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$1M Project Will Bring School Into ADA Compliance

mark handler

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$1M Project Will Bring School Into ADA Compliance

December 2, 2010

SOUTH WINDSOR – — Connecticut

Three years after first learning of deficiencies in safety codes and access for the disabled at South Windsor High School, the school board will oversee a $1.1 million project to bring the school into compliance with federal law.

On Nov. 2, voters approved an appropriation of $1.1 million to pay for renovations and improvements meant to bring the high school into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The referendum also authorized the town to use temporary borrowing to begin the project in anticipation of issuing bonds that will ultimately be used to fund the work.

A review of the school by the Federal Office of Civil Rights Compliance in 2007 found deficiencies in several areas, including athletic field accessibility, the fire alarm system, classroom workstations and parking.

The town applied $80,000 from its capital projects budget toward fixing the code problems. The corrections are estimated to cost $940,000, a figure that includes $250,000 to add visual signals to the fire alarm system for the hearing impaired and $144,000 to add classroom workstation that are accessible to the disabled. Making the athletic fields accessible will cost $249,000.

—Joseph A. O'Brien Jr.

http://www.courant.com/community/south-windsor/hc-south-windsor-schools-1203-20101202,0,6439586.story
 
Will not be the first or last school to be bringing things up to ADA requirements. If it was a newer school I'd be PO as a taxpayer that they didn't address these before.
 
Its a tough thing when capital expenses must be approved by the voters.

What happens when the school board agrees to upgrade to compliance but the voters say no to the levy on the ballot? Who stands liable?
 
Gene - I would guess that if it gets shot down by the voters, a judge can overrule that anyway - - it's a civil rights issue.

When I was a young lad, our school district was mandated to pay for bussing all of us across town as part of a decree to promote racial integration - - another civil rights issue. The district picked up the tab: budget cuts were made elsewhere, and eventually taxes were raised.
 
That is a couple towns over from me...the state does a preliminary review and is supposed to do ADA stuff... although I have seen some pretty rediculous things make it to my desk...200' travel distance difference between accessible and stepped hall from two adjacent classrooms. 50' walk, 250' in a wheel chair...that and the firewall that stopped 6" short of the roof...
 
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