5/2/2013 ADA COMMISSION Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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i• 1chele Brady stated there will be a service dog in the school next year and asked about students with allergy or anxiety? Charlie said the Board of Health is working on this. Jeff referred her to Naomi Goldberg at the MOD office. Mary Lou Palumbo, Executive Director of the Masbp a Chamber of Commerce, asked about the laws can do and can't do. The spaces need to be delineated by cones or some other marker and the building code also specifically spells out what you can do. Carol Sherman noted that when someone comes to the selectmen for a license for a special event, the first thing they say is they have to have handicap accessibility pang for that event. . Pubc ing Accessibility o Local Commercial Facilities. Bob Wooldridge said Mary Lou has done a dot of work as Mary Lou said her assistant Laura has been on the phone contacting all of the businesses fnding out if they are accessible. we tell the businesses they should be aware of the lays, however, we want to make it known so when tourists.come into town, they know whether or not they are handicapped accessible. Laura has done a report and on the Chamber website there is an icon that lets people know if that business is handicapped accessible, M Lou said she was hoping to,get.it in the guidebook this year but � pp r definitely next year. Although, they have made up a flyer which they give out when they-give people the Chamber Guide. Jeffoug an suggested defining what they mean by accessible such as a no step entry, bathroom with clearance, is there parking, can people get to the goods and service, etc. Bob asked about large print menus in the restaurant. Jeff said they can use tax deductions for that. Michele suggested using icon such as an eye, wheelchair, toilet, and stairs. It was noted there are umversal symbols. e. Need for Wheelchair-Accessible'dour Buses. Chairman Wooldridge spoke about the tour buses and stated for tour buses going off Cape, it is very difficult to find a tour that will provide a bus with a lift_ If they can find one, the price changes because it reduces capacity. He said the driving factor is the capacity of the bus. One problem is getting the people who are organizing the togs to provide a wheelchair accessible bus on request which needs to be done well in advance and the other choice is making the cost competitive. ,teff said eventually as the buses are replaced and repaired, the buses need to p p p become accessible. They can't replace a bus without a lift as part of the transportation requirement. Jeff said when the organizer calls the bus company they should reserve an accessible bus and at that point, price should be negotiated. with that, they should be planning the trips based on the cost of the accessible bus. It is the cost of doing business. Carol suggested asking the Senior Center when they are doing a trip, ask for a bus with a lift to see how much more it would cost. This could be made part of the negotiations with the bus company.