Brookings Committee for People With Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
Brookings City Clerk's Department
Shari Thornes, City Clerk
311 Third Avenue/PO Box 270
Brookings, SD 57006
605-692-6281 Phone
605-692-6907 Fax
sthornes@cityofbrookings.org

Committee Chair
Dave Miller
605-692-7905 Phone
dave@millsproperty.com

Programs and Services Summary

ABLE Award
The A.B.L.E. Award (Ability, Belief, Leadership and Equality to Achieve Access For All) is an annual award program designed to recognize the outstanding commitment of a business or public entity in fulfilling the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Highlighting the efforts of an outstanding business or entity may motivate others to provide improved accessibility to goods and services.

Accessible Parking Brochure
A brochure summarizing accessible parking requirements was created and printed.  Distribution to area businesses and other facilities with parking lots and spaces will begin in 2009.

ADA Access Team  
Several members of the committee volunteer time to assist the City ADA Compliance Officer in the review of all city remodeling and new construction projects to include:

• Arts Festival
• Brookings Post Office
• City Hall Parking Lot
• Citywide Curb Ramp Plan
• Downtown Streetscape
• Election Polling Sites
• Frost Arena
• Improved Voting Booths
• Innovation Campus
• South Dakota Children's Museum
• Larson Ice Arena
• Performing Arts Center
• Review of County Polling Sites
• SDSU Wellness Center
• Swiftel Center

Advocacy
The committee responds to accessibility-related citizen needs on case response basis.  In 2008, the committee worked on solutions to citizen problems involving downtown parking and business access.

Barrier Awareness Days
Brookings area third graders learn about human differences during Barrier Awareness Days.  The purpose of the event is to sensitize third graders to the experience of people who live with physical, mental, or emotional differences.  The goal is to help children notice that it is the job of everyone to be respectful and helpful to people who live with differences, and that all citizens need to be alert to making life activities accessible to everyone.   Committee members work with Brookings High School FCCLA students to lead a variety of activities.

Board Development and Training
Board Development and Training provides board members with annual training opportunities through the use of local and regional individuals knowledgeable in accessibility issues.  To assist the Committee in doing the best job possible, members will attend local and regional training opportunities.    The Committee maintains membership in local and national disability-related organizations.   The Committee invites local, state and regional guest speakers to provide in-house training.  Local stakeholders will be identified and invited to all meetings.   All trainings will be open to the public.  A 2008 highlight was committee member Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks attendance at the National ADA Symposium in St. Louis.

Coordination with Local ADA Officials
The ADA Coordinators for other local government bodies are considered liaisons on the committee and are invited to all meetings.   Those include SDSU, Brookings County, Brookings City, and the Brookings School District. 

Durable Medical Equipment Drive
The committee conducted a durable medical equipment drive to commemorate and publicize the anniversary of the signing of the ADA.  A publicity campaign solicited donations from area residents.  Committee members picked up equipment at donor’s homes and donated collected items to Easter Seal’s Recycle for Life service.  This will be a recurring but not annual committee activity.

Emergency Response Disability Preparedness Project
The committee is planning to create a database of information on the disability status of Brookings 911 service area citizens.  This information will be integrated into the 911 emergency response system.  The project is still under development, with implementation scheduled for 2009.

Employment Booklet and Presentations
The committee researched, wrote, and published a booklet of information related to employment of people with disabilities.  The booklet is being distributed by committee members and providers of employment support services.  Committee members are making PowerPoint presentations based on the material in the booklet to meetings of area government, business, and civic organizations.  The booklet is available online on the city website.

Hospitality Accessibility Survey
The committee will conduct accessibility surveys of motels, restaurants, recreation facilities, and other visitor hospitality sites.  This information will be published in print and online as a service to people planning to visit or re-locate to Brookings.  A pilot project involving motels was carried out in 2008, with plans to continuously expand and update the project in the future.

October Awareness Month Activities
The Committee actively celebrates October as National Disability Employment Awareness month with numerous activities to promote employment opportunities and bring awareness to the needs and challenges faced by people who have disabilities.  Activities include hosting/organizing conferences, speakers/programs in the schools, public awareness events in collaboration with SDSU, press releases, public service announcements, feature articles, and radio show participation.

Public Education/Material Dissemination
To raise community awareness of disability-related issues, the Committee provides up-to-date information on technical assistance to help merchants and employers.   The information is provided by Committee member distribution to merchants, direct mail to appropriate parties, the city website and committee-organized workshops and presentations.  The technical assistance is intended as informal guidance only. 

Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act
The committee provides informal technical assistance to area organizations, private businesses, other governmental entities regarding implementation and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.   Committee technical assistance has been provided to:

• Private businesses in Brookings
• Brookings County – 1921 Building
• South Dakota State University
• Brookings School District
• Brookings Summer Arts Festival parking and traffic flow advice.
• Lake Campbell accessible fishing dock
• Crazy Days Accessible Parking
• Other Communities:   The cities of Watertown, Madison and Mitchell have expressed interested in creating a Committee.  Information on the Brookings Committee including bylaws, enabling resolution, and annual report has been provided to various city officials.   Committee members have traveled to Watertown, Madison, and Mitchell to discuss committee formation.