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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-07-01 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes COMMITTEE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Friday, July 1, 2005, 10:30 a.m. Aupuni Conference Room PRESENT: Ted Yamanaka, Vice-Chair; Betsy Whitney, Secretary; Denise Cowdrey, Jack Matsui, James Souza EXCUSED: Lawrence Scadden, Chair; Michael Gleason, Laura Tobosa GUESTS: Malina Dravis, Interpreter; Teri Spinola-Campbell, ADA Coordinator (Equal Opportunity Officer); Laila Tamimi, Landscape Architect-Hawaii Volcanoes National Park CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 10:35 a.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES B. Whitney made a motion to accept the minutes of June 3, 2005. J. Matsui seconded the motion. The motion was passed. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ISSUES None. TREASURER’S REPORT The treasurer’s report for last fiscal year and the new fiscal were reviewed. B. Whitney made a motion to accept the treasurer’s reports as submitted. D. Cowdrey seconded the motion. The motion was passed. CORRESPONDENCE None. TEAM REPORTS A. EDUCATION/PUBLIC AWARENESS TEAM – M. GLEASON No report. B. RECREATION TEAM – L. SCADDEN No report. C. TRANSPORTATION TEAM – B. WHITNEY B. Whitney reported that she heard the shared ride coupons rate will change in January 2005. B. Whitney reported that the nominating committee received the names of the applicants who have indicated a willingness to serve on MCPD. However, the applications were not attached. Hawai‘i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer J. Viernes replied that Corporation Counsel is not providing the applications of interested applicants. Secondly, M. Gleason said he had someone in mind to apply from Kona and she did not submit an application. B. Whitney asked if Corporation Counsel is willing to contact the applicants since they will not provide the contact information. She will contact M. Gleason to see if he will ask this particular individual if they are still interested in applying. T. Yamanaka offered to follow up with Corporation Counsel. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. VOLUNTEER PARKING VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE – SGT. D. VERIATO No report. B. UPDATE FROM DCAB – C. FLEMING/D. JACKSON/N. OLESEN No report. T. Spinola-Campbell reported that she received an e-mail that D. Jackson is on vacation. C. ADA COORDINATOR’S REPORT – T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL T. Spinola-Campbell provided her report as the ADA Coordinator for June 2005. ADA Coordinator’s report attached. T. Spinola-Campbell reported that Senator Russell Kokubun attended the East Hawaii committee meeting of the State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities. The focus of the meeting was the search for a missing person who has a developmental disability. He has been missing for approximately six to eight weeks. The East Hawaii Committee on Developmental Disabilities wants to get legislation in the state which mandates something like an amber alert for when a person with a disability or developmental disability in particular goes missing. They don’t want the police waiting the standard 48 hours protocol for searches. Three representatives from the police department also attended the meeting. Howard Marks from the East Hawaii DD Council had been in touch with a company in Texas called Project Life Save. People could voluntarily purchase a bracelet which has a tracking device on it. The police or fire department would have these units on both sides of the island and they could immediately track people who are missing. This device can find people in water, woods, or wherever they are.T. Spinola-Campbell said that she informed the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) about it at the ADA Coordinator’s meeting. This device would cost only $5,000 for the whole island versus a helicopter search which costs $300 to $400 an hour. The bracelet would cost about $2 per bracelet. Senator R. Kokubun said he would support legislation for missing person searches for people with disabilities statewide. The police department has announced that they are going for nationwide certification. This process ensures that all their policies and procedures are reviewed so national standards are met. It takes approximately three years to receive the certification. This 2 would be a good time for the people who wish to come forward to change some of the protocols for missing persons and work with the police department in a partnership to do so. T. Spinola-Campbell suggested that H. Marks attend one of MCPD meetings to provide an update. B. Whitney offered to follow up with H. Marks to determine if he would need assistance from MCPD. The State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities could ask the Mayor to consider the bracelet on the Big Island. D. PARKS AND RECREATION REPORT AND ADA GUIDELINES UPDATE – A. MITCHENER No report. E. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS – L. SCADDEN No report. NEW BUSINESS A. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES – T. SPINOLA-CAMPBELL T. Spinola-Campbell reported that the County of Hawaii has a sexual harassment policy on non-discrimination on the basis of disability. But, Hawaii State Law has a number of protected classes which prohibit discrimination. Some of these are based on state laws and others are also federal.The County of Hawaii wants to update and revise the anti-discrimination and harassment policy so it covers all the classes that are protected in Hawaii by state and federal law. In addition, the County receives federal financial assistance which requires compliance to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, Title VI and a number of other laws. The county departments have their own internal complaint procedures. Therefore, they would have to revise their internal complaint procedures to receive these claims. Also, people can contact T. Spinola- Campbell if they have a complaint against a particular department. She will either handle the complaint herself or refer it to the department for investigation if the matter violates the law. This anti-discrimination and harassment policy will rescind the other policy and put this one in its place. A public hearing needs to be held because the ADA grievance procedure was based on rule making. They have to go to rule making to repeal it and then the new rule will say that the Director of Personnel can promulgate new rules. The Corporation Counsel office has already reviewed the policy and will be forwarded to the Mayor for approval. The Department of Civil Service will provide training to the departments and to all employees. The policy articulates substantially more protection than were there before. Disability is also covered in this policy. D. Cowdrey asked if the policy affects agencies that contract through the state or the county to provide services. T. Spinola-Campbell said that agencies who contract with the county will be covered under the policy. The policy also covers residents of the county. 3 L. Tamimi mentioned that one of the things that the federal government is doing to help prevent discrimination is having employees take an online educational quiz once a year. T. Spinola-Campbell stated that the Department of Civil Service recently hired a new trainer and he is working on different online training possibilities for county employees. Face to face training will also be held. Furthermore, a three-day internal investigation training course was concluded for a number of supervisors. T. Spinola-Campbell reported that her yearly statistics for 2004 included a combination of 96 inquiries and complaints (90 were based on the ADA, 3 were on other civil rights laws, and 3 were question mark that they violated any law). STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON-AGENDA ISSUES L. Tamimi reported that she is trying to get a couple of people together to help them in their planning process for a campsite. She would like a more diverse group of people since only L. Scadden responded to assist with the planning process. B. Whitney suggested that L. Tamimi contact Disability Rights Hawaii. She offered to contact two people who are on the Center for Independent Living board of directors in Hilo to help since they both have different kinds of disabilities. J. Souza asked if there is an announcement about their next meeting on the internet. L. Tamimi replied it’s not announced because this is one project she is working on. This project encompasses five or six acres on Namakanipaio campground with approximately 12 campsites. There are toilet and shower facilities. The two old buildings will be upgraded so that they are accessible. They will also provide two proper accessible campsites. The campsites should be ready within the next two years. J. Matsui suggested coordinating with Kulani Prison for assistance from the inmates. L. Tamimi can be reached at laila_tamimi@nps.gov or 985-6139. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 5, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. in Kona. Location to be announced. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:25 a.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, _______________________________ JEAN VIERNES, STAFF SECRETARY 4