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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-01-04 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Friday, January 4, 2008, 10:30 a.m. Aupuni Center Conference Room PRESENT: Michael Gleason, Chair; Lawrence Scadden, Vice-Chair; Laura Tobosa, Secretary; Jean Navarro, James Souza, Ronald Wagner-Wright, Ted Yamanaka EXCUSED: Jack Matsui ABSENT: Diane Noda, Corporation Counsel GUESTS: Ofelia Pertubal, CNA; Victor Quintero, Interpreter; Sonia Scadden, Judy Simons, 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 wasmade. APPROVAL OF MINUTES J. Navarro made a motion to accept the minutes of December 7, 2007. L. Tobosa seconded the motion. The motion was passed. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ISSUES None. TREASURERS REPORT The treasurers report was reviewed. L. Scadden made a motion to accept the treasurers report as submitted. L. Tobosa seconded the motion. The motion was passed. CORRESPONDENCE None. COMMUNITY LIAISON REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS LIAISON € M. GLEASON No report. B. RECREATIONLIAISON € L. SCADDEN Noreport. C.TRANSPORTATIONLIAISON€R.WAGNER-WRIGHT No report. D. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LIAISON € L. SCADDEN No report. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. VOLUNTEER PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE € SGT. D. VERIATO No report. J. Viernes reported that she heard Sergeant D. Veriato has retired. M. Gleason offered to send a letter to Mayor H. Kim asking who is in that position now that might be able to provide information on the volunteer parking violation enforcement program and to extend an invitation to that person. MCPD agreed. B. UPDATE FROM DCAB € C. FLEMING/N. OLESEN/F. WAI The January report from F. Wai, Executive Director of DCAB, was distributed to MCPD members. C. ADA COORDINATORS REPORT€ T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL T. Spinola-Campbell reported that she received a transportation report from T. Brown in December. The Mass Transit Agency has received 3 low floor mini-vans. These will be leased to firms in Hilo and Kona to provide accessible paratransit and taxi service. The 5-18 passenger four-wheel drive buses should arrive by the end of December. They are currently en-route to Honolulu, after which they will be shipped to Hilo. These are also accessible and will be used for paratransit service on both sides of the island. T. Spinola-Campbell stated that she has a report from the Judiciary on how many peoplegotocourtforcitationsondisabilityparkingspaces.For2007,therewere73 citations for Hawaii County Code 24-245.1, Requirements; permit display, presentationofidentificationcardandnontransferabilityofplacards.Twenty-six were judgments to the state. There were no citations issued under Hawaii Revised Statutes 291-53, Nontransferability; penalty. There were six cited under Hawaii Revised Statutes 291-57, Parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities; penalties. In 2006, it looks like there were 29 judgments to the state. T. Spinola-Campbell mentioned that she provided information for Jack Dixson who attended the last meeting in Kona about service animals. There is a non-profit organization on Maui called Hawaii Canines for Independence who specializes in training service dogs for people with physical disabilities. T. Spinola-Campbell provided her report as the ADA Coordinator of December 2007. ADA Coordinators report attached. L. Scadden made a comment that if someone cooperates, then he/she will not be tasered. The deaf community has suffered at the hands of the police nationally 2 because they are considered sometimes not to be cooperating. He urged T. Spinola-Campbell to ensure the police department that lack of cooperation is not due to lack of communication. T. Spinola-Campbell suggested that MCPD invite the police officer in charge of the training to a meeting and voice both concerns. In the past, discussion was held about the visor alert program for people who are deaf, but the issue died. She didnt feel this program would be costly or be difficult to implement. J. Souza said this issue was brought up two years ago and ID cards were going to be printed. The police was supposed to have meetings with the deaf community every year to provide an update. T. Spinola-Campbell indicated that the Aloha Association for the Deaf was supposed to take over the visor alert program and nothing happened. M.GleasonofferedtosendalettertoMayorH.Kimrequestingarepresentative from the police department to attend a meeting to talk about the taser training. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT € A. MITCHENER No report. NEW BUSINESS A. ADA TRAINING FOR EMPLOYERS J. Navarro reported that she started thinking about our WIA dollars and how we could start educating our employers for our vocational rehab people. We have the same employers all the time and we need to expand that circle and build them capacity, especially with small business. Then, somehow tie it to workforce development so that our young people that are coming up that arent in the workforce yet can get some summer work experience. By the time they are ready to go to work, we dont have as much work to do with them to get them prepared to go into the workforce. M. Gleason stated that Blayne Hanagami from the Workforce Development Division andseveralorganizationshavestartedagroupcalledWorkforceSolutionswhichis a group working for people with disabilities joining the workforce. One forum was alreadyheldwithemployersexposingthemtothequalitiesofpeoplewithdisabilities and the advantage of hiring people with disabilities. J. Navarro said she would like B. Hanagami to extend the outreach because its normallythesamepeoplewhocometothetableoverandoveragain.Shewantsto find those employers that dont normally come and encourage them to do some local hiring. In addition, she would like the younger population involved even if its a summer work experience. She would like MCPD to send a letter to B. Hanagami saying that we would like to step it up a bit and help them look at other ways that they can include more employers or make it a traveling show and take it to other communities. 3 M. Gleason offered to personally talk to B. Hanagami about this situation since it may not be directly under the purview of MCPD. Furthermore, an employers connection is being started with the Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association (KIAA) and they are helping B. Hanagami set up a business center at B. Hanagamis one stop shop. Individual members should become involved with trying to get our kids with disabilities employed in the county. He will report back to MCPD. J. Navarro suggested that MCPD take a look at rewarding all the employers who worked with us. We need to give them some kind of recognition through the committee and also to bring the issue to the forefront that we need more employment. The meeting was recessed at 11:19 a.m. The meeting was reconvened at 11:21 a.m. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON-AGENDA ISSUES None. ANNOUNCEMENTS R. Wagner-Wright thanked MCPD for all the work that they do, especially T. Spinola- Campbell with training. He is constantly being discriminated against and education is very important. J. Navarro announced a benefit for the Arc of Kona featuringLaurie Lewis and Tom Rozum to be held on Saturday, February 2, 2008 in The Aloha Theater in Kainaliu. M. Gleason suggested that MCPD members look at the Community Liaison Reports and see which area they are interested in. The next meeting will be held on Friday, February 1, 2008, at 10:30 a.m. in the Kona Mayors Office conference room. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:29 a.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, _______________________________ JEANVIERNES,STAFFSECRETARY 4