HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 10/06/19864 • •
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
The regular meeting
Chairperson Marilyn
300 LaPorte Avenue.
Members Present:
Members Absent
Staff:
Guest (s): -
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MINUTES
COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
OCTOBER 6, 1986
of the Commission on Disability was called to order by
Maxwell at 6:36 p.m., in the CIC Room, City Hall West,
Nancy Jackson, Charlotte Kanode, Bobbie Guye, Judy
Siefke, Bill Bertschy, Penne Powers -Thomas, Rosalie
Smith, Arne Andersen
Betty Pidcock
Jackie Davis, Carmen Hollowell
Bill Way, Disabled American Veterans
The minutes from the September 8 meeting were approved with the following
correction(s): Page 1, Members Present, Judy Siefke was mentioned twice.
Nancy mentioned that since she was not at the September 8 meeting, she wanted
to express her approval of the recommendation to fund Safehouse with the
remaining FY 1985 ABR funds for accessibility of their facility. She
reported that a similar program for battered disabled women had been funded
through various agencies in Denver. She said it is an important issue to
recognize.
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS AND SPEAKERS
Bill Way from Disabled American Veterans (DAV) spoke about a proposal to get
October designated as Handicapped Parking Awareness month. He said the DAV
was in favor of sponsoring it, and asked for support from the COD. In
conjunction with this, the DAV would like the City to adopt a resolution
increasing handicapped parking fines from $25 to $50.
Nancy explained that Loveland had recently increased their handicapped
parking fines, and that they are using the revenue generated from these fines
to help local businesses pay for the installation of upright handicapped
parking signs.
Minutes - October 6,086
Page-2
COD members felt that bad feelings could be
doubled. They talked about the difficulty of
the problem was in the attitude of the public.
created if parking fines were
enforcing the law and felt that
Bill Bertschy moved to endorse the DAV in getting October formally declared
"Handicapped Parking Awareness Month". The motion was seconded. Jackie
reported that Transportation Services had also been looking at proclaiming
October Handicapped Parking Awareness month. She advised Mr. Way that if
Transportation Services had not submitted a proclamation, that she would try
and get the DAV's proclamation put on the agenda for the City Council meeting
of Tuesday, October 7.
The motion was voted on and it was carried.
Nancy recommended that if Transportation Services had already submitted a
proclamation, that an editorial be sent from the COD and the DAV applauding
the City Council for recognizing the importance of handicapped parking
enforcement.
NEW BUSINESS
Nancy reported that she had spoken with Ken Sylvester, from Transfort,
regarding a memo he had received from UMTA. The memo states that recipients.
of UMTA Section 9 funds will be required to comply with a new rule under the
504 Regulations concerning accessibility of public transit systems. (Copy of
memo attached).
Nancy was concerned that the new rule seems to apply only to physically
disabled people and not people with visual, hearing or mental impairments.
Nancy's other concerns are noted on the attached memo.
She advised that Transfort must submit an accessibility program to UMTA
before May 23, 1987. COD members felt they should give some input on this
issue. Nancy will ask Ken to attend the next meeting to discuss the new
regulation.
Nancy reported that an organization of disabled people whose efforts are
geared toward providing accessible public transit has filed a lawsuit against
the DOT (Department of Transportation), regarding the discriminatory practice
in not making certain that 504 regulations extend beyond just physically
disabled people.
Nancy reported she read an editorial which gave statistics on the ridership
of the Denver RTD. During the months of October, November and December 1985,
there had been 45,000 wheelchair riders. The editorial mentioned that when
the public transportation system becomes a reliable system and disabled
people can trust it, it will be more widely used and become economically
sound. Nancy felt that this community must work toward creating a more
reliable system.
Minutes - October 6,986 •
Page-3
Nancy reported that in California there is a toll free emergency phone line
for people who are disabled passengers on RTD buses to call and complain if a
bus passes them up.
Regarding the Transfort survey, Ann Manvel has received approximately 200
completed surveys and she will be computing the figures.
Bobbie reported that the National Organization on Disability is conducting a
campaign to inform disabled citizens of their rights and what services are
available to them, and to urge them to register to vote. The campaign also
assists election officials and poll workers in expanding the participation of
disabled persons in the election process, and to organize local registration
drives. She suggested that this information be sent to local election
officials and newspapers.
Judy reported she had taken a group of wheelchair -bound patients to the
Foothills Mall. The automatic doors open and close so fast, it is impossible
for someone in a wheelchair to -get through them. Judy said she will write a
letter asking them to extend the time on the doors.
OLD BUSINESS
The COD members discussed the final details of the breakfast.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
LARIM — WELD REGIONAL COLOCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Phone (303) 53244eo
$73 N. Cleveland
Loveland, Co. 80537-5716
MEMORANDUM
k
To: Ken Sylvester, Transfort
Hary Neeley, Larimer County Human Development
John Daggett, SAINT
4 Marj Walsh, Care -A -Van
9 From: Charles Trainor, Metropolitan Planning Organization
Date: September 91 1986
Subj: Section 504 Rule of May 23,. 1986
UMTA has issued a new rule concerning accessibility of .the
disabled to public transit systems. This rule requires that the
recipient(s) of UMTA Section 9 funds in each urbanized area (over
jJ 50,000 population) submit an accessibility program to UMTA before
May 23, 1987. The program must have full public involvement in
the planning and implementation of the transportation system,
t ,'Z+ which involvement shall include the handicapped, interest groups,
social agencies, local and state officials and the MPO. This
appears to be similar to the "private enterprise" emphasis of
J 1986 in that it is not enough to have_ comparable_serv_ice for the
I disabled --there also must be`a process and apolicy_.(or �rogram3_
�. for aocessibility.
:i Len LaCour, UMTA, has recommended that this element be included
in the transit coordination task proposed under the 1987 Unified
Planning Work Program. This could be a topic for the Larimer
County TAC on September 17th. Although only Section 9 recipients
e `f (Transfort) are affected by the regulations, services provided
and funded by other agencies may be counted towards meeting the
criteria if the services "...are part of a system of
transportation coordinated .hy the recipient. If Transfort is
not the coordinating agency, can Care-A-Van's or SAINT's services
be credited towards meeting the 504 rules? How loose can the
coordination function be to still qualify?'
` UMTA will hold a training session on the 504 rule on October 16,
1986 in Denver. Some of the questions can be answered then, and
we may want to develop some questions for that meeting. Contact
Ruth Wichers for more information at 844-3242.
Copies of the rule and the summary are attached.
Ault . Berthoud . Dacono. Erle. Estes Park . Evans . Firestone . Ft. Collins . Ft. Lupton . Frederlck . Garden City • Gllerest . Greeley . Hudson . Johnstown
Lochoule. Loveland. Mead . Milliken . Platteville . Severance . Tlmnath . Wallington . Windsor . Larlmer County
.� JUN 13 1986
US Department REGION VIII 1050 17th Street
of Transportation Colorado, North Dakota, Prudential Plaza
Montana, South Dakota, Suite 1822
Urban Mass Utah, Wyoming Denver, Colorado 80265
Transportation
Administration
June 12, 1986
TO: All UMTA Grantees
RE: Nondiscrimination on the
Basis -of Handicap in the
Department of Transportation
for Financial Assistance
Programs
Dear Grantee:
Enclosed is the Department's final rule, 49 CFR Part 27 -
Transportation Financial Assistance_ programs. This rule prov
for transit services to the handicapped in urban areas over
50,000 population.
Highlights of this rule are as follows:
* Each locality may choose the type of sery cs it wants to
provide to meet regulatory requirements. Service by fixed route
accessible bus, special service (paratransit or user -side
subsidy), or any combination is permitted.
* Six service criteria are specified which the choice of
service must meet, subject to a cost cap.
/l 1. All persons who by rgason_of handicap, are
hysica ly unable to use the general public bus service must be
eligible to use the service for handicapped persons.
U\�' 2. Service for the disabled must operate during the
C y+`'?same days and hours. as the general public bus service.
3. Service for the disabled must be ayailab e
throughout t e same service area as the general public bus
service..�{-
e nU 4. (Restrict ons or priorities based on trip purpose
are prohibited.
Page 2
5. Fares must bg-ppmparable to those charged for a
similar trip on general public bus service.
^�6. Service must be provided within 24 hours of an
eligible disabled person's request.
* The obligation to provide service meeting these criteria
is subject to a limit on reguired expepd;turps.
- To calculate the limit of three 3-L percent of total
operatinq_costs, a transit authority takes three (3) percent of
the average of its operating costs over the current year and the
two previous years.
- IF the recipient cannot meet the six criteria for the
type of service it chooses without exceeding the three percent
expenditure limit, the recipient may modify the service to keep
expenditures within this limit, after consultation through its
public participation process.
- If all the service criteria can be met at a lower
cost, the transit agency is not required to allocate the entire
three (3) percent of total operating expenditures.
- A transit authority may voipntarily_spend more than
the amount of its limit on required expenditures.
*Planning_for_and_operation of the disabled service requires
the following:
From the effective date of [gay 23, 1986, transit
authozi_tieN _have one Year -to -make decisions conce_zning special
service and submit a Program- to U11TA_for ap rova .
J - The pbppg-in-period=to bfing the service p to the
"full performance level" is a(max!mpm of six ears.
- Public participation, specifically from disabled
persons, is ggpired_at all stages, i.e., in planning, in having
an opportunity for comment and a public hearing on the program,
and in the operation of the service.
i
'uN
T
c� u
Page 3
- Transit authorities must actually provide the planned
service on the street, i.e., personnel must be pdggostejy txaiped
and ecuipment maiptnined_ip_proper operati-Dg_condition.
- UMTA will monitor by initial program review, take
action on complaints and reports of transit authorities falling
behind schedule, and review every three (3) years.
Please also take notice of the fact that there are special rules
for th D:ondiscrnnination on e basis of icQF handap_.�_UFITA small
recipients_ (urban area under 50,000 population). These are
covered by Section 27.91. This section basically requires the
following:
- Within nine months (from the effective date of May
23, 1986) provide adequate notice to the handicapped and groups
representing them of the opportunity to comment on the present
and proposed efforts, and any subsequent significant changes, for
achieving compliance with this regulation.
. Within 12 months (from the effective date) provide a
certification_on_the special efforts for eligible handicapped
persons. This service must be reasonable in price, meet a
significant fraction of such transportation needs, and be
provided within a reasonable time.
. Within 12 months (from the effective date) submit a
status report to the designated state Section 18 agency, or
appropriate UMTA Regional Administrator.
This status report, which requires updating every three years,
includes:
1. A description of the handicapped service compared to the ,
service for the general public.
2. Copies or a summary of the comments received.
3. A statement of any plans to modify the service
significantly.
9. A statement of the resources devoted to service for the
handicapped.
Page 4
Also enclosed is a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPP1:) on
commuter rail systems. The rPRM begins on page 19032. Comments
should be received by the Docket Clerk by August 21, 1986.
Read the final rule carefully. Supplementary information which
precedes the rule and the Appendix to Subpart E, which follows
the rule, provide additional information concerning these
provisions which will answer many of your questions. The actual
rule is on pp. 19017 - 19021.
If you have further questions, please contact Ruth Wichers at the
Regional Office, (303) 844-3242.
Sincerely,C;
a//J
ouis F. Mraz, r.
Regional Admin' tr r
Enclosure
US.Oepartnx"
of Transportation
Urban Mass
Transportation
Administration
• REGION VIII • 1050 171h Street
Colorado, North Dakota, Prudential Plaza
Montana, South Dakota, Suite 1622
Utah, Wyoming Denver, Colorado 80265
September 10,1986
TO: All UMTA Grantees
RE: October 16, 1986 seminar on new
Section 504 regulations --
Nondiscrimination on the basis of
handicap
Dear Grantee:
As previously announcedr Region VIII will be hosting a
seminar to discuss the Section 504 regulations published on May
23, 1986. These regulations set up a very new scheme of
requirements concerning transportation for the physically
handicapped.
The changes are particularly significant for grantees in
urbanized areas who offer service to the general public (as
opposed to service that is designed exclusively for the elderly
and handicapped). Grantees should be aware that even systems
already in compliance with the new service criteria and cost cap
requirements, as well as systems in non-ubanized areas, will have
to deal with new procedural requirements. We would urge all
grantees who are affected by the new rule to send representatives
to the seminar, which is scheduled for October 16, 1986 at the
Westin Hotel Tabor Center in Denver.
The hotel will hold a block of rooms until September 24 at
the government rate of $57 single or $67 double occupancy, plus
tax. Please contact the hotel directly for reservations at:
Westin Hotel Tabor Center
1672 Lawrence Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 572-9100
Sign -in for the conference will begin at 8:00 a.m. The
seminar will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A luncheon is
included in the registration cost of $25.
0
We plan to have with us the principal author of the
regulations, Robert Ashby of the Department of Transportation
Office of General Counsel. He will be available to answer any
questions. Space is also _being provided on the conference
registration form for any questions that you may want to submit
for UMTA's consideration in advance of the conference.
Topics to be_djscussed. w.ill_include the coverage_of__and _
exempts_from the _rule,_.new.definit,i.ons,, service..cr.iteria, cost
•caps, —reporting, monitoring, service programming and public
comment requirements: We`look"forward"£o"yoai partioipation.
If you have any questions concerning the conference, please
call Ruth Wicheis of this office at (303) 844-3242.
Sincerely yours,
60u;is F.
Regional
Attachment
Mraz
Administrator