Natick Commission on Disability
Minutes of January 9, 2002
PRESENT: Mel Hirsh, Joan Sherizen, Gwen Kermode, Ron Ordway, Susan Bornstein, Cheryl Freier, Sandi Crossman, Debbie Lember.
ABSENT: Russell Thome
MINUTES of December 12, 2001 were accepted as printed on a motion by Mel, seconded by Gwen.
DOLPHIN RESTAURANT parking lost has been striped, narrower than allowed due to the size of the parking lot. He has added two handicapped parking spaces with signage, but the signs are not permanently affixed in the ground. A second letter was sent regarding the signs and that we would put the item on our agenda at tonight’s meeting.
The owner of the Dolphin explained that the area is restricted in size, cars have backed into the signpost causing damage to the sign and their vehicle, possibly damaging the parking lot. They feel that they have done as much as they can. “This is the only restaurant in town that has expanded creating a parking lot and making it as accessible as possible to serve handicapped individuals. The Zoning Board had give a variance on the parking lot as it is not big enough to accommodate as many cars as required and does not have enough room to fulfill the landscape requirements”. He felt strongly that putting the post in the ground would cause his parking lot to be destroyed. Mel felt that without any fixed signs, signs would be knocked over, not replaced, snow covering the symbol
and striping on the ground. Ron made a suggestion to place a pipe sleeve in the ground and affix the signpost to the sleeve, similar to what Roche Bros. did. The commission members all felt this was an acceptable alternative and the Dolphin owner agreed.
CORRESPONENCE:
Public notice from the Board of Selectmen that Town Meeting will begin April 9, 2002 and articles need to be in by 2/8/02 at 5:00 pm. Our hearing on our budget is 1/14/02 at 7:00 pm at Cole with the Finance Committee sub committee on our budget. Our budget is recommended by the Town Administrator at $400 dollars less than we requested. The Commission decided that we would not argue for those lost funds at this time. A question was raised by the Chair of FinCom sub committee about the availability of any funds our Commission could make available for projects in other Departments. The Commission feels that what funds we may have available would have to use for accessibility projects and we would need to review those projects prior to committing any
funds.
E-mail from Joe Weisse including an article titled “Disabled Voters Lobby for Changes To Ney-Hoyer Election Reform Bill”.
E-mail from Diane Ramsey about sidewalks on W. Central St. that are not level, having ridges and cracks. The Town is waiting for the State as this roadway and sidewalks will be redone. In the mean time the Commission will follow up with DPW to see if they can patch.
Joan Sherizen spoke about an article in the Globe regarding the Supreme Court decision to limit the scope of ADA guidelines of how responsible or to what extent an employer must comply to meet an employee’s disability. Joan will bring a copy to Gwen for our files and to copy for any member.
Gwen passed out the December ADA compliance Guide and had copies of previous guides for those who had not received them.
TREASURER’S REPORT: As of December 31, 2002 he balance in the Print/Copy account is $708.78, in operating account is $150.07 giving a total budget balance of $858.55. In Capital we have a balance of $21, 958.00 and in the revenue account ($131.16). A fundraising committee was established including Mel as Chair, Susan, Gwen, Joan and Cheryl. There will be a meeting for the Committee on fundraising on January 17, 2002 at Agostino’s at 6:00 p.m.
HANDICAPPED PARKING VOLUNTARY ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM: no report
PICTURE IDs FOR THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE DRIVERS LICENSES - messages to be placed in the senior newsletter soliciting interest to determine the numbers interested in going to the registry for photo IDs. Ron to pursue with Silver Haired Legislators for a bill to allow alternative sites for IDs to be made and/or alternative forms of picture IDs. Sandi will follow up with the Senior Center.
IL CENTER REPORT: no report
AWARENESS/ACCESS ISSUES:
Schools – nothing new
Businesses – The hospital has a new CEO and a new LMH Facility Manager. Mel has been trying unsuccessfully to contact the Facility Manager at LMH. If he cannot reach him, Gwen will send out a letter to the Facility Manager and the new CEO to follow up on the hospital proceeding with changes as presented to us.
Sovereign Bank parking lot to be repaired in the spring. New signs are up. Delisie is the management company.
Owen O’Leary’s has information needed
Building 19 did make some corrections, still making some.
Probably not until spring will striping be changed.
Pizza Hut – have the information
Firestone – Mel did and turned in the information
Wendy’s – both – Letters sent out
Parking area on Clarenden St. – changes have been made. Waiting on the van accessible sign he ordered through us. Gwen ordered but has not received them yet.
Apartments and commercial use of baseball factory property – some legal issues presently being disputed. We will have to wait until their issues are resolved so we know how many parking spaces for each and in total.
Dolphin – will send a letter to owner thanking him for coming before our committee. We look forward to seeing the workable solution to the signage problem within the next month.
Natick Mall – Gwen met with the facility manager and found new items of concern as identified by him after he and his staff went through each parking area. The management has been attending to these and said that all parking areas will be corrected.
Broadmoor – Commission members should review outdoor guidelines governing trails and revisit this site in better weather.
Town - Audio/tactile signals – confusion over which account it will be coming from slowed the purchase order down hiring the engineering firm to do the specifications for public bid. Actual work will not be done until this spring or early summer.
Access surveys still need to be done at Cole, Senior Center, DPW, District Court, and public areas of satellite fire stations.
Housing – nothing new
General Public: Cable TV – still waiting to take over the studio.
Other:
MISCELLANEOUS: Ron said that Recreation is requesting parking area cost from us for the beach. This would probably also include drainage work. The Commission asked that the request be made in writing with at least rough plans and cost breakdowns.
Ron also read a letter from Senator Kerry recommending Ron Ordway as Chairman of the National Silver Haired Commission. Ron was congradulated.
Meeting adjourned at 9L00 p.m.
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