WCOD Meeting Minutes - August 2021
MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 23, 2021, MEETING OF THE WESTPORT COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
MEMBERS ATTENDING: BRIAN GALLAGHER, ANDERS NEWCOMER, MARTIN COSTA RICK GRUNDY
THE MEETING WAS OPENED
REMOTE PARTICIPATION: BRIAN GALLAGHER PARTICIPATED BY TELEPHONE.
THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 26, 2021, MEETING WERE APPROVED.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE TRAIL AT WESTPORT WOODS; ROSS MORAN OF THE LAND CONSERVATION TRUST ATTENDED THE MEETING AND SPOKE ABOUT THE PLAN THE TRUST HAS FOR CREATING ATRAIL AT WESTPORT WOODS ON ADAMSVILLE ROAD. THE ACCESSIBLE TRAIL, WHEN COMPLETED WILL PASS TROUGH THE FIELDS AND THE WOODS. IT WILL NOT BE PAVED BUT THOSE WHO CREATE IT WILL DIG DOWN 8 INCHES AND THEN FILL THE EXCAVATED AREA WITH STONES WHICH WILL THEN BE COMPACTED. THERE ARE PLANS TO USE THE TRAIL AS OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT NATURE. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT PLACING SIGNS IN BRAILLE SO THAT VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS CAN USE THE TRAIL.
WATER ACCESS; NORTH BEACH (ALSO KNOWN AS BABBY BEACH). THE NEW MOBILITY MATS ARE IN PLACE. THE NEW HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES HAVE BEEN CREATED. THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL SOON BE WORKING ON THE AREA. THE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TABLE WILL ARRIVE NEXT YEAR.
BEACH AVENUE: THE MOBILITY MATS WERE TAKEN UP BY THE LAND CONSERVATION TRUST DUE TO HURRICANE HENRI BUT WERE REINSTALLED AFTER THE STORM PASSED. THE MATS WILL BE REMOVED AT THE END OF THE SUMMER. THE PLAN TO INSTALL GEOGRIDS ID MOVING FORWARD. SEAN LEACH ADVISED THAT THE PLAN HE CREATED SHOULD GO TO THE STATE FOR CONSIDERATION WITHIN A WEEK. HE HOPES TO HAVE APPROVAL WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. PURCHASE OF THE MATS WILL FOLLOW AS THE EXPENDITURE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SELECT BOARD. INSTALLATION WILL BE NEXT YEAR, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE PLOVER SEASON.
OTHER POSSIBLE EXPENDITURES; MARTIN WILL FOLLOW UP WITH DANA, THE TOWN RECREATION DIRECTOR ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND SWINGS. RICK WILL FOLLOW UP ABOUT UPDATING THE WCOD WEBSITE. THOUGHT WILL BE GIVEN TO OTHER AREA WE CAN DONATE TO.
THOUGHTS/CONCERNS: THE SIDEWALKS AT WESTPORT POINT ARE BROKEN AND UNEVEN. OTHER SIDEWALKS IN TOWN NEED WORK. THE ADA WILL BE A HELPFUL TOOL IN INFLUENCING THE TOWN TO MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIRS.
THE NEXT MEETING IS 9/27/21 AT THE TOWN HALL ANNEX.
THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED.