Members of the special needs advisory committee will no longer be forced to park blocks away from city hall when attending their monthly meetings.
During its Jan. 13 regular meeting, city council voted to have a parking meter directly in front of city hall bagged on the evenings when the advisory committee meets, with the committee chair to contact the engineering department prior to the meeting to request that a parking meter be covered.
“People have to park two blocks away. It’s a little ironic that a council committee looking at special needs puts its members through that,” said Coun. Scott McMann while presenting the motion. He added that this should alleviate the issues that committee members or residents with special needs have experienced in the past.
According to the minutes from the committee’s December meeting, which were presented during the council meeting, another issue the group discussed was how regular transit provided support to people in wheelchairs.
In an email to the committee, chairman Mike Bachiu explained that he received a call from a resident who said a regular transit bus did not stop for her child who was in a wheelchair waiting at a bus stop. The mother spoke with Bachiu and wondered if that was a normal procedure when the bus was full and there was no room for a wheelchair.
Steven Loptson, manager of transportation services, told the committee that if there is no space, the bus driver should stop to let the individual know the vehicle is full. In this situation, the bus driver should have advised the individual that the transit department would be notified to see if alternate arrangements could be made.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 27.
