Handicapped advocate says Wayne is dragging feet

County is working on handicapped accessibility

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA - Barbara Houghtaling, a disabled Honesdale resident confined to a motor-powered wheelchair, said that the Wayne County government is not meeting its obligations to make the shared-ride program available to handicapped people.

She also accused the county of reacting slowly to other public accommodation measures that would provide handicapped access to government buildings, like the county courthouse.

Houghtaling was recently appointed to sit on the Pennsylvania Council for Independent Living by Governor Ed Rendell. The group meets four times a year to assist in the state’s efforts to support disabled people.

Shared Ride is coordinated by the Wayne County Area Agency on Aging and makes transportation available to handicapped people who need rides to a doctor or to their place of employment.

“The county is in the lower third of all the other counties in the state in getting Shared Ride started,” she said.

“We will have the Shared Ride up and running in March,” said Wayne County Commissioner Tony Herzog. “These things take time.”

“I’m very happy to hear that,” Houghtaling said. She appeared at the commissioner’s meeting on January 29.

In an interview after the meeting, she said that the county was dragging its feet in conforming to the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) that directs municipalities to improve public accommodations for disabled persons to public buildings, like the courthouse. “Things like replacing doors to the county buildings that are too heavy for a disabled person to open, installing a railing along a ramp, widening doorways so a wheelchair can pass through, are not unreasonably expensive,” she said. “I agree that redesigning restrooms is rather expensive and can be deferred. I think, however, that having at least one handicapped restroom in a building is not an unreasonable request.”

Houghtaling said that she must have the help of an aide if she wants to enter county buildings. She pays for the aide who helps her in other areas of her life.

“After Mrs. Houghtaling’s appearance last year, the commissioners ordered a study of the county buildings by Wayne Early, building inspector for the Borough of Honesdale, who gave us several recommendations on March of 2007 that we are now pursuing,” said Vicky Lambert, clerk of the county commissioners. “We are going to open bids on February 21 and begin the work of accommodation.”

Early said that, under the building code and the ADA law, the county was under no obligation to do such alterations and that the county’s actions to do so were voluntary.

“Title III of the ADA law says that alterations must be made if the costs are not excessively expensive and when a municipality’s budget is adequate,” Houghtaling said. “I think the country is in rather good shape financially and should make the accommodations. I disagree with Mr. Early’s opinion.”