HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 09/13/2001COMMISSION ON DISABILi 1'Y
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
September 13, 2001
Council Information Center, City Hall West
Members present: Kathryn Johnson, Mark Beck, Alan Apt, Diane Dittus, Paul Ostrof, Ruth Bell
Skogerboe, Susan Williams, Rob and Romola Fritz; Steve Seefeld. Guest: Steve Sutter.
The meeting was called to order by the secretary, Romola Fritz, at 12:25 p.m. Mark Beck gave a
report on the Practical Housing for All presentation that he and Kimberly Stenberg gave last
Monday here in the CIC to representatives from the building community and a few city personnel
as well as several COD members. The presentation was well received by those in attendance.
The next PHA presentation will be at the Affordable and Accessible Housing Summit in Boulder
on October 13. Mark indicated that another step for introducing the PHA concept here in Fort
Collins will be to take it to the building community. He reported that there had been an article in
the Coloradoan about the presentation. He suggested that COD members could help by writing
letters to the Coloradoan editor supporting the concept. Mark also indicated that he would make
contact with the city council soliciting formal support for the concept, per Alan's suggestion.
After a discussion about the time line for the COD election, Mark moved and Alan seconded a
motion to do the nomination and then the election of officers at the two meetings in October, with
the new officers taking over after the first of the year. The motion passed. This time line takes
into consideration the ending of the terms of members of all boards and commissions, including
possibly some officers, at the end of the year as well as the fact that the COD will have only one
meeting each month in November and December, due to the holidays.
Kathryn introduced the concept of pedestrian safety, referencing the Pedestrian Safety Handbook
put out by the American Council of the Blind. The handbook explains why this concept is needed
and presents strategies for communities to use to make their streets safer for all pedestrians, not
just the disabled. She has already worked with Eric Bracke for the installation of audible traffic
signals at some intersections. She would like to make contact with any community groups and
citizens interested in working with her on this project. She wants to gather statistics for Fort
Collins in the area of pedestrian safety and then write a document covering what has been done
and what can be done in the future, focusing on an educational component. She plans to make a
formal presentation to the COD and also put the project in our work plan for next year. Alan
suggested that increased signage is a funding issue and noted that the city's budget for the next
two years will go to public hearings soon. He stated that this would be a good opportunity to
make a case for pedestrian safety/signage being a budget item.
Concerning the Mayor's Awards event, Steve Sutter asked about obtaining help with the transfer
of materials and supplies before and after the event. COD members and Gateway clients did this
last year. Former member Don Fish helped with this last year, and it was suggested he might be
willing to assist again this year since he has the contacts for it. Steve Sutter has made contact
with vendors from last year, and they are interested in participating again this year. Alan is
planning meetings with the media, and Steve Seefeld will help with grants and with obtaining a
map of the layout. There was a discussion as to the effectiveness of last year's mailings, and it
was decided to try two mailings this year, separating the actual invitation from the application for
nominations for awards. A letter of "enticement" will also be included in one of the mailings,
encouraging businesses to attend. Steve Sutter will attempt to get a more accurate mailing list,
including names and phone numbers of specific contact people in the businesses' human resources
or personnel departments. Alan and Steve Sutter will go to the city council meeting next Tuesday
to announce the event during the time allotted for public comments, and Alan plans to go to a
meeting of the Coloradoan editorial board. Steve Seefeld announced that Laura's father, John
Burnett, who is a marketing professor at the University of Denver, will be our speaker.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:53 p.m. on a motion by Diane and a second by Rob.
Respectfully submitted,
Romola Fritz
Secretary