Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns

Ford Peforming Arts Center, Studio A
November 14, 2002
Public Meeting Minutes

Commissioners Attending:
Christian Mageli (late via conference phone)
M. Catherine McAdam
Claudia Damian
Kim Bretton Hetrick
Mary Hodak (left at 4:20 PM)
Gary Filiak
Ryan Woods (left at 3:10 PM)
Kevin Mitchell (arrived at 3:10 PM)

Excused Absences:
Cheryl Kreger
Dale Swanson
Jane Thomas

Staff Attendinng:
Susan Fitzmaurice, ADA Coordinator
Denise Toepfer, Recreation

Call to order
Cathy McAdam opened the meeting at 2:22 PM.
Susan Fitzmaurice called the roll. There was a quorum of 5.

Approval of Agenda
Cathy asked that the agenda be changed. Denise Toepfer to go first. A vote was taken. It was unanimous.

Approval of Minutes
Kim Bretton Hetrick made a motion to accept the September 19, 2003 minutes as is. Claudia Damian seconded. Vote unanimous.

Denise Toepfer, Recreation
Discussed 2 events in December and provided flyers for all.

Two pieces of exercise equipment on loan must be returned. A recommendation in writing from the Commission is sought. 1. Flex motion Chest Machine $3050, 2. Flex Motion Free Motion Trainer (similar to existing cable cross machine) $1480.

Recreation Equipment Motion
There was a brief discussion of the advantages and differences of the two machines. Mary Hodak asked if staff was available to assist with both machines. It was agreed that the chest machine offered a piece of equipment not already available.

Kim Hetrick made the motion: I move that the Commission recommend to the recreation department the purchase of the Free Motion Chest Machine by the recreation department. Gary Filiak seconded. Vote Unanimous.

Susan told Denise that she would have a copy of the commission recommendation next week.

Cathy McAdam, Vice-Chair Report
Susan Fitzmaurice, ADA Coordinator is now going to be taking the minutes and distributing the printed reports. Please get any reports you want duplicated to Susan two days before Commission meetings.

Mentoring Day, October 16, was a success. (See attached report.)This event was sponsored by AAPD.

Cathy has volunteered to give interested librarian personnel a tour of Wayne County Libraries accessible computer stations including assitance with set-up for Dearborn libraries.

Cathy participated with the Chamber of Commerce in mock interviews at Spring Arbor for students considering going into the health care field. The Chamber has asked Cathy to assist with making their web site fully accessible. The article Cathy wrote regarding the benefits of employing people with disabilities will be published in the current Chamber newsletter.

Susan Fitzmaurice, ADA Coordinator Report
Susan reported that there has been a meeting with Doug Feldkamp regarding the web page. Doug asked that he be given more time to look into W3 accessibility standards. He said he would get back to Susan in a week, he did, and asked for another week. The following week he said he would get back to Susan ASAP. There has been no further contact.

Kim Bretton Hetrick reported that he had received a disc of the web site content from MIS and he was making changes to make the pages more accessible (adding metatags, rewiring links, & changing content.) He suggested that the commission needs to re-evaluate what they want on the web page.

Claudia Damian suggested that the best way to get action from Doug Feldkamp is in writing. It was generally agreed that the Public Relations committee needs to send a formal letter to MIS asking for a specific time frame to accomplish the technical changes needed to make our web page accessible.

Susan updated the commission on the architect plans for the City Hall bathrooms. She detailed the latest changes made to the plan and the meeting planned for December to follow-up. Claudia Damian has asked to be a part of that meeting. Ms. Toews of the architectural firm will at that time also present her until ideas of how to make Snow & Bryant libraries accessible, and the Ford library auditorium.

Susan brought up the continuing problem with communication. She discussed two possible solutions- a list serv, and email files. At present Commission business is spread all over the city and needs to be centralized. She also noted that she now has official stationary for ADA correspondence only, and that messages left on her city voice mail 2789 are checked daily.

Six [6] people have contacted us with interest in commissioner positions; two[2] have requested applications; one [1] actually turned theirs in. The application has been checked and set aside as inappropriate.

Susan is meeting with the mayor next week to present the annual report. It is a scheduled 15 minute visit and it was agreed after some discussion that it was appropriate for Susan to go alone, as the Mayor's office only allowed one person to fill the 15 minute slot.

Dearborn Disability Awareness Day
Now to be referred to as DAD, and will take place on October 22, 2003. Commissioners help is asked for in expanding the vendor list.

Susan reported that Christian wanted it communicated that the Town Meeting and the Disability Awareness Day are very different events - DAD focuses on giving out information & recognitions while the Town Hall is for gathering information.

Town Meeting
This will take place in April in lieu of our regular monthly meeting. Mary Hodak brought up a concern about transportation to the Town Meeting - it will be discussed further in committee.

Accessible Senior Recreation meetings
No remedy has been decided upon to make more senior events accessible, although several options have been discussed. Legal is looking into the city's responsibility to provide accessible transportation versus substantially changing the nature of the events/canceling them. 2/3 of the events are not accessible nor can be due to transportation -- a solution may be to purchase/lease/rent a van to travel behind the otherwise rented travel vehicle. 1/3 of the travel programs use reservable at a higher price buses. Increasing the $3 fee to $4 has been suggested to help cover this cost. Also charging Dearborn & non-Dearborn residents different s fees was also discussed and approved by legal as legal.

Peg Watson has agreed to provide her flyers in alternative format, and to put a notice at the bottom of the flyers that they are available in alternative format, in addition to the phone number to call in the event of needing ADA accommodations.

Claudia Damian asked about choosing more accessible locations. She was reassured this had been discussed.

Virginia Blow of recreation has noted the need for the seniors who currently attend the event to be given some education and inservice support to enhance their comfort level with including seniors with disabilities on trips.
Mary Hodak believes such support is unnecessary as she has encountered no problems with being accepted, except by those who would not benefit by such activities.

The on-demand van service for errands was discussed. It was pointed out that this was an additional service provided to seniors as an accessible van was already providing this service to seniors who required accessible transportation. This had not been properly communicated an recommendations were made to change the information being provided.

Susan has been asked to continue communication with the city attorney, and to bring up any further discussion of the need for senior inservice support. Cathy felt this was important as it was a specific request from staff.

TTY Follow-up
TTYS and uniphone are on order and will arrive soon. Claudia, Susan & Bob Ziolkowski have met to discuss training plans. Bob will take responsibility for creating training/use manuals. Also discussed has been how to make phone accessible to the public without becoming damaged. Signage is under discussion. Claudia asked if TTY symbols were going to be on the map Dale was creating and Susan responded yes.

Christian Mageli- Chair's Report (Joined meeting via speaker phone)

Christian's health continues to improve. He thanked committees for meeting at his house.

Nov 1 & 6 the Executive Committee met to detail Susan's job description. Susan wants more detail - she reports having learned new things (code needed for long distance calls, a key to office) almost everyday she is in the office. With added responsibilities of secretarial duties this becomes even more important. Christian requests patience during this transition. Cathy asked if the job descriptions for committee chairs needed board approval - Christian thinks not.

Public Participation

Kevin Mitchell ( Michigan Adaptive Sports)
Description activities (water skiing & kayaking) at Camp Dearborn, including Sports-tacular Two, which is being aired on Channel 12 at 3:10 daily. He brought flyers and applications for skiing and is praying for snow.

Schedule for next year: January 16 (Studio A is booked), March, May, June, July, and September.

BREAK ( 3:50--4:10)

Subcommittee & Task Force Reports

Mary Hodak (At 4:20, after her report, Mary leaves)
Mary reported on various organizations she is becoming familiar with and they with us.
-GFWC- General Federation of Womens Clubs - she will meet with them Dec 2. They may be ablest help with the gopher work of Town Hall, etc.
-Joe Brightons Skill Center is a sheltered workshop for high school age special education students. We may be able to use them for catering. Fees are very reasonable, but they do not deliver. Mary says what they make
(cakes, appetizers, main courses) is delicious.
-Second Senior Expo, sponsored by the Press & Guide, held at the Community Center. Mary attended, noted lots of participation by Oakland Hospital, for health services. She picked up many flyers she thought were of interest to us. Susan suggested we keep them on file in the office to make use of the filing cabinets in her office.
-Very Special Arts/ Laura Frankel. Very interested in our organization-- would like to present at a meeting.
-Sharon Greytak who has paraplegia has made a documentary film that she would love the commission view.
-American Society of employers give disability management seminars -possible Town Hall participant?
- Dr. Artis creating a resource list for community partnerships. Mary had the commission added with Christian and Susan as resource contacts.
-Mary mentioned the article Susan wrote for the Senior Newsletter and that she was wellreceived at the Hi-Hopes meeting she was invited to present at. Susan reported that she suggested to the seniors that they take on the task of accumulating data related to accessible restaurants and forward them to us as a project.

Visitability Committee
There will be a meeting on Monday 11/18 with David Norwood, Kurt Giberson, Dale Swanson, Kim Hetrick, Susan Fitzmaurice, and a representative from legal. it is hoped that this meeting will culminate in a decision to go to the mayor with the request to become an official task force to draft a Visitability ordinance.

Susan discussed HR 5693. A bill before the house requiring all federally funded single-family homes meet minimal accessibility standards. There is a request by the bill's sponsor to contact your representatives with support and suggestion for expansion.

Education & Employment Committee
Preparation for DAD is in full swing. (See PR report.) Workshop content and presenters are being identified. What do businesses want to know?

Some inroads with school inservice trainings. Cathy has been in contact with Vocational Assessment Center to help identify/support student needs. Students with disabilities need more self-awareness & positive role models with disabilities. We need assistance from Cheryl to initiate further contact with service clubs.

Town Hall will be the primary responsibility of the Access Committee & DAD the PR Committee. The education/employment committee will help with work shop development and content

Accessibility Committee
The Michigan agency that is charged with making courts accessible has not yet responded to Claudia's requests for information.

Claudia continues to be disappointed that the library is not taking full advantage of the Red Notebook provided by FOLDA (Friends of Libraries for Deaf Access). Library must register and it is free. Claudia is encouraged by Cathy and Susan to contact Tara Gnau and it seems as if she is unclear on what she needs to do.

Claudia, Kim and Gary reported individually that items required for disabled access were not visible, broken, or location unknown at voting sites. Braille and large print ballots are still not available. Are self-identified party affiliated poll workers from each party available to help voters if necessary? There has been no response to the letter sent to City Clerk Buda prior to the election. Susan suggested that it was premature to expect a reply so soon after an election. Cathysuggested we invite her for a follow-upto our next meeting. Susan will contact her and invite her to our January commission meeting. Susan suggested that prior to that meeting every commissioner document in writing their experience with access at poll sites before the January meeting. Claudia will orchestrate that.

Public Relations & Award Committee
Cathy suggested we read the hand-out but added that sponsorship/Registration letters will go out before Christmas. Help is requested to expand the Vendor list. Every commissioner will have phone calls to make to follow-up on the letters; Commissioners will be asked to call the places you have a specific contact with. Susan suggested that we could design our own t-shirt with general disability interest, ask Nth design it and sell it and others at Town Hall and at DAD.

Commissioner Reports

Kim Hetrick. Michele Jarrait-Hetricks Mega Planning project - Public Member (PR & A Committee) is working on a project for school that is based on the Commissions activities. If the Commission likes the idea, we could use her project as a foundation for a Strategic Analysis of the Commissions Mission and Specific Objectives, based on Dr. Kaufmanns Mega Planning system. She would be happy to volunteer her time to initiate the project, and act as a resource throughout.

Claudia Damian. Chris Hunter would like us to publicize statewide when we install our TTYs - both as publicity and incentive for other communities.

Intra-modal Station meeting Nov. 20 at PAC - Claudia will attend. Encouraged to invite someone from the group to our next meeting, etc.

Gary Filiak. Attended the first Homecoming meeting, yesterday. The old bridge is gone, the new almost finished. He hopes we can get out old site back, etc. By March we need to have ADA signage requests in. (Suggested: TTY, Shuttle Stop, Accessible Bathroom, Accessible Entrance.)

Cathy McAdam. New Commissioners needed If you know anyone who would be good for us, may be interested, and lives in Dearborn, call anyone in the Executive Committee or Susan, and will follow up.

New Business:
Susan announces refreshments are not in our budget. We cant use city funds, unless we have out-of-town guests. Cathy suggests that the Access Committee take this on. Claudia agrees.

Meeting Adjourned 5:11 PM