Commission for Citizens with Disabilities met Tuesday, March 14.
Here is the minutes as provided by the Commission:
I. Call to order
The regular meeting of the Arlington Heights Commission for Citizens with Disabilities was called to order by Chairman Goldberg at 7:04pm in the Buechner Room at Village Hall.
II. Roll call
Present:
Absent:
Seth Goldberg, Chairman
Jackie McCarty
Roxanne Calibraro
Ryan Danzinger
Also Present:
Mark Klein
David Robb, Disability Services Coordinator
David McCullum
Stacy Shein-Stapleton, Sign Language Interpreter
Eva Mullinax
Anisha Ismail Patel, resident
Peg McMahon
Michele Ramsey
III. Approval of minutes
A motion was made by Commissioner Danzinger to approve the February 14, 2017 minutes as written, seconded by Commissioner McMahon. Motion passed by unanimous consent.
IV. Reports
A. Disability service update
1. Coordinator Robb reported that there was a citizen request to relocate one or two of the six existing Reserved Accessible Parking Spaces for people with disabilities from one part of the Miner Street Garage to another. He inspected the parking garage’s Accessible Parking and noted three “Accessible Parking Spaces” in the Southeast corner and three in the Northwest corner of the garage. The request was to relocate accessible parking to the Southwest corner of the garage closer to the businesses on Evergreen Avenue and Miner Street. A memo with pictures citing the details was referred to Public Works and Planning. In their response they indicated that it could be easily accomplished and the spaces will be shifted once the weather warms up.
2. He also reported on the next steps of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) ADA Coordinators Network Meeting. The Steering Committee will meet via conference call prior to the next ADA Coordinator’s Meeting scheduled April 26, 2017.
3. Coordinator Robb also reported on his Medical Reserve Corps activities. A meeting was held at the Point of Distribution (POD) location with Village representatives including the Health Services Director, Supervising Nurse, Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Emergency Manager, and the POD Facility Manager. The group walked-through the facility noting the entry points and exists, as well as the various stations needed to operate the POD for a mass vaccination. In follow up, Coordinator Robb prepared a scaled floor plan and placed sticky notes on it to identify signage locations for the various stations needed to operate the POD. POD signs are written in five languages including English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese. The signs will be hung from the ceiling so they may be seen above the crowd. These activities are first steps in planning a full scale exercise.
4. Coordinator Robb also reported working on the Connections Newsletter. He provided technical assistance to an architect who had designed a bank with an accessible teller window that the owner did not want to include. The Coordinator researched the requirement and found that the Illinois Accessibility Code had an exemption but the 2010 ADA Standards did not. The most stringent requirement always applies and the Coordinator advised the architect to apply the 2010 ADA Standards.
C. Disability law update
Commissioner Calibraro reported on a man with blindness in Chicago who sued a McDonalds Restaurant because he has been denied the opportunity to purchase food at the drive up window. He maintains that there should be another way for he and others like himself, who are unable to drive, to purchase food on an equal basis as those who use the drive-up service. The Judge has allowed him to continue his lawsuit as a class action.
She also reported that a woman who uses a guide dog was retained from taking a flight because her guide dog did not fit into the space provided. The woman requested another seat but the airline could not accommodate her. She was removed from the flight altogether and has now filed a suit against American Airlines.
Chair Goldberg reported that his family has also experienced problems flying due to the airline’s supposed requirement for passengers using their own oxygen to shut off their oxygen during take-off and landing. This is a real hardship for such passengers who need the oxygen to breath, especially during take-off and landing because of the added stress of such events. The airline cited the procedure as an FAA rule. Commissioner McMahon interjected and said that there is no such rule and air carriers prefer passengers with oxygen sit as far away from the aisle as possible to prevent damage to their oxygen devices and the tubing. Also airlines now consider oxygen a medication that they do not administer. A discussion ensued.
V. Old business
A. Presentation/ disability employment campaign
Commissioner Danzinger reported that he was unable to connect with Mindy Phillips at the Chamber, but will do that and have something to report at the next meeting.
B. Connections newsletter
Coordinator Robb reported that he has received a number of articles from Commissioners but some of the articles need a bit of editing. It is just a matter of laying out the articles within the publication. Several commissioners are continuing to work on their articles. This will be the last edition before Frontier Days. August 25th is set for the Disability Employment Awareness Month Award nomination deadline.
VI. New business
A. Sponsorship of Disability Carnival
Chairman Goldberg and Commissioner Danzinger recused themselves from discussion due to their relationship with Frontier Days Inc. Commissioner McMahon, opened with a discussion on past support of $1,000 per year given by the Commission in support of the Disability Carnival since 2009. She invited someone to make a motion.
A motion was made by Commissioner McCallum to donate $1,000 for the Sponsorship of the Disability Carnival at Frontier Days, seconded by Commissioner Ramsey. Motion passed by unanimously consent.
VII. Other business
A. Commissioner McCallum reported that the signage and diagonal striping for the access aisle for the Accessible Parking at Tony’s Food Store didn’t seem right which made it confusing on what spaces were or were not the Accessible Spaces. Coordinator Robb said that he could look into the matter and explained the Illinois Accessibility Code required markings and signage for an Accessible Parking Space. A discussion ensued about other parking lots with mismarked Reserved Accessible Parking Spaces. The Tony’s Food Store is located in Prospect Heights.
B. Chair Goldberg reported that he received an email from the Knights of Columbus with an invitation to a Fish Fry on March 24th and 31st with some of the proceeds going to Special Olympics. The Fish Fry will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 15 N. Hickory Avenue in Arlington Heights. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 children 6-12 years old.
VIII. Adjournment
https://arlingtonheights.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?AttachmentID=7570&ItemID=6085
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