(1) Findings. The council finds as follows:
(a) It is the policy of the city to promote the full integration and participation of persons with disabilities into all areas of economic, political and community life.
(b) The city is committed to utilizing all available resources and to coordinating efforts toward removing barriers to full integration and participation of persons with disabilities.
(2) Established, appointment of members.
(a) There is hereby established a commission on disability concerns for the city. The commission shall have nine members, and two alternates to be appointed by the mayor for a term of three years. The first appointments to the commission shall be three commissioners each for one-year, two-year, three-year terms.
(b) Upon recommendation of a majority of the commission the appointment of any member shall terminate upon such member's unexcused absence from three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings.
(3) Duties and powers.
(a) To actively promote the total integration and participation of persons with disabilities into all areas of economic, political, and community life.
(b) To serve as a coordinating body for the purpose of receiving input from citizens on the needs and concerns of the disabled community, to formulate and recommend solutions to these identified needs and concerns, and to convey such recommendations to appropriate citizens, businesses and governmental bodies.
(c) To work with the city to identify and eliminate conditions, policies, or practices that may operate to discriminate against, exclude, or hinder the full integration and participation of persons with disabilities.
(d) To work with the city to create conditions, to establish policies and practices, and to develop or adapt programs which will facilitate the full integration and participation of persons with disabilities into all areas of economic, political, and community life.
(e) To render advice, to monitor, and to evaluate all city policies, practices, and procedures, which immediately or remotely impact upon persons with disabilities.
(f) To assist the city in its efforts to comply with such codes, ordinances, and statutes that affect disabled persons in the city.
(g) To maintain working committees when appropriate to oversee areas of concern such as, but not limited to, transportation, architectural, communications, employment and education. These committees may appoint one of their members to act as a liaison to their respective city commissions and departments. In addition, the commission may designate one of its members to act as a liaison representative to any other board, commission or committee of the city.
(h) To coordinate training and public education progress, hold hearings and workshops, and conduct investigations about the integration of persons with disabilities.
(4) Compensation. The members of the disability concerns commission shall serve without compensation.
(5) Organization, meetings, rules and procedures.
(a) The commission membership shall be primarily persons with disabilities, or their advocating family members. The commission membership shall be representatives of different disability groups, including physical, sensory and mental disabilities, and shall be representative of gender, age and racial groups in the community. A minimum of five members of the commission shall be residents of the city, and a maximum four members may work for an employer located within the corporate boundaries of Dearborn as determined by a verifiable business address (not a P.O. box).
(b) The city shall provide appropriate accommodations for the known physical, sensory or mental disabilities of commission members and other participants in commission activities, including, but not limited to, assistance with transportation, reading, writing, communicating and aids such as tape-recorded, Braille, large print materials and signing.
(c) The commission shall annually elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members. An officer or employee of the city appointed by the mayor and approved by the commission shall serve as an administrative liaison to the commission.
(d) The commission shall establish a regular time and place of meeting and shall hold one regular meeting at least quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson, or by a majority of the members of the commission upon written notice received by each member at least five days prior to such meeting. Meeting notices of the commission shall be posted in a conspicuous public place at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
(e) The commission shall make and alter rules and procedures governing its organization that are not inconsistent with this chapter, or any other city ordinance.
(f) The commission shall keep a record of its proceedings and transactions and shall submit an annual report to the mayor.
(g) If the residency or employment status of a member or alternate member of the commission changes, and as a result they are no longer a resident of the city or do not work for an employer located within the corporate boundaries of the city, the member or alternate shall be considered ineligible to serve on the commission. The member or alternate, upon learning of the change in their residency or employment status, shall immediately notify the administrative liaison to the commission and the city clerk. A member of the commission shall be considered ineligible to serve on the commission immediately upon a change in eligibility under this subsection.
(6) Quorum. Five members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the concurring vote of at least five members shall be necessary to take action by such commission.
(Ord. No. 00-827, §§ 1-6, 7-5-00; Ord. No. 22- 1783, 1-10-23)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 00-827, §§ 1—6, adopted July 5, 2000, did not specifically amend the Code; hence inclusion as § 2-369 was at the editor's discretion.