GRANT-2025-7 : FY25 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Acceptance in the amount of $38,000 to address accessibility issues at Melrose High School and Horace Mann Elementary School

Transcript (~4 min @ 30:27)

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▶ 30:21 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. This motion passes. Thank you, mayor. And next, uh, we have ID number 12 24 1 FY 25 municipal, a DA improvement grant acceptance in the amount of 38,000, uh, dollars to address accessibility issues at Merose High School and Mann, uh, elementary school.

▶ 30:43 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, just a little bit of background on this grant because I think this is a success story around helping the city to move forward and it's identified, um, accessibility priorities. So as I think many of you know, and some of you are on the council, the Disability commission under, um, mayor Broders administration conducted an a DA self-assessment that went through all of our public buildings to identify needs in order to be a DA compliant. Um, these projects were in that assessment. Um, they were also, the handicapped doors in the high school were also the subject of a project done by a high school student, Omar Azizi, during his leaders in Civic Action Project. I think actually many of you toured that, um, in the spring. And so he was connected with the DPW director. He was the real impetus for this grant application. And then we had another high school student, Kate Chu, who volunteered her time to assist with the grant writing application. And then we also had the backing in support of our disability commission. So I was really thrilled to see that we were successful in funding. We had applied last year for different items and were not able to get funded. So I'm really thrilled to see the support of the Mass Disability Commission and the real collaborative effort, especially the student voices that went into making this happen. So we're really excited about this award. And there's no cash match.

▶ 31:56 Maya Jamaleddine: Yes. Thank you for sharing the story. It's really amazing to see the power that, uh, students and, um, our commission, uh, can make. Uh, any question from my colleagues? Um, councilor,

▶ 32:12 Manjula Karamcheti: Um, I just have one really quick question. In terms of the project scope. It's to remove barriers and improve access at MHS and the Horse Mill Elementary School, which includes accessible doors and signage. Is that all the doors?

▶ 32:28 Jen Grigoraitis: It's doors in the, I believe it's the gymnasium. It's a specific set of doors that have been identified as not being fully a DA compliant. And then it's Braille signage at Horace Mann.

▶ 32:38 Speaker 4: Thank you For clarifying.

▶ 32:42 Maya Jamaleddine: I appreciate it. Um, any other question? Cons? Gpe,

▶ 32:44 Mark Garipay: Uh, just kind of the same, um, timeframe of when the project will be completed and who will manage it. And will the building is, is the building inspector involved in this one?

▶ 32:55 Jen Grigoraitis: The building inspector will be involved when it needs to be inspected. Um, and it will be managed by Jay McNeil and they'll be working in consultation with the disability commission, particularly on the signage. And I believe we have, um, two years to complete the work, but I can double check.

▶ 33:11 Speaker 3: And, um, this is for the gym.

▶ 33:17 Mark Garipay: Um, forgive me, did we take care of the bathrooms, uh, uh, that were identified by the student? Uh, last year? The

▶ 33:23 Speaker 6: High school bathrooms? Yeah.

▶ 33:25 Mark Garipay: The doors on. Was that the, I'm trying to, trying to remember what,

▶ 33:30 Speaker 5: um, I think it was a hallway door.

▶ 33:31 Speaker 3: Maybe it was a, okay. Okay. I can't remember. I just wasn't sure if this was, this was part of that

▶ 33:35 Jen Grigoraitis: Or No, this'll be separate. Okay. Um, and what we applied for last year and didn't get funded was bathrooms, but at the senior center. Okay. Um, or we can get more information.

▶ 33:46 Maya Jamaleddine: Alright. Thank you. Awesome. Um, any other question?

▶ 33:50 Speaker 8: I'll make a Motion to recommend. Second.

▶ 33:52 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. We have a motion, uh, made by Councilor Chetty to recommend, uh, to the full council. Seconded by Councilor Romanul On discussion. Seeing none. Madame Clerk.

▶ 34:03 Speaker 2: Councilor Garipay? Yes. Council Stewart? Yes. Councilor Chetty? Yes. Council Reky? Yes. Councilor Vve? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Council, uh, president Melli? Yes. Councilor Jamine? Yes. Motion passes.

▶ 34:21 Maya Jamaleddine: Awesome. Thank you so much Appreci. Appreciate it Madam Mayor. Um, and next we have Id number 12 24 7 appointment of Tangi Uni as Meru City, uh, clerk for a three year term ending December, 2027.