On the sixth and a half year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, members of Desert ADAPT joined with Southern New Mexico Center for Independent Living and the Spinal Cord Injury Network in an all out effort to get the city of Las Cruces to comply with the law. The group took over the City Council meeting and read a list of demands that included installing curb cuts, access to recreation, enforcement of accessible parking, and upgrade of the transportation system. Las Cruces Mayor Ruben Smith, visibly shaken, said there was no need for signs and he did not believe in confrontation, but he and other city officials gave the ADA concerns attention they never had before. The city's response forestalled a planned blockade of the intersection in front of the Council Meeting.
In a meeting agreed to at the Council showdown the Mayor, City Manager and other city officials heard more specifics from the group. Eventually Las Cruces officials committed to modifying several city facilities, including 100% access to the Downtown Mall and to set up, in conjunction with the local CIL, a hot line for reporting barriers which the City would then address. In addition officials pledged ongoing efforts to comply, and they know that should their attention wander off task, certain ADAPT members will be ready to refocus it.