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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 03/09/1987I► • w CITY OF FORT COLLINS COMMISSION ON DISABILITY MINUTES COMMISSION ON DISABILITY MARCH 9, 1987 The regular meeting of the Commission on Disability was called to order by Chairperson Marilyn Maxwell at 6:30 p.m., in the CIC Room, City Hall West, 300 LaPorte Avenue. Members Present: Betty Shuey, Charlotte Kanode, Judy Siefke, Marilyn Maxwell, Carol Rice, Sharon Winfield, Steve Kiefer Members Absent: Nancy Jackson, Bobbie Guye, Rosalie Smith, Arne Andersen Staff: Jackie Davis, Carmen Hollowell APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes from the February 9 meeting were approved as written. NEW BUSINESS Review of By -Laws The COD reviewed and made changes to the by-laws. Copies of revisions are attached. (Please note that deletions are dashed out and additions are in bold print.) The COD asked for information on 504 legislation referenced under B. PURPOSE, regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (Copies of the legislation are attached for further review.) Selection of Vice -Chairperson Carol Rice was unanimously nominated for Vice -Chairperson. COD members will vote on the nomination at the April 13 meeting. OLD BUSINESS Discuss Revised Goals and Objectives It was moved and seconded that the revised goals and objectives be approved COMMISSION ON DISABILITY P.O. Box 580 . Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 . (303) 221-6758 Minutes - March 9, 1987 Page-2 ABRF UPDATE Disabled Equipment Program Jackie reported that the Visual Tek for the Handicapped Information Office had been delivered to their office. Also, an application had been received for a phonic ear vois. The applicant's phonic ear had broken and Jackie reported that because the applicant had no other means of communication, and it was an emergency situation, staff administratively approved the application and ordered the equipment. With $1,000 trade-in on the damaged phonic ear, the new one will cost around $2,300. Architectural Barrier Removal Program Jackie reported that a ramp modification was still pending; the chairlift installation blueprints were being processed; and the shower adjustment had been completed. Jackie reported on the MS applicant who needed a bedroom/bathroom addition to his home. The bid is $10,964.00, and since the COD previously approved $10,000.00, $964.00 additional funds are needed. The Independent Living Project allocated $450.00 and the MS Society allocated $50.00 toward the project. The COD considered funding the remainder of the bid - $464.00 - out of ABR funds to complete the project. It was moved and seconded to approve $464.00 in order to complete the project. The vote was unanimous. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. CITY OF FORT COLLINS COMMISSION ON DISABILITY BY-LAWS A. NAME The name of this organization is "Commission on Disability" as established through City Ordinance #166 on November 3, 1981. This Commission will advise the City Council and the employees and residents of the City of Fort Collins on issues concerning the handicapped. The Commission will formulate, recommend, and support such programs as it deems important to assure voluntary compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other legislation (relating to persons with disabilities.) C. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee shall consist of four (4) persons -- a Chairperson, a Vice -Chairperson, a Secretary and a member -at -large. The Executive Committee will be elected by a majority vote by the Commission members. The City Liaison person is invited to all executive committee activities and meetings. 1. Term of Office a. One (1) year, with a maximum service period for any one member of the Executive Committee not to exceed two (2) consecutive full terms (two (2) years) or three (3) non-consecutive full terms (three (3) years). b. Officers shall be elected annually at the July meeting of the Commission. Nominations to be made at the preceding June meeting. 2. Procedures At the discretion of the Commission membership the Chairperson and Vice -Chairperson MAY revolve terms, each serving six (6) months, if desired. Additional officers may be elected by the Commission as necessary. 3. Chairperson and Responsibilities a. Preside at regular Commission meetings b. Preside at Executive Committee meetings c. Develop agenda items in coordination with Executive Committee d. Assure that Commission meetings adhere to the agenda e. Personally assure that Vice -Chairperson (or Secretary) is prepared to preside at meetings in Chairperson's absence f. Be available for consultation at request of Commission members and City of Fort Collins employees and residents g. Bring all statements proposed by individual members on behalf of the Commission before the entire Commission at a regular meeting h. Report to entire Commission all communications she/he has received and/or sent related to his/her position as Chairperson of the Commission i. Maintain contact with City Liaison person j. Oversee development of report(s) to City Council 4. Vice -Chairperson Responsibilities a. Preside at regular Commission meetings and Executive Committee meetings in Chairperson's absence b. Assist with developing agenda items c. Assist with subcommittees and/or task forces d. Contact Chairperson (or City Liaison) in event of Vice -Chairperson's absence at either regular Commission meeting or Executive Committee meeting e. Assist in writing report(s) to City Council 5. Secretary Responsibilities a. Preside at meetings in Chairperson's and Vice -Chairperson's absences �,--ial.e-iR�RM>:es--8e-a€}-�#€ie€a}-�eRiRl#ssieR-�Reetr€RQs-aR�-��eeer.�€Ve 6ew+rR#�i;ee-Rreei; €Rgs c. Assist in developing agenda items �.--&eRA-� Pa€i; -�epY-a€-omega}ae-�eReR€ss}err-{Ree�i•Rgs-iRi•Rrl1; es-�e-a}} RterR�ePs-a€-�Ne-�erxrR}ssi•eR-ar►d-3k►e-b €iy-�errrre€ }-�v#t:k#rr-eRe-� €� week.-€e} }ew4.R§—t4e-meet4Rg e.--NeinAtai-R-44}e-949R--mee€€R99--&Rd other+-GerRr499}eR—aet4v€i y r €,--Forward-eRe-�epy-a€-,4P�Pe+red-�egd}ae-6e�xr�}ss}eR-txeea:}RQ-�x+Rd�es i;e-� }i;y-�}erk=s--0€€i• ee-�e-beeeme-a-�a rS-e€-� ke-e€€ i•e 4 a}-�4�y Reeerd Q.--Beve}ep-and-d#sir}kale-eerresPeRdeReefPaper-werl�-as-Reeessary-8e i:ke-6ewtx�#ss}er►=5-aei;i•v#i:y k.--6eRi:aei:-�k EReewt*ve-G@mm4ttee-mee0R9 4R§--er }.--Wa }R8a i•R-a-ea rreR#-}i•st:-a€-6ex�x�} ss}eR-ime�xkers=-Rarmes T-addresses a and-�k ewe-t►ax�kers-and-�i•si: ri•13e1: a-#k 4s-�}sS-be-+xe�mkers-#e}}ewi•RQ aRy-ekaRQeEs�-�kere4R 4.--ArraR1e-dermj-#er-#kese members-requesti nq tv k. Assist in writing report(s) to City Council 6. Member -At -Large Responsibilities Add - Preside at meetings in Chairperson, Vice -Chairperson and Secretary's absence.) a. Assist in developing agenda items b. Assist with subcommittees and/or task forces c. Contact Chairperson (or City Liaison) in event of his/her absence at either regular Commission meeting or Executive Committee meeting d. Assist in writing report(s) to City Council D. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS Executive Committee meetings are held meRl;k}y (quarterly), apppex4aise}y Swe-{2�-weeps-a#Ser-a-6e�xm}ss4eR-�meeS;Rg; for the Executive Committee and City liaison person (when available) to deMe}ep-Ske-egeRda-#er-Ske-Re*S 6emm�ss"R-e+eet4oq (review the Commission's progress toward the goals and make recommendations for the achievement of those goals.) E. MEMBERSHIP There are eleven (11) members of this Commission. All prospective members must apply to the City of Fort Collins for membership. All members are appointed, and subject to removal, by the City Council. 1. Term of Membership 3 Four (4) years (staggered terms), or until a member.'s successor is appointed. 2. Membership Responsibilities a. Display sensitivity to and awareness of the needs, desires, and aspirations of persons with physical, mental or emotional disabilities b. Present relevant items from citizenship at large to Commission for consideration c. Submit agenda items to Chairperson (or other Executive Committee member) at least one (1) week or five (5) working days before the scheduled Commission meeting. d. Consult with Commission whenever making statements or joining activities specifically mn behalf of the Commission e. Participate as needed in special task forces, subcommittees, etc. f. Contact a member of the Executive Committee (or City Liaison) when unable to attend a Commission meeting. (This will be considered an excused absence.) g. Attendance will be in accordance with Section VI (General Responsibilities and Specific Differences) of the Boards and Commissions Handbook. h. Write a letter of resignation to Commission when resigning i. Contact Care -A -Van at 996-3529 (221-6622) to reserve regular transportation to Commission meetings if this transportation service is required. If a member has reserved Care -A -Van for meetings, but is unable to attend a meeting, the member should contact Care -A -Van at least one (1) working day before the meeting to cancel the reservation. j. Contact the SeePetaPy (City Liaison) if taped meeting minutes are desired F. COMMISSION MEETINGS 1. Official Meetings a. Held once a month, generally the second Monday of the month b. Begin at 6:30 p.m. and end, at the latest, at 849 (9:30) p.m. c. Are held at the Council Information Office, City Hall, 300 LaPorte Avenue, which is accessible to persons with mobility impairments 4 9 • d. Are attended by enough members to constitute a quorum. If there are not enough members present by 6:45 p.m, to constitute a quorum, the members present may cancel the meeting. e. Provide sign language interpretation for persons with hearing impairments. 2. Voting/Quorum a. All regular members are full members with voting rights b. No "absentee ballots" will be accepted c. Six (6) members constitute a quorum (a simple majority) 3. Special Meetings a. Called by a Commission member with approval of a member of the Executive Committee b. Subcommittee meetings and task force meetings will be called and held as needed ky (at) the discretion of their chairpersons c. Reported/reviewed at the next official Commission meeting by the Commission member who conducted the special meeting 4. Notice of Meetings Notice of regular Commission meetings is included with the minutes of the previous month's meetings. 5. Agenda/Program a. All items are developed by Chairperson (and staff) in conjunction with Executive Committee. b. Items (for the agenda) from Commission members must be submitted at least one (1) week or five (5) working days before the scheduled meeting. c. Agenda will be adhered to. dr--€s--pead-a8-4ke--stapt -a€-4ke--&€€ae€a€-�e�x�x ss#eR-�eeiiRQ-by-Bke peAsen-peea�d�nQ-ever-i:ke-�xee€#pQ e. Allows for an open discussion in each meeting for members to share information 6. Recordkeeping and Dissemination of Information 5 a. Is handled by the SeeRetaPy (Staff) w4tk-ass4steRee-€ReFx-FxeFRbePs aRO--the--6mp;eyee--Beve;epmeR€- -Pep apt-meR€--o€-4ke--G4€y--@€--Fey t se}44R5 b. The Commission will report their activities to City Council, via a written report, at least once a year. G. SUBCOMMITTEES/TASK FORCES 1. Appointment Subcommittees and/or task forces are appointed by Commission vote or by Chairperson if time does not permit a vote by membership at a scheduled Commission meeting. 2. Reporting Each subcommittee or task force reports to the Commission. 3. Membership a. Members of subcommittee/task forces need not be members of the Commission. b. Members of subcommittees/task forces have full voting rights within the subcommittee/task force. H. BY-LAWS 1. Notice Written (or taped, for those members requesting it) notice of proposed by-laws or changes must be made to each member at least two (2) weeks or fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled vote. 2. Approval Approval of by-laws must be by (simple majority - six (6) votes) of the Commission membership. 3. Amendments Amendments to by-laws must follow notice and approval procedures in 1 and 2 (above). 4. Review By-laws will be reviewed yearly for possible changes to assure a smoothly functioning Commission. 9 E Chapter Three The 504 Law in a Nutshell ✓ Section 504 is frequently referred to as the civil rights law for disabled persons. It was passed by the Congress as part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and states: No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall, solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. t Although Section 504 is brief, its impact is far reaching. ' Any program which receives federal financial aid must provide ( equal opportunities for services and for employment to qualified handicapped people. Since virtually every aspect of American life, from education to job training, transportation to housing, i social services to public works, is subsidized at least in part by federal funds, the law provides very far reaching protection for disabled Americans. Two million companies, from small i j spare parts manufacturers to huge international corporations are required to follow equity guidelines in recruitment, hiring, Placement and advancement of disabled persons under Section 503 Of the same law. All counties, cities,towns, special districts and other local jurisdictions which receive federal assistance directly or through another recipient, are subject to the Section 3-1 • • 3-2 504 law and to the regulations of the federal agency from which the funds are received. It is an exceedingly rare municipal t , government that receives no federal funds, and so the law extends to just about every local government in the United States. Section 504 was a breakthrough for disabled Americans, in defining and providing active enforcement for their civil rights. As HEW Secretary Joseph Califano summarized it: Section 504 represents the first federal civil rights law protecting the rights of handicapped persons and reflects a national commitment to end discrimination on the basis of handicap. The language of Section 504 is almost identical to the comparable non-discrimination provisions of Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title 9 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (apply- ing to racial discrimination and to discrimination in education on the basis of sex). It establishes a man- date to end discrimination and to bring handicapped persons into the mainstream of American life. The Sec- retary intends vigorously to enforce that mandate. The language of Section 504 was modeled closely on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Congressional committees considering the Section 504 legislation made it quite clear that their intention was to broaden the Civil Rights Act, to include the same pro- } tections for handicapped persons. Congress also specified that administrative enforcement procedures should follow procedures m already established to carry out the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 4 In a nutshell, then, what is unique and different about Section 504 from other federal legislation dealing with handi- capped citizens, is that it is a civil rights law. For local government managers, carrying out this law within their muni- cipal structure means taking affirmative steps to assure equal s • 3-3 :h a opportunities for disabled persons --just as a decade earlier - local governments were faced with the challenge of securing :nds the rights of racial minorities. i !1 of P A presidential executive order issued by President Ford in 1976 empowered the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) to be the lead federal agency in administering and enforcing Section 504. The order required the Secretary of HEW to establish standards to determine who are handicapped in- dividuals, and what are discriminatory practices outlawed by Section 504; and to coordinate the implementation of Section 504 by all other federal agencies. When about a year passed and HEW still hadn't finalized 504 regulations for its own department, and with the newly appointed Secretary Califano proposing to have a full-scale review of the draft regulations, disabled people, upset with the delays, occupied HEW's Washington, DC offices for 28 hours, and the San Francisco offices for 22 days. The. following month, HEW's 504 regulations were signed by the Secretary, and in May 1977 became the first of some 31 federal departments and agencies to publish regulations. By July 1981, 18 federal agencies have published final Section 504 regulations, and 13 other agencies have proposed regulations in different stages of development. One of the • • 3-4 agencies, the Office of Revenue Sharing of the U.S. Treasury Department, has had its Section 504 regulations recalled for , review by the Administration. It appears likely that the Department of Transportation regulations will also be recalled for review, and possible replacement by new regulations. Common Features of the Federal Regulations Each of the agencies' regulations is patterned after guide- lines developed initially by HEW (the Department of Justice has , since supplanted HEW as the lead agency for coordinating and enforcing Section 504). Following are key provisions which are applicable to local governments in all the various 504 regulations, coming from whatever federal agency: (a) DEFINITION OF A "QUALIFIED HANDICAPPED PERSON". All the regulations follow the same definition of handicapped person, / which includes any person having a physical or mental impairment ` substantially limiting a major life activity; or record of such an impairment; or is looked on as having such an impairment. (See Chapter Two.) "Qualified" means, in regards to employment, a handicapped person who can, with reasonable accomodation, perform the essential functions of the job in question. With respect to services, "qualified" means a handicapped person who meets the essential eligibility requirements for the service. (b) TYPE OF DISCRIMINATION THAT IS PROHIBITED. A local r Z government agency (or any other recipient of federal funds) can- not directly or through contractual arrangements deny a qualified handicapped person a service for which he or she is eligible; 3-5 )n , provide a service of a lower quality than that provided to others; or provide separate services to handicapped persons, un- less it is clearly necessary to do so in order that the service be as effective as those provided to other people. Even--Ahen there exists a separate or different program aimed at handicapped persons that is legally permissible, an agency cannot deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in the mainstream program. The stress is on integrated services, and agencies are required to administer programs and services "in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified handicapped persons". In selecting a site or facility for a pro- gram, agencies are prohibited from picking a location that has the effect of excluding handicapped persons. (c) SELF EVALUATIONS. All the regulations require agencies that receive federal funds to do a self evaluation of their pro- gram, usually within a year after the regulation is in force. Such an evaluation must involve handicapped persons or organi- zations in reviewing current policies and practices, and potential discriminatory effects. Remedial actions and changes must then be developed to correct discriminatory practices. The agency is required to keep on file and available for public inspection a list of the persons consulted in the self evaluation, a descrip- tion of the findings, and remedial steps that were taken. (d) TRANSITION PLAN. When structural changes to buildings or facilities are needed in order to meet the requirements of the law, an agency must develop a transition plan to make the • • 3-6 required changes within a limited time frame (generally 3 years). The plan has to be developed with participation of handicapped persons or organizations, and must include the following elements: • Identify physical barriers that need to be removed • Describe in detail methods to remove the barriers • Specify the schedule for removing the barriers and achieving full program accessibility • Indicate the person responsible for implementing the plan.' (e) PUBLIC NOTICES AND ASSURANCES. Every agency receiving federal funds is required to notify its employees and people using its services (including those with impaired vision or hearing) that it does not discriminate on the basis of handicap. The notice shall include the name of the responsible employee de- signated to coordinate Section 504 efforts. Where the agency has brochures or recruitment materials that go to the general public or to applicants, the non-discrimination notice should be n included in these materials. Future applications for federal assistance must include an assurance, on a specified form, that the program will be operated in compliance with Section 504. (f) GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES. It is required to have a griev- ance procedure to handle complaints from persons who feel they have been discriminated against under Section 504 provisions. A responsible official has to be designated to handle such grievances. The agency (or municipality) may use its existing internal grievance procedures to handle such complaints. y • • 3-7 G Special Requirements of Individual Federal Agencies. a Individual federal agencies, such as the Department of :s• Transportation, have specific regulations that affect programs x that they provide funding for. DOT, as an example, has particular requirements and timetables for equipping new fixed route bus systems with wheelchair lifts; it has other requirements for railway stations and rail equipment. The specific actions sn.11. that local governments need to take to comply with Section 504 are discussed in subsequent chapters --though they are described more from an implementation viewpoint than from spelling out regulation details. The APPENDIX to this handbook includes a bibliography and information sources, for those who need more +� detailed information on any one of the federal agencies' specific requirements. e What is Required on the Part of Local Governments -- -And What i c Wni- ed The Section 504 law outlaws discrimination against handi- capped persons in any federally assisted program, whether the i particular federal agency has regulations out or not. There seems to be confusion about this in some cities and counties. i If the source of funding for a particular city department is HUD, and HUD has not yet come out with final regulations, the Section 504 protection still stands for handicapped persons using the program. Any handicapped individual may bring a complaint or a court action, based on the 1973 law. • . 3-8 There seem to be a couple of other points of confusion that } are common among local officials about Section 504, particularly 3 misunderstandings about what "program accessibility" means, and what municipalities are required to do in their employment prac- tices. Program Accessibility. The 504 rules require that programs must be readily accessible to handicapped persons. They do not require that every architectural barrier must be eliminated, regardless of the difficulty or the cost. The emphasis is on making the program as a whole accessible. Frequently there are many alternatives besides structural changes in a building that can make a program accessible to disabled people. For example, services can be relocated in buildings that are accessible. Classes can be reassigned or home visits can be made in place of office visits. The rules allow for imaginative restruc- turing of programs so as to make them accessible, and in fact encourage this. The caveat is that care must be taken not to isolate or concentrate handicapped persons in settings away from non -handicapped program participants. There is another aspect to this emphasis on "program accessibility". The central objective of the 504 regulations ` is to make sure disabled people can participate freely and fully i in the programs. For many disabled people, the problem isn't just the physical structure --the high steps, narrow doorways, inadequate restrooms. For the deaf or hearing impaired, there may be no problem at all getting into the building. But if a i. • • 3-9 3t,+ deaf person goes to a city council meeting and wants to partici- pate, there is a communication obstacle. Program accessibility 3 for the deaf person means the provision by the local government S of a sign language so this f interpreter, person can P participate fully in the meeting. Or consider a blind person trying to get ms about city hall, when all the signs and elevator markings are t for those who can see. Easy access for the blind person may r mean brailled signs, or a sound system on the elevator calling off the floors. The image of program accessibility is too often e ! confined to removing obstacles to persons in wheelchairs. There are many other disabled people, who also have a right to have t e, municipal programs open and available to them. i Employment Provisions. Employment provisions are very much like the affirmative action requirements of civil rights laws protecting racial minorities. Because the definition of handi- capped person is so broad as to include alcohol and drug addicts, some local officials have expressed concern about the unreality i of the employment regulations. But in fact the regulations protect the rights of "qualified" handicapped people, and this term implies limits on what is expected of employers. An em- s s j player is not required to change performance or behavior stan lY dards for a job, or to tolerate disruptive or dangerous behavior --even if such actions stem from a person's alcoholism or i addiction. -However, in the case of a qualified handicapped person, local governments do have to make reasonable accomodations to the • • 3-10 ;. person'.s handicap where needed. Examples of such accomodations might include a cassette recorder for a blind employee, changes 3 in the physical location of the job, special chairs, desks or equipment, flexible work times or extended rest periods, etc. (more on this in.Chapter'7). Voluntary Efforts. Some actions are not required by the law or the federal regulations, but are voluntarily taken by a local government in order to be more responsive to the needs of disabled citizens. For example, in one of the cities visited by ICM.41 staff, Charlotte, North Carolina, the applications area of the personnel department was moved to the ground floor in order to be completely accessible to persons in wheelchairs. The personnel department had already arranged for "program accessibility" by having job interviewers come from their upstairs (inaccessible) offices to meet with disabled job applicants downstairs. But even though this may have met the legal requirements, it wasn't regarded as a happy solution by Charlotte's handicapped advisory group. This isn't surprising, since the symbolism of open and ready access to job vacancies is so important. Therefore, the city incurred extra expenses to move the personnel applications area to the accessible floor, in order to better service dis- abled residents. There are many other examples that could be cited of actions local government officials take that go beyond what is strictly required by Section 504. Many such examples will be given in the following chapters. It seems that in most communities where 1 • • 3-11 r local government staff understands the spirit of Section 504, the question stops being "what is mandated", and becomes rather "what are the most effective things we can do to open up op- portunities for disabled citizens". Implementation Problems Faced by Local Governments Finding the Staff Time. For many local governments, parti- cularly small cities,.perhaps the most difficult problem is simply finding the amount of time needed to understand Section be 504 and what the city has to do. With directives coming from more than a dozen different federal agencies which provide finan- cial aid to local government, it can seem like a huge task for a city that has a very limited number of management level staffers, who are already stretched thin. In fact, there is much more similarity than uniqueness Y - between the regulations put out by the various federal agencies. It is not necessary to prepare a dozen different self -evaluations 'ns .e and transition plans in response to the different federal rules. The most efficient organizational approach is to develop a plan from the outset that deals with all the various departments of the local government that may present barriers to disabled per- sons. Chapter four of this handbook suggests several organiza- tional strategies, to make the most effective use of limited staff time. Costs of Compliance. ICMA's discussions with city and 3-12 0 0 county managers who are well into implementation reveal that the initial fears that prevailed about heavy cost burdens being im- posed on local governments as a result of Section 504, are by and large unfounded. In fact, most managers expressed surprise at how relatively inexpensive it turned out to make all the modifi- cations that were needed. This was true of curb cuts, street improvements, barrier removal in buildings, provision of special signs, audio aids, interpreters, etc. By using some imagination,' and frequently by consulting with local disabled persons and organizations, ways were usually found to make these improvements without heavy costs. The biggest exception to this is in the area of transportation, where the costs have been the largest. Chapter eight of this handbook gives more detailed information about the implementation problems that managers are faced with in making public transit accessible to handicapped persons. Resistance to Chance. In many communities there still remains a strong tradition of "doing for" handicapped people, and the new emphasis on equal rights and opportunities for dis- abled citizens is something that often simply isn't grasped. However, in most localities there is no active opposition to Section 504. On the contrary, in many communities the local governments' efforts to carry out Section 504 have proved quite popular --with elected officials, the media, and the public generally. Once the issues are understood, there is a sense of fairness in most communities that inclines towards being sup- portive. Moreover, the fact that so many people in a typical 3-13 community are eithO disabled or close frien• or relations to a disabled person, makes it easier to identify with the issues. •d perhaps the most important role of the city or county manager is e in the beginning, to help bring about understanding of the issues, and to clarify the myths about horrendous costs and complexities. once the air is cleared and the objectives of Section 504 under- L ` stood, many managers have found that community support has built j n, cuickly, and the municipal staff can move ahead with efforts i that became a source of community pride. is in of GRS issues -- handicapped discrimination regs The federal government has issued regulations Oct. 17, 1983, regarding discrimination on the basis of handi- capped status. The regulations be- came effective immediately. The regulations require all General Revenue Sharing (GRS) recipients to evaluate their practices and make any needed policy changes within one year, and to make structural changes within three years. Recipients of $25,000 or more are subject to addi- tional requirements; smaller recipients are initially exempt from the additional requirements, but may be subject to them if it is determined that the entity discriminated against handicapped persons. These regulations have been in lim- bo since 1976 and were recently or- dered by the court to be implemented. The regulations amend the final Rev- enue Sharing Regulations, Sept. 30, 1981, Subpart E, Nondiscrimination by States and Local Governments Re- ceiving Entitlement Funds. The specific administrative require- ments are detailed in the Oct. 17, 1983, Federal Register and include performing an evaluation of programs, activities, policies, and practices to determine areas of noncompliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Recipients of $25,000 or more must g eitT'iFduce within 9� days o��cf.-'I7, 1983-4o-the-public,-applicanta; and employees --that -they have -a -policy against --handicapped discrimination. There -are -aisci record -keeping-and administrative requirements. According to Pat Schulz, Intergov- ernmental Relations Division, Office of Revenue Sharing, the office will be sending a detailed outline of the new administrative requirements to GRS recipients as soon as possible. Ques- tions regarding the new rules should be directed to Ms. Schulz, (202) 634- 5192. Feel free to contact the League for general information. ❑ Colorado Reception Colorado municipal officials and their guests who will be attending the NLC Congress of Cities meeting in New Orleans are invited to attend a Colorado reception. The reception will be held Monday, Nov. 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Versailles Room of the New Orleans Hilton. The reception is being sponsored by Adolph Coors Company, Central Bank of Denver, CH2M Hill, Colorado Mountain Bell, Ernst & Whinney, Getty Oil, Kirchner Moore & Company, Kutak, Rock & Huie, T.C.I. Cable, and The Tobacco Institute. City Leadership In A Changing World National League of Cities 1983 Congress of Cities and Exposition C N1 L Newsletter (usps 075-590) ,:JiS Just a reminder Don't forget the League's Housing Workshop to be held Dec. 1 at the Aurora Holiday Inn,1-70 and Cham- bers Road. Manufactured housing, development standards, technical assistance, rural housing, and other issues will be discussed during this day -long event. Noticeswere mailed in early November to all member municipalities. The registration fee of $25 includes registration mater- ial and a buffet lunch. Two manufac- tured homes will be available for tours, along with an exhibit area. Forfurther information, please con- tact Sam Mam'et at the League office. Small municipalities benefit from new CD regulations Effective Oct.1, there are no ceilings on bank time deposits maturing in 32 / days or more. For deposits over $2,500, banks and savings and loan associations also may negotiate mar- ket rates on time deposits maturing in seven to 31 days. The October Public Investor, MFOA's monthly investment newsletter, ex- plains how small jurisdictions can take advantage of these new rules. Public Investor also discusses arbitrage in- vestment of tax-exempt bond proceeds and other topics relevant to govern- ment finance officers. For a compli- mentary copy of the October Public Investor, write to MFOA's Technical Services Center,180 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 800, Chicago, 111. 60601, Phone (312) 977-9700. ❑ Second-class postage paid at r?N r 11983 1155 Sherman Street Suite 210 Denver. CO 80203