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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2009-05-06DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 12:15 p.m. May 6, 2009 PRESENT: DAC Chair — Roberts DAC Vice Chair - Gizewski DAC Members: David McElrath Jason Anderson OTHERS PRESENT: Information Management Specialist — Myers Siobhan Whalen, Ithaca Youth Bureau Emily Papperman, FLIC Peer Counselor Jes Seaver, Ithaca Festival Director EXCUSED: Wendy Skinner Kendrick Kemp George Eberhardt Erin Sember Otis Jackson APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes from the April 1, 2009 could not be approved as there was not a quorum of members. They will be place on the agenda for approval at the June 3, 2009 meeting. ITHACA FESTIVAL — DISCUSSION Jes Seaver, Ithaca Festival Director, addressed the Council to report on the upcoming Ithaca Festival which will be held May 28 — 31, 2009. She stated that she had submitted a Special Event permit application to the City and has been working with the Special Event team on the coordination of the festival, including plans to accommodate and include as much as possible accessible activities. There will be accessible port -a- potties, and food vendors will be placed on State Street with the hope of improving traffic flow and making it easier for people to be on The Commons. There will be maps available of the locations of different facilities in order to help people navigate to them. She explained that this year's festival is returning to the simpler festivals as in the past (except for 2008). It will be held on the Commons for two days and in Stewart Park on Sunday. Discussion followed on the floor with DAC members asking questions and offering suggestions, especially in relation to the need for sign interpreters to be available and what resources are available to the festival. The Disability Advisory Council encouraged Ms. Seaver to ensure that volunteers are knowledgeable about the location of restroom facilities and other amenities in order to assist visitors at the festival. Ms. Seaver reported that there would be information booths located in various areas to assist visitors as well. Ms. Seaver stated that festival organizers are very open to comments, suggestions, and requests from the DAC as well as community members and encouraged DAC members to provide them so that festival organizers can make the festival even more accommodating and enjoyable for visitors and better meet accessibility needs. UPDATES: DAC Chair Roberts provided an update on the following items: ADA Map for downtown core is not being worked on at the present time Handicap Parking — Judge Rossiter did agree to raise fines for handicap parking violations and Chair Roberts reported on the new fines for first, second, and third violations. He further reported that Judge Rossiter is sensitive to this very serious issue. May 6, 2009 Judge Rossiter was able to raise the fines herself as that is part of her authority as a judge. She also wants to know about repeat offenders and requested that they personally appear before her. Chair Roberts further reported that a public service announcement is needed about the illegal use of handicap parking permits. ADA Update /Goals and Objectives — will be discussed more in the Fall TCAT — Chair Roberts still needs to send a written thank you to TCAT for listening to the concerns raised by the DAC and Titus Tower residents about the proposed route changes and adjusting routes to meet those needs. Annual Report — Chair Roberts reported that he would draft the report and bring it to the June DAC meeting for discussion and review. Stewart Park and playgrounds — There will be a new playground at Conway Park funded by the IURA that meets and /or exceeds ADA requirements; they did not fund the proposal for Stewart Park. Police Chief — Chair Roberts will invite Chief Vallely to a meeting at some point during the summer to talk about police involvement in the handicap parking program. Building Commissioner — Chair Roberts will invite Building Commissioner Radke to the June meeting. Sidewalk Maintenance — Chair Roberts reported, as DAC Liaison to the Board of Public Works, that the Board had heard appeals from property owners regarding being billed by the city for snow removal. The City issued many tickets for unshoveled walks, there were three appeals received and all of them were denied by the Board. Accessible Parking — Chair Roberts reported that this program is really under the purview of Tompkins County. The sub - committee has met in the past with Marcia Lynch who is the Public Information Officer for the County. He further stated that she and Wendy Skinner are currently working on logos for the public service announcements which will eventually come back to the DAC, who can't really make recommendations since it's a county program, but so that they are kept informed. He stated that the DAC needs a good discussion with the Police Chief about handicap parking enforcement in conjunction with this public service campaign. Chair Roberts will talk with Asst. Supt. for Streets & Facilities Ferrel, Chief Vallely and Judge Rossiter to see if new signage could be done that would indicate the increased fines. DAC Member McElrath reported on behalf of the Resident Advisory Board at Titus Towers that he has been tasked with writing a proposal to submit to the administration at Titus Towers on the need for a handicap accessible van. He asked if he might get some assistance in writing it as it is due May 11th. Chair Roberts stated that he would work with him on the proposal. Vice Chair Gizewski reported that the City relocated the signage by Challenge Industries and it has made a positive difference for them. He asked if Chair Roberts would communicate their thanks to the Board of Public Works. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m. Sarah L. Myers Larry Roberts Information Management Specialist Chair, DAC 61