North Adams Disability Commission Gets Funding, Grant Abilities
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday accepted two sections of state law that will allow the Commission on Disabilities to apply for grants and use handicapped-parking fees.
The adoptions were brought forward by City Councilor Ashley Shade in cooperation with Mayor Jennifer Macksey and the commission.
"The section 8J will allow the Disabilities Commission and the city to be eligible for grants and funding through the state to improve disability access and for projects that would affect people with disabilities in our community," said Shade. "The adoption of 20G would reserve funding from handicap parking fines to be directed to specifically be spent under the jurisdiction of the commission for people with disabilities. ...
"This is Disabilities Pride Month so it's very fitting that we take these measures this month and work to continue improving access."
The measures are MGL Title VII, Chapter 40, Sections 22G and 8J.
"We're very excited to support this," said the mayor. "We were quite surprised when we started digging in about what was accepted and what hasn't been formally accepted. I really just wanted to applaud the work of the Disability Commission, many of the members who are here tonight. They're an active group and are really working on the betterment of individuals with disabilities in our community."
Macksey said the adoption will allow for fines incurred for handicapped parking spaces to be set aside in a reserve account for use by the commission. The amounts are small — ranging from $900 to $1,500 annually the past three years — so should not have a huge impact on local receipts, she said.
The funds can be put toward programming or improvements throughout the community.
Elena Sprague, chair of the commission for the past three years, had urged acceptance of the measures during open forum, saying the state Disabilities Commission had asserted 22G was "essential for the sustainability of a municipal commission."
Adoption would not change how the commission is run as it is already following laws; but it will allow the commission to apply for major grants to aid persons with disabilities, she said.
"Overall, the commission requests your support and thanks Councilor Shade for putting it on the agenda this evening," Sprague concluded.
Both sections were adopted unanimously with little debate.
In other business, the council:
• Postponed final adoption of extending the B2 zone to the property at the corner of State Road and Rickard Street. Shade requested a delay until a contract on use could be agreed to between Centerville Sticks LLC (Tourists resort), which owns the property, and the abutters who have opposed the change.
Councilor Lisa Blackmer questioned how a private agreement would work in terms of changes in ownership or use under the city's zoning. City Solicitor Joel Bard, whom the mayor called, said a side agreement would be recorded in the Registry of Deeds for that property but it would not become part of the city's zoning ordinance. The council voted to postpone adoption to Aug. 13 with Councilor Peter Breen abstaining and Councilors Andrew Fitch and Peter Oleskiewicz opposed.
• Adopted ordinance changes that consolidate all fees and fines into one appendix and adopted the new appendix. The updated fees and fines are now implemented and will be found in the single document.
• Confirmed the appointment of Meredith Starr and reappointment of Richard Lavigne to serve as members of the Housing Authority Board, both for terms to expire July 22, 2029.
• Authorized the mayor to execute grant assurances for $14,320 from the state Department of Transportation's Airport Safety and Maintenance Program for blade attachments for the John Deere tractor and CAT loader at the airport; and $80,207.67 from the Federal Aviation Administration and MassDOT's Aeronautics Division for the Northeast Hangar project. These were approved by the Airport Commission and required by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Tags: handicapped accessibility,
