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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM2004_08_13Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities August 13, 2004 A meeting of the Brookings Committee for People who have Disabilities was held at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 13, 2004 at the Brookings City Hall with David Bertelson as acting chair. Victoria Riggs was designated as recorder. Members present were: David Bertelson, Emily Bennett, Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, and Victoria Riggs. Members not present were: Kurt Cogswell, Jennifer Mendoza, Kristie Ching, Lisa Sonnenburg, Dona Kornbaum, Lois Hatton, and Angie Renfer. Three items were added to the agenda. The July minutes were amended as follows: The amount of the first prize offered for the National Organization on Disability Award competition is $25,000 and not $10,000 as recorded in the July minutes. Following the amendment, the July minutes were approved and adopted. The next committee meeting was scheduled for September 10, 2004, at 2 p.m. Wrap-up comments: The ABLE award recipients are well-deserved and with the publicity and plaque displays, it can serve as a good example to persons and establishments in the community. Most committee members were present for the award presentations at the city council meeting on July 27, 2004. The ADA anniversary event was a success as far as providing community awareness about addressing the needs of persons with disabilities. Mayor Scott Munsterman and Kurt Cogswell made comments to the audience at the community band concert. Riggs suggested that a file be started of newspaper publicity about the committee's activities. National Organization on Disability Award Application: Bennett advised the committee that the award had to be postmarked by October 31, 2004. She has previewed the application and it is very detailed. Cogswell has offered to write the application. Riggs suggested that the committee help with input. A possible meeting was suggested for September 17, contingent upon Cogswell's schedule. Committee members will be asked to preview the application which is in this month's packet and come prepared with ideas. Added agenda item: Riggs asked if the Brookings Boys and Girls Club needed any assistance with providing accommodations for disabled youth who wish to participate. Hartenhoff-Crooks commented that the club appeared to be physically accessible but questioned if the activities were adjusted as needed. Bennett reported that she had been on a tour of the facility but was not looking at specific activities at the time. The committee discussed options for offering our assistance to the club's administration. It was decided to confer with ADA Coordinator Thornes and discuss it at the September meeting. Bennett suggested that arranging for a tour would be a feasible approach. Added agenda item: Riggs inquired if anyone else on the committee had heard any feedback regarding the changes made at the Edgebrook golf course to improve accessibility. Riggs will ask Thornes to give a report at the September meeting. A reminder about the South Dakota conference call on August 24 was given. Bennett gave an update on the October Awareness Event. The committee is working on disability etiquette training. A survey has been sent to businesses in the community to find out what they would be specifically interested in learning as far as meeting the needs for employees and customers with disabilities. The workshops will be address any specific requests. Added agenda item: Riggs asked if it would be beneficial to offer a job fair in Brookings similar to the job fair for persons with disabilities held in Sioux Falls. Bennett said that based on feedback from those involved in the Sioux Falls event, it was not that successful. Hartenhoff-Crooks said that the idea of separateness from mainstream events should be avoided and that a goal of hers in working with the Chamber on their future workshops and inservices is to include the needs of persons with disabilities as a part of all other training venues. Added agenda item: Riggs asked if it would be useful to local business owners and managers to have "secret shoppers with disabilities" visit their businesses to give an evaluation of accessibility. The committee decided to discuss it further at the next meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Victoria Riggs.