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Attorney General mails letters to Albion businesses, city buildings after ADA violation complaint
Posted: Mar 20, 2015
By Jessica Schmidt
ALBION, IL (WFIE) Nearly two-dozen businesses and several city buildings in Albion, Illinois are accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Attorney General's office says they're investigating after getting a complaint.
Business owners and city officials have been getting letters from the Attorney General's office that give them 30 days to send in specific information about their building.
A letter sent to the Albion Public Library says someone filed a complaint, claiming the library doesn't have any handicap-accessible entrances.
City Hall got a similar letter.
Mayor Steve McMahel says they're aware that they need to make adjustments to the buildings and have been working on plans to do so for more than a year.
His concern is more for business owners.
He says he knows it's important for people with disabilities to be able to get inside places around town, but he says many local businesses don't have the money to update their buildings.
"I don't think anybody wants to deny anybody access," McMahel says. "[but] if you cause places to close, what advantage is that to the disabled people. They haven't gained anything either, and we don't want to lose the tax revenue. I hate to see anybody forced out of business."
The Albion Chamber of Commerce plans to send the Attorney General's office a letter, asking for more information about what these businesses should do.
In the meantime, the mayor says they're moving ahead with plans to make City Hall and the library accessible. They want to add a handicap-accessible parking spot at City Hall and plan to re-work the front entrance that currently has a step.
An architect is making suggestions about what how they should go about improving the library.
Posted: Mar 20, 2015
By Jessica Schmidt
ALBION, IL (WFIE) Nearly two-dozen businesses and several city buildings in Albion, Illinois are accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Attorney General's office says they're investigating after getting a complaint.
Business owners and city officials have been getting letters from the Attorney General's office that give them 30 days to send in specific information about their building.
A letter sent to the Albion Public Library says someone filed a complaint, claiming the library doesn't have any handicap-accessible entrances.
City Hall got a similar letter.
Mayor Steve McMahel says they're aware that they need to make adjustments to the buildings and have been working on plans to do so for more than a year.
His concern is more for business owners.
He says he knows it's important for people with disabilities to be able to get inside places around town, but he says many local businesses don't have the money to update their buildings.
"I don't think anybody wants to deny anybody access," McMahel says. "[but] if you cause places to close, what advantage is that to the disabled people. They haven't gained anything either, and we don't want to lose the tax revenue. I hate to see anybody forced out of business."
The Albion Chamber of Commerce plans to send the Attorney General's office a letter, asking for more information about what these businesses should do.
In the meantime, the mayor says they're moving ahead with plans to make City Hall and the library accessible. They want to add a handicap-accessible parking spot at City Hall and plan to re-work the front entrance that currently has a step.
An architect is making suggestions about what how they should go about improving the library.