01-08-2002 - Future of ADA CommitteeCity of West Covina
Memorandum
AGENDA
TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager
and City Council ITEM NO. C — 6b
FROM: Artie A. Fields, Assistant City Manager DATE January S, 2002
SUBJECT: FUTURE OF ADA COMMITTEE
SUMMARY: The City Council formed an ADA Committee to identify and evaluate City Hall
facilities' compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA
Committee has fulfilled this task and is seeking the City Council's direction to
continue with expanded responsibilities.
BACKGROUND:
Council Member Steve Herfert convened the ADA Committee during his term as Mayor. The
Committee was formed to evaluate the City's compliance with ADA regulations and provide
recommendations to improve access to City facilities to those with a disability. There are 15
members of the Committee, most of which have considerable knowledge regarding ADA.
DISCUSSION:
The ADA Committee researched the American with Disabilities Act and otherpertinent
regulations to determine the type of improvements that needed to be addressed and the necessary
steps in implementing changes. The ADA Committee developed a list of recommended projects
with associated costs, which was approved in the 2001-2002 CIP Budget. The City Council will
have an opportunity to award the bid for construction of these improvements on :1 tonight's
Consent Calendar.
The ADA Committee has fulfilled the original purpose of making recommendations to improve
access to City Hall for those with a disability. It is now necessary for the City Council to
determine if the ADA Committee should continue in an expanded and permanent capacity.
Currently, the ADA Committee has 15 members, of which ten are active. After the submission
of the recommended improvements, the attendance at the ADA Committee meetings dropped to
five or six members at any given time.
Title H of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against qualified
individuals with disabilities in all programs, activities and services of public entities. hi avoiding
discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, the City is responsible to make
reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures unless the City can show that the
criteria can be shown to be necessary for the provision of the service, program or activity being
offered.
The ADA Committee discussed the possibility of becoming a separate commission,"however,
they decided against it in an effort to save costs to the City. If the City Council establishes the
ADA Committee as a permanent committee or commission, this group will be responsible to
abide by the Brown Act and establish the appropriate posting of meetings and minutes taking.
CONCLUSION:
The ADA Committee recommends the following:
Provide recommendations on ADA compliance to other City owned facilities City staff
continues to identify and make improvements to all City owned facilities in order to
comply with the ADA;
2. Be responsible for developing a City ADA Compliance Plan for the City Council's
approval;
3. Review all Persol Department policies and practicer compliance - Committee
wants the ability to review any policy or practice within the Personnel Department (i.e.
job descriptions, class specifications and any reasonable accommodation issues); and
4. Review all Community Services programs for compliance - Committee wants the ability
to review all programs the Community Services Department offers.
While it is necessary for the City to be compliant with respect to personnel practices and
recreational programs provided by the City, the City currently has Personnel and Community
Service Commissions that have oversight on these issues.
City staff recognizes a need to develop an ADA Compliance Plan and the continued review of
other City owned facilities to meet the requirements of the ADA. Having the ADA Committee
develop and propose the ADA Compliance Plan will allow for the simultaneous review of the
Personnel Department practices and policies and Community Services programs within a
narrower scope of influence. This is where City staff and the ADA Committee differ. The
ADA Committee wants complete and unspecific access, whereas City staff wishes to identify
specific and relevant access for the ADA Compliance Plan.
Should it become necessary to address specific items with the Personnel or Community
Services Commission; the ADA Committee could hold a joint meeting to discuss any findings.
These meetings would be scheduled on a case -by -case basis.
ADA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATONS:
The ADA Committee recommends that the City Council allow the Committee to provide
recommendations on ADA compliance to other City owned facilities, be responsible for
developing a City ADA Compliance Plan for the City Council's approval, review all Personnel
Department policies and practices for compliance and review all Community Services
programs for compliance.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
For reasons set forth in the staff report, it is staff recommendation that the City Council allow
the ADA Committee to make recommendations for ADA compliance to other City facilities
and be responsible for developing an ADA Compliance Plan.
Prepared by:
6? t?l,
Chris Freeland
Administrative Analyst II
Review & Approved by:
Artie A. Fields
Assistant City Manager
it Francis
nterim Personnel Director
74w-;�al
"TKm Hatch
Community Services Director
IE
November 28, 2001
The Honorable Ben Wong
Mayor
City of West Covina
1444 West Garvey Avenue
West Covina, California 90012
Dear Mayor Wong:
At the December 4, 2001 City Council meeting, you and your colleagues will be
considering the award of bid for the recommended ADA improvements to City Hall. It
was a pleasure to work together with the community, ADA committee, City staff and the
City Council to develop a recommendation for the much needed improvements to i City
Hall. It is comforting to know that the City Council has continued to support the ADA
Committee and has been so proactive on our recommendations. The ADA Committee
looks forward to the passage of the bid and the ultimate completion of the project.
In addition, the City Council will be discussing the future role of the ADA Committee at
the December 41h meeting. The ADA Committee feels that our role is not complete.
There are other City owned facilities that need to be examined for compliance with the
ADA. The ADA Committee hopes that the City Council will allow us to continue
reviewing the other City facilities for compliance with the ADA, develop an ADA
Compliance Plan, review Personnel Department policies and Community Services
Department programming. It is our hope that the City Council will allow the ADA
Committee to continue reviewing the many facets of the ADA to make West Covina a
better place to live, work and play.
It has been an honor for me to serve as the Chairman of the ADA Committee and I look
forward to continuing my service with the City of West Covina.
Sincerely,
Robert Rodriguez
Chairman of the ADA Committee