HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-07-19-COD-minCommission on Disability
July 19, 2022 Meeting Minutes
Members: Victoria Buckley (Chair), Sue Cusack, Shaun Grady, Julie Miller, Nancy Wong
Town Liaisons: Mark Sandeen, Select Board; Martha Duffield, Chief Equity Office
Guests: John Livsey, Town Engineer and Kien Ho of BETA Group: Valerie Overton, LexSeeHer
Committee Liaisons: Stephanie Hsu, Human Rights Committee; Pam Lyons, Center Committee;
Elaine Dratch, TAC; Rod Cole, CEC; Bonnie Teitleman, COA
Pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open
Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 and subsequent Orders
imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting
of the Lexington Commission on Disability will be conducted via remote participation to the
greatest extent possible. Specific information and the general guidelines for remote
participation by members of the public and/or parties with a right and/or requirement to
attend this meeting can be found below. No in‐person attendance of members of the public will
be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the
proceedings in real time, via technological means. (*As per Executive Order regarding remote
participation: https://www.mass.gov/doc/open‐meetinglaw‐order‐march‐12‐2020/download)
Please be advised that the House and Senate passed a bill that Governor Baker signed, which
will allow the continuation of remote public meetings until July 15, 2022.
This meeting met remotely from 6 PM to 7:20 PM.
Battle Green Streetscape Project presentation by John Livsey, Town Engineer and Kien HO of
BETA Group
Restarted this past spring, this project is charged with enhancing pedestrian bicycle,
vehicle safety, increased connectivity, and landscaping. The location is the larger
triangle around the Battle Green, the cemetery, and the Belfry.
The design includes a roundabout at the intersection of Harrington and Bedford Streets
and a more controlled intersection between Harrington and Mass Ave.
They would like to see this project go out for bid in November to meet the timeline for
the project for late summer and early fall of 2023.
The Commission voted unanimously in support of the use of stabilized stone dust
around the Battle Green as discussed in the presentation.
Other details discussed included sharing our views on using cast iron tactile pads versus
the Federal Yellow Tactile Pad on the Battle Green Master Plan like the Streetscape
project. We reasserted our request to consistently use the Federal Yellow tactile pads at
curb cuts that we believe to be more accessible and user‐friendly.
We also discussed the need for additional lighting at crosswalks.
Update on LexSeeHer by Valerie Overton
Last week the Monuments and Memorial Committee presented their report to the
Select Board, and LexSeeHer will present at the next meeting Monday 25. LexSeeHer
settled on the site #15 in front of the Visitor Center; however, the Monuments and
Memorial Committee is not supporting this request and wants to move the statue to
somewhere other than site 15 such as Depot Square or elsewhere.
The Commission does not support the use of Depot Square for many reasons, including
the disrepair of the brick sidewalks, problems for people with auditory issues and lack of
level terrain. We are also very pleased by the LexSeeHer committee’s efforts to ensure
accessibility is their highest priority.
Shaun proposed that the Commission make a statement to the Select Board: After
reviewing feedback from other town committees and other proposed sites, we continue
to support our initial recommendation of site #15.
This motion was supported unanimously.
New Business
Victoria shared that the chipping bricks problem has been addressed and that the
benches at the post office are being looked at.
Select Board member Mark Sandeen asked if we would support a soft opening for the
Pop‐Up Store in Depot Square while they wait for the ramp to be delivered, a ramp
necessary to ensure that the store is fully accessible to the community. We are
sympathetic to the impact of this unfortunate supply chain delay of the ramp but we do
not support a soft opening of the Pop‐Up store until the store meets this important
accessibility criteria.
Meeting adjourned 7:20 pm
Minutes submitted by Sue Cusack and Victoria Buckley