N. Ind. city facing disabilities access deadline

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) -- The doorway in the elevator at the 97-year-old Elkhart City Hall is just 30 inches wide, too narrow to accommodate modern wheelchairs.

But Leslie Biek tells The Elkhart Truth it probably costs more than the city can afford to replace the elevator with a larger one. So city officials are working to find ways to make the building more accessible to those with disabilities.

It's a problem cities, towns and counties throughout the country are face ahead of a Dec. 31 deadline by the federal government to submit long-range plans for fixing inadequacies in their local buildings. The Elkhart City Council will review a priority list of proposed improvements later this month before submitting the plan to the federal government.

The city, which has faced financial constraints in recent years, did not set aside funds for such upgrades in the upcoming year. A rough estimate of how much it could cost to upgrade everything from sidewalks to buildings and parking lots is about $9.6 million.

For now, city officials are trying to solve the most pressing problems. They are working on a video conferencing system plan so that anyone who wants to take part in public meetings in the council chambers on the second floor will be able to do so from the lower level without using the elevator.

There also is a lift to get people to City Hall's lower level, but officials say it is unreliable. Biek said the city is looking into replacing the lift with a ramp and will soon seek to determine if it is feasible. City Clerk Sue Beadle said she was unsure if a ramp would work in the limited amount of space available.

City workers assessing public sidewalks and city properties used 33 types of forms to critique everything from doors and fountains to sinks and parking lots. The documentation exceeds 700 pages, said Matt Heineman, the Geographic Information System and records manager for the city responsible for assessing many of the city's buildings.
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Information from: The Elkhart Truth, http://www.etruth.com