DASH Board Meeting Notes

13 September 2005

Jefferson County Court House, Commissioners Chambers

Who was there

Julie Duke, Kaheya Cunningham, Pat Teal, Lesa Barnes, Karen Pierce, Annod Bickley, Leslie Bunton, Lynn Gressley, Kay Harper, Susan Kinne, Curtis Stacy.

RAISING MORE MONEY VIDEO PRESENTATION

The Board watched an on-line video presentation titled “Raising More Money”. This program presented a marketing plan on how to get long-term donors interested in your non-profit organization. This is 4-step plan where you first invite interested persons to an event that shows what your organization does. “This is called a point of entry.” You do not ask for money at this time, but only acquaint them with your organization. In the second step you make a follow-up call thanking them for their interest asking them if there is anyway they would like to be involved. If they are not interested in further contact you “bless and release them”, but ask if there is anyone they know who might be interested in your project. The third step is to ask for money and ask if they would also be interested in volunteering. The last step is to ask the people who have already been contacted for others who might be interested in supporting your program. More information on this program can be found by accessing <www.raisingmoremoney.com>.

Comments and ideas from the Board following the presentation:

The Board began to construct a list of people to invite to a Point of Entry: Disability For a Day Event participants; people who came to the Social Justice Theater Group presentation; friends and associates of the board; those for whom DASH installed the accessible door levers.
Host an event to see who is interested.
We could ask for volunteers to help with DASH as well as financial support.
Hold a community Forum
Invite David Sullivan to speak as an “emotional” speaker

Committee Reports

Education Committee

The committee has defined a set of important elements for making an education presentation. The first likely group to see the presentation will be the 4-H after school program in Quilcene. The committee is also considering designing a disability for a day event with the local schools.

Art s Enrichment Committee

On September 23, there will be Disability Access meeting at noon at the Fort Warden Commons. Annod and Joannie encouraged the Board to attend. Annod will provide Board members more information by email as it becomes available.

On Nov. 18th Centrum will be hosting a wheelchair-dancing event. More information to come.

The committee is working on designing a “have a heart” card to place on windshields of cars that park illegally in accessible parking spots. The card would remind people that their action prevented someone with a disability from using that parking spot; the card might also note that this parking violation carries a $250 fine. Lesa reminded the Board that if you see someone parked illegally in an accessible spot to note the license plate, time, date and location, and turn it into the police. The police will send a letter to the registered owner of the vehicle explaining the nature of the violation and the associated fine.

Annod announced that she has remedied the problem of illegal parking at the Farmers Market and found the Farmers Market Manager very helpful in resolving this problem.

Public Access

The committee requested a meeting with the city engineer Dave Peterson, project manager Tyler Johnson, plans examiner Jan Hopfenbeck, architect Richard Berg, and Aldrich’s store owner David Hamilton to discuss the committee’s concerns regarding access problems at Aldrich’s Market: the front door, the elevator, the stairs, the bathroom, the sidewalk. The committee is deeply disappointed that this lovely new building, at the heart of the Uptown neighborhood, suffers from such unnecessary problems. They wanted to meet with city staff in an effort to educate them (again) about accessibility. The committee feels that as a result of this meeting, the city staff is more aware of access issues. They can only trust that as a result of this meeting, future construction projects will not suffer from such a list of preventable access problems.

The city requested assistance from the Access Committee in evaluating the parking lot at Aldrich’s. The committee determined the current parking lot could be OK with a few modifications. The city agreed to have the “landing area” leveled off, and hand rails from the accessible parking spot to the elevator door will be installed. Additionally, the committee looked at the sidewalk at the entrance to the parking area. The committee agreed the slope was too severe. The city will have it fixed.

The city announced that it will add a van accessible parking spot on Taylor Street next to the Community Center. The city is also looking at placing another accessible parking spot across the street from Star Copy Center.

Dave Peterson told the committee that the city has applied for a grant for sidewalks to run from Victoria House to 19th and Sheridan. The city is also working on putting concrete around Haller Fountain and perhaps a loading zone.

Other Announcements

Monica McDaniel from the NW ADA Center will be hosting ADA Partners training in Port Townsend on March 22 and 23, 2006. The site for this event will be announced later.

Kaheya reports that the Governor’s Committee will be in Burien next month for a Disability Civil Rights Conference.

Curtis announced that Transit would be increasing its weekend service to Quilcene/Brinnon. Times will be coordinated with connecting buses to Sequim and Silverdale.

Jefferson Transit has received the Boards request for an accessible loading zone at the Haines St. Park and Ride. There is no time frame on when this will happen, but transit does intend to install the space.

Pat announced that on Oct. 5th there would be a health care issues forum put on by the group Democracy for America. The meeting will be held at the Chimacum Grange.

Karen announced the new city police chief Connor Daley will be attending the November board meeting rather than the October meeting. Karen asked the board to be thinking of questions and topics they would like addressed so Chief Daley can be prepared.

The Next Board meeting will be held

Oct. 11th

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

First Federal Savings and Loan

Guest Speaker

Thatcher Bailey

Centrum Director