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County could lose federal funds unless Commission adopts ADA policies
The Rogersville Review - 12/8/2017
ROGERSVILLE - When it meets on Monday, Dec. 18, the Hawkins Co. Commission will be asked to approve an Americans with Disabilities Act policy statement, a county ADA coordinator and procedures for addressing requests for ADA accommodations, complaints and grievances.
The proposed action comes less than a month after the commission voted down a General Purpose School Fund budget request during its November meeting to allow the county schools to transfer from their savings $437,000 to pay for construction of an elevator at Cherokee High School. Construction of the elevator, which is needed, school officials say, to bring the school into compliance with the ADA, is continuing.
Although the ADA has been federal law for decades, the County Commission apparently has not formally addressed its application previously in connection with local government programs and facilities. But state officials now are requiring local governments to take action concerning the ADA.
Why action needed
Resolution 2017-12-5, which is to be introduced by Commissioner Bob Palmer during the meeting, says the ADA was enacted by Congress on July 26, 1990, and "provides comprehensive civil rights protections to persons with disabilities in areas of employment, state and local government services and access to public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications."
The resolution further proposes that the county "complete a self-evaluation of all public program(s) and facilities and develop a transition plan to resolve non-compliance issues".
An ADA grievance procedure is included with the resolution.
ADA Coordinator appointment
A second resolution proposes that Emergency Management Agency Director Gary Murrell be the county's ADA Coordinator, and that he be responsible for coordinating efforts to comply with ADA, including investigations of complaints.
The county must come into conformance with the ADA and a number of subsequent, related, federal acts or risk state and federal grants and other funding being withheld, which could affect the airport, departments of transportation, county facilities and schools.
Murrell is qualified to be named ADA Coordinator, the resolution states.