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• Sert by: Ron Amundson (808) 969-39 5/27/01 3:33 PM Page 1 of 2
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Disability ,
Rights
]~~.Wall v ~ P.O. Box 5,975, ~il~», HI 96720 (808) 9613862
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wordcing togeaherfot access
5/2/01
Dominic Yagong, Chair
Parks and Environmental Management Committee
Hawaii County Council
Fax: 961-8912
Dear Mr. Yagong,
Last night I watched the cable TV broadcast of the May 15 Committee meeting in which
Lihiwai Street was discussed. I appreciate the consideration that this decision is being given, and
I am sure that other Disability Rights Hawaii members agree. We also recognize that our view
chat the road should be kept open is opposed by some Councilmembers who are otherwise strong
supporters of disability rights. I am sure that our disagreement on this issue will not harm our
future relationship.
However, I would like to comment on two statements made by Mr. Kamelamela of the
Corporation Counsel's Office. According to my notes, Mr. Kamelamela stated 1) that the
Mayor's Committee on Persons with Disabilities had been consulted on the closing of Lihiwai
Street and did not oppose it, and 2) that the Disability and Communication Access Hoard
(DCAB) was consulted on the closing and did not oppose it. T11e first of these statements is false.
The second statement is misleading.
First; the Mayor's Committee on PWD has been appointed, but has never met. A DRH
member spoke with the Mayor's Office about the Committee this morning, and was told that a
meeting would be convened "in two or three months". Since the Mayor's Committee on PWD
has never met, they could not have been consulted on this issue. At least two DRH Board
members are on the Mayor's Committee, so I am sure that our concerns would be expressed if
they had been consulted.
Second, I have been in communication with Francine Wai, Director of DCAB,
concerning the appointment of an ADA Coordinator for the County of Hawaii. The problem of
Lihiwai Street came up in that discussion. Ms.-Wai said that it simply was not a part of DCAB's
mandated responsibilities to advise on the closing of the roadway. DCAB advises on the
architectural standards of the ADA. These include things like the slopes of curb cuts and the
widths of sidewalks. DCAB is not able to advise on programmatic and legal issues like whether
or not the County's court settlement or ADA Transition Plan require the roadway to be open, or
whether the disability community was properly consulted about its closing. So the fact that
DCAB did not specifically oppose the closing of the road should not be interpreted to mean that
DCAB believes that closing the road would comply with the ADA. It only means that it is not
DCAB's job to comment on the issue. In-fact, Ms. Wai used the Lihiwai Street problem as an
example of why the County of Hawaii needs a well qualified ADA Coordinator on the job as
soon as possible. She believes that the problems caused by the closure of Lihiwai Street would
have been recognized by an in-place ADA Coordinator. Comm, No.
l3isability Rigbts Hawaii is a tax-exempt nonpmBr corporation >N~le NO• ~
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Se~:t by: Ron Amundson (808) 969-39 5j27j01 3:33 PM Page 2 of 2
It is understandable that this problem came up during a transition between ai..
Administrations. I do not mean to criticize Andy Levins's work as Interim ADA Coordinator.
Andy admits-that he has no special training for ADA compliance, and his work has been very
beneficial to us. I only want to point out that to my knowledge, no disability related organization
has approved of the closing of Lihiwai Street. Mr. Kamelamela's reports to the contrary were ill
informed. Please convey this information to your Committee. I will cc this letter to Ms. Wai and
Mr. Kamelamela, so that they may correct any mistakes I may have made.
Again, thank you for your hard and conscientious work on this issue.
Yours,
Ron Amundson, Secretary
Disability Rights Hawaii
441 Haili St.
Hilo, HI 96720
c: Mr. Kamelamela, Corporation Counsel
Francine Wai, DCAB
Andy Levin, Mayor's Office