The Fall River Commission on Disability convened on November 12, 2025. The meeting commenced with a roll call, noting the presence of Chairman Dennis Paulelli, Vice Chairwoman Debbie Bacho, Commissioner Lisa Silva, Commissioner Dan Roblard, and Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza, with Commissioner Katie Driscoll joining later. No public input was received. The minutes from the October 8, 2025 meeting were unanimously approved following a roll call vote.
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City Officials
Education
Public / Other
November 12th, 2025.
0:06Um, pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
0:18Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present deemed acknowledged and permissible. Uh roll call.
0:37Chairman Dennis Paulelli here.woman Debbie Bacho here.
0:43Commissioner Lisa Silva present. Commissioner Dan Roblard.
0:49Yeah. Command O'Neal. Souza.
0:52I will say it three times and if we don't hear any, if there's no takes, we'll just go on. So, are there any public Is there any public input?
1:03Is there any public input?
1:08Is there any public input?
1:12Okay. The next item we will is the approval of the minutes for the meeting of Wednesday, October 8th, 2025.
1:22Motion to approve minutes of October 8th, 2025 of the floor of the disability commission.
1:30Is there any discussion?
1:32Okay, we'll do a roll call vote.
1:34[clears throat] Chairman Dennis Pelli, yes.
1:38Vice Chairwoman Debbie Pico, yes. Commissioner Lisa Silva.
1:44Yes.
1:45Commissioner Dan Robelard.
1:47Yes.
1:48Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza.
1:50Yes.
1:53Okay. Next is workg groupoup updates. A is ADA.
1:58Um there are no ADA real ADA updates from title two which is programs and services of the government and access to those programs and services.
2:15Um we are working with on a constituency issue uh regarding a couple of uh a storefront and a building that [clears throat] was mentioned in the recent citizens input at a city council meeting. Um, I'm I'm not going to give out the names of the buildings, but um I will say that uh the building inspector um uh Glenn Hathaway Glenn Hathaway is working Katie Driscoll.
2:49Hello Katie.
2:50Hi. How are you, Dennis?
2:52Not too bad. And um so I'm just going over ADA updates right now. Um so what is it? item number five on the agenda.
3:01So, you didn't really miss much at all.
3:04Um, and um, so that's being worked on. So, that's kind of ongoing and hopefully we'll have a we'll we'll have a a kind of a resolution for our next meeting um, uh, which is after the holidays. So, that's it for ADA. And it does come under ADA because title three is private entities that are open to the public and those are private entities.
3:35Okay. So the next item is B policies.
3:38Vice Chair Mr. Can I ask I'm sorry very brief question on the ADA update?
3:45Yep.
3:46Uh thank you. Uh, are we still waiting uh to hear from Mr. Hathaway?
3:55You've your phone cut out for a second.
3:58Yes.
4:01Okay. So, we're still we're still waiting uh to get in touch with him and and have a discussion. Uh now, did you say uh that this is a title three?
4:14Yeah, they're both so they come under title.
5:01resume.
5:02That's right. They're city private businesses.
5:07Yeah. Thank you. I No, that that's okay. Um, any other questions?
5:16Just so you'll be aware, Glenn is on vacation this week. He'll be returning on the 17th.
5:24Yeah. Thank you very much. Um um Commissioner Ann O'Neal Souza. He we he and I talked last week. Um and there was some feedback that I gave him. Um so he's going to continue his um he's going to continue his um uh his inspections of those two places after he comes back.
5:47Great. Just wanted you to know he was away.
5:49Yep. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
5:52Uh is there any are there any other questions?
6:00Okay. Um uh policies. Vice Chair Debbie Pachico.
6:06At this time there are no updates.
6:08Okay.
6:11Um C is finance report.
6:14You will be getting the you will be getting a budget report um um um at some point. Um but but right now there are the the um the head the head clerk is is involved in something um that's that's personal. It's a family issue. So we're going to wait until um it's ready. And we really don't at this moment and at this time we don't really need um we don't really we can we can wait on
6:47it and and it will be distributed to us.
6:51So there's no major event or major call for proposal or anything like that that we really need to know right now what's what's in the account. Am I making sense here folks?
7:05Yeah. And we we have last month's budget report as a baseline. So that's right. Okay. Yep. You're right.
7:13Um and finally, the scholarships. I just want everybody to know that I have reached out to all six. They're the same six schools. Um, I have reached out to principles and guidance counselors um already for the 2026 uh scholarship event which will be on Saturday, May 16th at McGovern's restaurant. The schools will be the same as last year. Derby Diamond Atlantis Charter School, Arcusy Charter School,
7:48uh Bristol County Aggie and U Bishop Stang. So those will be the six schools.
7:55The deadline is April 1st. Each um they've received all of the policy guidelines and the exact information that we are requesting which they were excellent on last year. And there is one thing that we need to plug up and um that the vice chair discovered when making calls. And this time we're going to make sure that uh guidance counselors um inform the recipients that they should notify their parents or guardians
8:26of the events as well that they're going to be getting a scholarship because we found um that most of the parents and guardians were not aware of that that there that they even that there was even a scholarship winner in their family. So So we'll make sure that that's plugged up. um for 2026. Are there any questions?
8:54Okay, hearing none. Is there any old business to come before?
9:06Okay. Is there any new business? Just want to let you know that the next meeting, we don't normally meet in December for the holidays, but the work groups will continue to operate. Um, I will tell you that um we have I I've asked Dan Robelard in his role as treasurer to to be with Lee with to be with um uh Katie and I on the on the website workg group and we are
9:34going to be meeting with uh by conference call. We're going to be meeting with uh Sam Mock after the holidays in January because our contract is up. Um I think I allocated$7,000 and not 7,000 per year but it was 7,000 for the whole three years and that's going to be up in March. So we're going to meet with Sam in January. Um, he is going to be training someone else
10:04because Sam is now a school teacher at the Henry Lord School teaching science.
10:12So, he will be um training somebody else to take over um uh if we decide to renew and we will vote on that at the February meeting.
10:25But if there are questions, we will ask um we will ask Sam to come in March and that's when we'll vote on it. But if there are no questions, if if the work group um if it's if it's really cut and dry and it's just a matter of making sure that uh the new web master is aware of how everything is, then we'll just we'll vote on it at our February meeting. But
10:51the work group because that's why we have workg groups. The work group will meet with um with Sam in January. So are there any questions about that?
11:08Okay. I will entertain a motion then to adjourn.
11:14Motion to adjourn.
11:16U before we do that. Well, well, let's do the second first.
11:21I'll second it.
11:22Okay, before we before we do that, I just want to wish everybody on behalf of the Disability Commission a very happy uh healthy and safe holiday season.
11:33Okay, thank you.
11:35Thank you. Enjoy your holidays.
11:37Yeah, we have we just want to do a roll call vote just to make sure.
11:43Chairman Dennis Pelli.
11:45Yes.
11:46Vice Chairwoman Debbie Pacho. Yes.
11:49Commissioner Lisa Silva.
11:51Yes.
11:52Commissioner Dan Robelard.
11:54Yes.
11:55Commissioner Anne O'Neal Souza.
11:57Yes.
11:58We are Commissioner Katie Driscoll.
12:00Oh, I'm sorry.
12:00Yes.
12:01I I'm sorry, Katie. We are adjourned until Wednesday, January 14th, 2026.
12:09All right. Happy holidays, everyone.
12:11Thank you.
12:12Thank you. Happy holidays.
12:14Happy holidays.