Minutes

Council for Persons with Disabilities

March 20, 2008

Present: Lorna Hilborn, chair

Lois Harte-Maxwell

Lorrie Coooper

David Jackson

Lisa DeFlorio

Janet Ali

Vali Ali

Len Collins

Laurie Wuis

Jack Doris

John Morris

Terry Wilson

John Macdonald

Fran Flanagan, recorder

Regrets: Lynn Zeppieri

1.0Lorna Hilborn called the meeting to order.

2.0 It was moved by Janet Ali and seconded by Laurie Wuis that the agenda be approved with the following additions:

4.1 Name CAAC or CPD to be discussed at April meeting

4.2 Policies and Procedures and constitution and bylaws

6.1 Elevator at Evinrude Centre.

Motion carried.

3.0It was moved by Len Collins and seconded by Lisa DeFlorio that the minutes of February 21, 2008 be approved with the clarification to the wording of item 4.5 that it is the audio system at City Hall. Motion carried.

4.0 Business Arising from the Minutes

4.1 CAAC or CPD – Name Change to be discussed at the April Meeting

It was suggested that John Hart, city solicitor be invited to the April meeting when this discussion takes place. CPD was incorporated on September 14, 2000. Lisa DeFlorio will invite John Hart to the April meeting for input on the discussion.

4.2 Policies and procedures and constitution and bylaws

The committee working on the policies and procedures and terms of reference (Janet Ali, Vali Ali, Fran Flanagan and Lorna Hilborn) met earlier this week. There were also changes to the constitution and bylaws that were suggested at that meeting. These were given to Lois Hart-Maxwell. Any changes recommended to the constitution and bylaws should be sent to Lois Harte-Maxwell before April 7. The changes will be sent to members in early May for discussion at the May meeting.

Fran Flanagan will retype the policies, procedures and terms of reference with a title page, page numbers and an index. These will be sent to members before the April meeting.

5.0Committee Reports

5.1Recreation Committee

Lorrie Cooper reported the wheel chair basketball team has participated in a tournament. They have t-shirts as well as shirts for playing basketball. The team is the Peterborough Pacers and the team colors are maroon and white.

5.2Transportation

Janet Ali reported the committee will be meeting the first of April. Jim Kimble has received a letter from the Human Rights Commission about Peterborough having an electronic call out system for all bus stops. There are 560 bus stops and the buses do not always stop at every stop.

5.3Access Awareness

Laurie Wuis reported the committee is finalizing plans for Access Awareness Week. Mayor Paul Ayotte, Jeff Leal, MPP, and County Warden Ron Gerow have confirmed attendance. There will be sight, mobility and hearing workshops as well as Time in My Shoes for the schools.

5.4Buildings

Lois Harte-Maxwell reported for David Jackson. The committee met with Karen August, Development Director, Market Hall , who provided an overview on the progress. An elevator will serve three levels. There will be four fixed wheelchair spaces. Washrooms will have 18 inches high toilets. Parking will be at Peterborough Square and they intend to have a passenger drop-off entrance.

A letter of response has been received from Tom Holden, PRHC, concerning the height of the toilet seats. Janet Ali has spoken to an OT at the hospital. As the toilets are wall hung there is a weight maximum of 400 pounds.

5.5Children

No report in Lynn Zeppieri’s absence.

5.6Employment

Vali Ali reported the committee has not met since our last meeting due to weather. They are starting to work on plans for the 2008 seminar. They are negotiating with CAAC’s in our area about joining together to do awareness training.

5.7Public Relations

Terry Wilson reported the committee has met and discussed the purpose and mission of the committee. They also discussed projects for the committee:

  • A compiling of a CPD orientation binder that would include the constitution and bylaws; policies and procedures and terms of reference as well as pertinent legislation and a history of CPD
  • Distribution of this binder to each member of CPD
  • The creation of an “internal” newsletter to be distributed to all members of CPD and all members of standing committees

6.0Discussion Items

6.1Elevator at Evinrude Centre

When the Evinrude Centre was built a lift was installed, not an elevator. This lift requires anyone needing to use it, to seek out an attendant who has a key to open the door. Three years ago, City Council approved $250,000.00 for an elevator at the Evinrude Centre. The company that put in the lift, said an elevator could go where the lift is. This was checked with another company, who agreed the elevator could go where the lift is.

The city put out a call for tenders but no one bid on it and the reason given was that the design would not work.

In the city budget, the $250,000.00 allotted for the elevator has been changed to $125,000.00 with the other $125.000.00 going to the renovation to the grand stand at the Exhibition Grounds. Jack Doris is asking City Council that the $125,000.00 be put back in the elevator fund and that $125,000.00 be taken from the reserve fund for the grand stand renovations.

It was moved by John Morris and seconded by Janet Ali that CPD write a letter to City Council supporting their pending decision to install an elevator at the Evinrude Centre in 2008. Motion carried.

This elevator should be designed for independent accessibility and have Braille signage.

7.0Access Coordinator’s Report

Lisa Deflorio emailed copies of her report to all committee members. She circulated invitations to the workshop by the Canadian Hearing Society “Communication, Hearing Loss and Meetings” to be held May 13, 2008, to all members. Chairs of committees were given invitations for their members.

Members of Council will be going to Cobourg, April 3, 2008 to hear an address by Lieutenant Governor David C. Onley. Members are to meet at City Hall that day at 9:15 to be ready to leave by 9:30.

8.0Treasurer’s Report

8.1Balance Statement

Len Collins emailed copies of his report to all members. The bank balance at the end of February was $432.44. There was $44.412.72 in the PUSH reserve fund.

Len Collins moved the acceptance of his report; Laurie Wuis seconded the motion. Motion carried.

8.2Budget Updates

Len Collins included the budget updates for each of the standing committees with his report which was sent to all members.

8.3Finance Committee

The finance committee will meet when the audit has been completed. The books are ready for the audit. Len and Lisa will meet with the finance department at City Hall as the budget monies for 2008 have not been received.

9.0Correspondence

9.1Correspondence sent

No items

9.2Correspondence received

Information from Peterborough Regional Health Centre on the workshop “The Multiple Challenges of Analgesics, Addiction, Anxiety and Aphasia” to be held April 30.

Information from Canadian Paraplegic Association on the seminar “Bone Health and Spinal Cord Injury” to be held April 1, 2008

9.3Letters of support to be discussed

No items

10.0Other Committee Reports

10.1Independent Living Resource Centre

No report

10.2Holnbeck Award

The committee will be meeting April 1 and will be meeting with the selection committee for the first time. An information package has been put together for members of the selection committee.

11.0Information Sharing

Vali Ali will be attending a meeting about planning the activities for Ashburnham Day. He will bring information back to Council.

12.0New Business

No items

Date of Next Meeting: Thursday, April 17, 2008

Please not there will be a discussion of the name CPD or CAAC at that meeting. A decision will be made so that a motion can be made at the May meeting to be brought forward to the AGM in June.

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