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Council Minutes of 9/5/2006 <br />Councilman Gareau announced that he will be traveling in Europe from October 5 <br />through October 29 through a fellowship with the German Marshall Fund. <br />Councilman Barker, chairperson of the Recreation, Public Parks & Buildings Committee: <br />1) The Recreation, Public Parks & Buildings Committee and the Public Safety, Health & <br />Welfare Committee met in a joint meeting on Tuesday, August 22, at 7 p.m. Present <br />were members Barker, Gareau, Jones from Recreation; members Orlowski, Tallon, <br />Barker from Safety; Councilman Miller and President Kennedy; Mayor O'Grady, <br />Assistant Law Director O'Malley, Safety Director 'I'erbrack, Service Director Limpert, <br />Planning Director Wenger and guests. The committees discussed Resolution 20(1{i-147, a <br />resolution requesting the administration to bring forward plans for an ADA compliant <br />front entrance at City Hall. This resolution requesting front entrance ADA compliance <br />was introduced because a transfer ordinance requesting additional money to complete the <br />ADA front entrance plus a new, larger caucus room and Clerk's office upstairs was not <br />passed. The resolution recognizes the fact that we do indeed need an ADA compliant <br />front entrance, but the feeling of a majority of Council was that the cost involving a new <br />caucus room and Clerk's office along with the front entrance was getting out of hand. It <br />should be clear that no one on this Council is against ADA compliance. Although there <br />is a disagreement among Council on this issue, the meeting proceeded with guests <br />speaking of the issue concerning City Hall and how now at the present time it does not <br />allow resident participation as it should due to the difficult entrance at the front of the <br />building for handicapped and disabled citizens who cannot enter alone. Once a disabled <br />person does get in, our caucus room does not afford the room for easy access. One <br />gentleman who came in an electric wheelchair was able to maneuver into a space against <br />the west wall, but then it was difficult for anyone else to get by him. Another resident <br />arrived in a wheelchair and pushed it into the northeast corner, which blocked any way <br />around that corner of the table. One resident had to leave the room because the <br />temperature increased as the roam filled up with more people. He had just finished <br />explaining how he is unable to attend same meetings because he can't stand for any <br />length of time, and the room gets too warm. One resident brought up the issue that we <br />are not fulfilling the Sunshine Law because someone couldn't attend. It was pointed out <br />by a resident that the handicapped parking spaces are not wide enough to accommodate a <br />wheelchair along side a vehicle. A Councilman suggested the present caucus room be <br />enlarge north into Council Chambers and also south into the upstairs lobby. Although the <br />idea had some merit and would save money, the opinion of some members was that it <br />only made the room longer and not wider. With two wheelchairs in the room on the east <br />and west walls, it became apparent that the caucus room has to be both longer and wider <br />to allow people with disabilities to access meetings. Another resident was upset because <br />the city had spent between $38,000 and $50,000 for plans. To change plans now would <br />be to have wasted a lot of money. Her feeling was to complete it now, not later when it <br />will cost more. Another resident was surprised that the front entrance did not have <br />electronic doors to allow for easy access for handicapped residents. Another resident <br />spoke very passionately in behalf of ADA and said that some of Council felt they had <br />priorities other than the larger caucus room along with the front' entrance. That may be <br />true, in fact it is correct. But the money needed for this improvement compared to other <br />projects is minimal and we have the money set aside. We will be receiving money from <br />5 <br />~~ <br />