MINUTES
Meeting: December 3, 2007
1. Call
to Order
Chair Knauf called the meeting to order at 6:43 pm
2. Roll
Call
Present: Commissioners Arroyo, Berg, Bogen, Boersma, Genensky, Hilton, Knauf, Parker and Weller
Absent: Commissioners Agate and
Also
present: Janet Hand, Staff Liaison;
3. Public Input:
The Commission will hear from the public on topics of interest to the
Commission that are not on this agenda. Each speaker is limited to two (2)
minutes.
Member of the public Louisa Fish said she would like to see a designated area for people with disabilities to be picked up at City Hall which is near benches.
4. Approval
of minutes of the November 5, 2007 meeting
Chair Knauf moved and Commissioner Genensky seconded to
accept the minutes of the November 5, 2007 meeting as written. The motion carried unanimously on a voice and hand vote.
5. Westside Center for Independent Living (WCIL)
update: Discussion of and possible
action on items presented by Julie West, WCIL
Julie West reported that she has presented several disability awareness trainings to local merchants. She said that there had been 10 referrals during November, 3 for Lalie and 7 for her. Discussion ensued.
6.
Announcements
and Correspondence
Member of the public Louisa Fish reported that on December 6th there will be a meeting sponsored by the City Attorney’s Office and the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Housing Department to discuss fair housing for people with disabilities.
Commissioner Hilton said on December 6 the City will hold a Disabilities Issues in Rental Housing Workshop-2007. The theme will be reasonable accommodations and the differences for persons with physical vs. mental disabilities. The 3-1/2 hour event will feature a hypothetical event for table-to-table discussion. There will be a speakers’ panel. Commissioner Hilton said he plans to attend and make a report at the January meeting.
Commissioner Arroyo announced that his employer, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, has mini-grants up to $10,000 available for programs that will impact underserved populations promoting leadership development for people with developmental disabilities.
Chair Knauf announced that he is going to
7. Report
from Commission Liaisons
Commissioner
Genensky attended the Commission for the Senior Community meeting. He contributed information about traffic
signals in
Commissioner
Weller reported that Michael Denker of the
8. Report from Commission Staff Liaison
Staff Liaison Hand reported that the winter Cold and Wet Weather Shelters have opened for the homeless on the Westside. She also announced that the Human Services Division’s Homeless Team is sponsoring a monthly call in show on CityTV dealing with homeless issues. The team has also awarded a grant to work on an anti-panhandling campaign (alternate giving campaign). Discussion ensued.
9. Old Business
A. Continuing discussion of recommendations
for revision of City guidelines for accessibility of public events-Commissioner
Parker
Staff Liaison
Hand reported that she is requesting brochures from other cities.
B.
Continuing
discussion regarding
Staff Liaison Hand reported that the Commission’s letters had been sent and the responses that had been received from both departments. Shannon Leonard, Senior Public Works Inspector from EPWM spoke on what her department does in repairing sidewalks and enforcing pedestrian access for construction sites. Discussion ensued.
Member of the public Louisa Fish reported positive interaction with Richard Valeriano from EPWM and urged the Commission to remember that requests for sidewalk repair can come from residents with other disabilities than wheel chair problems.
C. Continuing discussion of recommendations to
the City on inclusion of accessible playgrounds in park planning and
development-Commissioner Parker
Staff Liaison Hand reported that the letter to the Rec and Parks Commission on including universally designed playgrounds is ready for signature and will be sent tomorrow.
D. Update on disability sensitivity training for
City staff-Staff Liaison Hand
Staff
Liaison Hand reported that the RFP was sent out with a deadline of December 5th
and she anticipates at least 3 proposals to be submitted. Discussion ensued.
E. Discussion
of Commission’s recommendations on City’s visitability policy-Vice Chair Arroyo
Vice Chair Arroyo has written a letter from the Commission to City Council requesting that policies be adopted providing incentives for new construction that will encourage visitability. He will forward a copy of the letter to commissioners for their review and comment before the next meeting.
F. Discussion
of the Commission’s recommendations for action on the ADA Restoration Bill-Vice
Chair Arroyo
Vice Chair Arroyo gave an update on the progress of the legislation and distributed a draft of the letter to City Council requesting their support for the bill and requested comments and edits. Discussion ensued.
10. New Business:
Staff
Liaison Hand gave an update on the BBB’s wheelchair restraint policy and
wheelchairs that cannot be tied down.
Discussion ensued.
B. City
2007-08 Accessibility Compliance Review-Staff Liaison Hand
Staff Liaison Hand gave the background for the City’s transition plan and the responsibility of each City department in the Accessibility Compliance Review that will take place this year. Discussion ensued.
C. Recommendations to City Council for mid-year
City budget review-Staff Liaison Hand
Chair Knauf requested suggestions from the commissioners. Discussion ensued. The following budget requests/recommendations were made for consideration, with final decision on recommendations determined at the January meeting:
o Making a new playground universally designed
o Installing/upgrading crosswalk signals to make them all talking signals
o Hiring a consultant to develop a series of brochures on accessibility standards for various kinds of events
o Sidewalk widening where the sidewalk is impassable by a wheelchair due to parking meters, telephone poles, etc.
o Better enforcement of disabled person placard usage
D. Captioning device for City Council
Chambers-Staff Liaison Hand
Staff Liaison Hand reported that due to an oversight, the captioning device was not purchased/installed in Fiscal Year 2006/2007. Discussion ensued. Chair Knauf moved and Vice Chair Arroyo seconded that Chair Knauf will write a letter on behalf of the Disabilities Commission expressing its unhappiness that a Captioning Device was not put into the City Council Chamber even though it was in the budget for FY06/07. The motion carried unanimously on a voice and hand vote.
E. Change in January, 2008 meeting date to
accommodate New Year’s Day holiday-Staff Liaison Hand
No action necessary
11. Future Agenda Items
The following subjects were requested to be on the agenda in the future:
A. Invite Craig Perkins or his designee to the next meeting to speak about street repair.
B. Tod Lipka from Step Up On Second to speak about Daniel’s Village.
C. Member of the public Louisa Fish requested that the BBB be invited to explain their schedule wheelchair pick up policy as it relates to the individual bus schedules.
12. Adjournment
Chair Knauf adjourned the meeting at 8:24 pm.
Approved: Attest:
_______________________________ ________________________________
Christopher Knauf,
Chair Janet Hand, Staff Liaison