DRAFT

NOT REVIEWED OR ACCEPTED BY COMMITTEE

ATTACHMENTS NOT INCLUDED

 

Mansfield Advisory Committee on the Needs of Persons with

Disabilities

 

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

 

Minutes

 

I.                    Attendance: members: Scott Hasson, Ruth Gordon, Wade Gibbs, Mary Thatcher; staff: Sheila Thompson, Kevin Grunwald; invitees: Matt Hart, Robert Gouldsbrough

 

II.                  Minutes: Minutes of November 26, 2002 meeting and notes from the informational session of Jan. 28, 2003 were reviewed and approved.

 

III.                New Business:

 

a)     Resident, Robert Gouldsbrough,  introduced himself, indicating his interest in becoming a member of the Committee

 

b)   Volunteers:  Ruth Gordon expressed the desire to solicit a volunteer pool to assist persons with disabilities gain greater access and mobility within the community.  She noted that in other cities, companies and businesses allow employees a day off to volunteer their time for projects, and employees are compensated at their normal rate of pay.  Discussion focused on this possibility, if the Town had certain projects (recreational, etc) which would lend themselves to volunteer assistance.  It was noted that our community is lacking in large businesses, other than UCONN, and therefore, this may be a barrier to this type of volunteerism.  It was also noted that a small volunteer pool is maintained by the Social Services Dept. for individual assistance, and that these volunteers must be screened and have references.  Scott Hasson suggested this item be a carried item on future agendas, regarding any potential or future  projects.  The suggestion met with approval of Committee members.

 

 

IV.               Old Business:

 

a)     Membership: Mr. Gouldsbrough will submit a letter of intent to the Town’s Committee on Committees.  It was suggested that the Committee open itself to non-voting liaisons or representatives of UCONN and EO Smith High School.

 

b)     Report on Real Choice Grant: Kevin Grunwald distributed a letter which will be sent to various individuals, asking for their support for and possible inclusion on the Mansfield Community Inclusion Task Force, which will be comprised of persons who have direct experience with the issue of inclusion for someone who has a disability, and those who have interest in the need for inclusion by persons with disabilities.  This Task Force will be the preliminary step in the grant application process to the CT Dept. of Social Services and the A.J. Pappanikou Center for the Real Choice Systems Change grant. 

 

c)  Scott Hasson reported that funding requests for VNA, WRCC

     and Companions and Homemakers were approved by a

     unanimous vote of Committee members.  Kevin Grunwald  

     announced that due to budgetary constraints of the Town, it has         

     been recommended, by the SS Department,  that these 

     amounts be decreased.

 

d)  Matt Hart reported on a partial completion of the survey which

                           is being performed to assess compliance with ADA regulations

                           in Town facilities.  A work plan is being developed to address

                           any violations which are identified, and these will be remediated

                           by in-house personnel, Public Works personnel or contracting

                           with outside companies for necessary repairs.  Violations which

                           are technically infeasible to bring into compliance will be

                           addressed by other means.

 

e)     Mary Thatcher reported that the Transportation Coalition has

completed a survey of  transportation resources for 52 towns, and that this will be printed and distributed to assist towns to

cooperate with each other to meet transportation needs.

 

The meeting adjourned at 3:50PM.  Next regularly scheduled meeting: April 22, 2003

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sheila Thompson