Meeting Information

7 COMMITTEE REPORTS.

Ken Stein reported that the next meeting of the Programmatic Access committee will take place on November 1, 2002 at the Rose Resnick Lighthouse.

Walter Park reported that the Employment subcommittee met with the State Department of Rehabilitation and the San Francisco Department of Human Resources to discuss increasing employment of people with disabilities in San Francisco City government.

Walter Park reported that the Physical Access Committee has not met for the past several months.

8 WARM POOLS - DISCUSSION OF WARM WATER SWIMMING POOLS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OTHERS IN THE CITY’S RECREATION AND PARK SYSTEM

· Walter Park noted that the City operates 9 pools, 7 of which are in operation. Recreation & Park is to start construction on many of the pools. The issue is what must be done to provide warm water in the pools. It takes one day per degree to raise or lower the temperature of the large City pools. Some individuals, such as lap swimmers, have asked Recreation and Park to keep pool temperatures cool. However, there are disabled individuals that need warm water for therapeutic reasons.

PUBLIC COMMENT

· Peggy Coster, who needs to swim in warm water because it’s the only exercise she can do, could not find another public warm water pool when North Beach pool was closed for renovation. She has joined a private pool, and pays more money in order to swim in warm water. Recreation and Park have not responded to her request for reasonable accommodation.

· Ed Evans expressed his concern about access to swimming pools for the frail, elderly and disabled.

· Evonne Corolla spoke on the importance of warm pools being provided by the City. She feels that Recreation and Park is trying to shun responsibility for providing warm pools onto non-profits, such as the recreation centers. She stated that Hamilton Pool, in the western addition, is the closest City pool to her house, but the pool is not providing programmatic access to people with disabilities. The only time that is provided, known as Special Needs Swim, takes place on weekday mornings. She was told that she was not welcome during night lap swims.

· Marlon Reynolds asked for a clarification from Walter Park on if there is information on cooler pools being more effective for exercise and swim laps.

Walter Park responded that it is second hand information from people who testified at Recreation and Park hearings saying that they wanted cooler water to swim in. He noted one idea discussed at Recreation and Park meetings is to have smaller, 18 x 15 feet pools for therapy or non-swimming, which would be faster to heat and cool.

· Peggy Coster read a letter for Khin Thet. In the letter, Khin Thet describes his doctor’s recommendation for him to swim in warm water. But in doing some research, Khin Thet has found the cost of swimming at the Recreation Center for the Handicapped prohibitive and the travel time too consuming such that he has decided not to swim there.

· Dan McKenna of Recreation and Park (831-2700) noted that his department has endeavored to meet needs of community. The department is considering a new innovation - smaller six foot deep pools that can accommodate all types of exercise and movement including lap swimming, and can be raised or lowered by three degrees per hour.

Recreation and Park is investigating the issuance of swim vouchers for private facilities for when City pools are closed for renovation. Basically, a doctor would issue a voucher for use of a warm water pool, and the individual would use the voucher at a private institution identified throughout the City.

Walter Park clarified that there are two situations; one is long term where we expect that after construction there will be a couple of warm pools, and the temporary situation during construction when vouchers are distributed.

· Ed Evan asked Dan McKenna to address the issue of why most City pools are in affluent areas. Many of the people that live in the Downtown area and in the north and south of Market Street, where there is a high concentration of seniors and disabled, have been ignored for many years.

Dan McKenna responded that the City’s pools were built the 50s (with the last pool being built in 1958 or 1959) based on available land uses. Recreation and Park will be conducting a Citywide survey for recreational use to determine the needs and placement for warm water pools.

· Damian Pickering thanked Dan McKenna for the update on Recreation and Park’s plans and options for addressing some of the issues that have come up. However, he stated his concern that people who have some serious input for the department aren’t being heard.

Dan McKenna informed the public that the Recreation and Park department can be reached through the City website at http://www.sfgov.org/recpark/pool.htm. The department will be appointing an aquatics manager who will serve as the contact person for the issues discussed. The department will also start a phone tree system so that the public can contact the pools directly.

· Michael Kwok asked that the MOD office receive a copy of the Citywide survey results.

· Dan McKenna will speak to Evonne Corolla to obtain specifics about her being denied access to night swim at Hamilton pool.

· Jeanne Lynch, an longtime advocate for seniors in the San Francisco community, commented that she has to use a private pool facility in order to swim in warm water. He feels that it is important to provide the increasing number of disabled people in the community with access to warm water pools.

· Peggy Coster clarified that we’re not asking Recreation and Park to warm all of the pools, just some of them.

9 SEGWAY SCOOTERS - DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE LOCAL REGULATION OF SEGWAY SCOOTERS ON SIDEWALKS

· Karen Skelton of the Segway Company (603-222-6000) gave a background on the development of the Segway Mobile device. It was developed by Dean Kenman as a serious transportation alternative for short distance travel, invented to address the growing problem of car congestion in highly dense urban areas and suburban areas. The question is, where should the Segway be allowed - on streets, bike paths, sidewalks? The Segway was designed to be a safe vehicle for the sidewalk with the idea that the Segway user can travel like the typical pedestrian. The inventor does not claim that the Segway is completely safe in all circumstances, but it’s about user responsibility. The Segway Company has listened to the disabled, elderly, and blind community and would like to come up with a tailored legislative approach.

· Bruce Livingston of the Senior Action Network stated his support of banning use of the Segway. He feels that it is a dangerous product with no studies indicating that it reduces traffic or air pollution.

· Vincent Behan stated that a person in a wheelchair must battle bicycles, cars, skateboards, and other hazards. Wheelchair users do not need another hazard to battle.

· Ed Evans believes the Segway belongs on bike lanes, not on sidewalks, which are for pedestrians.

· Karin Skelton explained that the Segway is designed differently from other mobility devices such as roller skates, skateboards, and bicycles. The Segway is a self-balancing device that moves based on the user’s body movements. It has 5 gyroscopes that act like the inner ear and has the equivalent of 10 PCs. Unlike a bicycle, when you stand up, the Segway stops. When you hit something, the Segway moves back. The weight of equipment is in its base, so when it hits something, it is with the lightest part of the equipment. Also, the speed of the Segway can be limited by the key that is used. It’s as narrow as a body, thus taking up no more room than a pedestrian. It is a policy question on whether it empowers or replaces pedestrians. The Segway Company feels that it empowers pedestrians.

Ed Evans stated that it is not a sufficient statement to say that when the Segway hits a disabled or senior person, it does not run the person over.

Karin Skelton explained that the Segway Company does not claim that the product is without consequences. It’s a matter of weighing costs and benefits of whether you use something new in life and try to improve the social situation, or whether you stay with the status quo.

· Ken Stein pointed out that Supervisor Daly’s ordinance says that it is unlawful to operate the Segway on any sidewalk in the City and County of San Francisco. He also noted that MOD has received correspondence on the Segway issue; correspondence that will be made available at the MOD office.

· Norma Block asked Bruce Livingston to clarify his comments printed in a Chronicle article stating that there have been no accidents with seniors as a result of the scooter.

Bruce Livingston explained that the product has not yet been released. It’s a new product that has been tested in only a few places. Thus, no accidents have been reported yet. But he feels that San Francisco should not be a testing ground. He is worried that there will be a new accident category called "pedestrian injured on the sidewalk".

· Michael Kwok commented that San Francisco doesn’t need another safety hazard.

· Bill Barnes, a representative from Supervisor’s Daly’s Office (554-7970), spoke about widening sidewalks to make streets more accessible for multiuse vehicles. On the issue of safety, it’s irresponsible to not regulate the Segway.

· Ken Kelton of Walk San Francisco (358-5545), a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting safety and convenience in San Francisco, suggested that the Segway Company work with the Bicycle Coalition (431-2453) to develop a functional bike lane network so that both bicycles and Segways can get around.

· Susan Vaughn, also a member of Walk San Francisco, reiterated that the Segway belongs on the streets, not on sidewalks.

· Pie with Walk San Francisco and a Board member of the San Francisco Bike Coalition, noted that if those covered under the ADA choose to use the Segway as a mobility aid, it won’t be banned. He, too, reiterated that bicycles and Segways belong on the streets, not on sidewalks.

· Arthur Sehayer, a visually impaired individual, urged the Council to support Daly’s legislation to ban the Segway from sidewalks. The device is silent such that a blind person will not hear the device; an inability to detect the Segway could result in injuries. If the Segway is not banned, it will deter the blind from participating in community services.

Karen Skelton clarified that, as a result of their conversations with the blind in California, the State legislation requires every Segway to have a sound-emitting device.

10 ELECTIONS AND VOTING - DISCUSSION OF VOTING AND ELECTION ACCESSIBILITY

· Walter Park noted that the Council looked at possible accessible voting devices several years ago. Next year the Council will again look at new equipment. In the interim, MOD is working with the Department of Elections (DOE) to improve accessibility for the November 2002 election. The MOD and DOE hired the Independent Living Resource Center (ILRC) to produce voter rights training materials for poll workers.

· Herb Levine of ILRC (543-6222) reported that, when developing the poll worker training, they did not really deal with physical access issues; they only dealt with programmatic access issues. ILRC created a 20-minute curriculum that is experimental at this point in time. Materials created include a notice of rights to assistance and literature to help poll workers deal with certain situations. Herb Levine indicated that one issue is to test out effectiveness of the training. He suggested that the DOE locate individuals with varying kinds of disabilities who can provide feedback about voting accessibility at their poll locations. In April and May of 2003, Herb Levine will volunteer his time to work with elections training staff.

· Lula Jackson, ADA coordinator for the DOE (554-4375), reported on changes at the DOE to provide increased accessibility to those with disabilities. Changes included increased signage size, and supplying pencil grips, magnifying glasses and an extra chair at each poll location. Also, individuals with disabilities requiring more time to vote will be allowed more time. Poll locators were asked to find more accessible curbside locations. Lula Jackson has written some common courtesy instructions for the Absentee Voter counter and the Campaign Services welcome desk at the DOE. Also, poll workers have been asked to provide assistance to those who need help in drawing a straight line to cast their votes.

· Ed Evans commented that the ADA has been around since 1990, which is ample time for San Francisco to obtain fully accessible poll sites. Many voting locations are very dark which would make it difficult for those with sight impairments to vote. Those with mobility impairments have found it difficult to get to poll locations that are in closed, gated areas. More needs to be done on poll site accessibility. Council members would be glad to help the DOE review poll sites.

Lula Jackson responded that many sites have been relocated. The percentage of accessible sites has increased from 33% to 70% accessible. Also, the Voter Information Pamphlet now offers list of accessible voting locations should a disabled voter find his/her location to be inaccessible. Lula will ask for additional lights at poll locations. As she is newly appointed to her position as ADA coordinator for Elections, she is trying to implement small things first.

· Ed Evans further commented that the poll location counters are small and narrow. A person in a wheel chair is not high enough to view the ballot. He suggested a slanted surface in order to properly view the ballot and ample elbowroom for wheel chair users to cast their selection.

· Vincent Behan stated that the DOE should be congratulated on increasing accessibility from 33 to 70 percent.

· Norma Block asked if voters with mental disabilities will be given more time to vote, or is there a time limit.

Lula Jackson responded that if lines are short, disabled voters would be given as much time that is needed. There is no specific time limit.

· Marlon Rowles asked if the MOD has embraced new ideas on electronic voting for SF.

Lula Jackson responded that the DOE had submitted a $7.5 million proposal to the Secretary of State for accessible equipment. The $7.5 million must be matched by local bodies, meaning that the Board of Supervisors must approve of the matching funds. The DOE has not heard back on how much money it will receive.

· Tim Flanagan, a former member of the Council, is developing a Voting Access Advisory Committee that will act as an advisory committee to the Elections Commission. Participating on the committee would give an individual the chance to work with the logistics and all the details that go into making an election. Current work on the committee would not have much of an impact on the November election, but the committee is hoping to obtain more committee participants to ensure that the Elections Commission can do a good job for future elections.

Damian Pickering stated that it is an important issue that the Council will follow for years to come.

11 CORRESPONDENCE

· Grace Lee reported that a letter had been received from the American Council of the Blind (202-467-5081, 800-424-8666) regarding their opposition to allowing Segway mobile devices on sidewalks. The correspondence is available at the Mayor’s Office on Disability should anybody wish to review it.

· Ken Stein announced the October 22, 2002 Annual Career and Resource Fair for Person with Disabilities at Ramada Plaza Hotel.

He also announced the Disability Rights Advocate’s free two-day training on Health Care rights, scheduled to take place on November 7-8, 2002. Pam Fadem can be contacted for more information at 543-6222.

12 PUBLIC COMMENTS

None.

13 MEMBER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

· Ed Evans asked that the following items be addressed at future MDC meetings:

• The taxi companies should be asked to address the service provided to the senior and disabled community. He personally has experienced outrageous wait times.

• He would like Michael Burns of MUNI and a representative from the Department of Parking and Traffic to attend a future MDC meeting to discuss issues related to both departments.

• He asked that a BART representative be invited to address seniors and the disabled who are not able to use BART within the City as able bodied passengers are able to with their FAST passes.

• Police Chief Saunders and other department heads should be invited to speak about pedestrian safety issues related to bicycles, scooters and skateboards.

• He feels that the City should take action against smoking in lines and bus shelters. A representative from the Department of Building Inspection should be invited to speak about the problem.

• Having heath care access is a serious issue for those with mental health disabilities. He asked that a representative be invited from the Health Department to speak on the matter.

• Landlords and property owners have prevented their tenants from obtaining communication devices, ranging from television or cable access service. Presently many people with satellite dishes are unable to view our local government channel. He hopes that the Council can change the situation so that San Francisco local government channel is made available to satellite companies.

· Norma Block asked that there be information presented to the public on access to mental health programs. She will forward the contact information to the MOD Director.

14 COUNCILORS’ COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

· Vincent Behan announced that the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services will host three town hall meetings in October 2002.

· Ed Evans asked if the MDC could write a letter of support for Supervisor Daly’s legislation on banning the use of scooters on sidewalks. The MDC Executive Committee will discuss the letter of support at their meeting on Tuesday, October 22, 2002.

15 ADJORNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m.