VIce Chair Purrington called the meeting to order at 11:08 a.m.

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Commissioner Randall reported that the accessibility expeditions group has been meeting every two weeks and continues to grow in participation. The group is now formally named Barrier Free Flagstaff (BFF). City Facilities Manager Jen Brown has be participating and is providing valuable information about city facilities and how accessibility expeditions could take place there. The group is exploring a large accessibility expedition in July at City Hall and the Public Library, potentially timed to coincide with the anniversary of the ADA, and involving city leaders, NAU, and public schools. Ahead of that, smaller “practice” expeditions are being considered at locations such as the Joe Montoya Senior Center, Hal Jensen, or the Jay Lively Ice Rink.

Additional updates include the participation of Sean Kugler, an accessibility expert at NAU, who shared that NAU will host a South Campus accessibility expedition in late March or early April, which members are encouraged to attend. The Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council has expressed support, with Jason Sneed now attending meetings and planning to participate directly; he has also met with Chief Connelly, who was very supportive and interested in being involved, including possibly hosting an expedition at the police department. Contact has also been made with Sheriff Axlund, who is interested, and a meeting with the new sheriff is being planned.

The group is also collaborating with Arizona Achieve, a self-advocacy organization connected to the Arc of Arizona, which plans to help publicize the expeditions. Finally, the group will give a brief presentation to the City Council on April 22, and the next BFF meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM.

The Commission discussed plans for the Spring Awards Ceremony, which is being organized by three students from NAU. The ceremony is scheduled for April 11 at City Hall, beginning at 3:00 PM, with formal invitations to be sent soon. The event will include a reception with food and mingling from approximately 3:00 to 4:30 PM, followed by a formal awards ceremony in the foyer. Attendance is expected to be about 50–60 people, including Commissioners, nominees, family members, liaisons, and invited community partners and VIPs. Highlights include a performance by a local folklórico ballet group and catering provided by NAU culinary students, with attention to inclusive dietary needs.

The nomination form for the awards is now live and active, with submissions due by March 5 at noon. Nominations are being accepted for several categories, including teachers, government, students (K–12 and higher education), volunteers, agencies of the year, and other individuals supporting inclusion in the community. Commissioners may submit multiple nominations, and members of the public may also nominate by entering their name in the designated field.

The Commission agreed to include nomination review as an action item for the March agenda. There was also discussion about sharing the nomination form more broadly, including possibly posting it on the Commission’s webpage.

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Ms. Reyes reported that Mountain Line is preparing to submit its Section 5310 mobility grant application, which is a critical funding source that supports essential services such as the taxi program and paratransit. This biennial grant is not expected to encounter any issues, and she expressed optimism and enthusiasm, particularly as this is their first cycle working directly within the ADOT grant process.

It was also announced that the Coordinated Mobility Council will meet on March 14. Community members were encouraged to participate. The council serves as a working group that takes a deeper look at transportation gaps and identifies where community input and action are needed to improve mobility.

Finally, progress continues on the development of an on-demand wheelchair-accessible vehicle service. New informational flyers have been printed, and staff offered to distribute them and provide additional details to anyone interested, reinforcing the city’s ongoing commitment to improving accessible transportation options.

Commissioner Randall reported that the Community of Practice transition team met and followed up on last month’s discussion about customized employment with Loretta Alvarez from the Sonoran Center on Public Policy, which was described as very informative. It was also announced that the Coconino High School youth job fair will take place on April 18 at Coconino High School in the morning, with employers and volunteers encouraged to participate, particularly to help conduct mock job interviews for students. Volunteers interested in serving as mock interviewers can contact the school’s transition coordinator. He also shared that Flagstaff Unified School District reported it is fully funding its TSW programs for next year despite broader funding uncertainties. An American Indian Disability Summit will be held on April 11 in Phoenix, and interested participants can reach out for more information. They also received positive news that the Navajo Vocational Rehabilitation office in Tuba City has reopened after being closed since the pandemic.

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The Commission clarified agenda planning for upcoming meetings, agreeing to move discussion of therapeutic recreation and Parks and Recreation hours of operation to April due to the lack of feedback from City Council so far. This would allow time to gather responses and align those topics into a single recreation-focused conversation. Code compliance and solid waste will remain on the March agenda. It was also confirmed that the Renew Active program is now accepted for membership at city facilities, an important update for senior residents.

During information sharing, Commissioner Purrington provided an update on her nonprofit, Welcomed Here, noting that its trainings are temporarily paused while the curriculum is being revised to align with evolving federal directives affecting equity and inclusion initiatives. New trainings will resume once updated guidance is available, and Commissioners were encouraged to continue sharing the organization while noting that revised workshops are forthcoming. The commission acknowledged the broader concerns about potential statewide and federal impacts, including possible deep cuts to Arizona’s Division of Developmental Disabilities budget, risks to special education services if the U.S. Department of Education were eliminated, and proposed long-term reductions to Medicaid.

To Commission on Inclusion and Adaptive Living meeting adjourned at 12:13 p.m.