PLATTSBURGH - September 3rd a city
council meeting started just as every other one did, roll call and review of
the last meetings minutes. After the agenda is established, there is time
allowed for public comment. It is limited to 5 minutes, and is usually a time
when people can list their grievances with the city of Plattsburgh. Debra Buell
did just that, but with a different medium than most.
Buell is a
writer, researcher, and advocate for the disabled in Clinton and surrounding
counties. She sent a voice recording of herself reading the complaints to the
meeting to be played for everyone in attendance to hear.
One of the intended targets for
Buell is Mayor Jim Calnon. He is entering his twentieth month as mayor. He
served on city council for 7 years prior to being elected mayor.
Buell’s
access issues mentioned on September 3rd consisted of City Hall, city sidewalks
and Cornelia Street being unable to be crossed or accessed by everyone, specifically
those with disabilities.
City Hall
has two large flights of stairs that has no ramp accompanying it. There is also
a sidewalk section that is too steep for a person in a wheelchair to roll down
without being lunged forward or rolling down out of control. There is also not
a wheelchair accessible bathroom in City Hall.
According
to Calnon, it meets all accessibility codes for entry. But they want to put one
or two bathrooms that are wheelchair accessible in the City Hall. However,
Calnon doesn’t want to bid out the job to the lowest bid. The work has to be up
to par, and sometimes the minimum bid isn’t the best bid.
Cornelia
Street is a popular intersection for pedestrians crossing Route 3. It is a five
lane highway that pedestrians receive one minute to cross whereas previously
they only received thirty seconds. There is also a complaint in regards to the
fact that there is no a sidewalk dip to make it accessible to people in
wheelchairs. They must go up or down the sidewalk to find a dip in sidewalk to
get onto the road.
Calnon’s statement
on the Cornelia Street is that the timing has already been changed from 30
seconds to one minute. It’s not logical to hold up traffic for a minute and
thirty seconds. So his next idea was to put a dip in the sidewalk at where the
crosswalk is located. But the sidewalk is not owned by the city. The owner of
the sidewalk is a business whose business could potentially be affected by a
sidewalk dip being placed there.
Another of
the complaints is in reference to the chairs and tables in front of
restaurants. The restaurants on Margaret Street have tables out front of a few
of the restaurants in the warm summer months. The tables are meant for enjoying
the weather, company, and sights of Plattsburgh. However, the tables create a
maze not only for those who need a little extra room, but for those who do not.
The tables take up more room on the sidewalk than necessary; it makes for some
people to walk single file. But not everyone has that luxury.
Calnon did
his best to not disrupt the restaurants in the middle of their season. So he
decided to refrain from asking them to rearrange the tables to accommodate
everyone. He wants to fix as much as quickly as possible.
Some things that have been addressed
is the lack of parking at the city hall employee parking lot. There was a spot
recently created to accommodate those who needed the special parking.
An idea that Buell brought up to
Calnon in an email is putting rubber mats on the beach so that the beach would
be wheelchair accessible. The mats could also be used at the battle of
Plattsburgh to aid in movement around the park.
The city gym is also in need of a
couple lifts because of the different flooring levels. According to Calnon,
they are committed to getting that taken care of.
Buell’s constant back up is the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA states that "no entity shall discriminate
against an individual with a disability in connection with the provision of
transportation service. The law further sets forth explicit requirements for
vehicle and facility accessibility and the provision of service, including,
demand response and/or complementary paratransit service."
Her
other legal backup is Title VI, and The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This states
it is illegal to discriminate for any reason.
Calnon
states that he understands Buell’s and others complaints and frustrations with
how progress is moving. He cannot undo 25 years of doing overnight. Calnon stated that he appreciates
the things that Buell points out to him because he doesn’t or experience the
same struggles others do.
During the city council meeting on
his name plate Calnon had a quote from Mark Cubin, "Leaders don't look backwards to condemn what has
already been done, they look forward to create a better future." That is his
outlook towards the whole accessibility issues.
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