 Okay, welcome to the meet this meeting on September 22nd of the disability access advisory committee, and I'd like to take attendance. I'm Myra Ross. I'm here. Elise link. I'm here. Oh, she's muted. One second. I unmuted you. Wait, I tried to wait. Can you hear us? Oh, she can hear us, but we can't hear her. I can't. I can't for some reason. Oh, okay. Can you hear? Yes. Ruth Smith. Here. And has Tory come? Not yet. You know what? Tori sent me email saying she will be running a few minutes late. Oh, okay. Okay. So Tori Dixon will be here later. I know that we had recommendations for two new members. I don't know if they were in fact appointed last night. I think that was the initial plan. Do you know, Maureen? I don't know what happened last night if they were officially appointed. But I just want the other committee members to know that there will be two new members of the committee we interviewed last week. There were three applicants and we chose two. And hopefully they'll be with us at the next meeting. Hopefully. So currently we have representative from the town clerk's office, the acting town clerk. Sue. I can't remember your last name. I can't remember your last name. I can't remember your last name. That's embarrassing. It's okay. I bet. That's right. Okay. So it, um, I just was, uh, we were hoping to get some kind of, um, information about how the primary election went from the perspective. Of, uh, access for people with various disabilities. And then we were hoping to get some kind of, um, information about who voted in person and if there were any requests or anything like that for accommodations. Sure. Sure. Um, so I actually can't answer the question on how many people voted in person because I have more of the figures and I don't have them with me, but I can grab them. Um, More people voted by mail and ballot, either early ballot or absentee ballot. Um, then they did voting in person. Um, I think that's a good point. Um, I think that's a good point. Um, I mean, before the election or the primary is, um, we send out a letter to the wardens before each, each election, just telling them, you know, this is what's. Particular to this election, what to be on the lookout for, um, how we're doing something if it's any different. And in that letter, I addressed, um, Um, I think that's a good point. Um, I think that's a good point. Um, I think that's a good point. Um, I think that's a good point. Um, So that was the wardens disseminated that information down to the check-in workers. Um, yeah. Yeah. So we're going to do the same exact thing for November. And, um, But as far as calls go, I just did this exact same report last time. Um, I had no phone calls on election day from anyone saying they had any problem. With any kind of like entry, getting into the, any of the buildings. Um, We were speaking mostly on the high school because that's new polling place, but the only, we had the normal issues, you know, like, um, Yeah. I'm my registered to vote. Where do I go? That kind of thing. So it was a relatively quiet election because of the low voter vote. Um, I don't know. Um, I don't know. I'm pretty much expecting the same thing. I expect a higher turnout, but it's not going to be anywhere in year. What we normally experienced for presidential election because of the option of voting by mail. And right now we're around. 7,000, almost 900 requests for mail in ballots out of 16,000. Plus voters. So that's about 50% so far. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. That's huge. That's huge because I mean, that's already a 50% voter turnout, which is huge. If everybody returns their ballots. So, um, Do you know when the ballots will be mailed? So we're waiting. The state has to get them to all cities and town clerks by October 9th. As soon as we get them, we did, they just show up. And as soon as we get them, we'll turn around and start getting them out. And they'll be going out every day. So we're waiting for the ballots to be mailed. And it was a way for people to vote. Um, Independently and privately using a computer. Um, and it did work for the primary, although I didn't try it because the time was so short. I somehow didn't trust that it would work. But I know someone who actually did it. I know two people who actually did it. Um, and what you do is, um, they're going to send something out again to, they're going to send something out with instructions, but what happened the last time was that people actually put, um, you have to go online and apply again for a mail in ballot. And you had to attach that to an email that pretty much gave your identifying information and what party you wanted to vote in. And you sent it to this woman named Kelly in the secretary of state's office. And then she sent you a link to an online ballot, which is markable online. And then you could, uh, mail it back. You print it out and you could mail it back. Um, so that's pretty cool. And it did work. I don't know if they're going to make any changes to it, but I know it is possible or it was possible and it will be again possible to vote independently and privately. If you cannot, um, mark a paper ballot by yourself. So you're discussing people that are inside the country, a normal voter, not an overseas voter. Right. Yeah. Okay. Because the overseas voters already had that option. We emailed their ballots. Yeah. That's what they modeled it on. Um, but yeah. So they're for, um, I guess for people who cannot mark a ballot for whatever reason, um, they, they can use this. Well, it's interesting because, um, we're having a webinar Thursday, um, at one o'clock through the secretary of state and Kelly. Um, and they're going to be talking. Yep. Yep. And she is going to be telling us all about the new state portal, the voter, the online voter, you know, so this is probably what they're going to be talking about. Yeah. Interesting. Okay. We'll be on the lookout. We're going to attend it. Yeah. Yeah. Sue, uh, sorry to interrupt you, Myra. Uh, I stopped by the town clerk's office last week and. I had, uh, mentioned this to you, Sue. And I just realized I remember saying I would send you the link that Myra had provided about more information. So I don't know if that's needed now, since you know, she doesn't need her, because she's going to go to the webinar. If they give you any information, could you send that on to Maureen? Um, I sure will. Yeah. A link or anything so that you know, the people in the town can get or put it on, you know, and put it on the town website on your page so that people who might need it can find it because there are people who can use computer, but you know, they might not be, they might not have the dexterity to mark a ballot or the ability to read the ballot and mark it in the right place. Okay. Yeah. I got a note here. Cool. That's a great, that's a great suggestion because I know that Brianna. Is our communications manager sheet. We have a dedicated page on the town website about all information related to the elections. And so if there is, uh, you know, official information from the state about the, the, what we're just talking about, we can add it to. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, that'd be really cool. That'd be great. And if you, so if you could put it on the website and, and mail and email it to Maureen, um, that would be. Thank you. Yeah, sure. Does anybody have any questions for Sue? I, I do. I have two questions. One of them, I remember when we got the first, um, before the primary primaries, whether we want to vote by mail check and you can check also if you want to get mail in voting for the November election, you could check both of them. So those of us that check the two boxes, we don't have to request mail in both again, right? That is correct. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And please don't because number one, you're while you're spending, well, you don't have to spend money. That's process prepaid, but it's, um, work for the post office. It's work for us when it comes in. We'll go to set you up. We'll look you up in the computer to find out you're already set up. Then we have to say, I was a duplicate. Now we're putting it in a duplicate pot. So yeah. So, but if you're curious as to whether you are already set up, you can do the track, track my ballot and it should say pending. It'll tell you, um, you can, it says pending. And then it says accepted once you have, once they have got receipt, once they received your ballot. Once it comes back to us. Yes. That was my second question. Actually. I got that a website. So I checked it just to make sure, because I had already put my ballot in there. I had already put my ballot in there. And I could not find anything about my name. Was very blank. And I was very worried. I said, huh, I hope they got my ballot, you know, the result didn't make any difference. But, you know, Well, if that ever, if, if something doesn't make sense, when you look yourself up, just call us. Yeah. Yeah. Or email us. Yeah. Either way, we'll get back to you. We'll look you up. Just take a minute. Yeah. And Sharon. I believe you're the one that asked. Express that you would like to volunteer on election day. Was that it? And I gave you the form. Yeah. You did. But I wasn't really thinking of being in a polling booth because I would find myself to be very vulnerable. Sure. Yeah. But I thought if there is something I could do in the background, you know, like stuff, envelopes, put stickers on and things like that. Are you talking about leading up? Are you talking about leading up to election day? Yes. So we're currently working with the government. Because right now, in order to work in the town hall, you have to be an election worker or an employee in essence. And I'm, because we have a lot of legal women voters volunteering their time as well. And, but they want to volunteer. And this is the problem is that everyone needs to become an employee in order to work. So we're trying to figure out how to get around that right now. So it's kind of, yeah, I know I have so many people offering their help and it's like, ah, you know, and I'm, I'm dying to get people in here. We do. We have stuffing. And we, once the ballots come, we're going to be very busy. Yeah. In context of being an employee. What, what does that mean to you? Because, because they're board members, they all have to take the open meeting law training and, you know, it's becoming an employee. It's actually. Okay. Yes. So many paperwork to become an employee, having a query check. All that. Yeah. I know. Is that a town regulation or is that a state law? I think it's a state law now. Interesting. Yeah. Even to come not into contact with people at all, just to stuff ballots. Wow. But you're still coming in. You're still here and breathing the air and all that. It's just the COVID, the whole COVID thing. Yeah. So it sounds like it's just COVID-19 really. Could they give us like things we could work from our homes? That's not, no. We can't, we can't. Ballots can't leave the building. No, no. I mean, they're empties. You know, you're just stuffing. Yeah. Even to come not into contact with people at all, just to stuff ballots. Wow. But you're still coming into the building. You're still here and breathing the air and all that. It's just the COVID, the whole COVID thing. Yeah. But you're still coming into the building. Yeah. But you could go to the envelopes. That one would be fraught with, with the fraud accusation. Yeah. Yeah. No, we leave everything stays in house. And also, you know, I mean, we're putting labels on envelopes, things like that, but it needs to. We're printing as we go. We're trying to keep things contained. It's just, I believe me, I thought about this because so many people have offered. And, and the ballots are coming to us from the state. So it's already preassembled. We just need to put a label on it. Yeah. The balance already in the envelope. So I can't give that to you because of balancing. Oh, they're already. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Labels. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's very good. That seems appreciate. Yeah, it does. It does. It speeds it up. Yeah. Yeah. Well, this isn't really helpful. Are there any other questions for Susan? Well, how about census? How is that going? Is there anything needed. It's not the census time of the year. We do that in January. Well, the US census. By the end of this month, I think it closes. We're not involved in that. I'm not personally involved in that. And I know the, um, Shaveena was, but she was taking a big backseat. It's more in, um, I think Athena has been working hard with that. And, and probably Brianna. Yeah. Yeah. They both have been. Yeah. Yeah. So we're not directly involved. Yeah. And so what's, what's the meeting that you're about to attend? Uh, about the sec, uh, rank voting. Rank choice voting. Yeah. Yeah. Right after lunch. Okay. Yeah. All right. Okay. Yeah. I would love some explanation about why we, you know, what that, are they going to eliminate a primary? If they do that, or don't you really know yet? No, we don't know yet. We're talking. That's one of the things we're talking about. Cause someone called last night to get us to vote. Yes. On two. And I said, explain it to me. And she couldn't. So that wasn't so good. It is, it is, you know, my husband's an engineer. He's a smart guy. And, um, there's a great video from Minneapolis on how it all works. And there's, there's something called fractional votes. So it's like, if your whole vote doesn't go to this candidate, then this part of your vote goes now over to here. And that part goes over. But Minneapolis did it with post-it notes that are colored. And it made total sense to me. And to everybody else on the committee, but I showed this video to him and he looked at it four times. And he looked at me and he goes, I don't get it. And I says, oh, we're doomed. No. It's complicated. I mean, and this is one of our challenges is that we have to. Take it down to explain it in the simplest terms. We all are agreed on that, you know, so, uh, yeah, we'll see what happens going forward. Um, we'll see what happens on the state level. We, and that's another thing that's directing us in our decisions is what's going to happen on the state level. Yep. Well, this has been really helpful, Susan. Um, and yeah, please send me any information, um, of anything you learn new at the, the webinar with the state. When is that meeting? Thursday. Thursday. Okay. Let me read that down. Oh, maybe on Friday, I will check in with you. Yeah. Yeah. The League of Women Voters is in favor of rank choice. So if you go on to their website, I think they'll have a good explanation for what it's all about. Sure. Okay. All right. Well, thank you so much. You're welcome. Thanks for having me. Nice to see everyone. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. Bye-bye. Okay. So the next thing we are going to talk about is the consultant plan on the self-evaluation and what we might want to apply for. Yes. Yes. So I have received. Big chunks of the draft. Yeah. Staff. I'm not actually the plan is massive, massive, massive, massive. And I'm very, very impressed. They found. A significant amount of things that the town needs to make compliant. Both, you know, parking lots, sidewalks. And parking spaces, entries, elevators, signage, it's, it's, it's a lot. Some of it is a good amount of it is just little things. And then other things are very costly. And at this time, I thought I was going to be able to share with you all the plan, the draft plan, but it's just not ready to be shown. So I, I will certainly share it with you. So I have, so in context of the, the mass office of disability has a grant. For, for making improvements of public, public properties to remove physical barriers. And so. I am trying to schedule a meeting with the D. B. W. Superintendent Guilford mooring. To discuss project ideas. That that are specifically coming from this draft plan. So I'm going to actually write as I talk as. Cause it'll be helpful for me. So ideas are, which, and so here are some audible. So. The planning and the planning. The city and the public element proposals, which were identified in the plan and have been expressed from members of this committee that are not working properly. So perhaps those could be replaced. East pleasant, no sorry, self pleasant street. Along the town. Common. That's on the east side of self pleasant street. And on the other side where Hastings, Those could be a great project for replacement. I'm also looking at the bank center of what items were identified in the plan for both inside and outside of the bank center. So, such as like the sidewalks leading up to the bank center, there's stairs. Just looking at the photos that are in this draft plan, it really just speaks to some of these issues. So, part of this is about coordinating with other departments. And for me, it's specifically with DPW because they're the ones that are going to do the work physically. So, I'm hoping to schedule a time to talk to DPW basically as soon as possible. And I would love to get any input from from the members here today of any projects that come to mind. Myra, I will, Myra had sent me email asking me to look at the conditions of the sidewalks and the crosswalk. Well, there is no crosswalk, but looking at the sidewalks on Tyler Street and on High Street. Yeah, those so, yeah, I noticed a lot of broken asphalt roots coming up through the sidewalk. I noticed that the intersection of High and Tyler Street, there is no ramp for the sidewalk. It just steps down. Right, there's no. There's no. Yeah, thank you. Well, all there is is the sidewalk that broke apart, but there isn't, there isn't any curve cut. Yeah. Yeah. It's Amity Street. I know it's not like super traveled a lot, but if you go past the movie theater and down further, it's awful. Yeah, so I've gotten my cane when I use a cane, I get that stuck in the cracks all the time. Yeah, I've, I've nearly broken my neck. I'm glad that you, you mentioned that at least because so after I, I looked at Tyler and High Street, I, that was the way I was traveling home. So I was, I was, I felt kind of creepy. I was just driving brutally slow at looking at all the sidewalks. I noticed that Amity Street could be another project. It's horrible. And I mean, my elderly parents live there and sometimes like to walk to town. They can't. You know, and I can't go visit, you know, try, I take my, my, you know, it's, I feel vulnerable going to visit my folks, even with my guide dog, because there's so many cracks and so many places I can fall. Yeah, I imagine anybody. What it seems like is that we have, we have so many projects that have come from many, many, many years of neglect. And it's, it's really Amity Street is a very busily traveled street. So it is. You know, it is probably something that we should consider, you know, seriously as well as the audible traffic signals downtown, they just don't work. Yeah, they're awful. I have a question. Why do like Amity Street is right in the middle of the town, very central. So why does the town need to wait for a grant to be given before they do it? Shouldn't that be on the top of the list of things that need to be done? Great question. That's a great question. And so, in a lot of ways, so I'm planning, as I said, hold that thought, I just want to announce to everyone that Tori is now in attendance. Hi Tori. Hi Tori. You're on mute, Tori. But yeah, so that is why I, I'm hoping to talk to the, to the DPW super intended and also the town manager's office because there are so many projects to choose from. And so what is important is to find out what's the priority because we can't fix everything. No. Today. And so, you know, of just even this, these four items that I jotted down the audible signals, South Pleasant Street, the sidewalks on both sides of the road, the sidewalks and curb cuts at Amity Street, and then high and Tyler Street. That's just even a small, high. And that's just, yeah, that's a side. I mean, you can go on Halleck Street and South Prospect, North Prospect, you can barely walk there. It's just crazy. And I went yesterday, I went, I mean, it's even a street, but I went for a walk with David yesterday, just walking up North Whitney toward Redgate Lane. You can trip your ankle on any step you take. There's so, and that's on the street because the sidewalk isn't this worse. And, no, there isn't a sidewalk actually for most of it. And it's just, it's so much neglect. And I think we need to know, aside from this grant, what the, what the plan is about making this town pedestrian friendly at all. Yes. I totally agree. Well, now I wonder if they can prioritize making it pedestrian friendly. I wonder if we should talk with Gilford and get our two cents into him and maybe, you know, if they understand the struggles, maybe they might be more considerate to prioritize that. I second it. And so, so the soup, the DPW superintendent is, you know, obviously very, very busy. And so I'm not sure if he's available to attend a meeting and, and a lot of ways that is one of the reasons, you know, why I am a liaison to this committee is that I can take your information and, and pass it on to the town manager and to other departments. And so, I will certainly bring this up to the town manager and, and to DBW about this. Let's see here. And I know that Paul Backelman, the town manager in his, one of his big priorities is to make downtown usable for, for everyone, particularly pedestrians and cyclists and, you know, people with strollers people people with all disabilities. So that is something that has has a vocalized. Okay. That's something that is a priority of his. A little better. Go on mute. Yeah, can you mute Ruth. I'm going to move Ruth because it sounds like you're on the phone. Okay. Sometimes I have difficulties muting people on. Well, Maureen, you know this muting business is pretty frustrating. This meeting we had, I wanted to say something I couldn't get on the internet. For some reason, then I connected by the telephone. And I'm just trying to I cannot raise my hand because it's the telephone conversation. I was constantly muted. So I think it should be left to our choice, whether we want to mute ourselves like if I if we want to make a private call or something. And we can just mute ourselves rather than being controlled and when we have something to say, we have to fight to have you hear us. So I don't understand the concept behind it. I am sure you go to lots of it meetings and there must be a reason. So could you explain how this muting system goes and what is the decision behind it that you have the controls from the central location. So the question, Sarah and theoretically you each should have the ability to mute and unmute yourself. And also, if you want to raise your hand, go ahead and do this now. If you press star nine, it should, you should be able to quote unquote raise your hand. It would be star nine. It would be. She's connected on an iPad. Elise is on the phone. She can do it. No, I'm not on the phone. I'm on the phone. Yeah, she's on the ipad. On the phone because the iPad was not cooperating. I wasn't getting on. I could see your faces and hear you. But I had no way of getting on. Star nine works if you're on a phone. Yeah. And then I heard that if you star six, that's another way to mute and unmute yourself. Does someone want to do that. I think that star six is raise your hand. I don't have a hand. I don't have a hand to raise here. You have to be on the phone. It doesn't work on a computer. I guess I'll have a look. If you, if you're on an iPad, you do get a hand to raise, but I don't have a picture here. Okay. There is none. Star six is mute. And you're on the phone. Star six is mute. When you're on the phone. Which one is raise your hand. I don't know. I've never. Star nine is star nine is for raising your hand. Okay. Star six is to mute or unmute yourself. But that does that work if you're on a landline or just on a mobile. I believe both. Okay. Yeah. But on the computer, it gets a little more complicated. It's. It's all A to mute and unmute. And all Y to raise your hand. Although on zoom, there is a tab button where it says raise your hand. You can go to it. The problem. I mean, if I had my. If I had my ear phone, I would be doing it that way. And I would be able to, you know, tab over and not bother everybody with the speech. And that would be, you know, if you're on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline or on a landline. Or on a landline or on a landline. And that's probably what I would do. But that's how blind people do it. They do it with an ear phone. And I didn't use it because I didn't think I was going to need to look anything up today. But. Thank you, Myra. Sarah. And do you want to experiment and impress. Alt. A. Let me see how would I get on iPad? No, there's a button alt. There's a button alt, which is next to your space bar to the left of your space bar, but I only see your picture. So No, do you have a keyboard. No, it's an iPad. Oh, I'm having Oh, so the iPad doesn't have a keyboard. No, It's not visible. On the Can I just add something Wait, Tori knows how to do it. Wait, Tori, what are you saying? There's a button that says more And it has three little dots above it. If you press that, it gives you the option to Oh, I see. Raise hand, webinar standing. Let me see. I'm raising my hand now. What happens? Oh, you raised your hand. Oh, you're there. Okay. So there is something. And then there is also like a music Okay, we only can have one person speak it one time. So sorry, I can't get a word in edgewise. Okay, never mind. Go ahead. I just I can't get a word in edgewise. I've been I'm trying to for five minutes. I don't have a hand here pictured on my iPad to raise. Sometimes I get it. Sometimes I don't. So what does that mean. So how did Sarah and do it again. I on the iPad. I go to the top right corner. All right. And then there is the first is mute. Then the second is stop video. The third is share content. Oh, fourth is participant and the fifth is that that that underneath it says more. Okay, when you press that more It says webinar settings minimize webinar. Yes, lower hand disconnect audio. So I'm going to So what do I push If you want to raise your hand. I guess you have to push that raise your hand thing. But what ways your hand. Oh, oh, I see. It's not a picture. It's a word. Okay. Yes, yes, yes, it's right. Oh, okay. I really totally misunderstood. Okay. Okay, so I have to go to that and do it that way. That's just a different way because there's no picture now. It's a word I have to do. Right. Right. Thank you. You see where it says me. Do you see where it says mute and unmute Elise. Yeah, no, I got that. I got that. Okay. Yeah, I got Maureen and Myra. I wonder if it makes sense for us to agree that everybody will be on muted so we can speak freely. And if we have like a phone coming in or there is noise happening in the background. We want to quiet it down, then we hit the mute button ourselves and I'm muted later on when the noise is done. So That sounds fine to me. As long as it works. I've been on So many people are unmuted that you can't hear anything because there's so much background noise, but that's not the case here. Everybody's unmuted now and it's fine. Right, because it's a small group, but I don't know what happens if in the case where Maureen says about zoom what Zoom rumors or bummers or something like that. That I don't know. Oh, that doesn't have anything to do with it. Yeah, because that that only has to do with if people can get into the meeting who aren't authorized And this is actually this meet these meetings are open to public. So anybody can No, she has to No, actually, Sarah is correct. So all board board meetings are open to the public. Yeah. And so if a board if someone from the public wants to speak Which it's we don't often have that here in our meetings, but it doesn't mean it won't happen. A member of the public can certainly attend and if there's an appropriate time. To get public input, they would have to raise your hand. And I know it's always at the bottom of the agenda, you know, public comments, anyone comments and I know these meetings have to be put on the Gazette or something announced because they're open meetings. Well, you're half right. So, so under so to back up on the agenda. If you've noticed that, yes, one of the items, one of the last items is called general Public comment period. And so under the Amherst town charter every board must have a time must have on their agenda item for to allow any member of the public to discuss Just to have an opportunity to discuss something. So here you would you would assume that it would be applicable to something that is related to disabilities. And so the chair would recognize that person and we would, depending on how many people were talking we on general give them about three minutes to talk. We see this tip more done at the town council meetings planning board meetings and occasionally the zoning board of appeal meetings, but all board meetings need to have offer this opportunity under the Charter. All so also about the meeting agendas for this specific committee. It is listed on the town calendar, which is located on the town website and it's also listed on the web on the DAAC web webpage on the town website. There are no public hearings that that this committee deals with. So legal ads do not need to be placed in the daily Hampshire Gazette, but other boards that do hold public hearings that is a requirement and there are a couple other requirements such as like the butters need to be notified by regular mail, but we don't we don't handle applications that require that. Because I know a couple of years ago, one of our meetings. I think they all look putting it on the internet or on the in the newspapers or something. So we we had the quorum, but we couldn't officially meet. So we couldn't make any decisions. So that I remember that reminds me that these are open and they have to be make public time and the place. So, yeah, exactly. Alright, so do we want to return back to the conversation about the grant. Yes, so I guess what I was just thinking is don't you have an October 9 deadline or something. Yes, so how are we going to make this decision. Well, you're you're not making decision you're providing recommendations. Okay, the town town will be making decision on what grant the town will be applying for. So I'm here to receive your input. I guess what I would, what I would want to say is that the most the thing that's most likely to get the money is what we should apply for because there are so many things we need that we could fund a different way if we could, you know what I mean, we should take whatever money we can get. So I don't know who it is who has a sense of what they're more likely to fund. But if we could find that out, then we could apply for that. Sure. It comes to my mind. I was looking at the draft and what the transition plan was focusing on. I saw lots of outdoor activity places like trails and places like that. I know there isn't enough of those for people with varying disabilities. So I wonder if some money could be obtained to either revitalize them or improve them or make it known or maybe they might not have. Like, I remember there was one trail near Puffers Pond and they had for people with he is seeing impairments like rope that they would follow up on things like that, which I thought was such a cool idea. And so maybe introduce things that are lacking access to some group of disabilities and they could pour the money into that or something like that. That's a really good comment, Saren. So there are some trails that are ADA compliant, but certainly others could also be made ADA compliant. And then first, so you're suggesting for a specific disability or in general, you said the Puffers Pond, there are elements that are geared for people with visual impairments. Is that correct? No, it's not Puffers Pond. It's a trail off on the other side of the street. That's right. Yeah. Okay. I know what you're talking about. I can't think of the name of that. I can't even, Robert? No. I know what you're talking about. Okay. Gear towards, But boy, I so much rather have a sidewalk than that. I mean, I was on Robert Frost the other day. It is not remotely accessible. It's nuts. There's routes all over the place. You can barely walk on that thing. If you're in a chair, you could never go on it. And walking is pretty treacherous. So, you know, but I mean, it's true that it would be nice if it wasn't, but Amity Street would be a whole lot better and accessible signals would be a whole lot better. Oh, yeah. I mean, I don't question that it all one little bit. I think the town has to do it. Whether we get any a penny from this grant or not, it is the town's responsibility. I think I look at it different. But the trails and things like that, they are recreation places and the town, it will be down at the bottom of their priority list. So that's why I thought, you know, that was how I was looking at it. But I think that should be a discussion that the town really has to prioritize sidewalks and the audible signals make it accessible to everyone, not only to disabled mothers pushing their baby strollers are in the same boat. You know, like those of us using the wheelchair, just like a little threshold is a big barrier for me. The same is true for a mother. Who's pushing the baby stroller. So, Okay, so what from what I'm hearing from sarin, your priority. At least for this grant is for sidewalks and audible signals in the downtown. Is that what I'm hearing. No, no, because I think that should be the priority of the town. The money, the public works money. Whether we get anything from this or not. But my priority is to address the places, the town, it won't be in the town's top to do list. So that's why the trails came to my mind for sure. I see that Elise is raising your hand. Do you have something. Yeah. The other thing about the audible traffic signals and crossing streets. I don't know if this has been brought up, but the walk signal is not nearly long enough for people to get across the street so for you know like elderly people or you know people with strollers and stuff like that. It's just another thing. Another thought. Okay. Right now I cannot raise my hand because I don't have my speech on because it would be disruptive to you if I did. So I guess what I'd like to say is that it would be good to know what according to what sarin said, is there any money that he intends to spend on sidewalks, because I have the very unfortunate sense that if there were money to spend on it, he might have done it. And it might have been a priority for other funding and it wasn't. I don't really know, but the state of neglect of sidewalks in this town is unbelievable. Yeah. And I think that I like your suggestion if there were another pot of money that we could use the grant for something that would be different and special. But we're just not remotely up to special in my book. We're up to embarrassing. I mean, that's really, that's what it is. And I don't know why he isn't embarrassed. Or who, Maureen, didn't they, the town have some kind of a capital planning budget. Yes. So the sidewalks and everything. I remember the sidewalk by Hastings was in the work or in the plans for ages. I heard that for at least the past, oh, five, six years at least. But I don't really see any action. So where is it how we can I believe what sort of flow down the work for redoing sidewalks is that DPW also needs to do work on the sewer lines. And so those two projects conflict and also are complementary to one another. And so I believe DPW needs to wait when they are able to do both jobs at the same time, because if they were to do the sidewalk and then a few years later do the sewer lines, they would have to rip up the sidewalks and do it all over again. And so there, so there is that sort of tension there of of trying to top projects so they don't conflict with one another. So I do know that there has been, that has been a big challenge for DPW specifically. Yeah, but sometimes, you know, to feel the cracks and things like that, you don't really need a huge project. It could be done temporarily, because I understand the sewage project and the roads and everything because they just did it where I live in Amherst Woods. They just connected all the streets with the sewage system and the roads were terrible, terrible, terrible. And then this past year they paved it and it's not right now perfect until another digging will happen, of course, you know, but, but those are really the permanent solutions. But in the meantime, in some places in the center of town, you cannot really hold it to wait for the big project to be completed because it's endangering human lives in a way. Sure, I hear you. No, I hear what you're saying. And there was one other case that I was almost falling up my wheelchair. I was coming to the town hall when I went to the town hall and I told the clerk. This was at least three years ago and this happened right in front of Bank of America, you know, that parking lot in that someplace in that lift. And I said, I can take somebody and show you. I was almost tripping out of my wheelchair. And I said, there is a very quick solution to that. Just put some little cement or something and fill that gap there. But it seems like sometimes I'm just making seems like I'm just a complainer and saying things and nothing, no action is taking place. So I hate to be in that situation. You know, they have that site that you can take pictures and send the pictures to the town, but I don't really see much action happening behind that either. I'm hearing a whole lot of frustration and about potential danger in town on sidewalks. And if they're not going to fix them without this grant, then they, we better apply for money to fix them with it. Because I hate to use the grant for that. I think Sarah and is right in theory about what we should be using special grant funds for, but you know, safety downtown. Yeah. You know, even the traffic lights situation, it used to work. It was never great, but it used to work. And I was wondering if they even turned them off because of COVID. But maybe he didn't. Maybe they just don't work and complain, you know, probably too much. Right. So the question is, you know, what's the story and what kind of leadership on these issues is he taking and I understand you're trying to protect his time. And that we should deal with you and the town manager, you'll deal with the town manager, but I mean, there's a lot of problems with DPW about safety for people with disabilities and people without, but we're a committee for people with That's right. Thank you. Thank you, Myra. The intention of the updating the self evaluation and transition plan is, is, and I said this at the last meeting, it will become a living document that will be part of the planning process for allocating money for capital projects and for grants in general. And so, since we, there are documented areas that need to be corrected for disabilities, that when when there are meetings, real discussions for capital projects, this, this will be part of the discussion and it can't be ignored and it will be incorporated for future projects. So I feel optimistic with that that this is going to, this is a good, this is a good step for the town to take for addressing issues that for addressing barriers throughout town. So Do you see if the piece of sidewalk that Elise mentioned is in the report. Certainly. So I will say that if it was the section that was on Amity Street would not be addressed because the consultants did just did a sample for sidewalks they did a sample study sidewalks from root nine to South Pleasant Street from the corner of South Pleasant Street and North Hampton Road a.k.a. root nine into Kohl's Kohl's Road or Kohl's Lane. I get them confused often where Brueger's Bagel is located. Kohl's Lane. Yeah. Yeah. And then they looked at the intersection at Amity and Main Street and then they looked at the sidewalks on Main Street down to Churchill Lane I believe which is where the police station located. So the intention was there that there are very specific barriers that were identified and specific recommendations. And so I think that looking at this the sample areas you can then they're applicable to any sidewalk and any right way of when it calls out that this you know the slope is too too high or too low or or the cross slope or there is no curb kite or you know any any any specific matter that's addressed it can be applicable to any sidewalk throughout town or or what have you. So so at the last meeting when Elise wasn't present the consultants took information from all of us about specific suggestions that we had but they would had they been you know I wonder if they could add this piece they didn't finish the report yet. I wonder if they could add the piece that Elise just suggested to it. So so nobody can say well that wasn't in the report. You know what I mean. They said they would add anything that we suggested into the appendices. Sure. I can certainly ask them if if there's time for them to add that in. Further down. Yeah. Where is it. And it's like going toward Dana Street. Sort of. It's it's further down. It's like pass the library. Okay. Yeah. It's my folks live on Dana Street. So it's I go toward that. And there's a lot of houses and there's just the sidewalks are are crazy. I don't know if they would go far enough. It's not really in town. So I don't know if they would consider that but I hope they do. Sure. Yeah. No absolutely. I mean each of you received the survey that I sent out back in May or June. Yeah. And so you know anyone that filled out that survey could could talk about any matters that they find are concerned in that survey, which will then be incorporated in the dependency and their summary. So this certainly could be applicable to add. So yeah, I'll ask them that they include this. Thanks. I wanted to speak to people that were at our meeting earlier this month said that they would accept emails. So if you have a suggestion, you could write in an email. Okay. Maybe, well, Maureen can send it in maybe I don't know, at least maybe you want to tell Maureen exactly where it is. But yeah, that would be good. So I don't know as far as the sidewalk. I mean, as far as this grant is concerned, you're going to talk to the town manager, and then you're going to decide what to apply for is that how the process. Yeah, so I'll be talking to various department heads and such as the building commissioner and the DBW super superintendent. And, and then also the town manager, the town manager will ultimately need to sign off on this grant application. So this, this grant application won't be decided in like sort of a silo where it's just, it's just me it has to be a, everyone needs to be on the same page that whatever project is selected as part of this application, you know, makes sense and is feasible and what have you. I just wanted to make one comment about the sidewalks. Well, so when we get tourists in the summer, the, the, the condition of the sidewalks is bad for them as well. So it's not just for those of us with disabilities, it's correct. You know, it's true. You don't want tourists leaving saying, God, why don't we fix the second box. Yeah. That's a very good point, Ruth. I remember I was in Brattleboro, maybe like two years ago. I was impressed by the sidewalks they had. It was just beautiful. Even the parking lots just around the center. Brattleboro. It's very steep sidewalks. So, right. They were so nicely made by brick and concrete or black top or something. It was, maybe it was just completed. And I said, what an amazing design they did with it. You know, I don't know where they found the money to do all of these things because it's a small town and it's not a very well off town, I think. But it was impressive from my view as a tourist that went there for recreation. We don't have that in our town, unfortunately. I mean, when if, do you know who is the representative or who might represent us toward the capital planning group? That's a great question. I don't know the answer. I'm going to write that down. I don't think that that has been discussed. So that end of the process has not been discussed yet of how this plan will become an active role in the capital budget planning and who would help advocate for me. Would it be, would it be from town council? These are really important questions. And I will be looking at a voice. Yeah, we need a strong voice because somehow the sidewalk pedestrian angle has not been heard. So whoever was responsible for it wasn't pushy enough. And so we need to know who is, who is our voice and who do we need to talk to? I mean, I don't know if the town manager would ever come to our meetings. I don't know. You know, you seem to think that DPW can't. So I, you know, I don't know who is responsible to get the message from us to them. But it's really an important, I think an important thing that we need to do as a committee. So the town manager said to me last week that if the committee wants a member, you know, staff people to attend a meeting in the future that the request needs to go to the town manager that the committee can't just ask Gilford to come to a meeting. Okay. And that Paul that requested needs to go to Paul specifically. I wonder why. Well, Clark came. Did he approve that? Yeah, I know. So I didn't mention that to Paul. But because it was a she we already already agreed to it. Just, you know, in consideration of, of, of time, you know, town staff is, is, is juggling several, several things with applying for grants and working on ongoing projects. So we need to make sure that we're making good use of, of staff time, and he might not be able to attend meetings. And so, and so Paul, Paul is, is department heads boss. And so, you know, it's, it's sort of, it's, it needs to go to him first and not just expect that we can order or request staff members to come to meetings. So maybe Myra what might be a good idea might be if we sent a request to Paul saying our issues with the sidewalks in the center of the town and in surrounding areas that are widely used and they are a risk to people with disabilities as well as either elderly or mothers using strollers and things like that. And the audio signals, and we need to discuss this we need to bring this to the town's attention. So could you please assign one of your members department heads so we can air our opinion or something and let's see what he says. I think that's Maureen's job right. Isn't that what you're. Yeah, and I think for right now. I don't think that there's a need for the DBW superintendent to come to a meeting in the near future. So we didn't plan documents, the areas that need to be fixed. And so now it's the town needs to find funding to correct those barriers. And so that's where the focus needs to be put. So, you know, Paul, Paul, Paul Coleman, his priority is to make downtown more usable and safe for all for all residents and visitors so it is a priority for him. The town is actively trying to find grants to pay for improvements. We were able to get the MOD last grant last year to make to redo sidewalk and to crosswalks. And there's other grants out there. So the town just applied for a grant through MassDOT. And I advocated that, that there were a part of the that grant that there were some ADA components part of it. And so there were some ADA components for it. This grant was actually to make it was in context of COVID-19 and for providing relief for restaurants to make their outdoor dining areas a little larger. So, and so I advocated that, that I advocated for some inter intersection improvements at the main and amity. And so I so what's included in this grant is truncated dome sheets that each curb ramp at at the main intersection. So it's about finding, it's about identifying the issues and then finding a grant that that we can slip these ADA improvements on of if the DPW or planning is funding for, you know, a grant that is going to maybe renovate a school or renovate parts of the town hall or renovate parking lots, looking at this transition plan and then saying, well, what can be incorporated to, to include ADA improvements and not just. So it's about looking at projects with multiple lenses of the grant could be facilitating different needs but then also identifying well, let's look at this with the lens of ADA. That's really required in the law. That's not a special deal. That's required in the law there as expenditure limits, under which you don't have to comply but if you go beyond them and they're not that high, you have to be an ADA compliant. They don't have a choice about that. I understand what you're saying but sometimes the person that's applying for the grant might not be aware that there are ADA barriers and so having this plan that was done by experts in the. They didn't do the schools you just mentioned the schools they didn't even touch the schools. So, I'm sorry, I was just using that as, as an example, which I guess was insensitive because it wasn't they did their own. They have done their own plan. Yeah. I'm not here to, you know, I'm here to serve you and and that's really here why I'm here. I'm not here to argue with you. No, I know I'm just saying that we, we're trying to figure out who are. I know the process now works. We don't have town meeting anymore. We have a town council that's still trying to find their way. And I don't know, you know, do they have a joint capital planning commission. Who makes the recommendations about where the money should get spent. I was on the. Yeah, I mean, I was on the joint capital planning committee for five or six years. When it started in the 90s and it was a wonderful group that worked out arrangements between us that we all understood what the whole gamut of needs were, and we worked together to come up with a plan and we then made those recommendations to town meeting. And I don't know who's responsible for doing that now. And I don't know who we should be putting some, you know, who we should be involving. Maybe it is Pat D'Angelo's who unfortunately isn't here. But if it is Pat D'Angelo's then we need to make sure that she understands the breadth and the depth of the concerns that we have so they can get where they need to go. To the elected officials who are actually going to make the decisions about where the money gets spent. Yeah, Paul doesn't make those decisions. The town council does. Yeah. So you make excellent points and I think so if we were to create a schedule, if you will, to, we're about to enter October, I think that we can't we can't accomplish every single item in one day. And so from the town's perspective, if you were to think about this as a schedule is October, you know, October staff will be reviewing the transition plan. November, and this is approximate. November, I would hope by November I'm able to share with you the transition plan for review. December. And maybe, and maybe that is part of our discussion. I think for the next meeting between now and the next meeting. I would like to start having a conversation about what are the next steps, how who will be. Who will have the seat at the table for these joint capital planning meetings. So, I definitely probably won't have the answer for you for the next meeting but this is, this is the process and so I guess between October and December we can figure that out. By we, I mean the town of Amherst. And so I provide you what I have found and and then I can will ask you as a group, what is your input to about that process. So, let's see here, I'm jotting this down so. I would hope that by November or December. If it takes that long I'm not exactly sure. So the process for capital budget review. Hopefully that that could be sort of solidified or outlined. Okay, does that sound reasonable. Yeah, so we know we know what the process is we know who the players are. We know how to advocate and to whom. I mean, I think that's really what we have to figure out. Okay. Okay, that sounds good. Let's see here so what else is on the agenda. That's right. Yeah, the meeting minutes. Did anyone have any comments or edits. No, there's a there's where it says confidentiality a couple of times in the August 18 it should say confidentially. Oh, thank you. There's one line that's there twice I don't know if you care but it's there twice. There's one line there. No, thank you. So if you notice that I provide those a couple of times I provided a little like background information. Yeah, I did that. Well, a for any resident that decides to read our minutes, but specifically for Pat, since she's new. Yeah, that was great. I like it. Yeah. Yeah, will be will be providing reports of this committee to the town council. And I think they'll be largely based off of the meeting minutes and then whatever notes she has from the mid from the meeting. And so I just wanted to make sure that she understood what, when we talk about auto mark machines that she knew No, I think it's great for public information too. I think I think the minutes are thorough. Thank you. Very good. Yeah. Thank you. All right, great. Well, I, oh, so I guess you need to officially. Well, you make a motion to approve both of those. And as amended, you want to have it as amended with the confidentiality or to confidentially. Yes, it's not substantive. And that's for both meeting minutes. I guess you could probably, you could do one motion for both meeting minutes. Somebody want to move we accept the minutes. And seconded first right. No, you have to move it first. Oh, I move that we accept the two minutes. Two of them. I forgot one was September 8. The other was August something with a small corrections. That's what I'll second that this is Tory. Okay. Thank you. We need a roll call. Yeah, thank you. You want to call the roll, Maureen? So, uh, uh, Saren, yes or no. Yes. Elise. Yes. Uh, truth. Yes. And Tory. Yes. And Myra. Yes. Great. Okay. I'm hoping that we'll have our new members at the next meeting. That would be really nice. Yeah, that would be really nice. And so speaking of which, when would the next meeting be so October 13, October 13. Okay. And so speak. So yeah, hopefully, uh, basically I won't know until Angela, uh, until I get an email from the town manager's office saying that it's official. You know the names. I don't know what we do, but we don't know if they've accepted the appointment yet. If they have, you know, so we can't really say, I don't think, can we? Correct. Um, okay. And, uh, There's two new people who are interested. Yes. Okay. So, um, maybe, uh, we weren't specific about this at the beginning of the meeting. So, uh, there were three applicants that expressed interest, uh, three residents and, uh, the town manager, uh, scheduled a interview with all three, uh, applicants. Myra, Paul, and the town manager, Jim, um, Myra. Jim Pistron. Him and then I, we interviewed all three candidates last week and, uh, we, uh, they all were great. Uh, two of them, we felt, uh, that their background and experience were particularly of, um, would be useful for this committee. So we recommended, uh, two of the three. Um, and so once, um, so we, uh, we recommended it to Paul and then Paul recommends it, recommended those two, um, persons to the town council. Um, so I'm not sure if they were appointed officially last week, last night, but I'll find out. He acted very quickly. Paul acted very quickly. Yeah. Yeah. And, um, since we only have a few moments left, um, we did, uh, for, I'm thinking about what to add to the agenda for the next meeting. Um, I guess I will certainly, uh, by then I will have the application submitted. So I'll let you know what happens with that. Okay. Thank you. So that'd be October 13th. Okay. I'm a degree grant. Um, I, if, uh, if you have any suggestions, which should be added to the agenda now, please speak up or, um, certainly send an email to Myra or myself so, uh, we can add it to the official meeting agenda. Maureen, um, you remember we discussed the, whether the committee should convert into council and every time I remember faintly that, uh, it was going to be checked whether you were going to check on it or some. Sure. So can we kind of review, put it on the agenda and you can update us whether it's a yes or no, or it could be done with this in mind, you know, maybe that might be something. Okay. That sounds good. And, um, I'm going to put up on the agenda. I don't know if I'll, how much information. If at all, I'll have, but, um, I will put on the agenda, the capital budget process. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, oh, and I want to hold on one second. I want to pull up an email. Hold on a second. Did everyone see my email about the disability summit hosted by. Yeah. What is that? Uh, so they have it every year. And, um, and let's see, I'm reading off the email. Let's see here. So this time will be virtually, obviously, it, uh, let's see here the 2020 disability summit focuses on reasonable accommodation within employment and socialization in a virtual world with a wide range of engaging speakers from state government, nonprofit agencies, healthcare and disability organization. The goal of this year's six annual summit is to highlight accommodations, self care, socialization and resources during the pandemic that can be applied to our personal and professional lives. So I signed up to go to it. The topics are not on the top of my list, but I signed up to go to it because there's always stuff to learn about things you don't know anything about. Yeah. Yeah. I signed up as well. So. Okay. Yeah. And, and, you know, it luckily it's virtual and you're not driving to Boston. So I would assume that, you know, if, if you can just attend for a little bit, that's fine. Or, you know, if you need to leave and then you can certainly come back. I think it isn't all day. Let me go back to my email. Yes, it is all day. You know, and so I actually have not been able to go in the past because it is in Boston and it's just kind of a big commitment for me since this assisting this committee is just a part of my overall job. So I'm always sort of juggling various items at the same time. So I'm kind of, I'm really grateful that it's going to be virtual. So it's less onerous. The truth stuff that has to do with people with disabilities. I think in many ways is better virtual. Because all of us have transportation issues, all of us do. And in the winter, you can't, you know, if you do have a car, you can drive where to park it safely so that you can get out of your car in the snow. And, you know, it's just virtual works really well for this kind of group that can't just pop in a car running from the garage, you know, and we can't do that. So I really like that. It's time savings, lots of time savings. It is and it's much safer depending on when. So maybe if you have to go to Boston from this end of the state, it's great because you know if it was here they would make it start at 11 in the morning because they can't leave early enough to get here. Maybe after the pandemic is over, we do, we could do advocacy to have this offered as well as an in person. We don't get coffee and donuts, but other than that, it's pretty good. Yeah, I agree. All right, well, if there isn't anything else. Maureen, I have a general question. Oh, sure. Somebody who's primary language is not English. And they want to look at our minutes. Yep. Is there access to interpreters, translators to translate them into the person's language. Does he have Google translate on the town website. That's a good question. That's a good question. Yeah, I mean, you know, there is Google translate and it's relatively decent. And I wonder if they could just have a link to it and how to use it. If you want to. Yeah, that's a really good question because it's for the whole website really. Yeah. Do you recall having this conversation with our communications director. About this. It there currently isn't a Google translate on the website, but they are discussing. That as a possibility. Yeah. If someone, if it got communicated to me that I needed the minutes translated, we do have a, someone that could translate it for us. On a case by case basis, but. But yeah, that is a great question. I'll loop back and ask what the, what the status is, whether the town is, you know, whether it's the city or not. And I think the city does offer a, like a. Translator. Program on the website. Right. Oh, I got an email. I'm on one of those town lists and there is a new health director. And a new HR director. I don't think they've started yet. I think. It's interesting because those are positions that have high visibility and they've both been just changed. So Julie Fetterman is leaving, I guess. He left, she retired. He retired, okay. Yeah, and the HR director moved on to a different position. So, yeah. The town clerk is on a leave, right? Yeah, on a medical leave. Okay. Yeah. Okay. All righty, Bob. Does anyone want to make a motion to adjourn? I move that we adjourn the meeting or I second it. Do a roll call. Uh, Sharon? Yes. Okay. Uh, Myra? Yes. Ruth? Yes. Elise? Yes. Lori? Yes. Great. Perfect. Thank you, Maureen. I know this might have been a little awkward. I don't mean to make you think that I was yelling at you at all. It's just very, very frustrating because things don't get better and they do get worse and it just seems like it seems like who's ever in charge of spending money on safety for pedestrians hasn't heard enough. I would say I don't know who they're supposed to hear it from but they haven't heard enough. So we need to start to talk to them. All they need is one lawsuit and they'll wish that they had spent the money. She's right. That's true. Thank you, Myra. All right, everyone. Have a great day.