HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommission on Disability Minutes 11 08 2011_201402061156049447 1
Nantucket Commission on Disability
Minutes
Open Session
Tuesday November 8, 2011
Murray Room at the Founder’s Building
Present: Mickey Rowland, Jeanette Topham, Whitey Willauer, Nancy Rezendes, Georgia Snell, Billie
Olson, and Brenda McDonough
Absent: Ellen Braginton-Smith
Guest: Penny Snow arrived at 3:30 and left at 3:55
Called to Order: 3:05 p.m.
Agenda: Mr. Rowland stated, by unanimous consent we are adopting the agenda.
Minutes: October 11, Open Meeting: Ms. Topham motioned to approve the minutes, which
Ms. Snell seconded, and all the remaining present Commission members voted in
favor of this motion.
October 11, Executive Session: Ms. Topham motioned to approve the minutes for
executive session, which Ms. Snell seconded, and all the remaining present
Commission members voted in favor of this motion.
Topics: 3:06 p.m.
Accessible Taxis and Tours:
Mr. Rowland told the Commission that Libby Gibson, Town Manager, requested that we
meet with Jon St. Laurent and discuss our concerns with him before we file any formal
complaint. Mr. Rowland stated that will be our course of action.
Ms. McDonough reminded the Commission members that we would only discuss
Autopscot’s taxi service. We will not discuss reputation, character, physical condition or
mental health. This would have to be done in executive session and Mr. St. Laurent would
have the right to be present.
Ms. McDonough explained that the complaint began in March 2010. Ms. McDonough
explained that someone contacted the office and said that no one was picking up
Autopscot taxi phone and that you could not leave a message. Ms. McDonough tried to
call Mr. St. Laurent over the next four days and was unable to reach him. Mr. St.
Laurent’s voice mailbox was full and could not leave a message. Ms. McDonough said
that she finally reached him several weeks later and expressed her concerns about not
picking up the phone calls and not being able to leave any messages.
Mr. Rowland stated that we plan to tell Mr. St. Laurent that if we receive one more
complaint regarding his taxi service then we will file a formal complaint. Mr. Rowland
said that we will tell him that he has to pick up everyone who is disabled that requests
service.
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Ms. Snell motioned to file a formal complaint with the Town if we receive any more
complaints regarding his service, which Ms. Topham seconded, and all the remaining
Commission members voted in favor of this motion.
Executive Session: 3:19 p.m.
Ms. Topham motioned to go into executive session to discuss a parking permit
application, and to return to the open meeting once the executive session is adjourned,
which Ms. Rezendes seconded, and Mr. Rowland, Ms. Topham, Ms. Rezendes, Ms. Snell,
Mr. Willauer, and Ms. Olson voted in favor of this motion.
3:20 p.m.
Mr. Willauer motioned to adjourn executive session and return to the open meeting, which
Ms. Topham seconded, and Mr. Rowland, Ms. Topham, Ms. Rezendes, Ms. Snell, Mr.
Willauer, and Ms. Olson voted in favor of this motion.
Update:
Ms. McDonough updated the Commission that Mr. Rowland and she met with Kevin
Reuther, general contractor for the Dreamland project. Ms. McDonough gave him
information regarding sight-impaired and hearing-impaired technology, and Mr. Reuther
forwarded that information to the company that will do all the lighting and sound for the
Dreamland. Mr. Reuther will get back to Ms. McDonough at the end of the week to tell
her of Dreamland’s plans.
Ms. Rezendes will contact her friend at Perkins Institute for the Blind and see what laws
exist regarding video descriptive services for the sight impaired.
Penny Snow Discusses Hearing Loss
Ms. Snow has a hearing disability and discussed a new technology that can be
incorporated in public buildings, stores, subways, auditoriums, theaters, government
buildings, meeting rooms, and homes, basically anywhere. It’s called Hearing Loops
System. There are no special headphones. A hearing loop typically installed around the
periphery of a room, is a thin strand of copper wire radiating electromagnetic signals that
can be picked up by a tiny receiver already built in to most hearing aids and cochlear
implants. When the receiver is on, the hearing aid receives only the sounds coming
directly from a microphone, not the background noise.
Ms. Snow was in general advocating for the hearing-impaired public and wanted to
educate the Commission regarding hearing loss.
Mr. Willauer asked if she has spoken with John West because he is an advocate for the
hearing-impaired public.
Ms. Snow also spoke of a hearing impairment called Tinnitus. She also mentioned that at
meetings, the speaker should speak directly into the microphone because it is easier for the
hearing impaired community to understand the speaker.
3:50 p.m.
Ms. Snow left our meeting.
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Ms. Topham motioned to adjourn the meeting, which was seconded by Ms. Snell and all
the remaining present Commission members voted in favor of this motion.
Submitted by:
Brenda McDonough
Facilitator