HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission On Disability - Minutes - 02/23/1998COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
MEETING MINUTES
February 23,1998
2:00 pm
Council Liaison: Michael Byrne Staff Liaison: Nancy Stirling
Ch ' erson: KathyLassen Phone: H 2O4-0614 491-5930 11
Members Present:
Members Absent:
City Staff Present:
Guests:
Nancy Baker
Mark Cummings
Kathy Lassen
Ray Sanderson
Don Fish
Laura Burnett
Initha Stuckey
Alan Apt
Nancy Stirling, COD Liaison
Amy Rosenberg
Stacey Abate
Mark Kramer
Rose Kreston, Resources for Disabled Students, CSU
Meeting was called to order by Chairperson Kathy Lassen at 2:15 pm.
I. January Meeting Minutes
Chairperson Kathy Lassen asked if there were any comments or changes of the January
meeting minutes. There were none. Nancy Baker motioned to accept the minutes as they
stood; Laura Burnett seconded. The vote to accept the minutes as they stood was
unanimous.
II. Rose Kreston, Director of Resources for Disabled Students, CSU
Kathy Lassen and Nancy Stirling, along with Mayor Ann Azari, had met with Ms.
Kreston and Mr. Jerry Bomotti of CSU this past December. The meeting was to discuss
issues of accessibility around campus as well as to develop a working relationship
between CSU and the Commission on Disability. At that time, Ms. Kreston was invited
to attend a future COD meeting to discuss how the COD might be able to assist or work
with CSU on issues relating to individuals and students with disabilities.
Rose gave a brief background of what the office of Resources for Disabled Students do:
♦ a support service for students with disabilities to make sure the students have access
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to the things and places they need
♦ goal is to follow Section 504 and the ADA guidelines
♦ ensure "program access" versus "physical access"
♦ provide testing services, note -taking services, etc.
♦ services are individually supported
♦ they do not reach out to the students with disabilities. If a student needs their
assistance, the student must approach the office themselves and request assistance.
♦ promote advocacy and awareness (disability awareness events held each March;
review building plans; work with parking management; etc.)
♦ created a committee of students who work to raise funds which they then decide upon
how to use the funds towards improving or addressing the needs of students with
disabilities (i.e., elevators, automatic door entrances, etc.)
♦ there are over 600 students that are "self -identified" and utilizing the services of the
office.
In regard to physical access to and around campus, the campus will "never be fully
accessible." But they are getting closer as they address one issue at a time. Rose does
feel that CSU is responsive to issues concerning disabilities and are doing the best they
feel they can with what they are able.
As for how the Commission could be of assistance CSU, Rose says the Commission
could encourage students to "self -identify" themselves to the office if they truly need
assistance.
III. Other Business:
A. Update on COD Video (Mark Cummings): Mark has spoken with the City's Cable
personnel who will help script and film the video using photographs Mark has
collected. Michael Gitter of the Cable office is to draft a script — a draft should be
available sometime in March [Nancy will verify this.]. Once a script is drafted, it will
be given to the COD to review and make comments.
B. Update on City's Disability Awareness: COD member Alan Apt met with the
Poudre Liaison Committee — consists of representatives from the City, the County,
CSU, and the Poudre School District. Both the Poudre School District and the
County seemed interested in joining with the City on disability awareness in October.
Kathy asked that the Commission members "brainstorm" ideas for disability
awareness activities or events which could then be proposed to the County and
the school district. Please bring your ideas to the next COD meeting.
Also, Alan suggested the COD could recognize winners of the Special Olympics at
their schools. PSD was very supportive of this idea. Kathy will create and send a
memo to the schools to explain how this recognition would be done. [This program
was done in Oregon where Kathy used to live before moving to Fort Collins.]
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E
A suggestion was made to encourage the Chamber of Commerce to participate in
disability awareness activities. They have frequent lunch-time lecture series —
perhaps they could utilize the many speakers with disabilities in their programs.
C. New West Fest: Nancy received the registration forms for this year's New West
Fest. Last year, the Commission discussed not doing a booth in 1998 but instead to
have the Easter Seal's "New Kids on the Block" perform their puppet show at the
fest. The COD would sponsor them. Nancy Baker will contact the group and see if
they are available to perform on August 15 and 16, once per day. There is no fee for
the puppet show presentation, but the COD will need to pay the performers.
D. Diversity Workshop: The City has a monthly diversity workshop titled "Wake Up
to Diversity." They would like to have a session on disability awareness and
sensitivity. Nancy has been talking to the workshop coordinators to try to determine
what kind of session could be done that would be most beneficial for City employees.
At the same time, Dane Talmage, a part-time employee of Facility Services, has also
been talking to the workshop coordinators about doing a disability -related workshop.
Nancy plans to obtain information about what Dane has in mind and will work with
the workshop coordinators to put together a workshop. Depending upon whether
there are people available to assist with the workshop, it may be postponed to later in
the year or possibly the beginning of next year.
E. Ouest Cards: At the end of last month's meeting, the Commission briefly discussed
the issue of "Quest" cards — this issue was brought to the attention of the Commission
by Angela Byrne, previous COD member. Quest cards are similar to debit cards and
are used in place of Food Stamps, to purchase food items, or to pay housing fees. It
has been discovered that these cards are difficult for persons who use wheelchairs as
they cannot see the key -pads or the machine very well. And since a person using the
card must also enter a password, there is concern about confidentiality.
They discussed what they thought could be done. A comment was made that if the
store has a handicapped checkout lane, is the machine placed lower in those areas?
The members of the Commission decided that they would check out the grocery
stores they frequent and see if a) there is a handicapped check out lane, and b) where
the machine is located there. If the member feels so inclined they could bring up the
issue with a store manager.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 pm.
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