Okay, this is the meeting of the Fall River Commission on Disability for uh Wednesday, September 17th um 2025. And pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video
recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived
by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Okay, I will entertain roll call. Chairman Dennis Paulelli >> here.
>> Commissioner Lisa Silva >> here. Commissioner Dan Roblard. >> Oh, what happened? >> Commissioner Dan Robelard >> here. >> Commissioner An O'Neal Souza >> here.
>> Commissioner Katie Driscoll >> here. >> Okay. Now, one of our one of our commissioners has a a commitment at 3:30. So, I'm going to entertain a motion that we take the agenda out of order to
include all the voting items at the top of the agenda. And we'll save the updates, you know, um we'll we'll do the updates later. So, I will need a motion to >> Mr. Chairman. >> Yeah. I I'd like to make a motion to
take the agenda out of order beginning with item number five and then proceeding to uh item number six. Let us see. >> Okay. Do I hear a second to that motion?
>> I'll second that, Lisa. >> Okay. Um roll call vote. >> Chairman Dennis Pelli. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva. Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Robelard. >> Yes.
>> Commissioner O'Neal Souza. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Katie Driscoll. >> Yes. >> And if it's okay, I will do the um I will do the public input um toward the end of the meeting after the voting
items if that's okay. Um I will ask for public input. So, having do that, having done that, the next item um on our agenda will be the election of officers. And I've asked Dan Robelard if he if he
could um chair the the election for the position of chair. So, I will I will relinquish to Dan Robelard. >> Absolutely, Mr. Pili. Thank you. At this time, I'd like to open nominations for
the office of chair of the for river disability commission for the year 2012526. I'll entertain a motion uh for chair of the commission. >> I'll make a motion to reappoint Dennis
Pelli as the chair of the disability commission. There's been a motion made by Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. Can I have a second? >> I'll second that, Lisa. >> Seconded by Commissioner Lisa Silva. Can I have a roll call vote on the office of
chair, please? >> Chairman Dennis Paulelli. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Robelard. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. >> Yes.
>> Commissioner K. Driscoll. Yes. [Applause] >> Okay. >> Did that go forward? I couldn't hear anybody voting. >> Oh, has everybody voted? Uh, what's
Okay, >> everybody. >> Did that motion pass, Sandy? >> Yes. >> Beautiful. Thank you. At this time, I'd like to entertain a a motion for the office of vice chair of the for
disability commission for the year 202526. >> I'll make a motion uh to elect Vice Chair Deborah for Vice Chair Deborah Pico. Second. >> Okay, we need a roll call vote. >> Chairman Dennis Paulelli,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva, >> yes. >> Commissioner Dan Roblard, >> yes. >> Commissioner Annne O'Neal Souza, >> yes. >> Commissioner Katie Driscoll, >> yes. I assume that motion uh pass, Sandy.
>> Correct. >> Beautiful. At this time, I'd like to entertain a motion for clerk of the commission for the year 202526. >> I can make a nomination. Can I? Am I? >> Absolutely. I'd like to nominate Lisa
Silvo. >> Second. >> There's been a motion made and a second. Can I have a roll call vote, please? >> Chairman Dennis Paulelli. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva. >> Commissioner. Okay. Commissioner Dan
Roblard. >> Yes. Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. >> Yeah. >> Commissioner Katie Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, all the officers have been unanimously reelected for the year
202526. Congratulations to all. >> Okay. Commissioner Robel, thank you very very much for for chairing the elections. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. The next item is um the allocation
of funding for the 2026 May 16th scholarship brunch to be held at McGovern's restaurant. Um and this is this will cover everything except the scholarship. So, it it's um in the past
we've done $8,000. Um and >> Mr. Chairman. >> Yep. >> I'd like to make a motion that we allocate $8,000 for all items uh for the 2026
scholarship event uh except for the scholarships themselves. That'll come at with a separate allocation at a later date. But for now, I motion that we allocate $8,000. >> I'll second that motion. Commissioner
O'Neal Souza. [Applause] >> Okay, I'll entertain a roll call vote. >> Chairman Dennis, >> I'm sorry before because I don't want to I don't want to cut anybody, but does anybody have any questions about that?
>> Okay, hearing none, go for the roll call. >> Chairman Dennis Paulelli. >> Yes. Commissioner Lisa Silva. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Roblard. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Katie Driscoll.
>> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm going to go back. Um well, let's let's just the last voting item would be the approval of the minutes for the meeting of
oh, what was it? August >> the August 2025 meeting of the for disability. >> I believe it was August 11th, folks. That's what it was. I drew a blank for a minute. >> 13th. >> Oh, 13th. I'm sorry. Thank you. And
Commissioner Souza. And >> Motion to approve the minutes for August 13, 2025. >> Second. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Chairman Dennis Pelli. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva.
>> Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Robelard. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Annel Souza. >> Yes. >> Commissioner K Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Okay. Those are all the voting items. Um
what I'm going to >> Motion to return the agenda to regular order. >> Okay. Do I hear a second to that? Second >> roll call. >> Chairman Dennis Pulcelli. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva.
>> Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Robelard. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Commissioner K Driscoll. >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm a little I'm a little
disoriented, but that's okay. Um, I'm trying to figure out why don't we do updates and then I'll do the public input. Does that is that okay with um can I do that or should I >> It's fine.
>> Okay. So, we'll do updates. We've taken care of all the voting items. So, um let me just do updates on the ADA. Next Wednesday, I will be talking to Jeff Dugan. Um he has agreed to have the commission host
um CAM training in 2026. 2025 calendar is all full. So 2026 um will be a CAM training and we will be hosting it and it will be zoom be
virtual. There is no cost involved. Um I'm sorry. uh as we get closer and once we finalize it um I'll have some things to say about let's see if we
can um if we could um uh ask city departments to take advantage of this opportunity um because it is it's free it's there are CEU credits involved as I explained last month and uh and it's virtual so you
don't really have to go anywhere you however you want to um take advantage. And it's not two consecutive days off like it used to be. It's spread out uh one one week and one the next week. Um and it's very valuable. It's
I've I've done a lot of disability awareness education and I think the community access monitor is the most dignified way to train people about disabilities and how people with disabilities get around and what the requirements are
without people having to, I don't know, go around in wheelchairs for a minute or so or pretend you're blindfolded or whatever. some of these awareness activities that I'm not exactly a fan of as you can tell. Um,
so, so I'll let you I'll I'll um I'll once I I'll I'll let you know next month what the date will be uh under ADA. Otherwise, I don't have any real ADA updates right now. Oh, I do have one.
There was nothing from the city of Fall River from what I heard according to what I heard from uh the Mass Office of Disability. I don't think there was any improvement grants that were submitted this particular year. I just want to
remind everybody though that there is no truth to the fact that you have to wait a year. So, if you submit for an ADA improvement grant one year, you do not have to wait another year or two or
whatever, you can submit the next year. It could be um to conclude a project that was started one year and maybe didn't get funded or it could be for a whole different project, but you don't have to wait a year to submit an ADA
improvement grant. So, um, and as far as I know, there are no updates under B policies. There's no updates on policies. And, uh, the budget report for September
has already been distributed and we're all set on scholarships. Um under the outreach we did have one person who was transferring to another institution. Um
I'm trying to think now this person will be going to you know what I don't remember. So I'll I'll I'll look it up and let you guys know next month. But I know that uh the person will be transferring in January which is in the same fiscal year. So we
will make sure that the scholarship goes to the next institution that this person is going to. It just the the exact details right now escape my mind, but I'll look it up and I'll do both an email to everybody and
I'll also report it, you know, so that it's on the record next month. Um, that takes us to old business. Is there any old business? Okay, hearing none. We'll be under new business and the next meeting will be
Wednesday, October uh 8th. I just want to um I want to give some information that I promised Keith Thol Community Voler Media um about where people can get
information about candidates for the election. Um um I know I was concerned about it as a a person with a visual disability, but um but I think it might be of interest to um not only the disability community,
but anybody in the community. And I told them I would do this. Um channel 95 uh fall rivermedia.org 2025. I'm sorry. It's fall riverfrdia.org/election20205. That's fria.org/election2025.
Has all the information, videos, um pro biographies, anything you want to know about candidates. And it's accessible. I've been on it. I've checked out the site. Um, but that's the site that you can go to to get any information you want about
candidates for mayor and city council and school committee. And I'll I'll probably repeat this again at the October commission meeting, but I just I just wanted everybody to know that that's the website you can go to to get any biographies and whatnot on the
candidates. So, any questions about that? Okay, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Do I hear a second to that? >> I'll second that. Lisa.
>> Okay. Roll call. >> Chairman Dennis Pelli. >> Uh, yes. >> Commissioner Lisa Silva. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Dan Roblard. >> Yes. Commissioner Anonil Souza,
>> I think. >> Yes. My apologies. I forgot I was not. >> That's That's okay. >> Commissioner Katie Driscoll. >> Yes. >> All right. The meeting is adjourned.