ADA Advisory Committee
The Cedar Rapids City Council established the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Advisory Committee in August 2012 to serve the City and Linn County as an advisory resource on all matters as it relates to Title II of the ADA.
The ADA was passed by Congress in 1990. Title II of the ADA notes that state and local governments “cannot deny services to people with disabilities participation in programs or activities which are available to people without disabilities. In addition, public transportation systems, such as public transit buses, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.”
The ADA Advisory Committee by-laws were formally adopted by the City Council on August 14, 2012.
The Committee's goals and responsibilities include:
- Provide advice, and recommendations to improve accessibility, and identify accessibility needs and issues to new and existing programs, services, and facilities as it relates to Title II of the ADA.
- Develop relationships with other organizations serving individuals with disabilities as identified by the ADA and actively engage in education and outreach activities as it relates to Title II of the ADA.
- Annually develop a work plan consisting of goals and objectives for the Committee to pursue.
- Provide opportunities for the public to comment on alternatives and proposals related to accessibility improvements under consideration and disseminate information to all interested, affected, and/or concerned groups and citizens about plans or decisions related to the Committee’s work.
- Monitor ADA complaints and direct them to the appropriate agencies and staff (staff for Title II issues and Civil Rights for Title III issues).
- Seek out opportunities to discuss issues of accessibility with residents and familiarize themselves with the range of public opinion.
- Consider any issue brought before it by the public that directly relates to issues of accessibility or the ADA.
- Familiarize themselves with the ADA and the status of existing City and County programs, services, and facilities.
- Actively participate in the ADA Advisory Committee meetings, public information, and community involvement efforts.
Meetings
Regular meetings are held at a city-designated facility at 2:00 p.m. every quarter. The specific City facility is posted on all agendas; all meeting agendas will be posted a minimum of 24 hours before the meeting.
Agendas, Packets, and Minutes
Membership
The Advisory Committee consists of a total of eleven (11) members, six (6) members who are appointed by the Mayor and five (5) members who are appointed by the Linn County Board of Supervisors, for a term of three (3) years serving no more than two (2) consecutive terms. At least 51% of the Committee must be made up of individuals living with a disability as defined by the ADA including hearing impairment, intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, mobility impairment, and vision impairment. The Committee membership may include at least one representative of the following: architectural design, professional service provider for individuals with disabilities as defined by the ADA, caregivers to persons living with a disability, and transportation service providers to persons living with a disability. Committee members are required at all times to be residents within the corporate limits of Linn County. The Committee annually elects a Chair and a Vice-Chair. Regularly scheduled meetings will take place quarterly.
Current Members:
Chair - Jeff Schneider (2026)
Vice Chair - Garret Frey (2026)
Ann Hearn (2024)
Asherdee Diamond (2024)
Christopher Myers (2024)
Danielle Rodriguez (2024)
Lexi Coberly (2024)
Hilda Dawson (2026)
Term expirations on June 30 of the year in parenthesis above.
Related Links
- ADA Advisory Committee 2023 Workplan
- ADA Accessibility Improvements Update
- Grievance Procedure
- Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Access For All Community Members
- ADA Paratransit
Resources
