MARCH 2010 PROCLAIMED DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH
At the Northampton City Council Meeting on March 4th, 2010, Mayor Higgins read into the record a Proclamation declaring March 2010 Northampton Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
The Proclamation was accepted by Northampton Disability Committee Member Ms. Victoria Regish and her son. Mayor Higgins thanked Ms. Regish for her advocacy as she presented the Proclamation.
To see the entire text of the Proclamation, select the link to the Proclamation in the border on the left side of this page.
The Committee on Disabilites (COD), created by City ordinance, is composed of 9 voting members and up to 5 members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. The City's ADA (American with Disabilities Act) Coordinator is the staff assistant to the COD. The Coordinator may be reached at the Northampton Senior Center.
The Committee on Disabilites meets once a month to investigate the needs of people with disabilities in our community and to advocate for their full integration into the life of the city.
Current voting members of the committee are:
Barbara Black
Hannah Coyle
Daniel Langer
Susan McCreary
Michael Morton
Michael Nagy
Claudia M. O'Brien
Victoria Regish
Cynthia Schubach
Current associate members of the committee are:
Tori Eklund
Gaetane Fortin
Pamela Zingler Grant
James Nash
Letitia Ward
City Councilor Liaison:
Marianne LaBarge
ADA Coordinator:
Patricia Shaughnessy
Staff Contact:
Patricia Shaughnessy, ADA Coordinator
Northampton Senior Center
67 Conz Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-587-1228
413 587-1225 (TTY)
413-587-1233 (fax)
email: nhdisabilities@northamptonma.gov
The Committee is responsible for studying the needs of people with disabilities in the community and advocating for their integration in all phases of community life. The COD strives to increase public awareness of issues of accessibility and assists public and private agencies in complying with applicable federal and state regulations. The COD promotes respect for the rights and quality of life of individuals with disabilities.
The COD administers matching grants to City businesses who are improving accessibility, and prepared an ADA guide for Northampton.
Meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Senior Center. Meetings are open to the public. THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES WILL BE ON MARCH 16, 2010 AT 4:00 PM.
Please contact the ADA Coordinator for information on local resources like: transportation, housing, Independent Living Center, special programs and services, legal assistant, parking and special permits.