2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Gavin Newsom
Mayor
Susan Mizner
Director
Jack Fagan
Jul Lynn Parsons
Co-Chairs
Raphaella Bennin
Norma Block
Elizabeth Grigsby
Tatiana Kostanian
Sarah Estes Merrell
Richard Ow
Denise Senhaux
Amy Wishnie
F. Ross Woodall
Mayor’s Disability Council
Minutes
20 July 2007
1 ROLL CALL
Mayor’s Disability Council Members Present: Raphaella Bennin, Norma Block, Jack Fagan, Tatiana Kostanian, Richard Ow, Jul Lynn Parsons, Denise Senhaux, Amy Wishnie and F. Ross Woodall.
Excused Absent: Elizabeth Grigsby and Sarah Estes Merrell.
Mayor’s Office on Disability: Susan Mizner, Director; Joanna Fraguli, Deputy Director for Programmatic Access, Ken Stein, Program Administrator; and Howard O. Wong, Council Clerk.
Jack Fagan, Co-Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.
2 APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The Council approved the agenda of the July 20, 2007 MDC Meeting.
3 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Council approved the Minutes from the June 15, 2007 MDC Meeting.
4 PUBLIC COMMENT
Suzanne Saputo, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), announced that PG&E has some new services for the visually impaired including appliance labels in Braille and billing statements in Braille. There are no extra costs for the customers. To sign up for the brailling program, call (866) 743-9757.
5 REPORT FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
Co-Chair Fagan reported that the ADA Anniversary Celebration was taking place on Thursday, July 26th at City Hall followed by Superfest (films showcasing people with disabilities) shown at the SF Public Library. In honor of the upcoming celebration, he reflected on some of the ADA issues that MDC covered in the past year including the 30th Anniversary of the 504 sit-ins; adopting the resolution on United Nations Convention for the Rights of Person with Disabilities and Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) changing it names to include “disability”. Co-Chair Fagan also announced that there will be no MDC August Meeting and will resume again in September.
6 REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE ON DISABILITY
Ms. Mizner reported on the following:
* The “Got Rights?” Conference sponsored by IHSS Authority.
* She thanked the seniors and people with disabilities who successfully advocated for several budget items that were approved and funded.
* The City’s budget has been finalized and Ms. Mizner reported that funding will be provided for additional curb ramps, ADA training, a rent subsidy program, consumer rights initiative programs and pedestrian safety programs.
* An update on the access features in Golden Gate Park
* 25 ramp taxis approved by the Taxi Commission.
* Joanna Fraguli, Deputy Director for Programmatic Access for MOD, has been working with the City’s Human Services agency on providing support and training to homeless shelter staff regarding disability issues and accessibility.
7 ELECTION OF MDC CO-CHAIR
MDC Member Parsons’ term as Co-Chair has expired. Nominations were taken and the votes resulted in MDC Member Parsons being elected to serve another term.
8 MAYOR’S DISABILITY COUNCIL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE.
MDC Awards are given to persons and/or organizations that have excelled in furthering disability rights for people with disabilities in San Francisco City government services, activities, programs and facilities.
Council Member Senhaux presented the first award to Anita Aaron, Executive Director for the Lighthouse for the Blind, and Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr., Executive Director/CEO of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) for collaborating together to ensure that the City of San Francisco has a program for installing Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS). Ms. Aaron and Bond Yee, MTA (representing Mr. Ford) were present to accept the award. Mr. Yee acknowledged his staff, Cristina Olea, Bridget Smith and Peter Albert, for assisting with the City’s APS program. For more information on APS, visit www.sfmta.org,
Co-Chair Parsons presented the second award to the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS) for their 20 years of dedication in providing sailing programs to persons with disabilities. The program has specially designed boats with adaptive technology. Herb Meyer from BAADS accepted the award on behalf of the association. Mr. Meyer acknowledged Ed Gallagher, John Wallace and Greg Williams for their services to BAADS. For more information, visit www.baads.org or phone (415) 281-0221.
Council Member Block presented the third award to “We Wanna Dance!” (WWD) and John LeToureanu, Department of Recreation Parks, for their efforts to organize a group of volunteers which includes people with autism, to run a free monthly dance in the evening for the disability community. Camilla, Ron and Andrew Bixler accepted the award on behalf of the group. Ms. Bixler acknowledged the DJ volunteers, dancers and John LeTourneau from Department of Recreation and Parks for providing the facility/logistics to hold the dance in. For more information on this monthly dance event, visit www.aascend.net.
9 ACCESS SAN FRANCISCO GUIDE – PRESENTATION BY BONNIE LEWKOWICZ, ACCESS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Ms. Lewkowicz announced the reproduction of the 2007 edition of Access San Francisco Guide. She stated that it offers useful information (accessible lodging, restaurants, transportation, activities, etc.) to assist people with disabilities on a barrier-free visit to SF. Ms. Lewkowicz reported that the guides are free and available at the SF Convention and Visitor’s Bureau ([email protected]; 415-391-2000) as well at the MOD Office. Alternative formats including large text, audio tapes and Braille will be available from MOD in September.
10 ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS) – PRESENTATION BY CRISTINA OLEA, MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (MTA), AND DEPARTMENT OF PARKING AND TRAFFIC.
Ms. Olea stated that the MTA has been working with advocacy groups for the blind and visually impaired to install APS. She reported there has been an APS installation at a total of 52 intersections so far. Their goal is 103 by December 2009. She brought in a sample unit and demonstrated how to use it.
Ms. Olea spoke about developing a draft request list for next year’s installations. The baseline for funding ADA improvements from MTA will allocate 15% of its infrastructure funding for the installation for ADA improvements including curb ramps and APS. She explained that the SFMTA publishes a request list and has established priorities based on feedback from the Lighthouse for the Blind and the California Council for the Blind. The final list will be used to request funding for design and construction of APS; and once it is secured, the SFMTA will design intersections from this list using the technical specifications.
Ms. Olea provided information about making requests for APS installation, report malfunctions or vandalism. One can call her office at (415) 401-4709 or dial “311; or e-mail her at [email protected].
11 REPORT FROM THE DISABILITY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE
Joanna Fraguli, Deputy Director for Programmatic Access, reported that the committee has been working on the disability community’s response to disasters and “emergency list” of resources. It included discussion on working with the Department of Public Health to develop Community Disaster Response Hubs, a key location in each neighborhood, where one can get information and resources. In addition, she stated that the committee has been establishing a relationship with an organization called CARD (Community Agencies Responding to Disasters), a non profit agency that organizes community and faith based organizations to provide support services in the event of a disaster. The committee will assist them on including disability issues during their training.
12 REPORT FROM THE EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE.
Patrick Regan reported the committee has been working on employment opportunities with the federal government for people with disabilities. In addition, he stated they continue to work on outreach with other organizations including UCSF and the Small Business Commission.
13 PUBLIC COMMENT
Walter Paulson announced that they need more runners to compete in the upcoming Special Olympics event. He encouraged the community to participate and to attend this event as well.
Ken Stein, Program Administrator for MOD, announced that SF Public Library has a new exhibit on athletes with disabilities.
14 CORRESPONDENCE
Howard Wong, MDC Clerk, reported that there were two letters from Ernestine Patterson regarding homeless shelters and SRO Hotels. MDC Members have received a copy of her letters and MOD is following up on her concerns.
15 COUNCIL MEMBERS COMMENTS AND ANNOUCEMENTS
Council Member Woodall announced that the Lighthouse for the Blind will be holding a series of seminar in August regarding employment rights for people with vision loss. For more information, visit www.lighthousesf.org.
Co-Chair Fagan commented on the need for to have certain medications such as insulin available for EMT and paramedics when they are responding to emergencies and disasters. He also stated one should not be charged for the services of the ambulance if they are called and the individual does not need an ambulance.
16 ADJOURNMENT
Co-Chair Fagan adjourned the meeting in memory of Vincent Behan, who served on the Mayor’s Disability Council from July 2001 to March 2005. Michael Kwok, a former MDC Member, spoke about Mr. Behan’s activism and support in the disability community. The meeting was adjourned at 4:00PM.