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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2010-05-05DISABILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 12:15 p.m. May 5, 2010 PRESENT: DAC Chair — Roberts DAC Vice Chair - Gizewski DAC Members: David McElrath Erin Sember Otis Jackson Jason Anderson Allen Walters Andrew Rappaport Alderperson Rooker OTHERS PRESENT: Tompkins County Public Information Officer — Marcia Lynch Information Management Specialist — Myers EXCUSED: DAC Member George Eberhardt DAC Member Siobhan Whalen APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of the April 7, 2010 Disability Advisory Council Meeting Minutes — Resolution By DAC Member Jackson: Seconded by DAC Member Sember RESOLVED, That the minutes of the April 7, 2010 Disability Advisory Council meeting be approved with noted corrections. Carried Unanimously A Conversation with Katie Pasnqburn, Assistant Director of the Ithaca Festival Ms. Pasngburn announced that the Ithaca Festival will be held June 3 — 6, 2010. It will be held on the Ithaca Commons on Friday and Saturday and then at Stewart Park on Sunday. She reported that they are keeping the same standards as in 2009 for providing access to the various events. She further explained that something new this year would be special, reserved, handicap parking at Stewart Park. Anyone with a valid handicap permit displayed will be allowed into Stewart Park to access the special parking area. DAC members asked how many parking spaces were being provided at the park and Ms. Pasngburn responded that she would need to check and report back. She further stated that Ithaca Festival staff and volunteers will make efforts to accommodate special requests for assistance as much as possible. She further noted that the Ithaca Festival pamphlet and their website do provide information on who to contact for special accommodations, which would be herself or the Director of the Ithaca Festival, Jes Seaver. She stated that the Ithaca Festival Office has moved from the DeWitt Mall to the old Hickey's Music store location. Chair Roberts noted that this new location is not handicap accessible which may make it difficult for volunteers and staff to access. Ms. Pasngburn stated that the Ithaca Festival would pay for American Sign Language interpreters as needed. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the need to make specific arrangements with Empire Interpreter Services for sign language interpreters in advance of the festival as it may be difficult if they wait until they're needed. Further discussion followed on the floor regarding the need to hire professional interpreters with a certain level of certification and that more than one may be needed based upon the length of the event. DAC Chair Roberts stated that the NYS Fair did a lot of work to provide interpreters upon request and suggested that the Ithaca Festival organizers talk with them for ideas and suggestions as well. Chair Roberts noted that last year when Ms. Seaver came to the DAC meeting there was discussion about crowd control and providing access. He realizes that it is difficult to do much about the crowds, but did suggest that organizers speak with vendors about how they could make their carts and their sites more accessible for people in wheelchairs. DAC Member May 5, 2010 Sember stated that there is a book entitled "Accessible Temporary Events' which provides useful information on organizing all types of events to be as accessible as possible and how to do that. She has extra copies at her office and gave Ms. Pasngburn her business card so that she could get the book to her. Chair Roberts noted that the book provides useful information on how to accommodate hard of hearing /deaf persons with very clear way finding signs which help everyone to feel welcome at various special events. Ms. Pasngburn stated that the Ithaca Festival is printing new signage which should help during the festival as well. Chair Roberts stated that it would be helpful to provide the information booth with universal signage in order to help everyone find their way around the festival. Ms. Pasngburn thanked the DAC for the opportunity to come to their meeting and stated that their input was very appreciated. She requested that anyone with further questions or suggestions contact her at the Ithaca Festival Office or by e -mail at katie ithacafestival.org. The DAC extended their thanks and appreciation to her as well for coming to speak with them. BPAC update from David McBrath DAC Member McElrath stated that the City of Ithaca Municipal code includes wheelchairs and scooters under its definition of bicycles. He wondered if that definition was acceptable to the DAC. Chair Roberts stated that he gets a lot of questions from scooter users regarding whether or not they can be on the sidewalk. He thinks that classifying wheelchairs and scooters as methods to get around is useful. DAC Member Rappaport explained that when these vehicles are used for a disability the methods to get around change under the V & T Law; i.e. bicycles are not allowed on the Commons; however, when segways and wheelchairs are used because of a disability they are allowed. He did note that sidewalks are safer than roadways for those types of mobility devices. Chair Roberts stated that this might be a topic for a public forum "Pedestrians with Disabilities ". He stated that streets are sometimes smoother than the sidewalk. He stated that the whole issue of mobility methods and pedestrians with disabilities could also be something to work with BPAC on. He also suggested that it might be helpful to have the Ithaca Police Department provide input as well. A public forum on this topic would be helpful for blind people, seniors, and people with mobility issues. Discussion followed briefly on the floor regarding service dogs and what people can and cannot ask about them and the need for public education on the new pedestrian signal at the traffic light in front of Tops grocery store on Meadow Street. A Conversation on the Handicapped Parking Program with Marcia Lynch Chair Roberts reported that he met with Ms. Lynch in April on the status of the handicap parking program. He stated that they would like to use the information and materials provided by DAC Members Gizewski and Jackson that would direct the educational information at Cornell University, Ithaca College, and TC3 because information to date indicates that violators are predominantly college students. Chair Roberts further stated that they would like to bring Senior Community Service Officer Gary Bordoni back to provide his input as well as meeting with representatives from the three colleges. Ms. Lynch explained that they would like to proceed with these meetings soon and follow the same outreach procedures that were recently developed for the 2010 Census to reach out to the community and to also provide information about handicap parking rules with orientation packets. Ms. Lynch further stated that she and Chair Roberts feel that there is enough information at this point to proceed with getting it out to the public and then build on that information as time goes on. Chair Roberts stated that he is in support of this approach of focusing on colleges and suggested Alderperson Rooker and DAC Member Sember as great resources as well to get the information out and provide input. The DAC supported this approach to implementing the handicap parking education and enforcement program. May 5, 2010 Ms. Lynch stated that it is important to get the handicap parking campaign started with just the basic information. She will provide public service announcements to the various radio stations (Cayuga Radio Group, WVBR, WICB) and the Ithaca Journal. Alderperson Rooker reported on information from the handicap parking education program he was involved with in South Africa and shared a sign that read "You have my parking space, do you want my disability ?" He said that in South Africa they were able to put these on the vehicles parked illegally in handicap spaces. Chair Roberts stated that, unfortunately, it would be illegal to post those on vehicles here but that it was a good idea. Chair Roberts reported that he and Ms. Lynch would keep the Council updated. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the limited number of handicap parking spaces in Collegetown. Chair Roberts suggested that either he or Alderperson Rooker contact staff at DPW to get a map of all the handicap parking spaces in Collegetown so the DAC could review it and determine whether or not to make recommendations for additional spots. Alderperson Rooker suggested that the DAC work with the Tompkins County Visitor Center on the mapping of handicap parking spaces in Collegetown for their tourist information as well. Goals and objectives prioritizing Historic Planner and DAC Staff Liaison Chatterton joined the Council for discussion of this topic. Discussion followed on the floor regarding where it would be useful to have DAC liaisons with various boards /committees. DAC Member Sember stated that she is interested in becoming a liaison to the Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee. Chair Roberts stated that Human Resources Director Schelley Michell -Nunn would be invited to the June DAC meeting and that liaison position could be discussed at that time. Further discussion followed on the floor regarding the accessibility map which has been "in progress" since 1999. Historic Planner and DAC Staff Liaison Chatterton suggested that the DAC proceed with whatever has been done to date by the staff person assigned to this task and then it can be added to as time goes on. It's one of those things that if the DAC waits until it feels it is complete, it will never be done. The map will be a work in progress because things change so frequently. Chair Roberts stated that he would ask Assistant Civil Engineer Yost what the status of the map is and ask that it be placed back on her radar to work on and get whatever she has to the DAC. Discussion followed on the floor regarding the accessibility to Clinton Hall and the work to date that the DAC has done to provide access. Chair Roberts stated that with the Ithaca Fire Department's assistance there has been improvement in the access to the building. He suggested that the DAC meet with business owners from Clinton Hall regarding accessibility issues and requirements. DAC Member Jackson stated that improvements in accessibility could still be made on the backside of the building and that upkeep will be an issue. He suggested that the DAC take a field trip after its next meeting so members could see what issues have been discussed, what improvements they would like made, and so forth. He stated that he has been doing strict enforcement of the area and there has only been one violation since Thanksgiving. Chair Roberts noted that either he or DAC Member Sember would contact Information Technology Director, Duane Twardokus, to get an update on the city's website. Historic Planner and DAC Staff Liaison Chatterton noted that she would not be able to attend the June DAC meeting. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Sarah L. Myers Larry Roberts Information Management Specialist Chair, DAC 0