Ehlinger, Penny, re: ADA +
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Jeanne Schneider - "Proudly Accessible"
From:
To:
Date:
Subject:
"Jim Ehlinger"
""""
08/24/20066:46 PM
"Proudly Accessible"
Mr. Mayor and Council Members:
As a past member of the Human Rights Commission, I served as the first chair of the accessibility/disability
subcommittee. Although I am no longer on the Commission, I remain on the subcommittee and my husband and I
serve on one of the survey teams that goes out and accesses the businesses and service organizations. I attended
Monday nighfs Council Work Session and would like to give you additional feedback regarding some of your
questions.
The term "readily achievable" is sometimes confusing and even frightening for lay people and for business owners
because of the perceived cost involved. Accommodations don't need to cost a lot. Studies by the
Job Accommodation Network have shown that 15 percent of accommodations cost nothing; 51 percent cost between
$1 and $500, 12 percent cost between $501 and $1,000 and 22 percent cost more than $1,000.
I have noticed many "readily achievable" suggestions over the last three years that carried little or no cost such as:
. requesting baking racks be removed from the hallway at a local supermarket so people using wheelchairs and
other aids could gain access to the restroom area
. finding another location to store high chairs at a local restaurant so they would not hinder access to both the
women's and men's restroom doors
. removing merchandise from the floor (or items hanging over the aisle) so the aisle width would be the ADA
acceptable 36 inches
. moving restroom sign age from above the doorway to eye level where it could be seen and read with less effort
. repositioning already installed soap and towel dispensers in restrooms so they are affixed according to ADA
regulation height
. changing the pressure on heavy to open doors by oiling and adjusting the hinges.
These are simple, no cost solutions to problems that would make a significant impact on what the subcommittee is
trying to do to educate the Dubuque community and make it "proudly accessible."
The above mentioned suggestions are usually not taken seriously. Some problems are remedied and others will be
corrected for a few short weeks and then returned to pre-compliance condition. The point that we are trying to make
is that we, as a subcommittee and as volunteer surveyors, have no authority to make anyone compliant if they don't
wish to be, even when it comes to the simple solutions. This is why the subcommittee requests that you consider our
request for assistance during your goal setting session to find a solution for this important work.
You might find these facts interesting: One in 5 Americans has a disability. One in 10 Americans has a severe
disability. When looking at the working population, 18.7 percent of Americans age 15-64 has a disability; 8.7 percent
has a severe disability. Disabilities in the adult population ages 18-'44 is increasing. Between the years 1990 and
1994, there was a 16 percent increase in adults with a disability. Current percentages will be much higher with
the Baby Boomers adding to these figures.
Again, thank you for agreeing to visit with us regarding the ADA and its impact on the community of Dubuque. We
are hoping that you will consider these statistics and our community need for accessibility in your future planning.
And, thank you for all the good work you are doing to move Dubuque forward in many important areas.
Penny Ehlinger
1017 Aspen Ct.
Dubuque, IA 52001
563-582-0154
file://C:\Documents and Settings\jschneid\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\44EDF3F5D... 08/25/2006