Minutes

Mansfield Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities

Regular Meeting   - Tuesday, June 27, 2006

2:30 PM - Conference Room C - Audrey P. Beck Building

I.                     Recording Attendance: Present: K. Grunwald (staff), S. Thompson (staff), T. Miller, J. Sidney, John DeWolf, Curt Vincente, Cristina Colon-Semenza (guest). Regrets: Wade Gibbs, S. Hasson

II.                   Approval of the Minutes for the Meeting, May 23, 2006: the minutes were accepted as written.

III.                  New Business

a.           Guest, Cristina Colon-Semenza, expressed an interest in appointment to the Committee. She was advised to send a letter of interest to the Assistant Town Manager for consideration as an appointee.

 

b.   Gratitude was extended to Tom Miller for his  work

            and participation with the Committee.  Dr. Miller

            leaves the Committee and Storrs for a position in

            KY.     

 

IV.               Old Business

 

a.           Membership status –see New Business

 

b.           Update- transportation grant for seniors and disabled – K. Grunwald reported that Mansfield has received a grant which is planned to extend Dial-A-Ride to Saturday use, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM; allow for Homemakers providing services to elderly and disabled to transport their clients to medical appts. M-F; and extend Dial-A-Ride van usage to group use by residents of elderly/disabled housing complexes.

 

c.  Update – parking space issues.  Curt Vincente

     reported that he was in receipt of the Committee’s

     May 26, 2006 letter, which requested a review of

     the accessible parking spaces  and the changing

     parking situation at the Community Center.  Mr.

     Vincente stated that the parking space issues were

     undergoing review, in light of the present and

     future parking expansion projects.  He offered

     drawings of plans showing the proposed

spaces.  The  Committee expressed the need to    have greater accessibility, in terms of location, paving and enforcement.  Questions were also raised regarding possible loss of spaces near the Town Hall due to future Downtown Partnership building plans.  The Committee will continue to monitor developments in these areas.

 

c.           Questions were raised in regard to the use of the

term, “handicapped,” in public signs and announcements.  Although this term is widely used in society, the Committee felt that the term,

“persons with disabilities,” better reflected the intent.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 PM

Next Meeting: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2:30 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

Sheila Thompson