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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-DAC-2007 SCANN',M Disability Advisory Committee January 3, 2007 In Attendance: Lauren Signer Larry Roberts George Eberhardt Rodney Sanford Charlie Dorsey Gary Tracy Leslie Chatterton Excused: David McElrath Greg Gisinzewski Guests: Marcia Forte Nancy Bereano Introductions of current members to new member Rodney. Brief history by Larry Roberts Work Force Diversity Presentations by Marcia Fort, Nancy Bereano & dual member Lauren Signer WFD history and development of WFD plan (attached handout) Explanation of City Statement: specific wording of City commitment Plan adopted in 2004 and so presentations for all city departments and interested parties with varied results/successes due to department size and structure. Diversity includes: hiring, retention, promotion and a hospitable work environment(not just an issue of people with color). How do we support employees and customers of the City? Mayor & Department Head must assess diversity in yearly performance evaluations. WFD Advance in December— 8 hrs./Mission Statement to be drafted M. Bereano — Similarities of DAC/WFD Motivations for change/acceptance of workforce ESL — assistance for city employees LD —Accommodation of written material LR — Plan #4 Where are we on plan 1 & 2? What system does City use to address accommodations? DAC understands up to independent employment. WFD — Plan in progress — commitment to work toward Plan #2 ADA training for Senior Staff by Cornell Staff(Julie Hinch) Give out local resource list to department heads WFD invites feed back from DAC and will bring the information back to the city. HR is in close contact with Finger Lakes Independence Center WFD asks to consider a DAC liaison to for WFD. Back to agenda - Definition of a livable community 10 - Comfort 23 LR — suggests members review and adapt website as a resource CD —Access of downtown core goal — put on city website — GIS update Finishing up surveys, met with J. Ives to ensure consistency of rating system. Example: DeWitt Mall — 3 ratings Copy of assessment survey for minutes Include mayor/City Officials for Charlie intro? Commons Unit for Distribution IURA grant submitted for push button doors, restriping parking lot for van accessibility(20 to $25,000) GE — Joann from planning Department re: Chili's sidewalk — update next meeting GEIS follow up to K. Wolfe presentation of plan No e-mail access yet Neighborhood meeting planned in March/April — suggest DAC seen as a neighborhood. Facade — Coordinate with IDP — access improvement for timing LR — SW Housing to give inputlinvolvement to ensure affordable/accessible Language is used. INHS project on Floral Avenue Walmart update Access/Award WFD Plan discussion Liaison plan discussion Disability Advisory Council February 7, 2007 In Attendance: Scott Peters Larry Roberts George Eberhardt Leslie Chatterton Greg Gisinzewski Dave McElrath Rodney Sanford Charlie Dorsey Introductions Agenda: Mapping Update - Charlie CD Setting up appointments with businesses to complete survey. Working with Susan Nixon—GIS—to put on City website. Chili's Sidewalk—George GE In contact with JoAnn Cornish who reports that she made contact with Benderson and Chili's and it appears no one is taking responsibility for the problem. Tim Louge made contact with DOT and has not heard back from them. LR Once party responsible is identified a letter will be sent formally requesting problem be fixed. [URA—Larry LR DAC supports two projects to be funded through HUD 1. Funding to remedy the inaccessible doors at the Youth Bureau 2. Low interest loans for businesses in the Downtown Core who wish to improve accessibility Vacancies on the DAC—Larry LR Presently there are two vacancies on the DAC. If any member knows of someone who would be interested in becoming a member of the DAC, please inform them of how to apply for appointment. TCAT Signals—Rodney RS Six new buses are equipped with an automated signal which announces stops along the route. Problem is that most of the time the volume is so low that these announcements can not be heard or the system does not work at all. LR Reports that FLIC has an upcoming meeting with TCAT concerning riders with disabilities as well as rural riders. LR Proposes a Resolution to draft a letter to present to TCAT during the FLIC meeting requesting the problem with the signals be corrected. Seconded by Rodney. All in favor—carried. Curb Ramps—Larry Handout given of 2007 Schedule for Ramp Reconstruction Locations provided by Lynn Yost. LR Requested that if any member knows of or comes across any areas not listed in the handout which may need to be looked at to contact Lynn Yost no later than end of February. Diversity Committee—Larry LR Someone from DAC should attend WFD meetings to express our concerns. LR nominated Greg G. GG I will accept as long as there are no conflicts with scheduling. Meetings are on a Monday and last about 2 hrs. said that he believes that WFD is willing to be flexible with their times for scheduling GE Willing to be GG's stand in if need be. IJialogue between LR and GG — Important to bring awareness to the different types of disabilities. Some are not as obvious as others. Unemployment rate for disabled is 75%. Discussion over whether or not one needs to disclose certain types of disabilities. Obligation to educate prospective employers on issues concerning prospective employees who may be disabled. Train entire workforce. Southwest Vision Statement—Larry Handout (Southwest Vision Statement) LR City is looking for input on planning and development, particularly housing. Vision Statement doesn't cover persons with disabilities. Housing not only needs to be accessible but, visitable as well. Encourage planners to not just concentrate on affordable housing but,make more accessible housing available as well. LC David Kay—Chair SW Committee is person who DAC should be addressed to. Julie Holcomb—Larry LR Julie Holcomb is not only our City Clerk but, our ADA Coordinator. Unfortunately she was unable to attend today's meeting due to other commitments. Invite Julie to March meeting. Meeting Adjourned: Disability Advisory Council May 2,2007 In Attendance: Scott Peters Larry Roberts Greg Gisinzewski Buz Ortiz David McElrath Rodney Sanford Charlie Dorsey Brian Wilber, Chief IFD (Guest Speaker) Motion by Larry to accept last month's minutes, seconded by George, all in favor. Introductions Agenda: Presentation about Emergency Procedures—Ithaca Fire Department—Brian Wilber, Chief, IFD. Chief Wilber spoke of emergency evacuation procedures,primarily in residential care facilities within the City of Ithaca. Chief Wilber said Ithaca Fire Dept. personnel take into account the built in features of a building, such as sprinkler systems,and the residential make up of its occupants during emergency evacuation procedures. Titus Towers I was primarily spoken of due to its height, 14 stories, and its high proportionate number of residents with disabilities. Chief Wilber said in the event of a fire the Ithaca fire Dept. would be unable to evacuate Titus Towers I in its entirety due to the lack of resources. Chief Wilber went on to say because of the buildings design and its sprinkler system,most any fire would be contained and a total evacuation would most likely be unnecessary.Those that would be evacuated would be residents closest to the fire then outward as deemed necessary. Hopefully,the audible fire alarm system would cause most residents to self-evacuate. Chief Wilber went on to say that many newer buildings have"safe areas",usually stair wells. According to many of these buildings emergency evacuation plans,people who are unable to self evacuate are instructed to assemble in these"safe areas" and wait for assistance. Chief Wilber also said in the event of a fire,facilities with a high number of elderly residents present not only a fire emergency,but a medical emergency as well due to smoke filled hallways. Chief Wilber said the Ithaca Fire Department does make presentations on emergency evacuation procedures at several residential facilities throughout their area of responsibility such as Titus Towers and McGraw House. -Larry Roberts asked Chief Wilber about conducting fire drills at Titus Towers. -Chief Wilber responded by saying that the Ithaca Fire Department doesn't specifically conduct fire drills. It would be up to the management staff to organize and conduct these drills. -Greg Gisinzewski asked about procedure for developing emergency evacuation plans. -Chief Wilber said that each facility develops an emergency evacuation plan which is then reviewed by the Ithaca Fire Department. The plan is then approved as is or changed as needed before it is implemented. It was brought up that Titus Towers' emergency evacuation plan may be somewhat ambiguous. Chief Wilber said that their plan will be reviewed to insure it is clear and concise. -Larry asked about evacuation plans for emergencies other than fires. -Chief Wilber said that an incident occurred at Titus Towers I where residents were evacuated due to a gas leak. These residents were moved to Titus IL The evacuation was conducted by first evacuating residents closest to the affected area then outward. The plan also called for the displaced residents to be bussed by TCAT to other facilities in the event the evacuation was to remain in effect for a considerable time. -Buz Ortiz asked if there could be included in a facilities emergency evacuation plan an in staff first responder program to assist residents in the event an evacuation would be necessary. -Chief Wilber said that this definitely could be suggested. However,he wouldn't want to place anyone in harms way. That is what the Fire Department is for. -Larry Roberts asked if there were any evacuation plans in place for disasters such as Hurricane Katrina or a September 11 cn type event. -Chief Wilber said procedures for an evacuation in an unforeseen event such as those would have to be dealt with on a case by case basis depending on the situation and the need for evacuation. -Greg Gisinzewski asked if it would be feasible to put into place a practice of assigning residents living quarters based on their disability,example,people in wheel chairs living on lower floors and ambulatory residents on the upper floors. -Larry Roberts responded by saying such policies are illegal. -Larry Roberts then asked about Altera, Longview and the Reconstruction Home -Chief Wilber said that all of those staffs have been previously spoken to concerning emergency evacuation procedures. -Greg Gisinzewski then asked what other communities are close by that have resources to assist the IFD in the event of an emergency. -Chief Wilber said there are other communities' fire departments that routinely assist the IFD as well as each other.As far as what other fire department is called upon depends on their ability, equipment and manpower depending on the situation. Charlie Dorsey asked if there are grants available to train volunteers who could routinely speak with specific groups about evacuation procedures. Larry Roberts said volunteers would need a specific level of ongoing training and expertise as with IFD personnel. This could be an obstacle in implementing such a program. -Chief Wilber said this has been done in the past with volunteer firemen with the IFD. Unfortunately, it is difficult to maintain the level of expertise required to perform this function on a volunteer basis. -Chief Wilber said that his Department will make an assessment of the Titus Towers emergency evacuation plan and report back to the DAC for any suggestion they would have and make changes if need be. Chief Wilber reiterated that it is important to keep in touch so issues such as these can be addressed. Chief Wilber then went on to explain IFD staffing levels and the unfortunate lack of volunteer firefighters,there used to be over a hundred and now there are less than a dozen. Also, Chief Wilber went over again on how fire departments rely on each other for mutual aid. This concluded Chief Wilber's presentation. Larry announced that Charlie is going to have an aid to assist with his mapping and building survey project. The aid is a Girl Scout who is working towards her Gold Award, which is equivalent to a Boy Scout being an Eagle Scout. Larry said he went to the Open House for the Cornell T-GEIS Transportation Study. Larry said they took a lot of the DAC's suggestions seriously. Larry also said that he was pleased they took into account the need for accessible taxi cabs, which they hadn't thought of previously. Larry said that Lisa Nicholas would be willing to speak with the DAC in regards to issues with the South West Development planning. Larry announced that the Golden Shovel Awards are going to be presented tonight at the Common Council meeting. Larry said if anyone could attend that would be nice. If no one can attend he will draft a letter from the DAC thanking the recipients for their efforts. Larry said he received word that Leslie Chatterton's(if not correct name, sorry)term on the DAC expires in June. However,she has resigned from the DAC. Larry said it would be nice to have another female on the DAC to fill her space in order to keep a female's perspective on issues. Larry said that he spoke with Tim Louge on deaf and blind friendly crossing signals. Larry said that some progress has been made but, more such signals need to be installed. Larry also mentioned that the counter at the City Chamberlain's Office is quite high and somewhat cumbersome for persons in wheel chairs. Larry questioned if the counter height is in accordance with the ADA and if it is could it still be lowered. Buz mentioned that he encountered a hazardous situation with snow and ice build up at the bus stop in the construction zone. Buz said that he called the City and was pleased to see that within an hour the area was free of snow and ice. Greg asked if the DAC had any input on the design of the new bus shelter/stop being constructed at the Seneca St. Garage and was concerned about it being accessible to persons with disabilities. Larry said that he has been kept abreast and issues have been addressed. Larry brought everyone's attention to the attachment to the agenda,which is an Executive Summary on costs for people on SSI in regards to housing. Larry said its findings are disturbing and people are being priced out of housing due to SSI payments not keeping up with inflation. Larry announced that FLIC is giving a nutrition workshop on May 14''from 1:OOPM- 2:30PM. Anyone who wishes to attend let him know and he will sign them up. Meeting Adjourned. Report to Common Council and the Mayor September 2007 The Disability Advisory Council Members Larry Roberts, Chair Greg Gizewski, Vice-Chair Lauren Signer, Secretary Charlie Dorsey George Eberhardt David McElrath, liaison with BPAC, liaison with PAC Kendrick Kemp John Ortiz Rodney Sanford Former Members Christen Bonnaci Elizabeth Phelps Erin Sember Caissa Wilmer Regular attendees David Bulkley Ed Swayze Gary Tracy From the City Robin Korherr, Common Council Liaison Leslie Chatterton, Planning Department, staff to the DAC The Disability Advisory Council (DAC), established in 1990, advises the Mayor, the Common Council and other city officials about the needs of residents with disabilities. The DAC is comprised of city residents with and without disabilities and non-city residents with an interest in the work of the DAC. The Advisory Council continues to work hard on behalf of the City and continues to work closely and effectively with staff, the Mayor, and Common Council. Summary of Major Work Our most important work was to advocate for a change in the way the city approaches snow and ice removal from sidewalks, an approach that now sees snow and ice removal as a priority, and as a matter of the rights of people with disabilities to be able to get around the city in the winter. We supported changes to the Exterior Property Maintenance Ordinance related to snow and ice removal. The DAC was involved in discussions about the policy and procedures that implement the ordinance. We supported the addition of a sidewalk crew to the Department of Public Works and supported the Golden Shovel Award. The Pedestrian Advisory Council suggested many of these changes in its report to the Mayor in 2006. The Disability Advisory Council has a good relationship with the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. We regularly met with Sue Kittel, Deputy Director, Community Development, to discuss priorities for HUD entitlement funds,with many positive results: • City Hall now has power doors at internal doors • The Red Cross Shelter is able to make access improvements at the Friendship Center that will allow access to shelter beds for people with mobility disabilities • The Ithaca Youth Bureau is funded to install power doors at its entrance and re- stripe its parking lot for better handicapped parking. The Chair worked with Leslie Chatterton,planning department, to develop a proposal for an access improvements no-interest loan fund, available to downtown merchants. We will resubmit for funding during the next funding cycle. The DAC works collaboratively with Lynne Yost, sidewalk program, to improve the process of curb ramp installation and repair, beginning in 2005, when Vice-Chair Greg Gizewski helped survey many locations needing repair or installation. Continuing the process, former DAC member Caissa Wilmer developed a report identifying curb ramp needs in the north of the city, mostly in Fall Creek. Caissa surveyed the area and also sought input from neighbors and the Neighborhood Association. Lynne Yost has recently convened a South of the Creek working group to identify curb ramp and other access needs in that area. The working group includes three residents of Titus Towers and Lynne, Kent Johnston and Tim Logue; the executive director and maintenance coordinator at Titus Towers attended the first meeting. We have a good connection with Planning and Development, having really good conversations with JoAnn Cornish, Deputy Director, about the ways that the DAC can give input and have a role with projects. • The DAC received a presentation about the housing development planned for South West. Lisa Nicholas, City Planner, answered questions and described ways for the DAC to have input to the design as things move ahead. • With JoAnn's encouragement, former DAC member Christen Bonnaci wrote letters to Wegman's and the Hilton Garden Inn. The letters asked each business to move a bike rack that was obstructing a path of travel. Wegman's moved the rack; the Hilton did not. • DAC member George Eberhardt told us that there were sidewalk slabs missing from each side of the sidewalk at Chili's Restaurant. He brought it to the attention of JoAnn. She investigated. The problem became that the responsibility for installing the sidewalk was unclear. While that issue was being investigated, the missing slabs were installed. • The Chair of the DAC reviews site plan review documents and has commented on several plans before the Planning Board on behalf of the DAC. Most recently, we joined the BPAC expressing concern about the plan for a drive through coffee shop at the Ithaca Shopping Plaza. • Tim Logue and Tom West, City Engineers, provided an overview of a project to widen the 100 block of North Aurora Street. The Disability Advisory Council supported this project because it will create a wider path of travel while allowing for outdoor seating. • The DAC received an update from and gave input to the architectural firm that is working on the Cayuga Green Project. The DAC is committed to assuring that the rights and needs of people with disabilities are reflected in the planning process and continues talking with planning staff to identify effective mechanisms for doing so. The Chair worked with Kathryn Wolff, of Trowbridge and Wolff, to arrange a meeting of people with disabilities so that we could give input to the transportation Generic Environmental Impact Statement (t-GEIS). The t-GEIS is a project between Cornell and the Town of Ithaca that is examining different growth scenarios at Cornell, their impact on transportation systems, and how to mitigate those impacts. Essentially the question is: How do people get to and from Cornell efficiently given certain scenarios? The meeting was very well attended. Individual members of the DAC attended other open house opportunities to comment on the t-GEIS. The Advisory Council received a presentation by Brian Wilbur, Fire Chief, City of Ithaca. He described the way that the fire department plans evacuation of people with disabilities from larger city buildings such as City Hall, Titus Towers, the Mental Health Building. Chief Wilbur heard various concerns about Titus Towers and has agreed to review the evacuation plan developed by Ithaca Housing Authority, and ask them to implement drills. He will report back to the DAC. The DAC is going to bring a resolution to Common Council asking President Bush to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Myra Kovary, who was part of the negations at the UN, is educating the DAC so that we can be conversant with the convention and the change it represents, and why the US should sign it. Other Work • Met with the City of Ithaca Diversity Committee. The DAC Chair is still waiting to appoint a liaison to that committee. • The mapping project moves forward, with the work of Charlie Dorsey. Samantha Baker, a Girl Scout, will be assisting Charlie; she's pursuing the Gold Award, and assisting the DAC on the survey is part of her project. The award is the highest award in Girl Scouting. The mapping project has consisted of accessibility surveys of businesses in the downtown area. The collected data will be used to create a GIS-based map that can be easily updated and available on the City's website. • Met with Tim Logue when he was appointed city traffic engineer. We wanted to meet with him to get a description of his job, what he sees as important, and to give him some input about important traffic issues from our perspective. • The DAC wrote a statement supporting funding from the city for GADABOUT and appeared before appropriate City Committees to support GADABOUT in its efforts to receive funding. • The DAC wrote a letter of support to the federal department of transportation, supporting a road sharing experiment proposed by the city's traffic engineer. • Met with Phyllis Radke, Building Commissioner, to talk about her plans for snow and ice removal under the revised ordinance. • Met with Julie Conley Holcomb,ADA coordinator. The Chair continues to act as DAC liaison to the Board of Public Works Appreciations The members of the Disability Advisory Council mourned the death of Caissa Wilmer. We appreciate the ongoing support of Leslie Chatterton, City Staff and Robin Korherr, Common Council. The progress reflected in this report was made because of the City staff that met with us and assisted us in our work. Report prepared by: Larry Roberts, Chair, Disability Advisory Council WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Organization on Disability(NOD)is calling on America's mayors and chief elected officials to enter their communities in the seventh annual Accessible America awards competition, open to all U.S. cities and towns. The purpose of the competition is to highlight and inspire replication of best practices ideas in disability programs, services and initiatives as part of a yearlong celebration of NOD's 25th anniversary. Thanks to sponsors AARP and UPS, communities will compete for a$25,000 cash prize and the distinction of being one of the best places in the US for people with disabilities to live, learn,work and play. Entrants will showcase how their citizens with disabilities are participating in and contributing to local community life. Berkeley, CA and Chicago, IL were the 2006 winners, surpassing dozens of outstanding entries from diverse communities nationwide. The winning cities or towns designated in NOD's Accessible America 2007 competition will be places where citizens with disabilities have opportunities for full and equal participation in the life of their community, including access to education,transportation, housing, religious worship,voting and a full range of social, recreational,cultural,and sports activities. NOD is giving special focus to best practices ideas in the areas of employment opportunities and emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. To enter the competition, communities will submit an official Accessible America 2007 application signed by their mayor or chief elected official describing how their city or town (or county representing unincorporated communities within its borders) provides opportunities for citizens with disabilities to participate fully in community life. Entries must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2007. "People who have disabilities are part of every community, and deserve to feel not only welcomed but also safe in our cities and towns,"said NOD president Michael R. Deland."As the American dream becomes realistic for everyone, including those of us with disabilities,the country as a whole will benefit,"he continued. "Accessible America communities recognize the economic, social and cultural advantage to casting their nets wider in order to attract people with disabilities who want to participate and contribute just like everyone else,"said Nancy Starnes, NOD Vice President."Best practices ideas from Accessible America winners are the result of a clear message sent by local leaders that people with disabilities are influential members of their city or town,"she added. Ms. Starnes is a wheelchair user and former mayor of Sparta, NJ. The 2004 NOD/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities identified ten key gap areas where people with disabilities were documented to be at a significant disadvantage in comparison to other Americans. One of the gap areas is community involvement,and others include employment, education,access to housing and transportation, and involvement in religious and political life.The Accessible America 2007 competition highlights communities who have been motivated to address these participation gaps so that people with disabilities can receive the welcome and support they need. The$25.000 cash award should be used to further the community's efforts in closing those participation gaps. To learn more about the Accessible America 2007 competition and read entries submitted by previous finalists–as well as read about the numerous benefits NOD's Community Partnership Program offers to member communities–visit NOD's web site,www.nod.org, or call Mr. Rik Opstelten at 202/293-5960. Membership in the Community Partnership Program is not a prerequisite for entering the Accessible America competition. The National Organization on Disability promotes the full and equal participation and contribution of America's 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. For more information about NOD's programs, visit www.nod.org. ,r Y Report to Common Council and the Mayor October 2007 The City of Ithaca Disability Advisory Council Members Larry Roberts, Chair Greg Gizewski, Vice-Chair Lauren Signer, Secretary Charlie Dorsey George Eberhardt David McElrath, liaison with BPAC, liaison with PAC Kendrick Kemp John Ortiz Former Members Christen Bonnaci Elizabeth Phelps Erin Sember Rodney Sanford Caissa Wilmer Regular attendees David Bulkley Ed Swayze Gary Tracy From the City Robin Korherr, Common Council Liaison Leslie Chatterton, Planning Department, staff to the DAC The Disability Advisory Council (DAC), established in 1990, advises the Mayor, the Common Council and other city officials about the needs of residents with disabilities. The DAC is comprised of city residents with and without disabilities and non-city residents with an interest in the work of the DAC. The Advisory Council continues to work hard on behalf of the City and continues to work closely and effectively with staff, the Mayor, and Common Council. Summary of Major Work Our most important work was to advocate for a change in the way the city approaches snow and ice removal from sidewalks, an approach that now sees snow and ice removal as a priority, and as a matter of the rights of people with disabilities to be able to get around the city in the winter. We supported changes to the Exterior Property Maintenance Ordinance related to snow and ice removal. The DAC was involved in discussions about the policy and procedures } �a J that implement the ordinance. We supported the addition of a sidewalk crew to the Department of Public Works and supported the Golden Shovel Award. The Pedestrian Advisory Council suggested many of these changes in its report to the Mayor in 2006. The Disability Advisory Council has a good relationship with the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. We regularly met with Sue Kittel, Deputy Director, Community Development, to discuss priorities for HUD entitlement funds, with many positive results: • City Hall now has power doors at internal doors • The Red Cross Shelter is able to make access improvements at the Friendship Center that will allow access to shelter beds for people with mobility disabilities • The Ithaca Youth Bureau is funded to install power doors at its entrance and re- stripe its parking lot for better handicapped parking. The Chair worked with Leslie Chatterton,planning department, to develop a proposal for an access improvements no-interest loan fund, available to downtown merchants. We will resubmit for funding during the next funding cycle. The DAC works collaboratively with Lynne Yost, sidewalk program, to improve the process of curb ramp installation and repair, beginning in 2005,when Vice-Chair Greg Gizewski helped survey many locations needing repair or installation. Continuing the process, former DAC member Caissa Wilmer developed a report identifying curb ramp needs in the north of the city, mostly in Fall Creek. Caissa surveyed the area and also sought input from neighbors and the Neighborhood Association. Lynne Yost has recently convened a South of the Creek working group to identify curb ramp and other access needs in that area. The working group includes three residents of Titus Towers and Lynne, Kent Johnston and Tim Logue; the executive director and maintenance coordinator at Titus Towers attended the first meeting. We have a good connection with Planning and Development, having really good conversations with JoAnn Cornish, Deputy Director, about the ways that the DAC can give input and have a role with projects. • The DAC received a presentation about the housing development planned for South West. Lisa Nicholas, City Planner, answered questions and described ways for the DAC to have input to the design as things move ahead. • With JoAnn's encouragement, former DAC member Christen Bonnaci wrote letters to Wegman's and the Hilton Garden Inn. The letters asked each business to move a bike rack that was obstructing a path of travel. Wegman's moved the rack; the Hilton did not. • DAC member George Eberhardt told us that there were sidewalk slabs missing from each side of the sidewalk at Chili's Restaurant. He brought it to the attention of JoAnn. She investigated. The problem became that the responsibility for installing the sidewalk was unclear. While that issue was being investigated, the missing slabs were installed. • The Chair of the DAC reviews site plan review documents and has commented on several plans before the Planning Board on behalf of the DAC. Most recently, we F joined the BPAC expressing concern about the plan for a drive through coffee shop at the Ithaca Shopping Plaza. • Tim Logue and Tom West, City Engineers, provided an overview of a project to widen the 100 block of North Aurora Street. The Disability Advisory Council supported this project because it will create a wider path of travel while allowing for outdoor seating. • The DAC received an update from and gave input to the architectural firm that is working on the Cayuga Green Project. The DAC is committed to assuring that the rights and needs of people with disabilities are reflected in the planning process and continues talking with planning staff to identify effective mechanisms for doing so. The Chair worked with Kathryn Wolff, of Trowbridge and Wolff, to arrange a meeting of people with disabilities so that we could give input to the transportation Generic Environmental Impact Statement(t-GEIS). The t-GEIS is a project between Cornell and the Town of Ithaca that is examining different growth scenarios at Cornell, their impact on transportation systems, and how to mitigate those impacts. Essentially the question is: How do people get to and from Cornell efficiently given certain scenarios? The meeting was very well attended. Individual members of the DAC attended other open house opportunities to comment on the t-GEIS. The Advisory Council received a presentation by Brian Wilbur, Fire Chief, City of Ithaca. He described the way that the fire department plans evacuation of people with disabilities from larger city buildings such as City Hall, Titus Towers, the Mental Health Building. Chief Wilbur heard various concerns about Titus Towers and has agreed to review the evacuation plan developed by Ithaca Housing Authority, and ask them to implement drills. He will report back to the DAC. The DAC is going to bring a resolution to Common Council asking President Bush to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Myra Kovary, who was part of the negations at the UN, is educating the DAC so that we can be conversant with the convention and the rl�anaaP it TernrPCPntg, and why the T T gh�,�td �ygn it. Other Work • Met with the City of Ithaca Diversity Committee. The DAC Chair is still waiting to appoint a liaison to that committee. • The mapping project moves forward, with the work of Charlie Dorsey. Samantha Baker, a Girl Scout,will be assisting Charlie; she's pursuing the Gold Award, and assisting the DAC on the survey is part of her project. The award is the highest award in Girl Scouting. The mapping project has consisted of accessibility surveys of businesses in the downtown area. The collected data will be used to create a GIS-based map that can be easily updated and available on the City's website. • Met with Tim Logue when he was appointed city traffic engineer. We wanted to meet with him to get a description of his job, what he sees as important, and to give him some input about important traffic issues from our perspective. • The DAC wrote a statement supporting funding from the city for GADABOUT and appeared before appropriate City Committees to support GADABOUT in its efforts to receive funding. • The DAC wrote a letter of support to the federal department of transportation, supporting a road sharing experiment proposed by the city's traffic engineer. • Met with Phyllis Radke, Building Commissioner, to talk about her plans for snow and ice removal under the revised ordinance. • Met with Julie Conley Holcomb,ADA coordinator. The Chair continues to act as DAC liaison to the Board of Public Works Appreciations The members of the Disability Advisory Council mourned the death of Caissa Wilmer. We appreciate the ongoing support of Leslie Chatterton, City Staff and Robin Korherr, Common Council. The progress reflected in this report was made because of the City staff that met with us and assisted us in our work. Report prepared by: Larry Roberts, Chair, Disability Advisory Council Approved by Disability Advisory Council, September 2007 Submitted to Common Council, October 2007 Report to the Mayor and Common Council June 2009 City of Ithaca Disability Advisory Council The DAC Members Larry Roberts, Chair Greg Gizewski, Vice Chair Jason Anderson Charlie Dorsey George Eberhardt Otis Jackson Kendrick Kemp David McElrath, liaison to the BPAC Erin Sember Wendy Skinner Former Members John Ortiz Lauren Signer Regular Attendees Ed Swayze, director, Information and Referral, Human Service Coalition of Tompkins County Siobhan Whelhan, staff, Ithaca Youth Bureau From the City Staff liaison: Leslie Chatterton, Planner, Planning and Development Common Council liaison: Robin Korherr Mission The Disability Advisory Council (DAC), established in 1990, advises the Mayor, the Common Council and other city officials about the needs of residents with disabilities. The DAC is comprised of city residents with and without disabilities and non-city residents with an interest in the work of the DAC. Summary of Major Work Accessible (handicapped)parking The DAC has worked on the issue of accessible parking since the DAC was created. This year we had several conversations about parking tickets with Debra Parsons, the City Chamberlain. She did research and confirmed that a percentage of the surcharge on tickets for accessible parking violations is to go to the Ithaca Police Department (for I training of the department in order to improve its ability to interact with persons with disabilities) and to Tompkins County(to develop an accessible parking education program). The DAC sent a letter to the county alerting it to the monies available and the county has established a working group to advise it as it creates the program. The group is made up of a subgroup of the DAC. The county's Public Information Office, Marcia Lynch is responsible for the program. The DAC chair, Julie Conley-Holcomb, City Clerk, and Debra Parsons met with Judge Judith Rossiter to discuss whether she would be willing to raise the fines for accessible parking violations. She agreed to do so. The new fines will be $100.00 for the first offense, 150.00 for the second offense, and 200.00 for the third offense (this includes the surcharge) and will take effect when the Chamberlain orders and distributes new tickets. Accessible America The DAC is leading the effort to win an Accessible America award from the National Organization on Disability(NOD). A subgroup of the DAC is coordinating this effort and is working with department heads and other city staff to develop the application. The award is given to cities that the judges decide best meet the purpose of the contest. The recognition includes a$25,000 award. For more information, visit www.nod.org. Stewart Park We invited Jason Anderson to join the Council when we learned that he had emailed his concerns about access at Stewart Park to Rick Manning who is leading the development of the Stewart Park Rehabilitation Action Plan (SPRAP). Rick Manning and colleagueas provided a presentation about the Stewart Park project and took feedback from DAC members. The DAC supported an application by the Ithaca Youth Bureau to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency to fund an accessible, universally designed play space at Stewart Park. Siobhan Whalen, IYB, worked with Parkitects, Inc and others to develop and submit a proposal, for which the DAC chair wrote a letter of support. The IURA did not fund the proposal. The chair, as liaison to the Board of Public Works, hears updates about the Ithaca Motion Picture Project and has an opportunity to give input and ask questions. Stimulus funding for improving accessibility The DAC sent a resolution to the Mayor and Common Council stating that the Disability Advisory Council encourages the City to consider accessibility and livability by incorporating them into any (stimulus)project and including them as criteria considered when selecting projects. The resolution also suggested that ADA compliance be part of any project considered. I The DAC chair was advised by BPW Superintendent Bill Gray about the availability of federal stimulus funds to address specific ADA compliance needs, such as curbramps, signalization, and sidewalk repair. The New York State Department of Transportation asked the City to develop projects that it could fund to address access. The chair and vice chair, Greg Gizewski, met with Lynne Yost and Tom Lougue, city engineers, to develop an approach to developing projects that could meet the need of NYSDOT. At this point, the City has submitted other kinds of projects that are shovel-ready. Superintendent Gray assumes that there will be later opportunities to apply for federal stimulus monies to address access needs. Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit(TCAT) Transit Development Plan TCAT launched a transit development plan to design a more effective and supportable transit system. The chair, vice chair and members David McElrath and George Eberhardt took active roles in the development of the plan. The chair was a member of the Resource Committee for the TDP and is a member of the TCAT Advisory Group. As the Program Director at Finger Lakes Independence Center, he organized an input session between TCAT and people with disabilities. David McElrath was an outspoken critic of the first set of recommendations. He wrote a letter to the Ithaca Journal criticizing the recommendations and helped establish a meeting between Titus Towers residents and TCAT. We all attended the public meetings held by TCAT. TCAT staff presented the second set of recommendations to the DAC which was much changed, in part because of the work of the DAC, FLIC, Titus Towers residents, people with disabilities, older people, advocates and the general TCAT ridership. The DAC also recognizes that the willingness of TCAT planners to receive and use input played an essential role in the development of a plan that the DAC supports. The chair was authorized to send a letter to TCAT chair Dan Cogan, commending TCAT and its staff for its commitment to developing a good public input process. Other Work • The DAC met with Jake Roberts, Ithaca Festival Director 2008 to discuss access plans for the festival. The DAC met with Jes Seaver, Ithaca Festival Director 2009 to discuss access plans; • David McElrath and George Eberhardt, residents of Titus Towers, often raise issues of concern to residents of Titus Towers. They have raised signalization and timing to cross Meadow Street at Wood Street; traffic calming around the buildings; and the inaccessibility of the vans used for trips outside the county to events or attractions; • Leslie Chatterton is updating the ADA Survey Update (1992); • The DAC received presentations about the Collegetown Plan and the Southwest Plan; • The DAC met with Sue Kittel, IURA; • The DAC met with Joann Cornish, Director, Planning and Development; • The DAC reviewed a letter from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The letter came to the City as a result of a citizen complaint related to ADA 11 compliance. Rich Ferrel, Assistant Superintendent of Public Works, updated the DAC when the City had addressed all the issues raised by the DOJ. The DOJ took no further action as the City had addressed the issues to the Department's satisfaction. Other The Chair is appointed to the Comprehensive Plan Committee The Chair is appointed to the Ithaca Commons Client Committee The Chair is the DAC permanent liaison to the Board of Public Works Acknowledgements The members acknowledge the support offered to us by Julie Conley-Holcomb, City Clerk and her staff, particularly Sarah Meyers. We also acknowledge Lynne Yost, sidewalk program, for her work on sidewalk and curb ramp improvements and her enthusiasm for the Accessible America application process. We thank Debra Parsons for explaining how accessible parking fine money could be used to start a handicapped parking education program. We acknowledge Tompkins County and its commitment to creating said program, particularly the leadership of Marcia Lynch, the county's Public Information Officer. We acknowledge the longtime support of Leslie Chatterton, city planner and our staff liaison. We are grateful to many of the city department heads for supporting the work of the DAC. Rick Ferrel, former Assistant Superintendent of Public Works for Streets and Facilities, worked very hard over his career to address access issues in Ithaca. We thank him and wish him well in retirement. We thank Mayor Carolyn Peterson for her support of the DAC. The DAC enjoys a good working relationship with the Mayor, Common Council, other members of city boards and committees, city staff, and other city officials. Without a good and growing relationship, we couldn't be as successful in our mission as we are. Approved by the Disability Advisory Council: Presented to the Common Council: Report prepared by: Larry Roberts, Chair. 11 ITHACA COMMONS REDESIGN-Feedback Form On July 8, 2009, the City of Ithaca will hold a public input session to solicit comments from the public regarding the Ithaca Commons utility, surface, and amenity repair and upgrade project. The Commons is a vital commercial district as well as the cultural heart of the City of Ithaca and its continued success is critical. In recent years, concerns have been raised that the Commons is in need of major repairs and upgrades. The City has hired Sasaki, as the design consultant to evaluate the current conditions and future needs for the Commons and to provide a design for the repairs and upgrades to the Commons. Before embarking on this process, it is essential that the City obtain feedback from the public. Please use this form to submit any comments, concerns, ideas, and general feedback you have. The public feedback will be recorded and used by the consultant during the evaluation of the Commons. Please forward the completed form to Jennifer Kusznir at jenniferk @cityofithaca.org,or to City of Ithaca Planning Department at 108 E.Green Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. Your Information Your Connection to the Commons (optional) (check all that apply) Name _ Merchant _Work In/Near the Commons Where? Phone _ Property Owner _Other Email Resident On average, how often do you go to the Commons? Every day A few times per week A few times per month _Once per month _Less than once per month 1. What physical improvements do you think are most critically needed on the Commons? 2. What works well on the Commons now and why? 3. What do you feel is missing from the Commons experience?What does not work well there? 4. What is most important to you about the Commons?What concerns do you have about the space? ITHACA COMMONS REDESIGN-Feedback Form 5. What brings you to the Commons?What might keep you there longer? 6. How do you feel about the shopping experience at the Commons?What could make it better? Please use the space below to list any other ideas,comments or concerns you have.