CITY TO SEEK RESIDENT FEEDBACK ON ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

The

Self-Evaluation Plan, required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),

includes both a physical inventory of the City's infrastructure and existing

policies, practices and procedures regarding accessibility, identifying

existing barriers. Completed by the non-profit Institute for Human Centered

Design (IHCD) Firm of Boston and delivered to the City on June 30, the plan is

now under internal review by each City department for additional feedback.

Equally

vital to the drafting of the Self-Evaluation is public input. To that end, the

draft report will be published on the City's website in early August for public

review and comment, leading up to a public meeting tentatively targeted for

mid-September. The City will accept questions and comments on the draft report

via e-mail or phone that will be answered prior to or at the public meeting.

Both internal and external feedback will be incorporated into the final report.

A Transition Plan, also required by the ADA, will be written

based on that self-evaluation and following the public comment period

will--even more importantly--detail the methodology for removing those

barriers.

"We all benefit and are all enriched when all Somerville

residents can take part in our community," said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

"This Self-Evaluation Plan tells us what we need to do to make sure that

happens. The Transition Plan, shaped by the community, will guide the City's

efforts to ensure equal access for all City places, spaces and programs. It

will serve as a living document, updated frequently, to reflect Somerville's

evolution and serve as the City's accessibility roadmap for the future. Public

feedback is critical to assisting the City in prioritizing the barriers and

issues identified in the plan that, if addressed, can make an immediate and

meaningful difference in residents' daily lives. I am committed to seeing this

plan accomplished in full and the City proactively maintaining accessibility

throughout our community."

"The singular goal of the ADA is to bring individuals with

disabilities out into the open, enabling them to lead full lives and

participate in every aspect of their community," said Betsy Allen, ADA Coordinator

for the City of Somerville. "Both the Self-Evaluation Plan and the Transition Plan

are tools to help them lead more integrated lives. That's why feedback from

them is so critical in this effort to make Somerville a model of inclusivity." 

Residents can also contribute in this effort by volunteering

to serve on the Somerville Commission for Persons with Disabilities, which

meets monthly and will work with the ADA Coordinator in knocking down barriers.

To learn more about the Commission, contact ADA Coordinator Betsy Allen at

617-625-6600 extension 2323 or by email at ballen@somervillema.gov.