4.5. SR 06-26-1995ITEM 4.5.
MEMORANDUM
of _.9 ~ +~
River
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Sandra Thackeray, City Clerk
DATE: June 26, 1995
SUBJECT: American's With Disabilities Act (ADA)
Study Update
INTRODUCTION
This memo is to update the Council on the progress and process of the
American With Disabilities Act (ADA) self evaluation study the City Council
authorized on July 25, 1994.
BACKGROUND
• On July 25, 1994, the city council authorized the city to enter into a contract
with Julee Quarve-Peterson (JQP) to assist the city in complying with the
ADA law. The American with Disabilities Act states that each governing
entity is to conduct aself-evaluation of their programs, policies, services,
benefits and facilities. It was the charge of JQP, Inc. to assist in the
development of the self-evaluation process for the city of Elk River.
JQP, Inc. has completed the self evaluation report. This report covers the
following areas relating to the city's compliance to the American With
Disabilities Act:
• Policies, Procedures, and Services
• Communication
• Facility Evaluations
• Site evaluations for parks
• Transition Plan
• Public Forms
Attached is the "Executive Summary"from the report. This summary will
give the council a general idea of the elements that are contained in the
report. The entire report is too large to hand out, but is mailable for
inspection upon request.
13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425
Julee Quarve-Peterson will be present at the July 17, city council meeting to
• give the council a brief overview of the ADA Law, the city's role in complying
with the law, and to answer any questions the council may have.
The city is required to allow the public the opportunity to provide input
regarding the city's efforts to improve accessibility. To fulfill this
requirement, Julee Quarve-Peterson will hold a meeting for public input on
July 17 at 5:00 p.m. The council does not need to attend this meeting.
Listed below is a general timeline of what has taken place and what is
anticipated to take place in the future to keep the city in compliance with the
ADA law.
1) Council authorized JQP to complete an accessibility evaluation for
the city of Elk River - 7/25/94
2) Evaluation by JQP complete - 1/6/95
3) Public notice to inform the public that the city of Elk River is
currently undergoing an accessibility evaluation. -Star News
4/7/95 and The Current - 4/95
• 4) Establish an ADA task force who will be responsible for assisting
the ADA Coordinator in developing policies and procedures as
related to the ADA law and to assist in the development and
implementation of the City's Transition Plan. Task force currently
consists of Pat HIaers, Sandy Thackeray, Steve Rohlf, and Cliff
Skogstad, however, it is anticipated that the task force will be
expanded to include more department heads so as to have
representation from each department. The task force met on -
5/8/95.
5) JQP met with department heads to give an overview of the ADA
law. She spoke about staff's role and action needed for the city to
come into compliance with the ADA law. - 5/9/95
6) Designate ADA coordinator. It will be recommended to the council
that the city clerk assume this title and the responsibilities
associated with the title. - 6/26/95
7) Allow the public the opportunity to provide input regarding the city
of Elk River's efforts to improve accessibility. - 7/17/95 - 5:00 p.m.
•
8) ADA Consultant Julee Quarve-Peterson to meet with council to
give an update of the city's ADA plan. - 7/17/95 - 6:00 p.m.
• NOT YET COMPLETED
9) Establish a grievance procedure
10)Complete a transition plan which states the city's plan of action,
identifying: -
• probable costs
• time frame for removing the barrier
• the person responsible for each project
SUMMARY
The above information does not give a detailed account of what is required by
the city to comply with the ADA law. It does, however, give the council an
idea of what and who will be involved with this project. Compliance to the
American with Disabilities Act will be an on-going task.
More information regarding the American with Disabilities Act and the city's
• Evaluation Study will be given to the council by JQP on July 17, 1995.
ACTION REQUESTED
Council motion appointing the city clerk as the ADA Coordinator.
s: \admin\adememo. doc
•
Executive Summary City of Elk River
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Elk River in its continuing efforts to provide an appropriate living and work
environment for residents and employees has just completed a thorough evaluation of its
programs, policies, services, facilities and communication plan for compliance with
applicable laws, codes, and design guidelines pertaining to access.
It was the charge of Julee Quarve-Peterson, Inc. (jqp, inc.) to assist in the development of
the self-evaluation process. The Self-Evaluation Report presented by jqp, inc. is divided
into the following categories:
^ Policies, Procedures, Services Benefits
• Recommendation Report
• ADA Task Force Committee Members and Meeting Information
• Recommendations to Existing Documents
• Contract Recommendations
• Evacuation Procedures and Equipment
• Recommendations regarding Lease Agreements
• Staff Training
•
^ Communication Plan
• Recommendation Report regarding the City of Elk River's Communication
Plan
• Recommendations to Existing Documents
• Assistive Listening Devices
• Closed Captioning
• Sample of Large Print
• Information regarding Auxiliary Aids: sign language interpreters, braille, large
print, etc.
• TDD/TTY Information: suppliers, recommendations on where to advertise
TDD number, etiquette
^ Facility Evaluations
• Facility Evaluations for each Building and Park within the City of Elk River
• Recommended Action Plan
• Product Information
• Grab bar Installation Sheet
• julee quarve-Peterson, inc. Page 1
Executive Summary City of Elk River
^ Transition Plan
• Elements of a Transition Plan
• • Transition Plan for the Buildings
• Transition Plan for Parks
^ Public Forms
• Recommendation Report
• Public Notice and Documentation where Advertised
• Public Participation Notice and Documentation where Advertised
• Grievance Procedure
• Request for Accommodation Form
^ Attachments
• Materials reviewed to produce the Self-Evaluation Report
• Disability related Organizations
The following summaries are the conclusions of jqp, inc. regarding issues which are
recommended to be addressed by the City of Elk River to assist in moving towards
compliance with applicable accessibility laws:
•
POLICIES. PROCEDURES, SERVICES AND BENEFITS
^ Review the Facility Reports presented by jqp, inc. to identify issues for upgrade to
improve structural accessibility at each site.
^ Upon review of the Facility Reports, determine whether program modifications are
necessary or if structural modifications will be necessary.
^ Develop a transition plan which identifies the City's plan of action for improving
structural accessibility at each site.
^ Continue to ensure staff is aware of options in making programs accessible for the
community members with special needs and how to request modifications to
accommodate a particular need.
^ Continue to inform the community regarding the City's efforts to improve
accessibility to facilities and programs.
• julee quarve-Peterson, inc. Page 2
Executive Summary City o[ Elk River
^ Review options to enact a procedure for responding to requests for modifications
such as a "Request for Accommodation" form.
• ^ Continue to identify if there are individuals who may need special accommodations
to effectively participate in the City of Elk River's programs or activities.
^ Continue to ensure the City does not require individuals to pay a fee different from
other program participants.
^ Continue to ensure the City's programs and policies do not exclude individuals with
disabilities from participation.
^ At such time all contracts are renewed or new contracts are created, ensure that the
City has notified each contractor of its responsibilities for providing contracted serves
in anon-discriminatory manner.
^ As lease agreements are renewed, continue to incorporate language which would
benefit the City of Elk River's responsibilities regarding accessibility compliance.
COMMUNICATION
^ Continue to develop a process to identify special needs the City of Elk River should
be aware of to effectively communicate with the community.
^ Reconfirm that all written communication includes the phrase announcing that the
document can be presented in an alternate format upon request, i.e. braille, large
print, tape, etc.
•
^ Continue to alert appropriate staff on the availability of services to convert written
communication into an alternate formats upon request.
^ Ensure all printed announcements regarding activities, i.e. City Council meetings,
Park and Recreation brochures, City sponsored events, etc. indicate the availability
of auxiliary aids or services upon request. Examples of auxiliary aids or services
include: a,sign language interpreter, assistive listening device system, etc.
^ The City of Elk River should purchase an assistive listening device kit to be available
for all City activities and special events including City Council meetings, tours, Park
and Recreation programs, park events, etc.
^ Once an assistive listening device kit is purchased, advertise its availability by placing
the international symbol of accessibility for hearing loss in all postings,
announcements and brochures as well as within each facility.
julee quarve-peterson, inc. Page 3
Executive Summary Ciri of Elk River
^ 5ubmit a letter to the cable channel requesting that all information be communicated
to both persons with visual impairments (all information to be read) as well as
persons who may be hard of hearing or deaf (closed captioning/sign language
• interpreter).
^ Continue to ensure staff is aware of the availability of auxiliary aids and services and
the process to request an auxiliary aid or service.
^ Continue to respond to an individuals request for auxiliary aids or services on a case
by case basis.
^ The TDD telephone number should be advertised wherever the City of Elk River's
regular phone numbers occur.
^ Ensure the TDD number appears in locations where department telephone numbers
are advertised.
^ Identify if additional TDDs are needed for placement in individual departments
which receive high public contact or departments which are not located in City Hall.
Possible locations may include the Police Department, Fire Department and Library.
^ Where appropriate, upgrade building alarm systems to incorporate a visual alarm
system.
^ Inform staff as to how they should respond to evacuating persons with disabilities in
• the event of an emergency. Identify if equipment is necessary to evacuate persons
with disabilities.
^ Indicate the location of accessible features on maps provided to the public, i.e.
parking, toilet rooms, paths of travel, ramped entrances if different from the main
entrance, etc.
FACILITIES EVALUATION
^ Review the Facility Reports presented by jqp, inc. to identify issues for upgrade to
improve structural accessibility at each site.
^ Proactive recommendations under the RECOMMENDED ACTION PLAN
are accessibility issues which are encouraged to be upgraded within the near
future. These recommendations typically present the greatest impact in
improving accessibility at a site or are considered "inexpensive" or "easy to
implement".
julee quarve-Peterson, inc. Page 4
Executive Summary City of Elk River
^ Those items listed as short term recommendations in the RECOMMENDED
ACTION PLAN are recommended to be implemented within forthcoming
years. These recommendations are important in providing an accessible
• environment but may require a greater level of planning, the potential
involvement of an architect and/or outside contractor and may require
separate budgeting.
^ Long range recommendations are accessibility projects which do not critically
affect the impact on accessibility but are still necessary to provide full
accessibility. Each report should be reviewed at such time the facility
undergoes repair, replacement, or remodeling.
^ A reactive approach should be taken to accommodate a qualified employee's
request for accessibility upgrades to provide an appropriate work
environment. It is encouraged that City of Elk River establish a procedure
to communicate with employees to determine appropriate needs.
^ Ensure all projects which involve new construction, repair, replacement or
remodeling are fully accessible.
TRANSITION PLAN
^ Complete the Transition Plan provided within the report, identifying:
• ^ probable costs;
^ the time frame for removing the barrier; and
^ and the person responsible for each project.
PUBLIC NOTICES
^ Advertise a Public Notice which informs the public the City of Elk River is currently
undergoing an accessibility evaluation. Ensure the Public Notice is advertised in
alternate media formats in addition to facility postings, i.e. radio, television,
newspaper.
^ Insert documentation into this binder that the Public Notice has been announced in
alternate formats to maintain a record of the City of Elk River's efforts to
communicate with persons who have different types of disabilities.
J ^ Allow the public the opportunity to provide input regarding the City of Elk River's
efforts to improve accessibility.
• julee quarve-Peterson, inc. Page 5
Executive Summary City of E-k River
^ Finalize the Grievance Procedure and insert a copy of the procedure into this binder.
^ It is encouraged the City of Elk River enact a procedure for responding to request
• for modifications such as an "Request for Accommodation" form.
•
• julee quarve-petersou,inc. Page 6