HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 05/10/2001COMMISSION DISABILITY
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
May 10, 2001
Council Information Center, City Hall West
Members present: Laura Burnett, Paul Ostrof, Ruth Bell Skogerboe, Diane Dittus, Susan Williams, Kathryn Johnson,
Mark Beck, Romola Fritz, Steve Seefeld.
The meeting was called to order by Laura Burnett, Vice Chairman, at 12:20 p.m. Paul madethemotion that the
minutes be approved as presented; Kathryn seconded the motion; it passed.
Mark reported that Cathy Schelly and Steve Sutter attended the last employment training subcommittee meeting. The
committee is considering having the Center for Community Participation do the planned training. The CCP, located on
the CSU campus, provides training and placement services for people with disabilities.
Laura opened the discussion on the Mayor's Awards ceremony. Laura, Susan, Kathryn, and Diane volunteered to be
on the planning committee. The suggestion was made to establish a work plan, and do it well ahead of the event since
this is a very complex undertaking. The group then discussed what went well last year as a lead-in to ideas about what
we should do this year. The event was a brunch buffet at the Holiday Inn, with a speaker from the Marriott Hotel. It
was felt that the Holiday Inn was a very nice facility, and we should try for it again this year. Kathryn will contact the
Inn to find out if space is available on October 26. The brunch was less expensive and less complicated to organize
than previous sit-down lunches, though the possibility of having the buffet be a lunch instead of a brunch was
suggested. However, it was harder for the disabled to serve themselves in the buffet setting; so we discussed ideas for
arranging for helpers to provide assistance: extra servers from the hotel, or college students, or service club members.
Helpers should be made aware that the disabled other than those in chairs also require assistance; this could possibly be
done by inviting them to a COD meeting where we could help them understand our needs.
Last year's booths on employment, equipment, etc. seem to have been a positive addition. Steve Sutter was in charge
of these, and it was suggested that we ask him to do this again. Problems with the booths included several no-shows,
which left vacant tables. There was also a concern about the possibility of some presenters not being knowledgeable
about their areas. Ideas to make the booths more effective included: tying the employment workshop into them, having
a special subcommittee on workshops that could be sure presenters are knowledgeable, having participants make a
commitment to be there, providing incentives to encourage them to set up good booths, and starting early to line up the
booths.
It was suggested that COD members should have special name tags, and the booths should have signs identifying them.
The awards currently given at the event all relate to employment. It was suggested that we consider also giving an
architectural award for the design of a visitable house, if any of these have been built, and if we want to branch out
from the original purpose of the awards. Kathryn offered to check in to getting a speaker from the Lions Cub to tell
about a new learning center for the visually impaired that is in the works.
The tum-out for the event was less last year than in previous years. Suggestions to increase attendance included: telling
about the booths in the invitations, continuing to contact the media, getting information out to the disabled population
through the churches, putting out the information in largeprint and braille and giving this to the Lions Club to pass out,
and promoting the fact that October is Disability Awareness Month.
On our next topic, we continued our discussion on recognizing former members. Mark made the motion, and Kathryn
seconded it, that Steve find out from the City Clerk's office who has been sent a certificate from January, 1999, to the
present. The motion passed. Laura moved, and Susan seconded, that we honor all who have resigned or left the COD
from January, 1999, to the present, doing this at the June 14 meeting. The motion passed. Steve will arrange for a
catered meal. and Laura will contact the invitees.
Mark reported that the visitability subcommittee is working on a ten-minute Power Point presentation, called PHA
(Practical Housing for All), to be presented to various building -related groups. While architects have indicated that no
one is asking for visitable homes, Ruth told the COD that reahors are requesting them. Mark showed the COD a
Directory of Accessible Building Products that is available.
Laura asked Steve to look in to the status of the letter that the COD voted to send to the City Council relating to
transportation concerns.
The meeting adjourned at 1:35p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Romola Fritz,
Secretary