WCOD Meeting Minutes - February 2023

MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 27, 2023 MEETING OF THE WESTPORT COMMISSION ON DISABILITY          

MEMBERS PARTICIPATING; BRIAN GALLAGHER; CHAIRMAN, RAY PHOENIX, RICK GRUNDY, SUE SHERMAN.

THE MEETING OPENED AT 4:05 PM.  THE LATE OPENING WAS DUE TO THE NEED FOR A QUORUM.

REMOTE PARTICIPATION: RAY PHOENIX PARTICIPATED BY TELEPHONE

THE MINUTES OF OUR LAST MEETING WERE APPROVED WITHOUT CHANGE

THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF THE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT INCLUDING THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT THE WCOD WAS INVOLVED IN AND THE AMOUNTS CONTRIBUTED FROM OUR FUNDS; $106.00 FILING FEE FOR THE ORDER OF CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE GEOGRID INSTALLATION ON BEACH AVENUE, 5,000.00 TO THE TOWN RECREATION DEPARTMENT, 5,000.00 TO THE RENOVATION OF THE HIX BRIDGE ROAD LANDING, 1,550.00 TO PURCHASE TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FROM A COMPANY CALLED FLAGHOUSE.  THAT EQUIPMENT WAS REQUESTED BY MS. THERESA PACHECO WHO IS THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS TEACHER AT THE WESTPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE DONATION TO THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS FOR PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST IN THE PARTICIPATION BY DISABLED RESIDENTS IN PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES OFFERED BY THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.  WE HOPE TO MAKE THIS A YEARLY DONATION DEPENDING ON THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR ACCOUNT.  THOSE FUNDS COME FROM FINES GENERATED WHEN PEOPLE ILLEGALLY PARK IN HANDICAPPED ONLY PARKING SPACES IN OUR TOWN. 

STATUS OF THE GEOGRID INSTALLATION ON BEACH AVENUE;  ACCORDING TO CHRIS GONSALVES, THE SUPERINTENDANT OF THE WESTPORT HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, THE GRIDS WILL BE INSTALLED EARLY IN THE SPRING.

CMS CONSIDERATION TO ALLOWING MEDICARE TO PAY FOR SEAT ELEVATION EQUIPMENT IN POWER WHEELCHAIRS;  THE WCOD SENT A LETTER TO CMS, AT AN ADDRESS IN MARYLAND, STATING OUR SUPPORT FOR THE MEASURE.  THOSE VIEWING OUR MEETING ON THE TOWN CABLE TV OUTLET WERE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT CMS AND ALSO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.  AN ADDRESS FOR CONTACTING CMS WILL BE PROVIDED.  THE INITIATIVE IS KNOWN AS CAG-00461N.

THE DISCUSSION OF THE QUARTERLY TEA HELD BY THE MOD, A GATHERING HELD TO DISCUSS DISABILITY RELATED ISSUES, WAS CARRIED TO OUR MARCH MEETING SINCE MARTIN COSTA, WHO VOLUNTEERED TO ATTEND THE TEA VIA ZOOM COULD NOT ATTEND OUR MEETING DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

SIDEWALKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT CALLED STONERIDGE, A PRIVATE COMMUNITY.  WE RESPONDED TO THE PLANNING BOARD AND STATED OUR POSITION RELATIVE TO THE NEED FOR A SIDEWALK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AN THE SIDEWALK SHOULD HAVE CURB CUTS SO THAT DISABLED PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH CURBS.  THE LACK OF CURBCUTS WILL FORCE DISABLED PEOPLE TO USE THE STREET TO GET FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE WHICH CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION. 

THOUGHTS/CONCERNS/SUGGESTIONS;  SUE SHERMAN ADVISED THAT IN MARCH SOUTHCOAST HEALTH IS OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH AND HAVE COFFEE WITH THE DIRECTOR TO DISCUSS ISSUES OR PROBLEMS.  SUE HOPES TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS DISABLED PATIENTS HAVE GETTING ONTO EXAMING CHAIRS/TABLES AND SCALES.  SOMETIMES A HOYER LIFT IS REQUIRED AND THE FACILITY DOES NOT HAVE THE LIFTS, 

JEFF BULL, OUR CONSULTANT ADVISED THAT THE PARKING AREA AT THE POINT HAS BEEN PAVED AND NOW THERE IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE TO PLACE THE TWO HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES.

JEFF ALSO SAID THE LANDING COMMISSION IS WORKING WITH AN EAGLE SCOUT WHO HAS PROPOSED, AS HIS SCOUT PROJECT, THE PLACEMENT OF A METAL HANDRAIL AT THE HIX BRIDGE LANDING WHICH WOULD HELP DISABLED WATERCRAFT USERS GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR WATERCRAFT.

NEXT MEETING; 3/27/23 AT 3:45 AT THE TOWN HALL ANNEC.

THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED.