Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-08-06-EC-min`OVS MOgNih. Town of Lexington I° Social Services Heather Hartshorn Sweeney, Director of Social Services Tel: (781) 861 - 0194-' Fax: (781) 863 - 2271 Enablement Committee Minutes August 6, 2003 Present: Victoria Buckley, Michael Novack, Heather Sweeney, Michael Martignetti, Leonard Morse - Fortier, Daniel Paul Perez, William Kennedy Absent: Jennifer Aliber, Charles Cole, Robert Harris, Chair, Sue Cusack, Richard Landau, Dan Murphy Review and Approve July 9`' Minutes — Charles Cole recorded the July 9 th minutes and was absent from the meeting. There were no minutes to approve. Commission Status — Disability Commission status for the Enablement Committee has not yet been approved by the Town Manager. All applications have been submitted to the Town Manager for his approval. The earliest that approval of commission status and appointment of commission members can occur is at the next meeting of the Selectman scheduled for August 25 Development Review Team — There was no DRT meeting in August. Victoria Buckley has been the Enablement Committee representative to the DRT. Because the DRT meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 2:00 p.m. in Room 111 of the Town Office Building, it was suggested that perhaps attendance at these meetings could be shared amongst Enablement Committee members so that Victoria does not have to attend both monthly DRT meetings during the work day. Special 'Town Meeting Update — The Special Town Meeting was held on Monday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 30"' at the Clark Middle School. A group of citizens had petitioned Town Meeting to re- examine the operating and capital budgets, to consider the restoration of cuts to the Public Safety budget, and to approve the continuation of Lexington's public transportation services for Fiscal Year 2004, Victoria Buckley spoke at the Special Town Meeting in favor of the restoration of Lexington's public transportation services and the impact of eliminating essential services for some Lexington's most vulnerable citizens — the elderly, the physically disabled and mentally ill, and school children. The Special Town Meeting voted to restore only the Lexpress bus service in a limited capacity which has yet to be determined. Transportation Advisory Committee - At a meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee, attended by Victoria Buckley, it was discussed that funding for the restoration of the Lexpress bus service will come from rate increases and fundraising. The Lexpress fare for special needs will increase from fifty cents to seventy -five cents and the cost for a special needs three -month pass will increase from $30.00 to $40.00. The members of the Enablement Committee felt that while a fare increase was necessary in order to maintain this valuable service, increased efforts 1475 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 should be made to publicize the need for public transportation and to encourage private fundraising and voluntary contributions to help sustain it. New Areas of Consideration far the Disabled — Dan Perez spoke about the need for accessible housing in Lexington and equal access to recreation areas around town New Business — Michael Martignetti suggested that a link be established on the town web site to an Enablement Committee web page which would contain the committee charge, possible resources for the disabled, as well a list of Committee members and their contact information if members wish to make it available. Heather Sweeney offered space on the Social Services Department web page and requested a draft of what types of information content members would like to see displayed on the web page. The next meeting of the Enablement Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, September P at 4:00 p.m. in Heather Sweeney's office in the Senior Center.