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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-21-COD-minCommission on Disability June 21, 2022 Meeting Minutes Members: Victoria Buckley (Chair), Sue Cusack, Shaun Grady, Julie Miller, Leonard Morse- Fortier, Janet Perry, Francine Stieglitz, Nancy Wong, John Rossi Town Liaisons: Jim Kelly, Building Commissioner; Joe Pato, Select Board, Martha Duffield, Chief Equity Office Guests: Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director, and Nicole Locher, Chair of Dyslexia Parents Group of Lexington Committee Liaisons: Stephanie Hsu, Human Rights Committee; Pam Lyons, Center Committee. 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 member s 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. Review of Minutes: Minutes from February to May 2022 were unanimously approved. Question about Hastings sidewalk drop – will be re-examined by Jim Kelly. 6 PM – Presentation by Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director Every 3 or 4 months something new will be showcased at the UpNext Pop Up at 15 Depot Square. The building is the right amount of space at 850 – 1,000 square feet but is not fully accessible. Victoria walked through this plan with David Pinsonneault. Victoria was disappointed that it was not possible to ramp from the street but felt that the alternative strategy presented was worth moving forward. Whipple Way is owned by the Historical Society. A temporary ramp would offer a new opportunity for multiple owners to benefit. Ms. Iyer suggested that our advice and a vote would be appreciated for approval of the temporary ramp. We voted unanimously to support a temporary ramp. 6:15 PM – Presentation by Nicole Locher, Chair of Dys lexia Parents Group of Lexington Ms. Locher shared a presentation about the Science of Reading and strongly advocated for continuity of implementation, particularly across the early grades. Additionally, this parent group would like to have more consistent implementation of early screening and identification, progress monitoring, continuity in unbiased assessments, and referral to reading interventions. Mona Roy shared how devastating it is for children who struggle with reading. Commission members spoke to a willingness to support focus on “consistent implementation of early screening and identification, progress monitoring, continuity in unbiased assessments, and referral to reading interventions” and declined to endorse the Science of Reading as an exclusive approach to teaching reading. Update from Effects of Covid Workgroup – Stephanie Hsu The group is feeling a little underwhelmed by the response, so the group is identifying new ways to increase accessibility to the community, including offering more times at the Community Center, and setting up a Panel Discussion inviting people to come and listen and make time for a Q & A. We are also in the process of writing a letter that details why mental health and gun violence should not be automatically linked together. New Business Rancatore’s Ice Cream: They have pulled their outside tables and chairs as their efforts to manage their customers blocking the sidewalk have been unsuccessful. As passers-by were getting injured, we are grateful for their response to our safety concern. Omars: We also want to find a way to offer Recognition to Omars. More to come on this discussion. Select Board Representative Joe Pato has been our Select Board liaison for 8 years (hard to imagine it has been that long) and is being re-assigned to another committee. We are very sorry to see him go – he has been a tenacious advocate for our work and the overall mission of equity and inclusivity in Lexington. Joe will be replaced by Mark Sandeen. Mark will join us at our next meeting in July. Open Meeting Law/July Meeting: As of July 15th the town can go back to in-person meetings but the Commission on Disabilities has special dispensation under the open meeting law. For our next meeting, July 19th, we will continue to meet virtually, but soon we will need to shift to using a public meeting room, a room where the public will be able to attend (in-person), and the person chairing the meeting has to be in that room. 7:20 meeting adjourned.