HomeMy WebLinkAboutDAC Annual Report - 2005 Annual Report
Disability Advisory Council
Presented to City of Ithaca Common Council and the Mayor
Presented at the June 1, 2005 Common Council Meeting
Members
Larry Roberts, Chair
Greg Gizewski, Vice Chair
Lauren Signer, Secretary
Christen Bonnacci
George Eberhart
Joannie Groome
Susan Kerns-Robinson
David McElrath
John Ortiz
Elizabeth Phelps
Erin Sember
J. Caissa Wilmer
David Bulkley
Ed Swayze
Robin Holtham Korherr, Common Council liaison
Leslie Chatterton, staff liaison
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 enjoyed another productive year and continues
to work closely and effectively with the City.
Summary of Work:
Major work:
The DAC continues to raise the issue of removal of snow and ice from
sidewalks during the winter. We have been making the following points in
discussions about this problem:
• The removal of snow and ice from sidewalks and curbramps is clearly
ineffective and the mechanisms for removing snow and ice do not work.
• The Advisory Council views the effective removal of snow and ice from
sidewalks as a matter of civil rights; people with disabilities have a right
to use sidewalks;
• As such, it must become a major priority in the range of priorities that
the City has during the winter months.
The DAC continues to support the development of a policy and procedures
that will assure that organizers of temporary events comply with the
Americans with Disability Acts (ADA). Temporary events are events such
as the Ithaca Festival or the Apple Harvest Festival. The Chair attended
several meetings of the Centralized Permitting Committee and supplied the
City Clerk with examples and resources. The City Attorney is developing
the policy, for the DAC's consideration, and the City Clerk is developing
language to be made part of the permitting process
The DAC met with Lynn Yost, DPW, to get a description of the City's
sidewalk program. The Vice Chair worked with Lynn to decide which
curbramps will be part of this year's plan and will be repaired and The Vice
Chair also accompanied Ms. Yost to survey curbramps needing repair.
The DAC met with Dan Cole, DPW, to talk about recently rehabilitated
intersections and the lack of audible crosswalks. The DAC has advised the
DPW and the BPW that the lack of audible crosswalks seems to violate the
ADA -- The DAC and the BPW and the Department of Public Works are in
discussion about how to resolve this problem.
The DAC continues to work closely with Ruth Aslanis, Planning Systems
Manager in the Planning and Development Department, to complete a
survey of the downtown. The surveys will be used to create a map that
highlights the accessibility features of the downtown. Ms. Aslanis is
utilizing an intern to complete this project.
The DAC appreciates the work of John Ives, Architectural Barriers
Consultant, Finger Lakes Independence Center. Mr. Ives helped develop and
refine the survey and trained those who have conducted the survey.
Other Work
The DAC received a presentation about the Vehicle and Traffic Law from
Deputy Chief John Curatolo, Ithaca Police Department.
The DAC met with JoAnn Cornish, Deputy Planning and Development
Director, to talk about ways for the DAC to give effective feedback to the
site planning process; the Vice Chair agreed to be the point of contact
between Planning and the DAC.
David McElrath was appointed by Mayor Peterson to the Pedestrian
Advisory Committee; Mr. McElrath is also the DAC's liaison to the Bicycle
Pedestrian Advisory Council.
The Chair continues as the permanent liaison between the Disability
Advisory Council and the Board of Public Works.
Report prepared by Larry Roberts, Chair
Approved by the DAC on June 1, 2005