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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-10-16-EC-rpt.pdf } TOWN OF LEXINGTON EVALUATION AND TRANSITIONAL PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 504 OF THE HANDICAPPED DISCRIMINATION REGULATIONS PREPARED BY THE ENABLEMENT COMMITTEE OF LEXINGTON OCTOBER 16. 1984 i TABLE OF CONTENTS I Introduction — Designation of a "Responsible Employee" — Adoption of a 504 Steering Committee — Procedures for evaluation of Town programs and departments II Evaluation of Town Departments and Programs A. Physical Accessibility B Communicational Services C Employment Practices and Policies D Transportation E. Education III Recommendations — Public Hearing — "Shopping List" of Prioritization of Changes — Public Educational Awareness of Evaluation and Plan IV Appendices — Copy of Legal Notice ( 1-17-84) — Program and Department Responses — Building Evaluations — Employment Practices — Enablement Committee Mailing List I INTRODUCTION In December 1983, Beatrice Phear was designated as the "responsible employee" to coordinate efforts for the town to comply with handicapped discrimination regulations as required by the Office of the Treasurer for recepients of ARS funds Legal notice of this nondiscrimination policy was placed on all town bulletin boards, in schools and in the local newspaper prior to January 17, 1984 The role of a 504 Steering Committee was assumed by the Lexington Enablement Committee in January 1984 The Enablement Committee is a subcommittee of the Selectmens ' Human Services Advisory Committee The Enablement Committee is comprised of both disabled and able bodied citizens of Lexington who are interested in issues of disability It was formed in 1982 and has held regular meetings since then Notice was placed in the local newspaper seeking volunteers to expand the Committee The notice ran for four weeks during the summer of 1984 The Committee explored all town programs and departments. Questionnaire forms used in this evaluation were provided by the Adaptive Environments Center and were specifically designed to assist municipalities in their 504 evaluation. They focus on program description, physical access, communication and employment practices. THE LAW Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( as amended ) is the first and most comprehensive Federal Statute serving as a civil rights guarantee and assurance of equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination for citizens with disabilities The language was based on existing civil rights legislation (Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 ; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ) and states ( in terms of The Office of Revenue Sharing ) " NO OTHERWISE QUALIFIED HANDICAPPED PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES SHALL, SOLELY BY REASON OF HIS (SIC) HANDICAP BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN, BE DENIED THE BENEFITS OF, OR -BE—SUB-EC-TED—TO—DtSCRIMTNAT-I-ON—UNDER ANY—PROGR-AM—OR ACTIVITY( OF A RECEPIENT GOVERNMENT OR A SECONDARY RECIPIENT ) II EVALUATION A. Physical Access In regard to the physical accessibility aspect of the Committee 's analysis of the Towns ' ability to meet the needs of its citizens, it was determined that structurally many buildings are lacking accessibility to those persons who are handicapped The degree to which they don 't comply with the regulations vary from facility to facility Cary Hall Cary Hall is a major building in Lexington hosting Town meetings, Public meetings, Concerts, Exhibits, and Voting Polls At the moment the building can be reached only by a major flight of steps however there are plans and money has been appropriated for renovations in order to accomodate those citizens who are physically handicapped There is a June 1985 deadline for front entrance handicapped ramping and bathroom facilities, and this deadline will be met The Town offers a wide variety of programs relating to public safety, recreation, education, civic participation, human services and land use In most areas programs are largly accessible or special accomodations can be made However a significant number of limitations were found There were two areas of examination physical access and communication of services. The Committee recommmendations for these areas are designed to enhance input from citizens and allow for phased remedial actions Town Office Building Many of the departmental programs are located in this building; Board of Appeals, Building Inspector, Planning Board, Town Clerk and Board of Registrars, Board of Selectmen, Veterans Program, Engineering Department. Treasurer and Tax Collector, Personnel, Assessors Office, the Comptrollers Office and the Department of Public Works. The Committee combined the structural accessibility aspect of these departments into one evaluation. The Town Office Building is located on a main street in Lexington. It accomodates fifteen departments on three floors It is served by an elevator and a ramped entrance directly into the ground floor Handicapped parking is available adjacent to this ramped doorway The building is being used by those persons who are disabled, however there are areas in noncompliance The exterior door is usable for wheel chair users but it is not in compliance; it is too narrow and too heavy The interior stairs have nosings, which add difficulty to accessibility The Committee 's findings show that there needs to be some changes implemented in order to accomodate the needs of handicapped persons. The non accessible areas include bathrooms, offices lack identification parking area designation, signals for the visually impaired and hearing impaired and hand railings on stairs Libraries There are two library facilities both providing adult and children programs. Each building is opened to the public and has free use of the materials and services of the library The main library, in Lexington Center, is fully accessible to handicapped persons Recent renovations include full ramping, elevators, adjusted doorways, handicapped bathroom facilities and proper railing and lighting The branch library, at 735 Massachussetts Ave , is for adults and children. The access to the branch library to disabled persons is prevented by a barrier The lack of handrails for the outside steps makes this building not accessible. however all programs offered are available at the Main Library which is accessible Recreation Department The Recreation Department oversees the management of over thirty programs and services offered to the citizens of Lexington. These programs are offered in many different locations thoughout the community including schools, town athletic facilities and outdoor recreational areas. The accessibility for handicapped persons 1 to these programs and services varies depending on the location of the individual program. The swimming program and the outdoor track program are accessible The pool has designated parking, and is furnished with handicapped showers and dressing room facilities, doorways, entrances and a hoyer lift In trying to meet the needs of disabled people a survey was conducted by the Recreation Department in the Spring 1984 in order to evaluate and review their programs accessibility to disabled individuals, and questionnaires were distributed to those known to be handicapped, ( ie participants of Share—A—Ride and those with H—P license plates) The Recreation Department stresses the desire to facilitate the accessibility to their programs by those who are handicaped and their willingness to expand their programs when requested Council on Aging The Council on Aging is currently located in the lower level of a church which is not accessible, but it will be moving to a new center in May 1985. The new site will be fully accessible and in compliance The program offers many outreach services ( ie Meals on Wheels, grocery shopping and friendly visitors), therefore increasing accessibility to disabled citizens. Many participants of these services are handicapped and the current site lack structural handicapped accomodations which causes inconveniences to wheel chair users. The Council on Aging meets the needs of its clients by serving them directly if the lack of architectual consideration becomes a barrier RePlace, Inc Lexington contributes funds to this community based private nonprofit youth counseling agency The program is located upstairs in a church The space is donated, rent free The programs include outreach services, a drop—in center and, counseling services. Physical accessibility to the program for wheel chair users is impossible The inaccessible areas include bathroom facilities, parking lots, stairs, entrance ways, identification of rooms ( lighting, signs and fixtures) Therapy sessions can take place off site and the out reach worker is often "on the street" Mystic Valley Mental Health Assoc • Inc The Town of Lexington contributes funds to this private non—profit mental health center This building is a converted Victorian house A converted "barn" serves as a meeting room and office The office and meeting room are accessible, however some areas don 't meet the needs of wheel chair users. This program serves people on an inpatient and outpatient basis The elderly service division of this agency does offer outreach to those who are physically impaired The structural accessibility needs of this program include handrails, identification symbols and bathrooms; therefore making it accessible This center is comprised of several buildings and each is very accomodating to the disabled clients. Police Department The Police Department is located next to the Town Office building and Cary Hall The services this program offers are on an ( ie firearms, peddler, etc ) must be obtained at the Police Station. The Police Department provides for handicapped { parking at special Town functions during the year ( ie Patriots Day Parade) The Police Station does employ a physically handicapped person; however the building is not accessible for wheel chair users Fire Department The Fire Department offers many outreach services, including basic life support and transportation to the nearest appropriate medical facility This department has two locations from which it serves the citizens of Lexington. There are three programs within the department; 1 ) Fire Protection /Emergency Services 2) Emergency Medical Services 3) Fire Regulations /Permits. The Fire Headquarters Building is a voting area and is accessible to handicapped people with minimal assistance The problem area is a one step barrier at the entrance However, if there are problems entering the building the department offers assistance The individual offices are not wheel chair accessible and the bathrooms lack handicapped facilities. CMARC The Central Middlesex Association for Retarded Citizens is a vocational and pre—vocational training program for handicapped adults. It is currently serving 65 disabled adults with a full range of vocational services ( ie sub contracting work and personal care and management skill classes ) This program is fully accessible to wheel chair users however there is a lack of identification symbols throughout the building Dept of Public Works The administrative aspect of the Department of Public Works is housed in the Town Office Building However the department utilizes a large garage to store equipment( ie snow plows, machinery, etc ) This annex is. awaiting more info. Voting The Town of Lexington 1s divided into precincts for voting purposes. There are nine precincts and each hosts a polling area. The following list is the individual polling sites and its structural accessibility Precinct 1, Harrington School, not accessible Precinct 2, Bowman School, accessible Precinct 3, Clarke Jr High School. accessible Precinct 4, High School, accessible Precinct 5, Cary Memorial Hall, not accessible Precinct 6, Diamond Jr High School, accessible Precinct 7. Estabrook School, accessible Precinct 8, Central Fire Station, accessible Precinct 9. Maria Hastings School, accessible Any disabled citizen may also vote through use of an absentee ballot. B Communication The physical accessibility to the Town Departments and programs is one aspect of the Enablement Committees ' evaluation. Another means of serving the disabled persons of the Lexington community is thru communicational services The towns ' programs offer personalized assistance to those who are disabled, however, the use of major communication materials to serve those sensory impaired is limited The Cary Memorial Library does offer special services to the disabled community The Main Library is able to serve visually handicapped people with major communication materials such as a Visual Tek (TV magnifier), an Edna Lite (illuminated magnifier) and regular magnifiers The deaf community is also aided by communicational services The Library does offer a telephone reference service providing community information The Council on Aging is able to assist blind or deaf citizens with the help of an able bodied volunteer Their provision of communication services to those who are disabled is handled on an individual basis The CMARC Program provides staff interpreters to communicate with hearing impaired adults. C. Employment The Town of Lexingtons ' Affirmative Action Plan recognizes the right of an individual to work, and to advance of the basis of merit, ability and potential without regard to race, sex, color. religion, national origin, age or physical handicap The implementation of this policy enforces equitable and fair personnel practices and policies This policy, which was adopted June 2. 1978 and amended August 22, 1983, allows the handicapped citizens of Lexington to have "equal" opportunity in all employment actions, decisions, policies and practices Lexingtons ' personnel practices do not include the provision of certain communication materials for interviewing and testing Cie braille, sign language interpreters or non—language function testing ) If the Town is unable to appropriately accomodate an applicant, advice is sought thru other agencies Massachusetts Rehabilitation, Office of Handicapped Affairs, Massachusetts Office of Deafness or Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Many of the Towns ' policies concerning employment practices are directed at non discrimination in all actions, yet some of their practiced policies are not written. Presently the Town employs three mobility impaired persons; a dispatcher at the Police Station, a foreman at the Department of Public Works and a desk assistant at the Library The Town also employs a mentally impaired person in the Library While some of Lexingtons ' programs allow for this kind of individualized service, other departments are not able to consistently provide this type of assistance Eventhough some departments are not equipped with major communication material, staff members are willing to accomodate in whatever way necessary ( ie writing notes to deaf people or reading aloud to the blind ) However, this type of service is a temporary solution to the problem. i r The Town has written policies and procedures which include a section on grievance, to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints. Lexington encourages its employees to use the specific policy and procedures This allows for a quicker review of the situation, thereby efficiently establishing a system to protect handicapped persons ' rights The three unionized departments (Police, Fire, and the Department of Public Works) also have grievance procedures in their union contracts D. Transportation The Lexington community is served by several means of transportation. Share—A—Ride. FISH and Lexpress are the methods which assist citizens with their transportation needs Share—A—Ride is a program which allows a variety of area communities and agencies to purchase specified days and times in which a wheel chair—lift equipped van would transport handicapped citizens to their destination. Lexington has contracted for the service on Thursdays from 9. 00 am to 3. 00 pm. Advance notice is necessary to utilize this service It also allows for any rider to bring a companion if necessary This program started in July 1982 and has a total of 79 registrants. Lexington offers a non—accessible minibus system called Lexpress which is supported by fare revenue and supplemented by the Town. This service revolves around an eight "loop" route which operates Monday through Saturday r E. Education The Town of Lexington has an educational system consisting of nine schools. These buildings are located throughout the community Under Chapter 766 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1972 and Federal Law 92-192, the Town insures that all students with special educational needs are serviced with programs to faciltate successful learning This is based on the presumption a student can be 100% mainstreamed unless proven otherwise and services must be provided appropriately Not all schools are individually equipped to accomodate the visually impaired, the hearing impaired or those with mobility disabilities, therefore some students are accomodated in certain locations in their school, in other Lexington schools or in outside institutions The school system provides for tu,ition and transportation to assist the handicapped student population. The School Administration Offices are located in a non—accessible building The employment practices of the school system encorporate policies regarding non—discrimination. Interviewing and testing for employment purposes, accomodates the disabled applicant through the modification of the environment or the modification of the actual test. III RECOMMENDATIONS The Enablement Committees' findings show some weaknesses in the Towns ' ability to meet the needs of those citizens who are handicapped The evaluation of individual departments and programs assisted the Committee in making recommendations for having Lexingtons ' disabled citizens ' needs in several areas physical accessibility. communicational services, transportation, and employment A decision was made to create an evolving plan, with phased goals addressing specific areas The first step of the Committees ' transitional plan is to determine preliminary recommendations for structural changes by December 1. 1984 The second step involves holding a public hearing in December 1984, to review the preliminary recommendations with the citizens of the community Town employees and interested citizens. It will consist of panel discussions with experts on various disabilities in the newly renovated Cary Hall The fourth step is the prioritization of specific s4Fitactunl changes needed; this will be done in shopping—list " form by April 1985. The final step is the development of educational programs, using cable TV and other media to introduce this evaluation of the Towns ' programs and departments. This step is to be ongoing, starting in May 1995. The finalized plan will be submitted to the Board of Selectmen in the Spring of 1985 and at that time specific target dates will be established for the completion of the necessary changes. IV APPENDICES — Copy of Legal Notice ( 1-17—S4 ) — Program and Department Responses — Building Evaluations — Employment Practices — Enablement Committee Mailing List APPENDIX PHYSICAL ACCESS PROBLEMS IN TOWN BUILDINGS Cary Memorial Hall Entrance ramp, doorways of appropriate weight with lever handles needed Bathrooms need to be fully modified Town Office Building. o Bathrooms need to be modified for those that are sensory impaired as well as for those with mobility impairments o entrances doors downstairs are too heavy and do not have lever. door handles the door width is too narrow for wheel chair use o indoor identification symbols are needed o parking designated handicapped spot at lower level is too narrow, plus signage is need in the front of the building to indicate the handicapped entrance in the rear o audible and visual warning signals are needed Police Station o The building needs to have an emergency handicap button outside to assis those in immediate danger o walkway leads to non-accessible entrance; ramps are needed; door too heavy and too narrow o parking designated accessible parking space is needed o bathrooms need complete modification o indoor and outdoor identification symbols and signals needed Voting Sites Seven of the nine polling sites are usable for voting activities Presently the Harrington School and Cary Hall are not useable For complete access into all nine polling stations there are some structural changes needed. Refer to each of the polling sites below The nine polling sites are Harrington School, Bowman School, Clarke Junior High, High School, Cary Memorial Hall, Diamon Junior High, Estabrook School, Central Fire Station, Maria Hastings School Senior Center The new senior center is under construction at the present time It is expected to be in compliance with the regulations and fully accessible Contracted Services The Town contributes funds to several non-profit service agencies A portion of the General Revenue Sharing money is used for this purpose at RePlace, Mystic Valley Mental Health, Central Middlesex Association for Retarded Citizens, and Cooperative Elder Services Both Replace and Mystic Valley are in need of accessible entrances, bathrooms, doors, and audio and visual warnings Y Harrington ( ) • entrances lever door handles are needed, plus one •prmary entrance needs to be accessible to the building and the elevator • bathrooms are needed • ramps are needed • parking designated handicapped parking-space is needed • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Bowman ( ) • walkways need to blend into common level • parking designated handicapped parking .space is needed • ramps are needed • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Bridge ( ) • walkways need to blend into common level • parking designated handicapped parking space is needed • ramps are needed • bathrooms are needed • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Estabrook ( ) • walkways need to blend into common level • front entrance needs a. curb cut • parking existing handicapped parking space should be moved to the primary entrance and it should be wider • ramping modifications are needed • doorways are too narrow • bathrooms need to be modified (doors are narrow but could be used) • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Cary Memorial Library - Main Branch ( ) • parking existing handicapped parking space is inadequate (in path of travel) • entrances doors are too heavy and the doorways are to narrow • bathroom modifications are needed in the existing handicapped stalls (include lever door handles, grab bars and appropriate signage) • identification of the handicapped emergency exit which is located on the lower level e audible and visual warning signals are needed o indoor identification symbols are needed Fire Department ( ) • walkways lead to a non-accessible entrance • parking designated handicapped parking space is needed • ramps are needed • entrances doorways are too narrow plus the doors are too heavy • bathrooms are needed • indoor identification and warning signals are needed i • Lexington High School ( _ • bathrooms are needed in another building besides Building A • lift or an elevator is needed in the Main Building • indoor identification symbols are needed • obstruction infront of Building A needs to be removed • audible and visual warning signals are needed School Administration Building ( ) • bathrooms axe needed • entrances doorways are too narrow, doors too heavy, lack of signs, no lever door handles • parking no designated handicapped parking space • no designated walkways • no ramps • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Junior High Schools Clarke ( ) • parking:. no designated handicapped space, and on signage at primary entrance for parking • bathroom modifications for the existing handicapped bathrooms • elevator identification signs are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Diamond ( • bathrooms are needed • access to the cafeteria is needed via a lift • parking no designated handicapped parking space at the front entrance, curb cut is needed on the side front, right side of the gym • indoor identification symbdls are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed Elementary Schools Fiske ( • doorways need lever handles and wider entrances • bathrooms are needed • parking no designated parking space, and identification of location of the space • walkways need to blend into common level • indoor identification symbols are needed • audible and visual warning signals are needed 0