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Heather Hartshorn Sweeney Director of Social Services Tel (781) 861-0194
Fax. (781) 863-2271
Enablement Committee Minutes
September 28, 2001
Present: Bob Harris, Chair Barbara Barrows; Jill Maiming; Sue Cusack, Co-Chair Special
Needs Parents Advisory Committee; Michael Muehe, Cambridge Disabilities
Commission; Eva Ileney Minuteman Reporter Steve Baran, ADA Coordinator
and Recorder
Sue Cusack. The Special Needs Parents Advisory Committee is planning to form an access
subcommittee and is building networks. One of its aims is to avoid retrofitting in the schools.
The Parents Advisory Committee wants to support the Enablement Committee. There is a need
for more missionaries who will take a lead on school access issues. Sue is particularly concerned
about what door opener may be chosen for the high school. Her son, Lee, age 16, has made this
his project.Adaptive Environments (Kathy Gips) has been a resource. Sue can be reached at
work. 617 355-8457 She would like to be on the committee s mailing list to receive minutes of
the Enablement Committee meetings.
Michael Muehe, Cambridge Disabilities Commission. Michael has been Director of the
Disabilities Commission since 1979 when it was established by the City Council to do the
following:
I Act as resource clearing house of information for the disability community
2. Coordinate with city government (40 different departments),has cultivated relationships with
department heads. The role of the ADA Coordinator is set forth in statute. The coordinator
provides technical assistance and training, assurance compliance with state and federal
accessibility regulations.
3 Work with private sector organizations in an advisory role; coordinates with the Cambridge
Inspectional Services Department.
The Commission is an I 1-member board appointed by the City Manager to do outreach on
community accessibility The Commission s structure and function is set forth in Chapter 40,
Section 8J of the Mass. General Law giving communities a "local option to have;full
participation and integration. It coordinates with the Mass. Office on Disability
The precursor to the Americans with Disability Act is Section 504 of the Rehabilithtion,A,ct of
1973 No program receiving federal money can discriminate on the basis of disability Milch of
the same language went into Section 2 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Every city and town is required to comply with architectural access law An individual must file
1475 MASSACHUSETTS AV FIX 1F I FXINUTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
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with the Architectural Access Board using the grievance procedure. The process is spelled out in
the law There are many models of grievance procedures. It is eventually possible to have
recourse to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mass. Commission against Discrimination,
Michael s practice is to begin by writing a friendly letter suggesting a time frame to comply If
seeking action wider federal law, the plaintiff must pay The Disability Cormuission is an early
warning watchdog group
Barbara Barrows commented that in bringing complaints, she didn't want to work for the town.
The members of the current committee, she commented further, are all volunteers; no one is
appointed. Michael replied that by being officially appointed the members have certain duties
and responsibilities along with a certain level of authority and status in town government.
The commission can also collect fines from people who are parked illegally Funds can be spent
on disability improvements including providing assistance to individuals needing to make home
improvements, e.g., a crumbling ramp. The discretion for the committee to spend money is set
forth in the town bylaws. Monies can also be used to pay the expenses of a parents group or to
provide resources to a deaf person who wants to come to a meeting. A sum of money can be set
aside for miscellaneous needs such as curb ramps to be installed when a street is being paved.
Michael urged members to attend Community Access Monitor training on November 15 and
16th
See additional notes from Barbara Barrows who took notes for the remainder of the meeting.