By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
LANDIS ó There are some things Landis resident Nadine Cherry wants the Board of Aldermen to do, she told the board at its Monday meeting.
Cherry claims the town is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Cherry says the board has not met ADA standards and demanded the board meet with a representative from the Cabarrus Accessibility Action Committee, which is under the Disability Rights & Resources group in Charlotte.
She asked board members why they wouldn’t meet with Julia Sain, an advocate with the program.
Mayor Dennis Brown said he would not meet with Sain because the town’s facilities are compliant.
“The (board room) has been inspected by the Rowan County inspector’s office. It has passed as ADA compliant,” Brown said Tuesday morning.
Brown said he doesn’t want an advocate to come in and talk about problems the town does not have.
“I don’t have any intention of meeting with her,” he said.
Brown said one issue Cherry brought to the board’s attention he hopes to remedy in the future. Cherry asked about getting microphones for the town staff when they speak at board meetings. Cherry said the staff cannot be heard.
Brown said the budget won’t allow additional microphones, but he hopes the town can buy them later.
“In time, that will get done,” he said.
Town Administrator Reed Linn said Tuesday the staff has received a self-evaluation and transition plan from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development.
The evaluation lists things the town should do to make it easier for those with disabilities.
Linn said the town has done many of the things on the evaluation and is in the process of doing others.
The town is repairing sidewalks so they are wheelchair accessible. Other work includes ramps and handicapped signs on buildings.
The doors are also handicapped accessible.
“It’s (the evaluation) open and lets the town establish its own timeline. It can be modified,” Linn said.
For instance, if the town can’t fit certain construction projects into its budget, they can be done when money becomes available.
Linn said there is a schedule the town staff would like to follow.
The board also:
– Recognized Benny Hiers and Mark Wright, two Landis residents who helped pull Landis Officer Roger Hosey out of his burning car. Hosey was on his way to assist another officer when he wrecked his patrol car March 19 and was knocked unconscious.
– Adopted a resolution opposing Senate Bill 1004 and House Bill 1252, called the Level Playing Field bills.
The bills do not provide a level playing field to cities and towns but hinder local governments from providing needed communications services, especially advanced high-speed broadband, town officials said.
According to the resolution, the bills will prohibit North Carolina cities and towns from using federal grant funds to deploy or operate locally owned or operated broadband systems. This denies residents access to billions of dollars of federal assistance and hinders employment opportunities, opponents argue.
Alderman James Furr said when he first was elected to the board, he wanted the town to be able to expand into broadband communications.
“I very much wanted to see this,” he said.
Furr said the town’s revenue has been tied up with other things, but it is still a goal he wants to see come to fruition.
– Heard from the Rev. Beverly Coppley, who requested assistance from the town for repairs to an alley behind the 100 block of South Central Avenue.
The 410-foot space is in desperate need of repairs. Pot holes in the alley have become a hazard. There are 15 parcels, with eight owners. Coppley has gotten participation from four owners who’ve agreed to help pay for the cost of the paving. She said two have said they will not help pay and two are still checking.
Aldermen Tony Hilton and Craig Sloop said the bid of $12,400 that Coppley received would only be a “skim job” and in a couple of years the problem would return. They said it would cost more to do a good job.
The board said it would discuss what should be done at a later time.
The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in council chambers to discuss the budget.