Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-07-03 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Thursday, July 3, 2008, 10:30 a.m. Aupuni Center Conference Room PRESENT: Laura Tobosa, Secretary; Judith Kirkendall, Jean Navarro, James Souza, Ted Yamanaka EXCUSED: Michael Gleason, Chair; Lawrence Scadden, Vice-Chair; Jack Matsui, Ronald Wagner-Wright GUESTS: June Conent, Malina Dravis-Tucker, Interpreter; Marianne Hodapp, Martin Hodapp, Woody Kita, Aging and Disability Resource Center; Ofelia Pertubal, CNA; Teri Spinola-Campbell, ADA Coordinator (Equal Opportunity Officer) CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:35 a.m. An introduction of committee members, staff, and guests was made. APPROVAL OF MINUTES J. Navarro made a motion to accept the minutes of May 2, 2008. T. Yamanaka seconded the motion. The motion was passed. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ISSUES None. TREASURER’S REPORT The treasurer’s reports were reviewed. T. Yamanaka made a motion to accept the treasurer’s reports as submitted. J. Kirkendall seconded the motion. The motion was passed. CORRESPONDENCE A. Memorandum from Michael Ben, Director of Human Resources, to All Department and Agency Heads regarding Effective Communications with Persons Who Are Deaf J. Souza reported that this memo is good, but something is missing. Deaf people in the community have gotten rid of the TTY because they don’t use it anymore. Many don’t use the TTY at all now. They are now using the Sorenson Video Relay Service which provides more direct communication. He circulated a toll free number on how to contact him through the Sorenson Video Relay Service. If he is not at home, you can leave a sign mail. The relay service will inform him through his computer or his pager on his phone and he can open it and see a person signing what the message is. He suggested that people inform him of any concerns because he is on the Hawaii Relay Advisory Committee. He will talk to M. Ben about equal access for the deaf. Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer T. Spinola-Campbell responded that she drafted the memo for M. Ben. She would like to know if there is any updated information to send out to county departments and agencies. B. Copy of a letter from Mayor Harry Kim to Ranceford K. Pinao regarding the handicapped parking placard C. Letter from Mayor Harry Kim to the Council Chairman and Members of the County Council appointing J. Kirkendall to MCPD COMMUNITY LIAISON REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS LIAISON – M. GLEASON/J. NAVARRO/ R. WAGNER-WRIGHT No report. J. Navarro reported that due to layoffs and other situations the state was given $7 million for the workforce investment team and $2 million came to the Big Island. B. RECREATION LIAISON – L. SCADDEN No report. C. TRANSPORTATION LIAISON – R. WAGNER-WRIGHT No report. D. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LIAISON – L. SCADDEN No report. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. VOLUNTEER PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE – SGT. K. KAAUMOANA-MATSUMOTO Sergeant K. Kaaumoana-Matsumoto submitted program statistics for the Volunteer Disabled Parking Enforcement Program for April to June 2008 which was distributed to MCPD members. B. UPDATE FROM DCAB – C. FLEMING/N. OLESEN/F. WAI The June and July report from F. Wai, Executive Director of DCAB, was distributed to MCPD members. C. ADA COORDINATOR’S REPORT – T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL T. Spinola-Campbell provided her report as the ADA Coordinator for June 2008. The May 2008 report will be emailed to J. Viernes to distribute to MCPD members since it is lengthy. ADA Coordinator’s reports attached. T. Spinola-Campbell reported that she reviewed the proposed new rules from the Department of Justice on Title II of the ADA which is 80 pages. The proposed Title III regulations are approximately 300 pages and she will not comment on Title III 2 because she doesn’t work with Title III issues. She suggested that MCPD members who wish to review these regulations to reply as individuals or the committee can decide to reply. Input is being solicited from people who have either worked with the regulations or people who have disabilities. Deadline is August 18, 2008 to submit any comments. Once the rules become law, it will become the new ADAAG. She prepared a summary of the questions and briefly reviewed them. MCPD suggested that J. Viernes forward the summary of questions to them. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT – A. MITCHENER J. Navarro acknowledged A. Mitchener for providing training for direct service workers at Laupahoehoe Pool and in Kohala. She trained caregivers how to access the pool correctly with your participants and water safety. E. ADA TRAINING FOR EMPLOYERS – M. GLEASON No report. NEW BUSINESS A. ELECTION OF OFFICERS L. Tobosa reported that the terms of MCPD members will end with the Mayor’s term in December. She suggested that the current officers remain the same and when the new Mayor comes in, then new officers will be reelected. J. Souza made a motion to continue on with the current officers until the new Mayor takes office. J. Navarro seconded the motion. J. Navarro asked if MCPD members’ appointments change with the new Mayor. L. Tobosa said that MCPD members need to reapply to serve on the committee. The motion was passed. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON-AGENDA ISSUES J. Conent reported that she has been volunteering at the pier for three years and there was always a county bus that comes through the pier which has accommodated people in wheelchairs. The taxi drivers got upset and felt that the county bus was taking their business away. The taxi drivers went to the county council and got them to deny allowing the bus to come on to the pier. Therefore, Tom Brown started a new Keaukaha route which goes along Kalanianaole Avenue and the people have to walk out to the street which is very unsafe. T. Spinola-Campbell contacted Washington, D.C. and they considered the boat to be a ferry which is wrong. J. Conent will get a petition started next month for the business people in town to reinstate the old downtown bus. She asked MCPD to support this petition and she would like to see people that are disabled accommodated also. J. Kirkendall asked if the county council was aware of this problem. She suggested that J. Conent talk to the council members individually. J. Conent responded that the county council listened to the taxi drivers and they didn’t even ask for any input. When a large foreign ship comes in, there are not enough taxis even with the county bus. 3 T. Spinola-Campbell said that when she called the Department of Justice, they said it was the taxi drivers’ responsibility to arrange accessible transportation if someone in a wheelchair request to use their taxi service. On Oahu, Maui, and Kauai, people have to walk out to the streets or walk down three blocks to catch the bus. She also mentioned that T. Brown ordered four accessible taxis that will be leased to the taxi companies. J. Navarro recommended that MCPD send a letter to the Mayor informing him of this situation and reinstate the bus. T. Yamanaka made a motion to send a letter to the Mayor regarding the county bus at the pier. J. Souza seconded the motion. The motion was passed. J. Navarro will draft the letter for MCPD. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 1, 2008, at 10:30 a.m. in the Kona Mayor’s Office conference room. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, _______________________________ JEAN VIERNES, STAFF SECRETARY 4