PUBLIC ACCESS COMMITTEE OF EASTHAM
AUGUST 21, 2007
Present: Richard Adelman, Peggy Kern, David Kern, Helen Derman, Grady Scholl, Don Olson
Mark Powers, Recreation & Beaches
Guests: Marilyn Silver, Wellfleet Disability Commission
WINDMILL WEEKEND: Grady will E-mail the schedule for manning our booth for 12-4 on Saturday, 2-4 on Sunday. David has a back-up canopy if Windmill Weekend Committee doesn’t have one we can borrow this year. Grady will set up on Saturday. Richard has the materials. Mark volunteered a white board for the age statistics that Peggy posts. One of Mark’s summer workers is good at making signs; Mark will ask him to do the lettering on the white board. Grady has the key to get the beach wheelchair for display on the Green. We will have the jar for donations toward maintenance of the chairs again. Don and others will pack up on Sunday.
BEACHES: Certificates from PACE were given to the beach attendants this AM by Don & Grady. Richard and Helen were also in attendance. The attendants were thanked for their service to the physically-challenged community. Mark expressed his appreciation of PACE’s gesture. He said that this year’s crew has been the best yet.
Mobimat worked very well and is easily stored. Mark hopes to try it at First Encounter next year, but it is very expensive. Richard and Marilyn both said that the ramps at First Encounter are not accessible, an ongoing problem. Possible fixes were discussed; an engineer’s advise is needed. Don will ask his neighbor; Richard will contact Joe Bianci at Mark’s suggestion.
Jeanette sent a thank you letter to Ben Pearson at National Seashore for the new ramp at Coast Guard with the side platforms and the two beach chairs. There is still a problem with a drop-off due to shifting sand
Mark said there have been a few HP space violations this year. The beach chairs were well-used. It helps to have them visible at First Encounter and Cooks Brook. If someone requested the use of the chair at another Eastham location, Mark would try to honor a specific circumstance.
Resident parking at Nauset Light: Very busy on weekends. At 11AM and 2PM Monday-Thursday, Eastham gives up all but 10-15 resident spots respectively, when there are many cars waiting to get in at the Seashore gate. This policy can be adjusted by the supervisor and is not in effect Friday-Sunday.
EASTHAM’S BYLAW ON VISITABILITY: There was good support for the Bylaw at the Selectmen’s August 6th meeting and it passed. The article in the Cape Codder said that Richard and Grady were questioned “about their suggestion that incentives be offered to people who make their homes accessible to the handicapped.” Incentives were not in the draft that Mike Ferreira had given us, nor did PACE suggest them. They were not added to the Bylaw by the Selectmen. Richard feels that the discussion re: incentives should be retracted by the Cape Codder.
TOWN PROJECTS: Frank and Richard are meeting, Thursday August 23 at 9:30 AM re: Sea Dog, Lobster Shanty, Arturo’s. Arturo’s has not put in the elevator for access to the upper level, but they have been open for operation; no response to the letters that Richard sent to Sea Dog, Lobster Shanty, or LaPiana plaza re: HP bathroom/ accessibility/HP parking issues. Eastham Post Office: No report. Richard has been working on this with Frank DeFelice in the hope that there would be compliance by the summertime.
In view of this lack of response, PACE unanimously passed the following
Resolution: In the future, PACE will request that the Building Inspector get a date-certain for project completion from those businesses that are not in compliance with Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB) requirements, and who have not responded to our verbal and written requests to become compliant. State Monitors will review and report to the MAAB if these requirements are not met.after the date-certain.
David advised that when letters are written to businesses there is a distinction between PACE, which is an advisory committee, and State Monitors who are licensed by the State to address compliance issues. If a letter is written to a business and/or copied to MAAB, State Monitor stationery should be used. The “blue book” for Monitor training also has recommended wording for these letters.
Brackett Landing Sidewalk/Crosswalk to Village Green Plaza: The discussion about the crosswalk was tabled at the Planning Board meeting. Everyone agrees that a crosswalk is needed at that location but no one is claiming the authority to make it happen. Since the original idea came from a PACE survey respondent, Peggy will contact her and let her know what efforts PACE has made, but since it is not explicitly a disability-related matter, she will suggest that the respondent contact various Town officials on her own.
Meeting with Mr. McShane, the developer of Brackett Landing: Has not happened so David will write to Mr. McShane to request a meeting at his office in Mashpee.
Automatic doors at Town Hall: Out for bid. (Were supposed to be in place by July). Our guest today, who is in a wheelchair, could not have gotten in without our assistance.
HP Accessible Playground: Still on hold until construction is complete. Parents are very frustrated, had hoped to have the playground ready this fall.
Wiley Park Bridge/Trails: No report. Schoolhouse: No report.
Eastham Inn condos: Richard will request a viewing when an accessible condo is completed.
BROCHURES: Richard wants to review the brochures and remove any businesses that are not accessible as well as add/delete new/closed businesses before we have the brochures reprinted. We will use the white ones at Windmill Weekend.
HEARING ASSIST at Meetings: Richard will continue to work on this.
CART at FALL TOWN MEETING: Richard will check with Jack Slavin.
OTHER DISABILITY COMMITTEES & MEETINGS: Marilyn is re-establishing Wellfleet’s Disability Commission. She and Fred Gentner are currently members, a third person has applied. Peggy suggested that Marilyn get age statistics for Wellfleet. PACE Minutes/Agendas will be sent to marilyn1313@verizon.net.
Orleans did not meet this summer; Jon Gilmore has been difficult to reach. Jane Maroney, Secretary has left the Commission. The liaison from the COA that got the Commission restarted last year has left Orleans. Carla Burke informed us that Harwich’s Commission has reorganized and Dennis’ Commission is also in transition. In view of all these struggling committees, David suggested that a letter be written to Correen Brinckerhoff, Executive Director of CORD, 1019 Iyannough Road #4, Hyannis 02601 requesting that CORD establish an outreach program to help disability committees. Having an outreach worker who would attend meetings with each town’s committee to help them reorganize and address accessibility issues in their respective towns would be most helpful and supportive of
committee efforts to stay viable. Jeanette will be asked to write this letter.
PACE MEMBERSHIP: Jeanette wrote a letter to Cecille Carpenter when PACE member Howard died on July 9, 2007, mentioning Howard’s service on PACE. Discussion regarding a replacement for Howard and one other open spot on the Committee. Richard will contact Mark Agostino and Jennifer Bryant.
These Minutes were approved electronically on August 30, 2007.
NEXT MEETING – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 at 9:30 AM in the Large Meeting Room
Respectfully Submitted,
Helen Derman, Secretary
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