01-14-19 Health and Public Safety

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND ' OFFICE OF THE CLERK also told by the department heads that, though there may have been more, they have all been resolved immediately at the department level. So, we have not had any problems with grievances. This plan, as I said in Title Six (VI), is required by any city in the United States receiving federal funds. It is the right thing and the proper thing to do. Therefore,this Plan requires federal approval which we received from the Department of Transportation in October 2018. A copy was sent at that time and it was approved. So, it meets federal requirements. No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. That list has been expanded by other federal laws over the last several years. That is the Act of 1964, so, between 1964 and 2018 other groups have been added. So, we are asking in the interest of the public good as well as for compliance for State and Federal Laws that you approve the Title Six (VI) Plan and the updates to the 2013 ADA Transition Plan. Committee Chair Broden opened the floor to questions from Committee and Council Members. Committeemember Karen White asked, When you look on the page that talked about intersection priorities and that progress has been made, do you have a certain percentage of intersections you want to target? I noticed the low priorities have increased from one hundred and six (106). Ms. DeRose replied, The lows are every place and everything else. The only ones we are really concerned about, as of now, are the high priority ones. We are attacking them level by level and as long as we are acting within the scope of our plan, we are fine. The idea is to eliminate the barriers within level one (1) first (1St), which is the governmental service areas. The second (2nd) area is the commercial and employment centers. We've not made as much but have made some progress there. That is another area we want to focus on. This is all quite expensive so every year we will be doing something, but it will not take place immediately. Committeemember White followed up, So after action by Council tonight, what would be the next steps? Ms. DeRose replied, The next step of the process, and it is sort of an interactive process, but the Public Works Director and I, and others,will get together and identify places. A lot of the times it is, again,by the prioritization. Other times it is members of the public bringing it to our attention. So, we need public input. We've had some and when we hear from the public, we try to respond. Committeemember John Voorde stated, I had a good experience with a request to make some curb and sidewalk improvements. My daughter is in a chair and she couldn't navigate the Corby/Ironwood/Rockne crossing without going out into the street. Before I knew it, it was done. Committee Chair Broden asked, The assessment that occurred at the departmental level in 2015, what is our responsibility in terms of revisiting that? Ms. DeRose replied, We try to do it every three(3) years but the problem with doing it now is we are in the process of the Venues, Parks &Arts Project. That is the area where they will hit a lot of this and the plan is, as soon as that's completed,we will send out another assessment. We do know that every work project is done to ADA standard so anything that has been done should have been done completely in accordance to ADA standards. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION I INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 4