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PUBLIC ACCESS COMMITTEE OF EASTHAM
January 12, 2011
Present:Asa Decker, Meeting Chair, Helen Derman, Lori Hovenstine, David Kern, Jeanette Marcucci
Town Officials: Mark Powers, Beaches & Recreation; Frank DeFelice, ADA Coordinator
Guest: Aimee Eckman, Selectman Liaison
Friendof PACE: Eileen Morgan
INTERIM CORRESPONDENCE: 1) Via CORD, we received a request from a member of the Andover DC re: info our Universal Design Resolution. A copy of our Resolution was E-mailed and we received thanks.
2) Open Meeting Law Updates received from the Town, mostly re: posting of meetings. 3) Thanks from a Friend of PACE who appreciated the E-mail about research on quadriplegics. 4) Jeff Dougan’s follow-up E-mail to questions that came up at the 10/13/10 meeting. 5) A packet of material re: “211” – see Asa’s report below.
TOWN PROJECTS: Mac’s Seafood – After our meeting with Jeff Dougan in October, Jeff send E-mail info to PACE that indicated that when renovations are done on a one-owner building housing 2 separate businesses, and if both parts of the building meet the thresholds of percentage of the building renovated and the dollar amount spent on construction, then both are required by ADA to be made accessible . Mac’sSeafood did not meet those thresholds and is therefore grandfathered. However, Frank reported that he had heard from the owner of the buildingrecently, Bill Stewart, who stated that he “wants to do the right thing”. He is getting bids on the ramp and intends to have the job completed in thenext few weeks. Frank received about a dozen copies of
“Tax Incentivesfor Improving Accessibility” that Jeff suggested the Building Inspector handout when a business pulls a permit for renovations. The business must befor-profit, not over 40 employees, and must not make more than $1 million.
Condos Next to Town Hall: One of the abutters, Steve Milliken, is in the process of purchasing the whole property. He will use the 2 buildings for office space. The property is zoned as “mixed use.”
NewConstruction/Permit Fees: Waydown. Very little happening.
BEACHES AND RECREATION: Re: HP signs at SunkenMeadow beach, Mark reports that the parking lot has to be reconfigured every year after winter storm damage. The HP space and markings will be redone in the spring and the portapotty will be placed where it won’t obstruct the HP space. Lori reported that one of the HP signs was knocked down in front of the N. Eastham post office. Frank will check into this. Auction of Beach Wheelchair: $3000 for a new chair is in the Town’s capital plan for 2013. Mark has been looking at different types of chairs that are now available at lower cost than what we paid for current chairs. We discussed the chair that Mobimat company is donating to the National Seashore (see 10/13/10 Minutes for description),
but Mark/Town don’t want the Town chairs used in the water so that feature is not arequirement for the Town’s new chair. Putting the chairs in water increases the risk of injury and the maintenance needs of the chair, and decreases the life of the chair. Mark will bring info on the various chairs to our next meeting for our input and discussion. Current chair(s)won’t be auctioned until a new chair is ordered. www.marinerescue.com has some models to look at.
Follow-Upon DAVID’S MEETING WITH NATIONAL SEASHORE: Asa reported that the parking lot at Nauset Light has been repainted, including the HP spaces, and looks great. Discussion followed about moving all the HP spots so they are all facing the ocean. Mark said if we had the 2 Eastham spots moved to discourage using them as a drop-off area it would create problems for those waiting in line for a HP space in Eastham and National Seashore parts of the lot. He would like to see better signage re: the use of the HP spots. David will follow up in the spring, if needed.
ANNUAL REPORT: Jeanette was thanked for writingPACE’s report for the Town’s 2010 Annual Report booklet. David requested that PACE’s report be sent to Friends of PACE.
RE:QUESTION ON NEXT TOWN CENSUS: Jeff Dougan said at the 10/13 meeting that his town (Scituate) had added aquestion re: number of disabled in each household to their census form. In his follow-up E-mail he suggested that Eastham’s Town Clerk contact Scituate’s Town Clerk as to how they phrased/incorporated that question on their census form. David reported that this year Eastham had an outside company provide a standardized form for the Town census that wouldn’t lend itself to adding a question about disabled residents. The possibility of a separate page, printed by the Town and included with next year’s census form mailing, was raised. Peggy Kern, who did the initial inquiry re: adding this question, will be asked to follow up on this before the next PACE
meeting to see if the Town Clerk will approve this addition to the census mailing.
PACE’s role re: “Model Employer Initiative” – (Executive branch of State government is using this initiative to meet the 2010 Federal goal of 2 % of employees being disabled. Minimum number of disabled population is 20%.) PACE’s role in encouraging hiring of disabled workers: MOD December Newsletter said: “… President Obama issued an Executive Order directing the federal government to hire people with disabilities. The benchmark was to have 2% of the federal workforce self-identified as being a person with a disability by 2010. To date,less than 1% of the federal workforce has self-identified as being a personwith a disability. As of this email, 2.7% of the Commonwealth’s executive branch workforce have self-identified.” Eileen wondered how these workers were asked to “self-identify” given current privacy regulations.
Aimee reported that when the Town posts open jobs they advertise that they will make accommodations. Frank and others noted that Eastham has hired several disabled workers in the past. Brief discussion re: venues that PACE could use to help promote the hiring of the disabled by town businesses: radio, news articles, Town website, Chamber of Commerce newsletter, etc. Further discussion/planning will take place at next PACE meeting.
“2-1-1”: Asa presented the materials on Massachusetts’ new program, a service provided by United Way. It is a database of human service resources and a “direct link between people who need help and people who can give help”. Call 2-1-1, 24/7, for non-emergency help. This service was developed to relieve the 9-1-1 emergency system from non-emergencycalls. Call 211, or 1-877-211-MASS (6277), or visit: www.mass211.org. Asa will ask Gailin Assessing Dept. to print 10 posters and Mark will
laminate them. They will be placed in Town Hall, library, COA, Info Center, both Post Offices. Brochures about 211 were given to Vicky Anderson at the Front Desk to place in a holder for the public to take. Asa will get more brochures from his contact person at 211.
PACE ROTATING CHAIRMANSHIP: Jeanette will Chair the April meeting; Lori will Chair the meeting after that. Duties of the next Chair: 1) Check the PACE mailbox at Town Hall periodically, 2) Make phone calls that need to be made, 3) Plan the meeting Agenda with Secretary (Helen) two-three weeks before the meeting.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, April 20, 2010 in Large Meeting Room, Town Hall, at 1:30 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Helen Derman, Secretary
P.A.C.E.
These Minutes were approved electronically on January 15, 2011.
Final Approval April 20, 2011
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