Public Communications serves as a communications link between the city of Columbia’s municipal government and the citizens. The Public Communications Office coordinates several programs that are designed to link citizens with their city government.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tony St. Romaine, Assistant City Manager and ADA Coordinator - (573) 874-7721 or Toni Messina, Director, Public Communications - (573) 874-7660

City invites comments, ideas from disability community

COLUMBIA, MO (August 19, 2010) - Do you have a disability? How easy is it to use city sidewalks, buildings or services? Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine wants to hear from you and work toward becoming a fully accessible city.

St. Romaine said that the city of Columbia is updating its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) self-survey and transition plan. “The plan will guide improvements and increase accessibility by removing physical barriers from the public right-of-way, like streets, curbs and sidewalks,” St. Romaine said. “The plan also will improve city policies, programs and procedures to the extent to which they create barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities.”

As the city’s ADA coordinator, St. Romaine invites comments from citizens and organizations familiar with accessibility concerns. “We’d like to gather all suggestions, comments and facts on specific deficiencies by Oct. 1, 2010,” St. Romaine said. “We have online surveys at www.GoColumbiaMo.com. I also welcome, e-mail messages, phone calls and letters. Just go on record.”

The ADA of 1990 provides comprehensive civil rights protection to persons with disabilities in several areas: employment; state and local government services; public accommodations; transportation; and telecommunications. Like other local governments, the city must identify hindrances encountered by persons with disabilities, complete a self-survey and prepare a transition plan.

The plan will provide a method for establishing priorities for improvements and consider factors such as the extent of deficiency, identified need, proximity to certain facilities, available budget, and a realistic schedule. Persons use the information below to reach St. Romaine.

• Tony St. Romaine, Assistant City Manager & ADA Coordinator, PO Box 6015, Columbia, MO 65205
• Tony@GoColumbiaMo.com
• 573-874-7214
• TTY/Relay MO 800-735-2966

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