Accessibility.. they just don't get it..

[TimNY]

So I have been all over the new DPW super and Clerk about accessibility. I have printed out several of the great articles Mark has posted about the DOJ coming down on municipalities and left these articles in their mailboxes.

I have had informal sit-downs and warned them that they need to take this seriously and start making some big changes. I told them when the lawsuit rolls in the first person to blame will be the building inspector (me), and I am going to say that on these dates and these times I told *you* there was a problem, and *you* failed to act.

I mean, we have doorknobs on every door in the municipal building. We can't even get proper signage. And we have purchased both (knobs and signs) in the past few months!

Finally, they decided to adjust the main entrance and make the public restrooms accessible. Went through a few sets of plans and finally got them to concede to blow out the walls to make the rooms accessible. Spent a month trying to fit them in a room where it was impossible to meet the clearances.

Ok, progress. Rome wasn't built in a day.. and apparently my city wasn't made accessible in two decades.. but whatever. At least it looks like they are going to make an effort.

So.. they decide to relocate the court clerk and build out an office in an existing room. Don't bother asking the building department about it.. I walk in.. counter at 54".. I walk out. I won't even get into accessible approaches in the new space.

We are going to spend a ton of money making bathrooms compliant.. but right above them we build a non-accessible office??

So.. I take a few days off.

I come back and on the agenda for the Board meeting is "recommendations from the public to improve accessibility"

Are you kidding me? EVERYTHING has to be accessible. Recommendations? Better yet, have the public submit suggestions in writing so the attorneys for the person who was discriminated against don't have to do any field work; they can just FOIL all the discriminating elements.

I thought I had made it clear. They just don't get it.

I feel better now

 

[north star]

% % % %



Tim,



There, there now!.....It's going to be alright......Have a cookie, you'll feel better.



You are in for a long, long battle!....I guess that your AHJ has not adopted the

ANSI A117 either.



% % % %

 

[TimNY]

A117 is incorporated by reference into the State building code.. so yeah they should be building to at least A117.1. I've been keeping on them to start making improvements..

What they really need is an accessibility consultant to make a laundry list. They have employed some well-meaning architects, but you really need to specialize in accessibility to be able to do the job.

 

[Alias]

Tim -

I feel your pain. I wish you the best on these issues. Maybe put the CAO/City Manager in a wheelchair for a day and see how they like not being able to use the facilities.

My story - Came into work a couple years ago and found a brand new double teller window installed for the front office. I looked at it and commented 'gee, you should have had a permit and consulted me before you installed the window, one side needs to be accessible.' Old time contractor did it on the weekend and his response was 'why?' I live in a place where there are numerous folks in wheelchairs, walkers, and scooters. Nothing like seeing one of them eye level with the counter. It never ends.........

 

[peach]

Don't worry about it Tim.. as soon as they get sued, accessibility will get some attention.

I used to keep an old wheelchair in my office to make a point.. (the BD had a ramp too steep to be usable)... at least I had a city manager with a good sense of humor, because he accepted my invitation to try it out. The facilities we went to later were all accessible..

 

[RJJ]

Yes! They all turn a blind eye to the subject. For now!

 

[peach]

Municipalities tend to believe they won't get sued.

 

[TimNY]

we are out to bid on the restrooms.. we'll see if it gets awarded.