APPT-2024-20 : Appointment of Gary Hale, 61 Pearl Street, to the Commission on Disability for a three-year term; said term to end on the last day of February 2027.

Transcript (~10 min @ 15:57)

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▶ 15:48 Manjula Karamcheti: Absolutely. And I, just as a point of privilege, wanna say I've really appreciated this. Uh, the service of Ms. Henneman on the disabilities has provided a lot of consultation, um, and various issues, and just really appreciate that dedication and service to the city.

▶ 16:04 Speaker 7: Thank you. I agree. Okay,

▶ 16:06 Manjula Karamcheti: moving on to our next appointment. Appointment 2024 dash 20, the appointment of Gary Hale, 61 Pearl Street to the Commission on Disability for a three year term. Said term to end on the last day of February, 2027. We are still under suspension of the rules. So, mayor Gita,

▶ 16:26 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you very much. Um, I am honored to have Mr. Hale here tonight, and I'm grateful for his willingness to serve on the commission. I know you all have in your packet. And it's also available for folks watching from home online. Um, his statement, he's in over, he and his family have lived in Melrose for over 40 years. Um, and he also brings lived experience as a person who is legally blind and has, um, also put students through the Melrose Public Schools and is really dedicated to our community. Um, and I'm just really honored that you're willing to serve in this capacity. So I will allow him to speak for him himself, but just really am grateful for your willingness to serve. And thank you all for the consideration.

▶ 17:03 Speaker 7: Anything you wanna say? Thank you.

▶ 17:09 Speaker 2: Good evening all. Uh, as the mayor said, um, my family and I moved to, uh, Melrose about 40, almost 42 years ago now. And we moved here because of this school system and the fact that we had a community school two blocks away from our house, very nice. And the public transportation system access in this city, which was very important to me. So our daughters, uh, grew up in the Melrose School system. They participated in a lot of community activities like girl scouting and, uh, youth sports, high school sports, um, high school band. And they are now, um, successful, uh, business women and with families. They, uh, moved on, um, about, around about 25 years ago from Melrose. Um, my wife and I are still here, and we have no plans to leave, um, all the, for many, many very good Melrose reasons. So, uh, I say that because one of the reasons I would appreciate I would like to be on the board is to have an opportunity to pay back all the, what we have received from the city. Uh, I am, uh, I am legally blind. I have no vision in my left eye and, um, limited vision in my right eye. And I'm very grateful for the vision that I have. It certainly makes a difference, but, uh, in my life, I have had, uh, many obstacles and restrictions and limitations due to my limited vision.

▶ 19:14 Speaker 2: Uh, my, uh, education, uh, uh, I spent, uh, I went to school at a school for the blind through 10th grade. Uh, graduated from public high school at, got a, uh, degree in psychology from Tufts and Boston University, a degree in master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, and some additional postgraduate, uh, training in psychiatric rehabilitation. Um, I know that's in the me, uh, resume, but I, it's, the importance of that education was to give me a perspective, a much broader perspective on disability, many disabilities beyond my own. Um, I spent my 40 years career working with people with disabilities, with the Mass Rehab Commission, which, uh, is a state agency that provides vocational rehabilitation services and independent living services for people with disabilities. Uh, I started as a counselor, uh, with a caseload of about a hundred, um, students and adults with various disabilities. Moved on to, uh, supervisory and management positions at the local, regional, and state level. And during that time, I was able to, um, I had, um, a lot of work with service providers, uh, statewide. Um, I also, uh, was involved in a lot of, uh, inter-agency collaboration with, uh, all human service agencies and, uh, the department of Elementary and secondary education, as well as higher ed. When I was, uh, in our central office, I had the responsibility for developing, uh, client service policy based on the Rehabilitation Act and also for a number of state programs. Also, in that position, I was responsible for statewide planning, uh, program development, program implementation. And we were also responsible in my department to run several statewide grams. So, uh, now I'm retired, uh, uh, in the last 40 years, I've also spent, uh, a lot of, uh, time with the Northeast Independent Living Program in Lawrence. And, uh, mostly in the capacity of a, a bo, a member of the board and a stint as president of the board. Um, independent living centers provide information, referral, peer advocacy, peer support, uh, independent living skills, training and transition services for people, for students and adults with disabilities.

▶ 22:24 Manjula Karamcheti: Mr. Hale, thank you so much for sharing with us, like your background and your experience and the incredible work that you've done, um, in your personal and professional life. I'd love to take a moment if it's okay with you, to open this up to our counselors to see if they have any specific questions for you.

▶ 22:46 Speaker 6: Counselors, do you have any questions?

▶ 22:49 Speaker 4: I don't have any questions, but I do know one

▶ 22:52 Speaker 5: of your daughters, uh, Becky went to high school with her,

▶ 22:53 Cal Finocchiaro: and I do remember you back then, um, working, um, bilities and just being so great with her and just remember you from back then. So I just wanted to say hi. Um, and thank you

▶ 23:11 Speaker 6: Councilor Van Devin.

▶ 23:12 Kimberly Vandiver: Um, I really appreciate your, your extensive experience, and I think it's going to bring a lot to, um, to this role. Uh, I, my question was, is there any one topic or issue that, that you most want to address in the next couple of years?

▶ 23:30 Speaker 2: Well, um, I,

▶ 23:34 Speaker 2: I think that, uh, There's a lot of work that needs to be done. Um, A lot of really, uh, basic work that I know the, uh, commission is already, uh, beginning to deal with, uh, around, uh, helping the community become more aware and more informed about disability, uh, to understand, um, accommodations for groups of people with disabilities as, as well as, uh, and an understanding that some of those accommodations need to be individualized. Uh, and, um, opportunity to create opportunity for, uh, people with disabilities to participate in meetings, in groups, um, events, activities and employment in the community. So, uh, I guess, uh, what I'm interested in doing at this point is, is understanding where we're at with all that, and how, uh, the commission can, um, delve into that even more. Uh, I know it's on their agenda and, uh, I'm very eager to participate in that.

▶ 24:55 Speaker 6: Thank you. Any other questions?

▶ 24:58 Speaker 4: I'd like to make a motion to recommend,

▶ 25:00 Manjula Karamcheti: We have a motion to recommend from Councillor Rio on seconded by Councillor Hamilton. Um, anything on discussion? Um, I'm gonna just take another point of privilege for a moment. Just, Mr. Hale, there's something that you wrote in your, your letter of interest that I wanted to highlight, um, you wrote, but also I want to add the, to the efforts of the commission to be a resource on disability for the city. Its community organizations and the businesses in our city. Um, and I truly believe that the commission on DI disability is such an asset and a resource that, you know, a variety of individuals and organizations can consult with to make sure that we are creating an inclusive environment. And I just really appreciate you stepping up with your vast experience to be a part of that and to share your knowledge and wisdom with our community. So, thank you. Thank you. Um, with that, uh, we can, oh, hold on. Let me say it in the proper way. Um,

▶ 26:08 Speaker 6: all in favor?

▶ 26:13 Manjula Karamcheti: Aye. Any of opposed? This motion carries. Thank you so much, Mr. Hale. We will move this motion to our full counsel. Um, you do not need to appear at that time, but of course, you are always welcome to come to any meeting that you are interested in being a part of.