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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-09-26 Public Comment - S. Birkenbuel - Disability Liaison & ADA CoordinatorFrom:Scott Birkenbuel To:Bozeman Public Comment Cc:Joey Morrison; Emma Bode; //www.bozemanmt.gov/Home/Components/StaffDirectory/StaffDirectory/417/2055 Subject:[EXTERNAL]Disability Liaison & ADA Coordinator Date:Tuesday, June 9, 2026 3:32:09 PM Attachments:Outlook-zwmh1g3o.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Public Comment to the Bozeman City Commission Regarding Funding for a Disability Liaison and ADA Coordinator Mayor, Commissioners, and City Staff, Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment today. I want to express my strong support for fully funding the Disability Liaison and ADA Coordinator positions that have already been identified by the City as necessary and important. The Commission and City staff took the important first step of creating these positions. Now, it is critical to provide the funding necessary to make them a reality. For people with disabilities who live, work, study, shop, and visit Bozeman, accessibility is not a luxury—it is a fundamental requirement for full participation in community life. When sidewalks are inaccessible, public meetings are difficult to navigate, programs lack accommodations, or barriers exist within City services, people with disabilities are effectively excluded from opportunities that others take for granted. An ADA Coordinator serves as the City's expert and point of accountability for ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This position helps identify barriers before they become problems, coordinates reasonable accommodations, oversees accessibility planning, assists departments in meeting legal obligations, and works to reduce the City's exposure to complaints and potential litigation. A Disability Liaison provides something equally important: a direct connection between the disability community and City government. This position creates opportunities for meaningful engagement, helps City leaders understand the lived experiences of residents with disabilities, and ensures that accessibility is considered proactively rather than reactively. The result is better planning, stronger community relationships, and more inclusive decision-making. Bozeman has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. As our community grows, so does the responsibility to ensure that all residents can participate equally in civic life. People with disabilities are business owners, employees, taxpayers, students, parents, veterans, and visitors. They contribute to the economic and social vitality of our community every day. Their voices deserve to be heard, and their needs deserve dedicated attention. The City has already recognized the importance of these positions by creating them. The remaining step is to provide the resources necessary to fulfill the commitment that their creation represents. Unfunded positions cannot improve accessibility, coordinate accommodations, engage the disability community, or help the City achieve its goals of inclusion and equity. Investing in accessibility is not simply about compliance. It is about creating a Bozeman where everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and thrive. It is about ensuring that a person using a wheelchair, a veteran with a traumatic brain injury, a senior experiencing vision loss, a child with a disability, or a visitor requiring accommodations can access the same opportunities as everyone else. I respectfully urge the Commission to fully fund both the Disability Liaison and ADA Coordinator positions and demonstrate Bozeman's commitment to being a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible community for all. Thank you for your consideration.