On Monday, Mayor Butch Berry thanked Laura Jo Smole, who spoke at the April 24 council meeting, for identifying compliance issues with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Berry said the city has been grappling with this for years, and mentioned that one point Smole made was the city is supposed to have a person designated to hear grievances related to accommodation problems. Berry said Assistant to the Mayor Kim Stryker is that person.
The mayor also stated the city will develop a procedure with help from the Municipal League. Out of that, the city will produce a self-evaluation report that Berry will provide for council’s review. He also mentioned he has identified a couple of options for more accommodating settings for city government meetings.
He stated the city has made some progress over the years with handicapped accommodations such as designating more parking places and posting maps which show where accessible bathrooms are.
“We’re doing what we can, and we’ll continue to make strides,” Berry said. “We’re trying to make Eureka Springs more available and enjoyable.”
Alderman Peg Adamson mentioned she has problems with the sidewalks downtown, and said it would make for a more enjoyable experience for visitors if the sidewalks were easier to walk on. She also asked if the county, owner of the property, should be responsible for making the courthouse ADA compliant.
Berry said the county is responsible, but the ADA makes exceptions for historic buildings, though the county has explored procuring a grant to install an elevator in the building.
Alderman Mickey Schneider suggested asking large businesses, such as hotels, to volunteer to allow persons with wheelchairs to have access to their facilities. Weaver answered those businesses could do so on their own right now, but they would be taking on liabilities and extra responsibilities and get nothing in return.
Berry said as more progress is made, he might suggest a workshop.