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Home My WebLink About2006-12-01 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Friday, December 1, 2006, 10:30 a.m. Kona Mayor’s Office Conference Room PRESENT: Lawrence Scadden, Chair; Laura Tobosa, Secretary; Michael Gleason, James Souza, Ted Yamanaka EXCUSED: Denise Cowdrey, Jack Matsui GUESTS: Tom Brown, Mass Transit Agency; Malina Dravis-Tucker, Interpreter; Susan Golden, Ofelia Pertubal, CNA; Teri Spinola-Campbell, ADA Coordinator (Equal Opportunity Officer) CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:30 a.m. An introduction of committee members, staff, and guests was made. APPROVAL OF MINUTES M. Gleason made a motion to accept the minutes of November 3, 2006. T. Yamanaka seconded the motion. The motion was passed. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ISSUES None. TREASURER’S REPORT The treasurer’s report was reviewed. M. Gleason made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as submitted. L. Tobosa seconded the motion. The motion was passed. CORRESPONDENCE A. Resignation letter from Betsy Whitney Jeani Navarro will be replacing B. Whitney. B. Resignation letter from Julia Staten The Mayor’s Office has someone in mind to appoint and replace J. Staten. C. Letter from MCPD to Mayor H. Kim regarding the volunteer parking violation enforcement program D. Letter from Mayor H. Kim to MCPD in response to the volunteer parking violation enforcement program Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer TEAM REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS TEAM – M. GLEASON No report. B. RECREATION TEAM – L. SCADDEN No report. C. TRANSPORTATION TEAM – D. COWDREY T. Brown reported that there is a bid out for five four-wheel drive mini buses for Puna and Kona. The reason four-wheel drive is needed in these two areas is because of the terrain. They recently received six accessible buses from the City and County of Honolulu. The buses are 45 passenger buses and they are getting three more in mid December. The buses are all accessible with bicycle racks. The Department of Public Work is working hard creating accessible official bus stops in the South Kona district. In addition to the bus stops, the Department of Public Works are making pull outs for vehicles where some buses can get off the road when they pick up people. The Mass Transit Agency received a federal grant for a program which will be called the Transit Taxi Program. Currently, there are no private taxis that are accessible. They received approximately $150,000 for three vehicles. Initially, two will be placed in Kona and one in Hilo. The Mass Transit Agency is responsible for the entire taxi industry on the island. There are 38 taxicabs in East Hawaii and 202 taxicabs in West Hawaii. In West Hawaii, there are not many companies that serve the local residential population. As far as more service on a regular route, Kona and Puna are the two target areas. They operate approximately 13 hours a day of service within Kona between Captain Cook and Kailua. They will also be adding another bus running six to seven hours a day in Kona, especially during the peak time of 7 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. T. Brown said that the Mayor has identified four crisis on the island: 1) ice problem, 2) coqui frog, 3) housing, and 4) current health care crisis. T. Brown indicated that there is a lack of specialty care physicians. Currently, there are two cardiologists and one neurologist for the Big Island.Sometime in January or February, the Mayor will have a summit meeting with health care providers, representatives from Kona and Hilo Hospital, State Senators, State representatives, and U. S. Senator Daniel Inouye to see what we can do to entice more physicians to come here. In addition, Hilo Hospital is trying to get a grant to start a Family Practice Internship at the different hospitals. J. Souza mentioned that deaf people on the Big Island have communication problems because most of the doctors will not provide an interpreter. He suggested that deaf people have communication accessibility for the deaf in the county’s planning. 2 T. Brown said that the county is still a commuter bus system, but we are moving more to a fixed route system. In another two years, the county should be a fixed route system and then a complementary para transit system. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. VOLUNTEER PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE – SGT. D. VERIATO No report. B. UPDATE FROM DCAB – C. FLEMING/N. OLESEN/C.TOWNSEND The December report from C. Townsend, Program and Policy Unit Coordinator of DCAB, was distributed to MCPD members. T. Spinola-Campbell stated that the Aupuni Center parking lot will be reconfigured because the Judiciary building is being built. Secondly, the parking stalls will be straight parking versus angle parking. She has not seen any correspondence between DCAB and the county on this issue. M. Gleason mentioned that the 1998 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act will be having a public hearing on November 27. Why are they having public hearings eight years later on changing the Administrative Rules? L. Scadden will follow up on this issue with C. Townsend. C. ADA COORDINATOR’S REPORT – T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL The ADA Coordinator’s Report for November 2006 and the National Association of ADA Coordinators – Fall Conference 2006 were distributed to MCPD members. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT – A. MITCHENER No report. E. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS – L. SCADDEN No report. F. TEAM LEADERSHIP L. Scadden reported that Team Reports will be changed to Community Liaison Report and the term “team” will be changed to “liaison.” NEW BUSINESS L. Scadden reported that the vice chair position is vacant since the resignation of J. Staten. He asked for nominations from the floor. M. Gleason volunteered to serve as the vice chair replacing J. Staten. MCPD had no opposition. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON-AGENDA ISSUES S. Golden raised the issue of video conferencing for the MCPD meetings in Hilo so people from Kona could participate in the meetings. L. Scadden said some people in the county government indicated that video conferencing would cause a problem if the 3 link went down and the meeting would need to be cancelled. He has a strong belief that MCPD should be together in the same location. From personal experience, he feels that video conferencing does not work if you’re in different locations. In addition, it’s extremely difficult for the interpreter. He said MCPD could pursue this issue again and discuss it at the next meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting will be held on Friday, January 5, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. in the Hilo Lagoon Centre, Department of Liquor Control conference room. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, _______________________________ JEAN VIERNES, STAFF SECRETARY 4