WCOD Meeting Minutes - June 2021
MINUTES OF THE JUNE 28, 2021 MEETING OF THE WESTPORT COMMISSION ON DISABILITY
Participants: Brian Gallagher, chairman, Martin Costa, Rick Grundy, Susan Sherman. Martin Costa ran the meeting.
The meeting was opened at 4:05 p.m.
Remote participation: Brian Gallagher
The minutes of the May 24, 2021 meeting were approved.
WATER ACCESS UPDATE: Once our commission gets approval from the Select Board for the purchase of the mobility mats to be placed at “Baby Beach” Martin will drive to New Jersey to purchase the mats and return them to Westport. The beach Committee has promised to place a wheelchair accessible picnic table at the location. The road department has promised to install the mobility mats. We will try to prevail upon the road department to create two handicapped parking spots at that end of the parking lot.
Beach Avenue GeoGrids are another expenditure to be before the Select Board. Martin Costa has been in contact with a representative of Standartpark-USA about the grids. Martin was told that we can purchase 400 square feet of the grids for $1206.00 with free shipping which will fall within the amount requested from the Select Board.
OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROJECTS IN TOWN: We sent a letter to the Select Board outlining the projects we wish to contribute to. The requests will be on the agenda for the July 19, 2021 meeting of the Select Board. We requested money for the mobility mats, the GeoGrids, the Hixbridge Landing, and new seats for the two playgrounds in town. Sue Sherman knows of a company in R.I. that might sell the seats. She will give the name to Dana Stewart, the Westport recreation director. Sue also raised the possibility of getting a lift to get handicapped individuals into watercraft at the Hixbridge landing.
TRAIL AT WESTPORT WOODS; Ross Moran of the Land Conservation Trust has offered to speak to the WCOD at our July meeting. Brian Gallagher will contact Ross to see if he wants to address the WCOD in July or August.
COVID 19 UPDATE: Massachusetts has relaxed its requirements, but our commission encourages all at risk residents to continue to wear masks when encountering people in public places such as supermarkets.
NEXT MEETING: July 26, 2021.
MEETING ADJOURNED.