Rio Blanco County Website Accessibility Quarterly Update

Reporting Period: Q3 – July-September 2025

Posted: September 24, 2025

Overview

Rio Blanco County continues its good-faith efforts to comply with Colorado HB 21-1110 and HB 24-1454, which require digital accessibility conformance with WCAG 2.1 A/AA standards by July 1, 2025. These efforts also support upcoming federal ADA Title II compliance (April 2026). This quarterly report outlines progress made during the third quarter of 2025.

Key Accomplishment: Digital Accessibility Coordinator 

On July 7, Rio Blanco County’s Digital Accessibility Coordinator onboarded and began training.

Other Notable Progress This Quarter

The Digital Accessibility Coordinator:

• Initiated compliance training 
• is researching tools and best practices to achieve compliance
• Implemented Wave web accessibility evaluation tool and began using it to review and edit high-traffic Civic Engage CMS pages for errors (color contrast, keyboard navigation, image alt-text) 
• Plan Civic Plus web refresh with accessibility focus
• Researching alternate CMS providers to compare cost, effectiveness and accessibility compliance support

Continuing efforts:

Document Remediation 

• Ongoing remediation of PDF documents with vendor support
• Focus on BOCC agendas/minutes, budget summaries, and public-facing forms
• Conforming alternate formats available on request

Staff Training

• Training sessions held for staff managing digital content
• Emphasis on accessible document creation and website updates

Feedback & Redress Systems Active

• Online form and ADA Coordinator contact methods remain posted on all web pages
• Response protocol in place for handling requests and barriers reported by the public

Third-Party Platform Oversight

• Outreach to vendors for Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) and Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs)
• Review of third-party tools for alignment with County accessibility goals

Next Steps

• Streamline content to prepare for web refresh
• Accessibility Coordinator will convene Accessibility subcommittee 
• Complete internal accessibility risk matrix
• Expand training and department-specific support
• Maintain quarterly reporting and progress documentation

Contact for Accessibility Support

Digital Accessibility Coordinator
 Phone: (970) 878-9683
 Email: accessibility@rbc.us
 Mail: PO Box 599, Meeker, CO 81641
 Online: Request for Redress of Inaccessible Content Form