HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-21-COD-min 1
Commission on Disability
November 21, 2023 Meeting Minutes
Members: Victoria Buckley (Chair), John Rossi, Janet Perry, Leonard Morse-Fortier, Nancy Wong
Town Liaisons: Kelly Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; Jim Kelly, Building Commissioner; Mark Sandeen,
Select Board
Committee Liaisons: Laureen Fiola (Council on Aging); Stephanie Hsu (HRC), Rod Cole (CEC)
Guests: Jennifer Yaar, SEPAC; Jess Quattrocchi, SEPTA; Kathleen Lennihan and Deepika Sawhney, School
Committee; John Livsey, Town Engineer; Ross Morrow, Assistant Town Engineer
A meeting of the Commission on Disability was held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 5:45 PM – 7:25
PM via zoom.
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.
On July 16, 2022, Governor Baker signed into Law an Act Relative to Extending Certain State of
Emergency Accommodations, which, among other things, extends the expiration of the provisions
pertaining to the Open Meeting Law to March 31, 2023.
On March 29, 2023, Governor Healey signed a bill that continues remote and hybrid meeting provisions
that were enacted during the pandemic. The new law extends pandemic-related authorizations that
were set to expire on March 31 as follows:
• Allowing remote and hybrid meeting options for public bodies through March 31, 2025
Announcements
• Lexington is housing 30 families of immigrants. People who want to donate should contact Jess
Steigerwald.
• Jim Kelly announced a new hire, David Anderson as Local Building Inspector, who knows the
ADA building codes.
Review of Minutes
• Minutes for September and October were reviewed and unanimously accepted.
Presentation by Representatives from SEPAC and SEPTA
• Multiple complaints have been brought to Commission on Disability by families about special
education services, especially missed IEP services, the uptick in outplacements for
children, and lack of space for new students in the ILP program.
• Issues were discussed with: Jennifer Yaar, SEPAC; Jess Quattrocchi, SEPTA; Kathleen Lennihan
and Deepika Sawhney, School Committee. There seems to be concerns about both staffing and
space. Parents moving into the district are faced with many placement meetings and
sometimes wait multiple months for placement. There are long-term planning concerns due to
space. The percentage of special education students in Lexington is 14.7%. Sometimes out of
district placement is needed and is the best choice.
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• Parents are encouraged to use resources of SEPAC and SEPTA. Parents can also talk to HRC and
CoD with specific complaints.
• This presentation was a good entry point for CoD to have more contact with SEPAC and SEPTA
and collaborate to help children with disabilities as needed.
Presentation by DPW Regarding Intersections
• Presentation was made by John Livsey, Town Engineer and Ross Morrow, Assistant
Town Engineer from DPW of proposed design options for 3 town intersections:
Hancock/Adams, Adams/Hathaway/East, Cedar Street. The timeline for these projects is
for completion in several years. The engineers have presented these ideas to the Bike
Committee and Select Board for comments so far.
• At Adams and Hancock (a perpendicular intersection) – solutions could be to get rid of
island for “y” in road and make it a 3-way stop (preferred), signals or mini-roundabout.
• At Adams, Hathaway and East – solutions could be 3-way stop (preferred), signals or
mini-roundabout.
• Cedar Street has a sidewalk project booked for summer of 2024. There are several road
issues that would impact that. There could be a mini-roundabout, or a 3-way stop with
Paul Revere and Hill but not Cedar, or Hill and Paul Revere could be re-aligned.
Presentation by DPW Regarding Alternative Plans for Bus Stop
• Victoria questioned once again why this has not been resolved after both the Commission and
the Center Committee had already voted on this issue.
• The reason it is being presented again is that a new option is proposed by engineering, namely
to create a bus stop bump-out a little further west from 1666 and Conte’s in front of the
restaurant Love At First Bite. This plan would address some of the concerns voiced about a
bump-out in front of Conte’s, such as traffic and being too close to the Grant Street turn. The
Commission will vote on this option after more discussion is held with other groups.
New Business
• Jim Kelly said that 10 Maguire Road is doing accessibility in line with the code.
• There is another project called Great Lands that we will look for more information about.
• The solution to the issue at Hastings is still not resolved satisfactorily.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:25 pm
Minutes submitted by Victoria Buckley