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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 03/14/2002COMMISSION ON DISABILITY Regular Meeting Minutes March 14, 2002 Council Information Center, City Hall West Members present: Mark Beck, Romola Fritz, Jerry Patterson, Laura Burnett, Alan Apt, Susan Williams, Jill Lancaster, Paul Ostroff; Diane Dittus City staff: Tracy Ochsner, Rachel Palmer Guests: Laura Hartsell, adaptive recreation opportunities intern; Gina Janett, Alliance for Smoke -free Kids and Communities; Ashley Piles, college student; Janna West Kowalski, Latimer County Department of Health and Environment, Tori Brower, Latimer County Department of Health and Environment, Steve Sutter Mark called the meeting to order at 12:15 pm Minutes were approved unanimously. Motion made by Paul and seconded by Alan Second Hand Smoke Presentation — Janna West Kowalski from the Latimer County Department of Health and Environment and the Alliance for Smoke -free Kids and Communities gave a presentation on the risks of second hand smoke. A proposed ordinance for smoke -free work places and public places in Fort Collins is being brought to city council. It's on the agenda for the health and safety subcommittee next week and comes to a full council study session in May. Other boards have written a letter stating the concern of second hand smoke and what to do to remedy the problem, some have passed a resolution, and/or action can be taken on an individual level. Motion: To write a letter to council supporting a 100% smoke -free workplaces and public places (indoor and outdoor) policy. Moved by Alan, seconded by Diane. Approved unanimously. Action: Janna will send sample letter to Mark, Alan and Jill. Alan will draft a letter from the COD and send out to the commission by next Thursday so we can get it to the health and safety subcommittee in time for their meeting. COD/BLN Partnership- Tracy has talked to a few people regarding this project and they are not aware of any boards or commissions who have formally entered into a partnership with another group. They did not think it was a great idea to form a formal partnership. He recommended that we get "buy -off' from the city manager first and then go through the legal route. Alan suggested we could call it a strategic alliance. The "alliance" would really help with the mayor's awards and the employment subcommittee. The COD would be offering the BLN the `name/support" of a commission that has been around for 20 years and the venue of the Mayor's Awards to showcase the BLN. Action: Steve Sutter will "re -word" the proposal and meet with Diane Jones (Alan and Tracy also) the week of March 25 to get her input. They will report back at the next meeting. The BLN/kick-off breakfast will be March 28. Mark will attend on behalf of the COD. New Commission Member: Joan Cook will be our new commission member replacing Kathryn. Action: Tracy will get her address, phone, etc. Mayor's awards- Is it OK to charge? Susan and Jill talked with city attorney at the board training and he indicated that the charging issue should definitely be clarified and approved by the city. Action: Tracy will run the idea by the city manager's office Loveland/Ft. Collins Paratransit: RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) — Alan suggested that the COD ensure that paratransit is a part of the overall project. On April I 1 Transfort wants to come to the COD and give a presentation. Action: Susan will get information from Transfort regarding what their presentation is about and will forward to COD before next meeting. Heavy Doors: Rob and Tracy will be going out to take pictures of door closures to help develop brochure. PHA: Brown bag lunch for home builders and put on by the HomeBuilders Association will be held Wednesday, March 27. Its purpose is to educate and inform homebuilders about PHA. Art Show: Susan has a meeting with the art group at the Senior Center next week. Agenda items for next meeting: • Hiving the disabled training program for city staff - Allan • Accessible Technology — Jerry Other business: Subcommittee meetings must be posted 24 hours in advance of meeting. Motion to adjourn made at 1:40 pm. Moved by Diane, seconded by Susan. Comr,__ssion on Citv of Fort Collins March 21, 2002 Mayor and City Council City of Fort Collins, Colorado Dear Mayor and City Council Members: The mission of the Commission on Disability is to help you protect the rights, health, and safety of the disabled people in our community. Our Board is very concerned about the health impacts of secondhand smoke on the disabled at work and when they recreate. Secondhand smoke, from a burning cigarette, or the smoke exhaled by a person smoking, is as deadly or more deadly for non-smokers as it is for smokers. We are writing to encourage the city of Fort Collins to modemize and upgrade our behind the times smoking ordinance to prohibit smoking in all public places and places of employment, and protect the health and safety of the 82% of Fort Collins residents who do not smoke. We believe having an inclusive, smoke -free workplace standard will greatly improve the protection i of everyone's health and help reduce the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. We are particularly concerned about the health impacts to employees in the restaurant and bar service professions. It has been shown that non-smoking workers routinely exposed to significant secondhand smoke, such as tavern and restaurant employees, triple their risk for lung cancer. (1) Currently, there are over 10,000 people in Larimer County working in restaurants and bars The disabled often work in food service related jobs and are as helpless as their fellow workers to protect themselves from second hand. (2) The Commission on Disability reviewed this issue March 141" and voted unanimously to recommend that the City of Fort Collins update the smoking policy to: (a) protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment, (b) guarantee the right to breathe smoke -free air in public places and places of employment, and (c) recognize that the need to breathe smoke -free air shall have priority over the desire to smoke. We encourage the city of Fort Collins to adopt a "smoke -free workplace standard" which would expand the coverage of the existing ordinance to include but not be limited to: • All enclosed indoor public places and places of employment, 300 LaPorte Avenue • PO. Box 380 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6790 • FAX (970i _? 1-o3_9 Sports arenas and convention halls, including bowling facilities and commercial bingo f facilities, galleries, libraries and museums. t (Special Olympics participants can not currently bowl without being subjected to second hand smoke. There are no designated non-smoking areas in bowling alleys and if there were the smoke would still drift into the non-smoking area. Smoking is also permitted at Ft.Collins ball field subjecting non-smokers to secondhand smoke.) • All restaurants and all taverns and bars. • Retail stores, theaters, banks, meeting places, laundromats, and other businesses open to the public, • Places of employment including common work areas, auditoriums, classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, cafeterias, lobbies, employee lounges, and private offices, elevators, hallways, stairs and restrooms. • Areas near the doorways or entryways of all public places and workplaces. (Citizens currently have to run through a gauntlet of smokers to attend events in city facilities and other public places) We look forward to working with the city of Fort Collins to better protect the public's health and welfare. Sincerely, Mark Beck Chairman References 1 Johnson, Kenneth, International Journal of Cancer, July 2001. 2 Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Labor Market Information, 2000.