Methuen Journal
Sept 1, 1993
When Sidney Harris lost 60 percent of the use of his legs after they were crushed between two motor vehicles in 1978, he said he discovered how much discrimination disabled people face, especially in Methuen.
As the Methuen Disability Commission’s chairperson, Mr. Harris tried to bring disability access issues to the forefront of town properties. For this, he had jokingly been called by many city officials as someone who has “nothing better to do with his life”
“Disability issues are a low priority in this town”. Mr. Harris said. “It’s more like a “no priority” attitude.”
However, Town Manager Donald DeSantis recently addressed several disability issues that Mr. Harris says have been overlooked in the past. Mr. DeSantis and other town officials met with Mr. Harris last week to discuss improvement plans. Mr Harris said, “The city deemed the Searles Buildings as being 100% accessible at the first city council meeting in the Great Hall and after I did my own accessibility evaluation days later I found that there were no accessible features present.”
Mr. Harris, 40, has fought hard for disability rights for more than 10 years and has seen many of his concerns go “into a deaf ear.”
Working with limited money from a general fund, the disability commission gives direction to community leaders concerning disability issues. Mr Harris said it took one year to get $528 to establish a disability fund. “We now have accessible parking fines go directly into the disability fund as the commission has control as to how that money is spent,” Mr. Harris said.
He said the money is currently used for city-wide accessible parking signs and other minor expenses.
Mr. Harris says “more discussion and commitment by the city to get the disabilities commission involved in the decision-making to remove architectural barriers and creating accessible features in the community.”
Parking Money
One of the commission’s most recent projects involves obtaining part of the town’s money received from handicap parking violations – car parking spaces marked for drivers with disabilities.
As of September 1, violation fees rose from $50-$100. Mr. Harris said the commission is seeking 25% of the $100.
As one improvement, Mr. Desantis would like to add the disability commission to the town’s budget, allowing it to submit a budget each year, like the historical commission does, for example. “It will give some control over the town budget in town funds, “Mr. DeSantis.
Although Mr. Harris is pleased to have support from town officials, he believes someone should be appointed in town to oversee disability access issues. He said when the town moved town hall offices into the Searles building this year, the town promised that the building would be accessible for the handicapped. Mr. Harris said the building is partly accessible. “Methuen has a history of promising that certain things will get done, “he said. “This administration is no different than any administration. They pass the buck.
“Town manager Donald DeSantis said there has been a “slow process “in completing the Searles buildings handicap accessibility.
“We’re taking every step we can to make the buildings as accessible as possible, “Mr. DeSanta said. “We do the very best we can with the resources we have.”
Howe Street problems
Mr. Harris said Howe Street, where sidewalks were recently installed “has several “imperfections” that do not represent accessibility requirements established by state accessibility standards. “He said curb cuts and ramps are too steep, side slopes are too steep and are not formed correctly, and a telephone pole and a tree block the part of a sidewalk. A recent site evaluation by Mr. Harris, City Officials as well as a number of Access Monitors from The Massachusetts Office on Disabilities accompanied My Harris and city officials during this on-site evaluation. Over 101 ADA Violations were identified.
He said he wrote a letter to town engineer Frank Russo and Town Manager Donald DeSantis in 1990 regarding the Howe Street sidewalk construction project. He said both told him it would be “taken care of before the bond would be released to the contractor.”
Mr. DeSantis said town officials are meeting to discuss curb and ramp changes on Howe Street. However, the bond was eventually released to the contractor with no improvements to the walkways and the city will now pay the price if this ever goes to the state to address non-compliance complaints.
Mr. Harris said “Information is not being filtered down to the proper people. These changes should have been made in the first place. “Mr. Harris said many times officials often use the word “accommodate” when providing handicapped access. He said many have referred to the installation of ramps or parking signs as “favors.” to me.
There are a number of people that are not taking it seriously, “Mr. Harris said. “I’m not asking them to go above and beyond anything they have to do.”
After meeting with Town officials, Mr. Harris said he received promises, once again to begin improvements, he said town officials are devising a priority list of accessibility issues that weren’t addressed in past years. “It’s a great step forward, it’s a direction I definitely want the town to take but I will move forward cautiously. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” Mr. Harris said.
Sid Harris