American with Disabilities Act Committee (Sunset Date 2/3/2025)

Agenda City and Borough of Juneau ADA Committee Matt McGuan, Chair Thursday, February 15, 2018, 12:30pm ‐ 1:30pm Downtown Library I. Call to Order/Roll Call/Quorum Determination II. Agenda Changes III. Public Participation of Non‐Agenda Items IV. Approval of Minutes  January 18, 2018 – ADA Committee Draft Minutes V. New Business  Open Discussion with Guest Mila Cosgrove, Deputy City Manager  Discuss Draft Taxi Letter to be Sent to Assembly  David Barton, Training Specialist at Northwest ADA Center – Visiting Juneau March 20 and 21  Board Openings: The Committee Currently Has One Vacancy VI. Unfinished Business  Update on the Downtown Fire Station Bus Stop Bench  Discuss Possible Guest Speakers for Future Meetings (State ADA Coordinator, etc.) VII. Staff Report VIII. Adjournment Next Meeting Thursday, March 15, 2018 Downtown Library ADA Resources http://www.access‐board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm February 10, 2018 Dear City and Borough of Juneau Assembly, We, the members of the American’s with Disabilities (ADA) committee for the City and Borough of Juneau, respectfully request your attention to an important and complex issue. We believe the availability of 24:7, on-demand ADA (ramp or lift equipped) taxis here in the capital city to be both a moral responsibility and the right thing to do for residents and visitors alike. Accessible taxis are an important component of a disability and elder friendly community and capital city. Accessible taxis fill an important niche in the transportation array and are a compliment to Capital Transit and Care-a-Van services. ADA taxis provide service beyond transit and para-transit boundaries and hours of operations as well as providing immediate transport in situations where 24-hour para-transit notice is not possible. And on holidays and on snow-routes, ADA taxis are the only transportation option for some of our friends and neighbors. More than a decade ago, Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) wrote a grant for CBJ’s first accessible taxi. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation grant requires a 20% match. That first year the CBJ Assembly voted unanimously to provide that match. In subsequent years, the Juneau delegation provided capital funds to meet the match requirement and more recently, SAIL has required the participating taxi company, Juneau Taxi and Tours, to provide the required match. In January 2018, despite having three ADA taxis of various vintage, no ADA taxis were on the road and available for service for more than two week period due to vehicle wear and tear, needed repairs, and an inconsistent replacement cycle. All three vehicles have high mileage. A better solution, resulting in reliable 24:7 availability, is required. We request your support toward this end. A regular, annual, vehicle replacement strategy is needed. State funding is not viable over the long term. We challenge you to help find solutions. Perhaps some number of ADA taxis should be purchased by CBJ? Perhaps head tax funds be used? In some communities across the nation, airport and dock service is limited to taxi companies who provide 24:7 ADA service. Last year the City of Ketchikan, who has a medallion system for taxi service, implemented in ordinance an incentive program for 24:7 ADA service which provides free permits for 24:7 ADA service and two permits for non-ADA taxis. Although CBJ does not currently have a medallion system, this may be worth consideration as a mechanism to similarly provide incentive for providing 24:7 ADA on-demand service. We respectfully request you direct the CBJ legal department and the City Manager to explore possible avenues and make a recommendation, be it by stick or carrot, resulting in 24:7 ADA on-demand taxi service on the Juneau road system. Sincerely, Matt McGuan, Chair CBJ ADA Committee