sparse – basically who made a motion, second, and how the vote went.
This seems like a clear cut violation of ADA, but the kind that is not going to be fixed any time soon. From some quick googling, it appears that disability rights groups are currently struggling to fight this on the state level, and the state of Texas, among others, is refusing to provide subtitles or transcripts.
Selfishly, I want transcripts because I can skim a transcript far faster than I can sit here and watch a video. That’s the thing about accommodations – we should do them because it’s the right thing to do, but they also benefit all of us. Sometimes when we’re healthy, and all of us will be ailing at some point.
The other thing I’d like is the ability to watch the videos at 1.5x speed. It kills me to sit through every sigh and languid pause. City council members are not entertainers, nor should they be, but it means that the timing is, um, about 1/3 the rpm that I wish it were.
Looks like a short meeting? Hopefully I will go back and blog some previous meetings, so that the cite-and-release discussion gets in here. I think that’s important.
Anyway:
Something about Food establishment permits and fees during the Covid-19 pandemic response.
Emergency ordinance for payment plan for food establishments for permits and fees. Seems eminently reasonable. Quarterly payments. Available for the next six months. Sure, why not.
Max: What’ll we do in 6 months?
Staff: We can extend it.
Max: Do they have to be open? Or can they be still closed or something else?
Staff: Any. Partial. Whatever.
Max: What about forgiving these fees altogether?
Staff: About $35K.
Mayor Jane: (I’m not sure. Something about shuffling payments)
Then they talked about the fees. $300-700ish. Depends about the number of employees. Makes sense.
Melissa: 35K isn’t that much. Why not just waive it? These are our town square businesses.
Mayor Jane: Some of them are doing really well. How would we know who needs a waiver? Maybe just waive the first payment and divide by three payments? Waiving them all seems like a bad idea.
Melissa: There are estimated 45% – 29 of them – identified that are in dire straits. Let’s do something for those.
Saul: slicing fee schedule is fine, not a fan of waiving fees starting here. Bad precedent.
Max: Skipping first quarter and making in thirdly sounds good. Federal/state dollars, etc.
Mayor Jane: Maybe we can shuffle things down the line. Aren’t we stoked for places to reopen?
[The San Marxist: hmmm]
Anyway, everyone likes a flexible payment plan. I’m sure that will work out.
[This was awfully transcription of me. Let’s see if I don’t get the hang of summarizing things a bit better.]
More covid updates
Numbers, Abbot’s thing, etc.
An Abbot thing, too.
Basically we’re not allowed to do or enforce much. Occupancy restrictions, yes.
Park closures will continue, Abbot’s thing doesn’t matter.
[The San Marxist wishes they would relax the trails along the river park.]
Testing capacity: at least 7 facilities.
The state is going to put two drive up testing clinics in Hays, starting on May 10th. One in Wimberley and one in Dripping Springs. LAME WHY NOT US.
“hey, this is all on the dashboard. Are you even looking at this thing?” he says diplomatically.
We’re all good. We’re capable of looking at the dashboard. No wait! Max and Saul prefer the documents. Markeymoore says dashboard is okay.
Jane: have you two stubborn holdouts even looked at the dashboard?
Simultaneous: Yes! No!
The guy explains that an extra feature of the dashboard is that it’s accessible 24/7, through the most modern space-age technology. They all agree to give it a whirl.
[How is there still an hour left in this meeting? yikes.]
What about masks?
Max: about these tests,
[I guess I’ll pause this draft. I’m about 40 minutes in. I’m definitely going to have to figure out my rhythm of posting so that it’s not a giant burden. Lots to learn!]
The San Marxist 