Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns

Minutes March 16, 2006 - 3:00-6:00 PM

Commissioners Present All, except Bill Tennant, who was excused

Committee members present Ndieh Aun Marsha Luetjen Nina Bryn Sobhi Beri Adrienne Wygonik Sandy Koppinger

Guest: (Cathy knows name)

1. Call to Order: 3:03PM

2. Roll Call

3. Additions/changes to agenda: change November to January.

4. Approval of January Minutes. Motion by Commission Swanson, seconded by Commissioner Parrelly, unanimous approval. Chair McAdam briefly discussed the idea behind actions items - to pinpoint and focus - so we can do our work better and more expediently.

5. Access committee Action items (Report follows minutes) New polling survey would have two sections - items under control of poll workers and constructional issues. Give certificates to polling sites who met compliance of poll workers items 100% at following training for this time and at the time of inspection in the future. Needs to be carefully worded so that it is clear what and for what period it represents. Also considered giving individual poll workers a pen or some other small item. DTE has no emergency list for people who may need their electricity restored quickly because of medical issues. SBC/ ATT does have a priority list. Nina Bryn offered to look into how this issue is dealt with on a national basis. It was decided that a letter needs to be constructed that would be sent to insist that compliance to the ADA be adhered to at schools that are used as polling sites.

MOTION: The Access Committee will draft a letter to the Superintendent of Schools, school principals, school PTA, City Clerk, DPW, Bureau of State Elections, and the Mayor regarding the issues at hand about the polling ADA compliance to be approved by the executive committee. Made by Commissioner Tishler, seconded by Commissioner Bower, unanimous. Commissioner Filiak asked about the voting machine evaluation presented by Michigan Protection & Advocacy. There was little to report except the personal experiences of those who participated.

6. Communication committee: Action items (Report follows minutes) There was a discussion of the two candidate for keynote speaker. Pros and cons for Cheryl Angelelli included a recent local presentation, she is local, she is new now as a speaker. For Randy - he is a seasoned speaker, more of a motivational speaker, funny, and a higher profile. MOTION: I motion we secure Cheryl Angelelli as the keynote speaker for the 2006 DAD contingent upon availability. If Cheryl is not available, offer it to Randy Snow. Motion made by Commissioner Parrelly, seconded by Commissioner Swanson, unanimous approval. The Dome room is reserved, but a major function wants it on our reserved date. Several alternative dates were discussed. If the 19th is not going to be available, the 26th is our second choice. Commissioner Swanson said he would know the final date in the next week.

7. Education Committee Action item: update strategic plan - to be covered later when Commissioner Kreger arrived.

8. Visitability committee: update Universal design bill There was a discussion of the process of this bill. If further support is needed the executive committee will draft a letter to be approved by the mayor before it is sent.

9. Chair report: McAdam executive committee update, action Items. (Reports follow minutes.) All reports need to be received electronically the Thursday before each meeting. If items are brought to the meeting - they need to be sent to the Chair and ADA Coordinator electronically afterwards. The executive committee met. We need to decide who will maintain website. Chair McAdam is asking everyone to look at ADA Coordinator's websites and decide if she should pull down existing site and begin anew. The existing site could continue to be used if so decided. A minimum of 5 commissioners are needed to respond with their preferences. The alternative format language was discussed. It was agreed that the word electronic should be added to available formats, that the word physical be deleted from "physical disability" and it should be in 14 Pt font. The policy should include the same, but should also be more specific as to what reasonable notice is. Edsel Ford HS parking issues were discussed further. It needs to be determined if a curb cut exists so a wheelchair user could get from the parking space to the door. Commission Filiak will check this out. Commissioner Kreger will provide the name and contact information of the person who is in charge of parking issues at schools.

10. Vice Chair Report: Kreger There was a general discussion of the strategic plans. It should be noted that the plan itself must be approved for changes, but the bullet points are "current issues" and require no approval and may be very specific to an exact project, commissioner, or idea.

11. Public Comment Nina Bryn asked about how we advertised the meetings. She thought the community might be enraged about polling inaccessibility if it know about. Chair McAdam responded that it was in the Press and Guide the Wednesday and Sunday before a meeting. There was a discussion about adding more content to notice. It was unknown how much we could add. Commissioner Swanson will investigate. It was also suggested by Nina that the city beat reporter be contacted. Marsha Luetjen noted that Comcast does say they have an audio in addition to the written text in emergency announcements. But she did not ask about what level of emergency this was in place for. Chair McAdam said in her experience she had not her any Comcast announcements. Chair McAdam asked Marsha to provide info to Commission for further follow-up as to the specific of exactly when audio is provided. Ndieh Aun noted that she had visited Esper library twice and found that the blue plate over the disability access button for the door was missing and replaced with duck tape.

12. Executive Update: Susan Fitzmaurice (Report follows minutes) Discussion of the grants we received and did not resulted in MOTION: I motion that out ADA Coordinator replace the grant money with transition funds to complete the training room. Made by Commissioner Swanson, seconded by Commissioner Parrelly, unanimous approval.

13. HFCC update: Commissioner Parrelly Cyndi discussed the changes afoot at Henry Ford Community College, including a replacement for their President. She commented that she works in an inaccessible building.

14. Update TTY calls: Commissioner Bradford (Report follows minutes) HAVE TO GET THIS ELECTRONICALLY FROM JOHN After a discussion of the TTYs not being answered it was decided that a policy on monitoring TTYs needs to be formulated to be approved by Paul Klink and the Mayor's office.

15. Update focus group, Commissioner Ramouni Commissioner Ramouni discussed their progress so far, citing as the major barriers faced by the Arabic disability community as language, transportation, stigma, and lack of information. It was decided that the resource list and a small section on the opening page of the website should be translated into Arabic. We need to reach out to Arabic speaking parents of special education students. Commissioner Kreger can help with this.

16. Commission reports

Commissioner Hodak had sign-up sheets for two health activities we will again have a table at. Mary also brought a dining guide for Dearborn she wanted us to contact and see if they would expand it to include accessibility information. Our ADA Coordinator mention a site she has with a dining guide and would send Mary the link. Commissioner Tisher mentioned a TV ad that used the emergency broadcast signal as part of it sound. Wants to investigate further and complain. Commissioner Filiak told us about an Disability awareness month event being held by the Dearborn Arts Council at Guardian Lutheran Church. Peggy Drake of Dearborn Height's Disabilty Commission has CERT certification.

Commissioner Tishler mentioned she has still not heard anything. The summer schedule for the Enabling Recreation program is out and there are a lot of interesting things going on. The Olympics will be held in Vancouver, Canada next year - and its mayor who happens to be a quad was very visible at the end of this year's Olympics. Committee member Sandy Koppinger mentioned that she thought having crafters at DAD would be an excellent addition.

Commissioner Swanson would contact VSA about the possibilities.

Next meeting - new location. Need to change website and create a map to where it is,

17. Adjournment: 6:00PM Offered by Commissioner Swanson, seconded by Commissioner Kreger, unanimous.

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REPORTS FOR MARCH MEETING

ACCESS COMMITTEE REPORT 03-16-06

Access Committee met on February 9, 2006. We reviewed the Strategic Plan and Action steps and commissioners and committee members volunteered to take on tasks to follow up on the steps.; ie., meet with City Clerk’s office to review polling site results, monitor transportation issues, city park accessibility issues and access to city services and programs such as TTY and closed /open captioning on CDTV. On March 9th, Susan, Sonya and Marsha met with Lola of the City Clerks office and did a complete review of all of the polling site surveys. We will be revisiting some of the sites prior to the next election to clarify some issues, such as signage, lineage, parking, etc. We are looking at two main directions regarding these issues. The above mentioned issues are not the responsibility of the poll workers but that of the schools/buildings where the elections are held. So we will be, with the agreement of the Commission, be constructing a letter to be sent to the Superintendent of schools and principals regarding those non-compliance issues. We are also looking at some of the committee attending Lola’s next training class for the precinct workers. We are also looking at developing a certificate of some sort for the precincts to display showing that they are in ADA Compliance, hoping to give them some sense of pride in knowing that they are following the required guidelines for a smooth voting experience for the disabled. Gary will, also, as always be monitoring the playground situations around the city. As of this date, nothing has been brought forward as to the status of the Emergency Preparedness Core Council. I will keep you informed as soon as I hear any further information. The Access Committee will meet next at the Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 23rd at 6:00 pm.

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COMMUNICATION AND AWARDS COMMITTEE 3-16-2006

2006 Pathway to Possibilities Keynote Speaker First Choice – Cheryl Angelelli - first choice as her bio read most upbeat, her accomplishments are quite impressive, she is from a local community, and we may hopefully attract more adults to Disability Awareness Day because of Ms. Angelelli's focus on ability - - despite the challenges. Base Fee - $1200 (will negotiate for non-profit) Available on October 19, 2006 Second Choice – Randy Snow - considered second choice if after all attempts to secure Ms. Angelelli as a Speaker have been exhausted. Fee - $2500 Available on October 19, 2006 *Suggest Greg Frohiep as a breakout speaker. Awards We are in the process of redesigning the awards nomination letter and form and reviewing the distribution process to reach a broader audience. We will report at the May meeting. Vendors We are in the process of updating our vendor list. Will forward additions to Cathy, Susan and Cheryl before we send out letters. Other Business Commission Website Executive Committee met and had conference call with Doug Feldkamp regarding redoing our web page. Hopefully, I’ll have more to report by the meeting. Draft of Commission Info for Chamber of Commerce.

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CHAIR REPORT 3/16/06

1. Executive committee report (attached) 2. Letters was sent re recreation concern, and NIDRR (see attached) 3. Meeting preparation: To assist in designating action items for our agenda, sending all reports electronicly before meetings, and alternative format preparation all agenda items and reports must be submitted to the Chair with copies to the ADA coordinator the Thursday before our designated meeting. RECREATION LETTER: Patricia Crosbie 1430 Culver Ave. Dearborn, MI 48124 The Dearborn Commission on Disability concerns was asked to evaluate your complaint of 12/19/06 re access to the family dressing room and compliance with the ADA. As we discussed by phone the dressing rooms for men and women as well as the family area are fully accessible. The commission has worked hard to insure full access to all city programs and services. Ted Shasleos, an employee of the recreation department came to our commission meeting of 1/19/06 to specifically address your concerns. I did let him know you again had difficulty accessing the family dressing room on Sunday January 15. He stated that all rooms are to be open and that he would follow up re your concern. However, he wanted us to clarify that this was a logistical issue and not an ADA violation. We were again reassured that the family dressing room would be unlocked and available. Thank you for your vigilance in this matter. Sincerely, M. Catherine McAdam NIDRR LETTER: Dear NIDRR Administration, We are writing to express concern about the proposed changes to the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC), also known as the ADA and Accessible IT Centers. The DBTAC program is the only comprehensive source for information on all titles of the ADA and the intersects with other disability related laws. The Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns has greatly benefited from technical assistance, training and dissemination of Materials regarding the ADA. We continue to refer people with disabilities, local businesses and our local government to the Great lakes ADA Accessible IT Center given their expertise, wealth of available materials, and ability to quickly process the compliance issues addressed in this complex law. Our commissioners have participated in trainings, and continue to use web base programs, multiple emails and phone calls to seek updates and advice to meet voluntary compliance with the ADA for our community. The justice department’s project civic access clearly demonstrates the need for continued technical assistance and training and the gaps remaining in meeting voluntary compliance with the ADA. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/civicac.htm Many people with disabilities still cannot access the Internet and the dissemination of materials via a phone line is essential. (38% of Americans with disabilities go online, compared to 58% of all Americans. http://www.pewinternet.org). We urge you to maintain the excellent services of these centers to deliver the hands on support so vitally needed. We recognize the need to impact employment of people with disabilities, but believe that will only happen if we continue to impact voluntary compliance of the ADA for public access, communication, transportation and local government services, all integrally entwined with access to employment. Sincerely The Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns M. Catherine McAdam Chair

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Minutes Wednesday 3/6/06

Present: McAdam, Swanson, Fitzmaurice Excused Kreger (last minute work crises) 1. Web page follow-up Concerns re transition of our site) Had a conference update from Doug Feldkamp . City designers will not be updating our site, checking one additional option, also looking at remaining under the ADA coordinator. 2. Action items for Commission Agenda These will be listed as items that need further discussion, a vote, or clear support before proceeding. Update and reports may still be highlighted with expectation they will be read by all commissioners. 3. Tracking ADA compliance A table/excel sheet will be kept updated by the ADA coordinator. (see attached file) 4. Budget process update The commission remains concerned about a consistent process and identification of specific line items. Our budget is integrated with DPW and is also separated by the revenue raised for DDAD. It is clear that interpreter services are to be covered. Which funding source is used for interpreters and some commission expenses needs to be resolved by DPW and Finance departments. 5. Parking update from Great Lake's ADA "All parking lots that are accessible to the public even if they are signed To be for staff only (unless the public has no access or the parking spots are all designated for a specific person) must have a minimum of one accessible parking space." 6. Support of March 15th Hearing on Inclusive Home Design Act, HB4138 The executive committee drafted a letter which was sent to the mayor’s office to be presented by the ADA coordinator. 6. Alternative Format. DPI asked the commission to review two documents, (attached as A & B)). We are recommending physical disability be change to read “disability”, and electronic format be added, ADA coordinator will check on time frame and size of font for announcement.

ATTACHMENT A Draft Language Regarding Alternative Format Availability This document is available in alternative formats to accommodate persons who, because of a physical disability, are unable to access the original document. Available alternative formats include, but are not limited to: large print, Braille, cassette tape, computer disc, and compact disc. To request this document in an alternative format, contact the City of Dearborn’s ADA Coordinator at 313.943.2789, TTY 313.943.2835. Reasonable advance notice is required.

ATTACHMENT B Draft Language for City Alternative Format Document Policy In order to ensure equitable access to public information, and to comply with applicable federal and state laws, the City of Dearborn will provide documents in alternative formats to accommodate persons who, because of a physical disability, are unable to access the original documents. Available alternative formats include, but are not limited to: large print, Braille, cassette tape, computer disc, and compact disc. Every effort will be made to provide the alternative format document as soon as possible; however, reasonable advance notice is required. The alternative format document will be provided in the most cost-effective format possible that meets the needs of the individual making the request.

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ADA COORDINATOR REPORT

Michigan Ave Project. Two audible pedestrian signals have been ordered And will be installed this spring. The rest of the changes are on schedule. 6 more audible pedestrian signals were requested through Block Grants and are being ordered anticipating that that block grant will be approved. Warren Rd. 1 audible pedestrian signal ordered & will be installed as soon as current work complete. Ford Road. Construction plans are compliant with ADA issues as much as possible. The sidewalk width is ADA compliant, except that turning radius in front of doors for a 10 block distance is not. This cannot be accomplished given restrictions around road width. All businesses are being informed that side or rear entrances adjacent parking lots will need to be ADA accessible once road construction begins. (The sidewalks are not truly safe for anyone, even without disabilities, to use in these narrow areas on Ford Rd. given the distance of the sidewalk from the high speed traffic.) Jacobsen's Project. Some question about "stamped pavement" in common areas being ADA compliant, but was resolved. Snow Library. Power doors need repair that includes replacement parts at a cost of $7,000. Will be using transition funding. Commission Budget. With Bob Leinen's retirement, Nancy Neubacher is now our budget person. She and I are developing new procedures to facilitate greater ease in keeping track of our budget. Courts. Had a discussion with court officer who has assured me that in the future the interpreters will be scheduled to arrive 15 minutes prior to the arrival of a potential juror. Also that she is going to look into having the videotape redone with captions. Grants. Have go ahead to order Braille equipment from preferred provider. New Directory Signage going in around City Hall surrounding "in-house" phones. Was consulted to assure ADA compliance for placement. Commission Brochure. Department of Public Information is looking at our brochure with the idea of doing it inhouse. This will be at a tremendous cost savings if possible. NIDRR. Sent a letter, from the ADA coordinator perspective, imploring the Great Lakes ADA & IT Center & other DTBAC to continue to remain committed to providing information and support around Title 1, 2 & 3 and not only 1. HB 4138. I went to Lansing 3/15 to testify before the Michigan House.