ARLINGTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 21, 2005
Members Present: Barbara Cutler, Joe Giurleo, Susan James, Barbara Jones,
Louis Krodel, Kevin O’Brien, Maureen St. Hilaire
Members Absent: Lin Baker, Tom Boudreau
Staff Present: Jack Jones
Others Present: Paolo Marinelli, Resident & Pedestrian Advocate
Christine Connolly, Director Board of Health
Meeting Minutes of November 16, 2005:
Maureen made a motion to accept the Meeting Minutes of November 16, 2005 seconded by Barbara J. SO VOTED
Plans to Provide Assistance to Disabled Residents in Emergency Situations:
Christine Connolly said that the State Dept. of Public Health through the Center for Disease Control has set up a number of requirements for health departments regarding emergency planning. These requirements include planning for administering vaccinations, distributing radiation pills, responding to a hazardous material situations, providing sheltering as needed etc. Christine said that the Board of Health is reaching out to groups within the Town to assist in preparing plans. These plans will include people with disabilities and therefore she is requesting assistance from the Disability Commission in preparing plans. Christine said that a lot has been learned from the mistakes made after Hurricane Katrina. Christine passed out pamphlets received from FEMA on preparing how best to reach people with disabilities during an
emergency. Christine requested advice from the Commission on how to best serve and reach out to disabled residents if the Town needed to set up a clinic or shelter in an emergency.
Barbara C. said that the Police need additional training on how to assist people with disabilities in emergency situations. Barbara C. also said that adequate supplies of medicine needs to be available to cover a period of time when people will not be able to obtain their medications.
Joe questioned if the Civil Defense still exists. Christine said that the Community Emergency Response Team has replaced the Civil Defense. In Arlington the Community Emergency Response Team has twenty people trained to provide sheltering and other services in and emergency.
Barbara J. mentioned the importance of service animals staying with their owners in an emergency.
Accessibility Survey Dallin Elementary School:
Jack said that Ryan Bianchetto, John Crow Associates, August Bonazzoli, Contractor, Marissa Somers, PMA Owners Representative, Stefan Chaires, D.R.A. Inc. Jeffrey Dougan and Bruce Bruneau, Mass. Office on Disability, Lin and himself participated in the survey of accessible features at the Dallin School. Issues found during the survey were rooms without visual alarms, stairs located to the right of the main entrance, which leads to the playing fields with no means of vertical access provided for people who cannot traverse stairs, a driveway/walkway that leads to the playing field with a running slope measuring 29.6% at the steepest part, coat hooks located at incorrect height in the restrooms, and a issue with signage located in the cafetorium. Jack said that some of these issues will be deficiencies will be part of the
contractors punch list. Jack said that at this point the only issue that needs to be resolved is the stairs in the path of travel leading to the playfield.
Snow Removal from Sidewalks:
Barbara J. asked for clarity as to how far a business must clear to be in compliance with the Town By-Law pertaining to snow removal. Kevin said that the language in the By-Law makes an answer to this question difficult. Barbara C. said that the Commission should consider submitting a warrant article to clarify this issue of snow removal at curb cuts. Kevin said that John Maher, Town Counsel, should review language of this article prior to the article being submitted.
Barbara J. made a motion seconded by Joe to prepare this warrant article. SO VOTED
Other Business:
Barbara C. questioned about the Annual Report submission. Jack said that he would prepare a draft of the report.
Paolo mentioned that the bricks in the crosswalk on Mill St. were recently replaced with asphalt. Barbara C. said that a letter should be sent to the Town Manager expressing the Commissions gratitude with the replacement of bricks in crosswalks and walkways with a user-friendlier surface.
Barbara J. said that the Donald Marquis Trial should be accessible year round. Barbara C. said that a warrant article should be submitted requesting that the path be cleared of snow during the winter. Kevin said that a liability issue regarding drainage exists along the path if snow melts and freezes on the path. Kevin suggested that more research be done before a warrant article to remove snow on the path is submitted.
Jack mentioned that a concrete block is blocking the path to the Marquis Trial at the end of Varnum Street. Jack said that John Sanchez, Public Works Director is considering a request to move the concrete block that is blocking the path of travel to the Trial.
Paolo said that an accessibility issue occurred when a car was parked on a bus stop preventing the bus from picking up a wheelchair user. Paolo was concerned that the penalty for parking in a bus stop was not appropriate for the inconvenience this would cause a bus rider not able to board a bus.
Community Development Update:
Kevin said that the CDBG budget would be reduced by approximately 8% to 11% next fiscal year. Kevin said that the Massachusetts Avenue Corridor project has been divided into two projects. Kevin said that to design this project would cost approximately $500,00.00 with the total project for construction at three to five million dollars. Kevin said that the language of the project is being considered for change to include the language design and construction. If the Town is required to pay for the design than it will at least delay the start of the project. The earliest that this project will begin is calendar year 2007.
Legislative Update:
Barbara C. said that December is the month when new legislation is filled.
Barbara said that the deadline for Medicare Part D is fast approaching. People who are not covered by private drug plans and needing medications now or in the future will be compelled to enroll in a private prescription drug program operated by for-profit insurance companies beginning in January 2006.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 6:10 P.M.
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