Amherst News-Times, 2002-03-27

              Fire ordinance needs more bite — Page 12   St. Joe's picks top teacher — Page 8
Amherst News-Time
WIDNISDAY, MARCH 27, 2002
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City
fails
ADA
test
by AMY PERSINQER
News-Times reporter
Amherst is not in compliance
with the Americans with Disabilities
Act and is at risk for lawsuits if the
city doesn't address some of the violations, according to a report presented by councilmember David
Williams.
Mayor John Higgins said at the
March 18 council ordinance committee meeting that the city has been
very conscientious about complying
with the 1990 law, spending neatly
$1 million to make public property
accessible to people covered under
the ADA. He agreed, though, that
there continues to be work to do.
Williams was on a task force
chattered by congress that he said
identified issues and suggested solutions that became a part of the
Americans with Disabilities Act
In his report, Williams said that a
cursory examination of the facts
leads to the conclusion that Amherst
is not in compliance with the ADA
and that is in legal jeopardy should a
complaint be filed with the Department of Justice, which is responsible for ensuring compliance with the
ADA.
He also told council that one of
the requirements of the ADA is for
municipal governments to have
completed a self-evaluation by July
26, 1992. If Amherst ever completed a self-evaluation, there is no
record of it, or of it having been reviewed in ensuing yean.
The law also requires that governments notify the public of their
rights and the city's obligations
under the act. The city is also required to have a 'responsible employee'' serve as its ADA coordinator. The coordinator would be responsible for the self-evaluation,
recording complaints and making
recommendations to the administration and legislative body, according
to Williams.
When the ADA became law, it required cities to be in full compliance
by January 26, 199S. Amherst is
clearly not in ful) compliance.
Some obvious violations, according to Williams, include marginal
accessibility into city hall and
sidewalks on city controlled property which do not meet Americans
with Disabilities Act accessibility
guidelines. There are no signs indicating accessible entrances of public
buildings. He also said there is no
central listing for telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD.)
Williams recommended to coun-
cil an ordinance that would establish
an ADA compliance and oversight
board for the city. The proposed ordinance calls for the board to have a
president appointed by Ihe president
of council who would be responsible for conducting the meetings of
the board. A vice chairman, appointed by the mayor, would act in
the chairman's place in case of his
CONTINUED on page •
The Easter bunny is coming to
town, thanks to the efforts of the
Steele High School Leo Club and
the Amherst Lions Club, who will
cosponsor the annual community
Easter egg hunt
The egg hunt will be held Saturday, March 30 at Maude Neiding
Park.
Lions Club president Dave Rice
said members of the two service are
busy preparing for the event.
"Leo Club members have more
than 150 pounds of candy to stuff
into nearly 10,000 plastic eggs,"
Rice said.
A few hours before the hunt begins, Leos and Lions will be scattering the filled eggs over three designated hunt areas in the park: for infants to three years old, four to six
year olds, and seven to 10 year olds.
There will also be specially-
marked prize eggs hidden, which
can be redeemed for gifts following
the Easter egg hunt-
Children should bring their own
baskets or containers in which to
gather eggs.
The Easter bunny will again be
on hand to greet youngsters.
Leo Club president Mary Fisher
said the Easter bunny is photogenic
and offers parents with their own
cameras picture opportunities. Or,
for a donation, the Leo Club will
take a Polaroid snapshot of kids
with the Easter bunny.
The hunt sums promptly at 11
Captain Dennis Soger, Chief J_f_ta-QMpn and Lt. Joe Kucirek.
Patrolman Troy Donaldson and Bilaii BiacateUi pose at the swear
<* city hall on Friday.
Cop added; veterans promoted
 __ ri_	
by AMY PERSINQER
News-Times reporter
Police chief Lonnie Dillon has
made some changes in die city's police department that he hopes will
make his department more efficient
The department's new captain,
Dennis Seger, said the chief wants
the department to be more in keeping with modem police department
policies.
The department has been without
a captain since captain Barbara
Cowger-Vilagi retired last fall.
Early last month Seger took the captain's lest; Joe Kucirek, who was a
sergeant, took the lieutenant's test
and Brian Brancatelli took the
sergeant's test
All three men were promoted Friday in a ceremony at City Hall. A
new patrolman, Troy Donaldson,
was sworn in as well. He will begin
his field officer training
immediately.
One of the dispatchers, Theresa
Antonopoulos, was promoted to the
position of dispatcher/computer operator. She will continue with the responsibilities she took over when
the former captain retired, including
payroll and scheduling.
She said she worked with the captain on those tilings before Cowger-
Vilagi retired. She will also maintain the files for the police network,
process invoices and install software
upgrades.
CONTINUED on page 12
Injuries, Sept. 11 take
a toll on police roster
Even with the addition of
new patrolman Troy Donaldson during a swearing-in ceremony held last week, the
Amherst Police Department is
seriously understaffed.
Captain Dennis Seger said
that one officer has left the
department, and several are
injured.
Seger said that patrolman
Gary Fernandez left the department last month for the
Federal Bureau of Investigations amid the bureau's post
Sept 11 hiring blitz.
School resource officer
John Balog said that Sgt Dan
Makruski was called to active
duty by the Ohio National
Guard after the attacks on the
Pentagon and the World
Trade Center in September.
Balog was injured playing
a pick up game of basketball
CONTINUED on page 12
a.m., rain c only a
few minute; lunten
to sweep tht _    _ -erSOO
people are expected, so parents
should arrive in plenty of time.
Parking is limited at Maude Neiding Park, so parents may have to
park on a neighboring street and
walk to the park.
In addition, the Lions Club will
be collecting used eye glasses,
which are then recycled and distributed to people in Third World
countries.
Parents
to help
with bus
routing
by KATHLEEN WILLBOND
News-Times editor
With the addition of school buildings and space to alleviate overcrowding in the local schools will
come other problems related to reor-
ganization and, in particular,
transportation.
School officials are asking parents what they think is the best solution to a transportation crunch that
will develop once a new junior high
school opens.
The next step in alleviating overcrowding will be a realignment of
the elementary school buildings
when the present Nord Junior High
School becomes an elementary
school.
According to a letter sent to all
parents of students in the school district from superintendent Robert W.
Boynton on March 14, the elemental schools wiU increase from three
to four in August, 2003.
As a result, the fifth and sixth
grades will move from Shupe to
Nord, the kindergarten and first
grades will move from Powers
Elementary School to the Shupe
school building and the third grade
will move from Harris to Powers.
The fourth grade classes will remain at Harris, and the second grade
classes will remain at Powers.
In his letter, Boynton notes that
"having more buildings to service
requires changes in school
transportation.''
Remaining on the current time
schedule, he reported, while maintaining the one-mile transportation
limit would require the purchase of
six additional buses and the employment of six additional drivers.
Boynton figures the cost to dm
district for the buses would be about
$312,000. The additional driven
and fuel would increaae transportation costs an additional $120,000
per year.
"Because of our commitment lo
the taxpayers to not request additional operating funds until 2005 or
later, we have rejected this option,"
Boynton wrote.
As a result, the schools are considering three options:
• Remain on the current schedule,
maintain the one-mile transportation
limit and eliminate high achooi busing. Stale law requires busing for
children in grades kindergarten
through eight only.
• Remain oo the current schedule,
i busing to aU buildings, snd
who live two
miles or more from their school
State law requires transportation of
children who live two miles or mare
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limit, move from three bus rans to
four bus runs, and change the school
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