HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2008-03-05DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Regular Meeting 12:15 p.m. March 5, 2008
PRESENT:
DAC Chair — Roberts
DAC Vice Chair - Gizewski
DAC Members:
Wendy Skinner
David McElrath
Kendrick Kemp
George Eberhardt
Charlie Dorsey
Erin Sember
OTHERS PRESENT:
Finger Lakes Independence Center Assistance Advocate — Terry Reinamann
Recreation and Support Services Intern — Chevon Wheeler
Tompkins County Administration Executive Assistant — Norma Jayne
Tompkins County Public Information Officer — Marcia Lynch
Information Management Specialist — Myers
Chair Roberts asked everyone present to introduce themselves and explained that the
City Clerk's office would be attending meetings to take minutes on a regular basis.
City /County Funding for Implementation of Handicap Parking Program and
Education
Chair Roberts stated that he would like to continue the discussion that the Board has
been having regarding handicap parking education and awareness. He further stated
that there is funding that the City and other municipalities in the County send to the
County to place in a fund just for this purpose. The money can be used to provide
education to the public on handicap parking requirements, to provide funding to the
police department to provide training on how to interact with people who have
disabilities, and to raise overall awareness of the parking needs of the disabled in the
community. He further reported that the DAC needs to establish a handicap parking
program that they would like to see implemented that would include public service
announcements, news articles, and other means of communicating to the public.
TC Executive Assistant Jayne reported that she had contacted the State and they have
a new database that can track funds in the account set up to receive fines from
handicap parking violations. In 2007 the County collected $252.00 and in 2006 it
collected $15.00. She has gone back to review past accounting books from the County
and has found that there is $3,038.49 in an account that was set up to collect these
fines. She reported that the City of Ithaca has $11,000 in an account for this purpose
and that, combined with the above funds, is the total that this Council has to work with
to implement any program.
Tompkins County Public Information Officer Lynch stated that it would be helpful to
have a sub - committee of the DAC to work on brainstorming to come up with ideas and
recommendations for an educational /awareness program, as well as their thoughts on
what a public information program should involve. She further stated that repeating the
same public service announcements are a good way to help educate the public on
whatever topic you are trying to get out to them.
Chair Roberts agreed that the Council needs to establish the kinds of messages that
they'd like to hear in the form of public service announcements and that the idea of
working in small groups to come up with ideas is a good suggestion. He questioned
whether it would make sense to do one big educational push or spread it out over time.
Tompkins County Public Information Officer Lynch asked that members recommend of
appropriate public service announcements they have heard other communities use to
her.
March 5, 2008
Vice Chair Gizewski suggested that the City of Ithaca consider raising the fines for
handicap parking violations. He stated that he had a friend who was recently fined
$300.00 for parking in a handicap spot without a permit. He thought that having a large
fine would haven an impact on decisions to park illegally.
Chair Roberts stated that idea would need to be discussed by Common Council
because the City Code would have to be changed to reflect any changes in fines for this
type of violation.
DAC Member Skinner suggested that part of this educational program involve making
people aware of the consequences of parking in handicap spots with out permits by
using dramatization.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding what types of scenarios would be appropriate
for dramatization such as someone parking too close to a handicap accessible van,
which means that the disabled person is either stuck in or outside of their van because
they can't maneuver their wheelchair to get in or out of the van.
Chair Roberts reiterated that the reason there is handicap parking is to enable and
empower people with disabilities to participate in their communities, and that message
needs to be stressed as well. He further stated that it is also important to stress that
you can't always tell someone who has a disability i.e. because of a heart condition, or
being elderly, and therefore people shouldn't be judged for parking in a handicap spot
with a permit.
Vice Chair Gizewski stated that education to disabled people about the need to obtain
handicap hangtags for vehicles is also needed. He further stated that there are new
rules to follow in obtaining a hang tag and they can be tracked if stolen with
consequences for using a stolen hang tag.
DAC Member Dorsey suggested that yearly public service announcements regarding
handicap - parking awareness /education be done and targeted to the different colleges in
the area because students seem to be the worst offenders.
Chair Roberts explained that Ithaca College, Cornell University, and TC3 have their own
handicap parking permits that need to be obtained in addition to the New York State
hang tag.
DAC Member Sember suggested the public service announcements also express
disabled people's frustrations when people park in handicap spots without proper
permits.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding various places /businesses in the area that do
not provide enough handicap parking spots and whether they should be required to
provide additional parking spaces.
Chair Roberts reported that involves a whole different approach than what this Council
can require. He further reported that the City of Ithaca received a letter from the U.S.
Department of Justice regarding violations in ADA requirements in various city owned
locations and that the City is working to correct those violations.
Executive Assistant Jayne reminded members that the money in the fund has to be
used for education, advocacy, and awareness of handicap parking requirements.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding partnering with the Tompkins County
Chamber of Commerce and the Ithaca Police Department to reach other municipalities
in the County with this education program. Further discussion followed on the floor
regarding the involvement of college students to help produce videos that could be used
as public service announcements.
61
March 5, 2008
The Council decided to form a subcommittee that would meet separately to brain storm
various ideas and recommendations to present to the DAC for consideration. The
following members volunteered to serve on the sub - committee: Larry Roberts, Wendy
Skinner, Greg Gizewski, Kendrick Kemp, and Marcia Fort. The focus of the committee
would be to come up with major themes for the campaign, put together an overall theme
or slogan, and cost out recommendations. Tompkins County Public Information Officer
Lynch volunteered to coordinate meetings.
Chair Roberts stated that the City would begin transferring money on a regular basis to
this special account, but that it would be minimal funding for the program.
Further discussion followed on the floor regarding the need to consider raising fines for
violations. As it is now, the fine is not enough to make it worth the effort to track down
people who do not pay their fines. Discussion also followed on involving the City
Chamberlain's office /Courts in discussions to raise fines and collection of fines by the
Courts.
Vice Chair Gizewski suggested that along with investigating how fines could be raised
that it would be a good idea to implement something similar to a "neighborhood watch"
so people know that they're being watched if they choose to park in a handicap spot
without a permit.
Ithaca Festival Update
Chair Roberts stated that the new Director of the Ithaca Festival, Jacob Roberts, was
invited to attend the meeting to discuss accessibility issues; however he did not attend
today's meeting. Chair Roberts stated that he would contact him and invite him to the
next meeting scheduled for April 2, 2008.
Accessible America Competition
Chair Roberts reported to the Council that he had met with City Clerk Holcomb to
discuss how to involve the City of Ithaca in this competition. There is a $25,000 award
given to the municipality judged to be doing a good job with accessibility issues. He
stated that City Clerk Holcomb suggested that a sub - committee be created to review the
requirements to compete, to establish benchmarks by the City in terms of things that
need to be addressed, investigate what other municipalities have done to create livable
communities for people with disabilities, and to discuss how the City and perhaps the
County could be involved. He further stated that the DAC should discuss what gaps
they see that need to be addressed by the City and provide recommendations so that
he and City Clerk Holcomb can discuss how to proceed with the application to compete.
Chair Roberts reported to the Council that John Ortiz, member of the DAC, had
contacted him to explain that he cannot attend meetings at this time and that he wished
to resign from the Council. He further reported that with Chief Signer's resignation that it
leaves the DAC with three vacancies.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.
Sarah L. Myers Larry Roberts
Information Management Specialist DAC Chair
0