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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-09-02 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes : Action Required COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Letter to Mayor € L. Scadden Friday, September 2, 2005, 10:30 a.m. Aupuni Conference Room PRESENT: Lawrence Scadden, Chair; Ted Yamanaka, Vice-Chair; DeniseCowdrey, Jack Matsui, James Souza, Laura Tobosa EXCUSED: Betsy Whitney, Secretary; Michael Gleason GUESTS: Howard Marks, DD Council; Alisa Mitchener, Recreation Specialist- Department of Parks and Recreation; Marichu Paz, CNA; Tara Trujillo, Interpreter; Sonia Scadden, 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 L. Tobosa made a motion to accept the minutes of August 5, 2005. D. Cowdrey seconded the motion. The motion was passed with T. Yamanaka abstaining. L. Scadden reported that T. Brown was invited to attend todays meeting, but he has been recently attending a meeting the first Friday of each month with a group called Hui Laulima. T. Brown has promised to attend the October meeting. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ISSUES None. TREASURERS REPORT The treasurers report was reviewed. T. Yamanaka made a motion to accept the treasurers report assubmitted. D. Cowdrey seconded the motion. The motion was passed. CORRESPONDENCE A. Letter from MCPD to Mayor H. Kim regarding pedestrian safety and ADA accessibility to Aupuni Center B. Letter from Mayor H. Kim to MCPD in response to pedestrian safety and ADA accessibilitytoAupuniCenter C.LetterfromB.McCluretoMCPDinresponsetothecommitteeslettertotheMayor on pedestrian safety and ADA accessibility to Aupuni Center Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer TEAM REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS TEAM € M. GLEASON No report. B. RECREATIONTEAM €L. SCADDEN Deferred to Unfinished Business, D. Parks and Recreation Report and ADA Guidelines Update from A. Mitchener. C. TRANSPORTATION TEAM € B. WHITNEY No report. T. Brown will provide an update at the next meeting in Kona. D. NOMINATING TEAM € M. GLEASON/L. TOBOSA/B. WHITNEY L. Tobosa reported that the team decided to advertise. She has not heard if any applications were received from interested applicants. J. Viernes stated that she has not received any applications yet. L. Scadden said that a press release was published in the West Hawaii Today last week Sunday requesting that individuals willing to serve on the committee from West Hawaii apply. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. VOLUNTEER PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE € SGT. D. VERIATO Sergeant D. Veriato submitted program statistics for the Volunteer Disabled Parking Enforcement Program for April to June 2005 which was distributed to MCPD members. A. Mitchener mentioned that she would like to see the program inHilo develop since she observed violations in accessible stalls at the park during a long weekend. B. UPDATE FROM DCAB € C. FLEMING/N. OLESEN/K. SHAW The September report from K. Shaw, DCAB was distributed to MCPD members. C. ADA Coordinators Report € T. Spinola-Campbell T. Spinola-Campbell provided her report as the ADA Coordinator for August 2005. ADA Coordinators reportattached. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT AND ADA GUIDELINES UPDATE € A.MITCHENER A. Mitchener provided a report on aquatics and the summer fun program. The report isattached. TheADAGuidelinesUpdatedeadlinewasMay31,2005.A.Mitchenersaidshehas been reading the collection of comments. She is most interested in whether or not 2 to require swimming pools of a certain size to require them to have two entrances for accessibility. Most people wrote in support of that indicating that people with disabilities need to have options to get out of the water, not necessarily into the water. At facilities affected by ADA Title II, public comments, based on users preference, indicated that providing two accessible means of access, at least one being a lift, was extremely beneficial for facility users with disabilities. A. Mitchener reported that they have an assistive listening tour guide system available for use in recreation programming. It has a transmitter and six receivers ideal for group tours and kids field trips. J. Souza mentioned that N. Olesen had passed out several TTYs at recreation places. He wondered if the TTYs are still there. A. Mitchener responded that the TTYs are located at the following facilities: Elderly Activities Division, A. Mitcheners office,andthemainRecreationOffice. D.Cowdreyaskedifthereisanyprogressingettingprogramsforadultswith disabilities within the Department of Parks and Recreation. A. Mitchener said there is no progress. She suggested that a letter from MCPD or letters from agencies serving adults suggest that they would love to see something in the community develop. The letter should be directed to Pat Engelhard, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. However, the letter should be drafted to the Mayor from MCPD. The meeting was recessed at 11:15 a.m. The meeting was reconvened at 11:20 a.m. E. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS € L. SCADDEN L. Scadden reported that the Civil Defense Agency has promised to deliver materials on hurricane preparedness today. Several MCPD members have agreed to distribute them to their agency and clients. A. Mitchener asked J. Souza if there is a system that will activate a pager for an emergency alert. J. Souza said he is still having discussion with the Civil Defense Agency on this issue. NEW BUSINESS L. Tobosa announced that APRIL (The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living) is having their 11th Annual National Conference on October 8-10, 2005 at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Hotel and Resort in Honolulu. The opening keynote speaker is LexFrieden,SeniorVicePresidentatTIRR(TheInstituteforRehabilitationand Research). Two other key officials to address the conference are Michael Winter, DirectoroftheOfficeonCivilRightsattheFederalTransitAdministrationand Thomas Kelley, Director of the Office of Independent Living at the Rehabilitation ServicesAdministration. 3 D. Cowdrey pointed out that our Hawaii Drivers License does not reflect oursocial security number. However, the Hawaii State ID card still shows the social security number. L. Scadden suggested making a recommendation to DCAB making them aware of the concern. L. Scadden informed MCPD that the brochures on hurricane preparedness have arrived for distribution. J. Matsui raised a concern about the lack of disabled parking stalls at churches. T. Spinola-Campbell stated that churches are exempt under the ADA. L. Scadden said that the National Organization on Disabilityhas published a booklet that can be distributed to local churches to encourage them to recognize what people with disabilities needs in their community. STATEMENTSFROMTHEPUBLICONNON-AGENDAISSUES H. Marks reported that the East and West Hawaii Developmental Disability Committees have been discussing a project called Project Lifesaver. He read the purpose of Project Lifesaver. This technology could help locate people who have Alzheimers and other disabilities who wander away from their homes and facilities. The cost of the program is minimal compared with the cost of helicopters used in these searches. One emergency response kit would be $5,300, training cost is $2,000, and the monthly cost for the wristband is $7.60 per person. The Fire Chief has expressed interest in the project for the Big Island. H. Marks said he will be presenting this project next week before the Hawaii County Council, Committee on Human Services and Economic Development and then to the full Council. He asked for support from MCPD by drafting a letter of support to the Mayor on this project. L. Scadden will draft the letter to the Mayor. ANNOUNCEMENTS D. Cowdrey announced that Special Olympics is having their Cop on Top fundraiser. Last year, the Hilo community did well andraised $18,000 for their Special Olympics athletes. H. Marks announced that Dr. Rhonda Black from the University of Hawaii at Manoa will be doing a presentation on sexuality on Tuesday, September 6, 2005, at the State Building Conference Room, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, October 7, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. in Kona. Location to be announced. ADJOURNMENT Themeetingwasadjournedat11:55a.m. RESPECTFULLYSUBMITTED, _______________________________ JEAN VIERNES, STAFF SECRETARY 4