Health, Education & Welfare Committee — 2024-02-26
Attendance
Cal Finocchiaro ; Ward Hamilton ; Manjula Karamcheti ; Leila Migliorelli ; Devin Romanul ; Kimberly Vandiver
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Public Comment
- Appointments/Reappointments
- APPT-2024-19 : Reappointment of Erin Heyneman, 54 Highview Avenue, to the Commission on Disability for a three-year term; said term to end on the last day of February 2027.
- 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.
- Adjournment
Minutes
CITY OF MELROSE HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE COMMITTEE CALENDAR● FEBRUARY 26, 2024 Council Chamber, First Floor, Melrose City Hall Committee Meeting 7:33 PM 562 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 The public should take notice that the Melrose City Council may, on certain occasions, have a quorum in attendance due to standing committees of the City Council consisting of both voting and non-voting members. Members attending this duly posted meeting are participating and deliberating only in conjunction with the business of the standing committee. Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Manjula Karamcheti Chair Present Cal Finocchiaro Vice Chair Present Ward Hamilton Present Devin Romanul Present Kimberly Vandiver Present Leila Migliorelli President, Ex Oficio Present
APPT-2024-19 Appointment Reappointment of Erin Heyneman, 54 Highview Avenue, to the Commission on Disability for a three-year term; said term to end on the last day of February 2027. Ought to Pass Board of Registrars of Voters
APPT-2024-20 Appointment 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. Ought to Pass City Council City of Melrose Page 1 3/5/2024 3:42 PM
Transcript
▶ 12:26 Manjula Karamcheti: This also provides notice of a quorum for the record in accordance with the open meeting law. This meeting is being recorded and broadcast on our local cable access channel, MMTV, as well as live streamed through mmt v.org. This meeting will be available for future viewing through the City of Melrose website meeting portal As well, we are moving on to the public comment portion of this meeting. This is the time where any member of the public may speak to any items on our agenda. The committee would not get engage in a back and forth dialogue at this time, but will listen to whatever any of our constituents have to share with us. A motion by unanimous consent to open public comment, seeing no objections.
▶ 13:11 Manjula Karamcheti: Uh, public comment is now open. Do we have anyone here to speak? Do we have anyone online? There are no attendees online. Okay. At this time I'll motion for unanimous consent to close public comment. Seeing no objections, public comment is now closed tonight on our agenda, we have two appointments. And given these are nominations from, uh, mayor Gita and her team, I ask that a motion by unanimous mis consent to suspend the rule of 37 B. Seeing no objections, the rules are suspended, so, oh, there you are. Like, I couldn't see you over some of the counselors. Sorry. You were slow rolling. So, um, our first appointment is appointment 2024 dash 19, the reappointment of Erin Henneman, 54 Highview Avenue
▶ 14:15 Jen Grigoraitis: to the Commission on Disability for a three year term. Said term to end on the last day of February, 2027. Mayor Gregor, I will hand you the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good evening. Committee members. Um, so this is a reappointment of Ms. Heinemann who has been serving on the commission and would wish to continue, um, which she has done with, um, a great deal of integrity, and we're really thrilled to have her continue if you so choose. Um, I know she provided a letter with some details about both her lived experience as somebody with a disability and her commitment to working on the, with the committee to expand, um, our knowledge and awareness of disability inclusion and make changes in the community.
▶ 14:55 Manjula Karamcheti: So I respectfully present her to you for reappointment And for counselors who are newer, generally speaking with Reappointments, we don't require the candidate to attend because their service has shown sort of their, their candidacy. Um, but at this time, if anyone has any questions for Mayor Gita, please feel free. Given no one has any questions, what is the will of the committee motion to recommend? Second, we have a motion to recommend from President me seconded by Councilor Frio, any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? All right. This motion carries and this motion, mayor Gita, as you know, we'll be moved to full council. Um, thank You very much. We appreciate that. Absolutely. And I, just as a point of privilege,
▶ 15:51 Manjula Karamcheti: 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. Thank you. I agree. Okay, 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, 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.
▶ 16:38 Jen Grigoraitis: 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. Anything you wanna say? Thank you. 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
▶ 17:28 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
▶ 18:38 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. 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.
▶ 19:47 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,
▶ 20:49 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
▶ 21:55 Manjula Karamcheti: 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. 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. Counselors, do you have any questions? I don't have any questions, but I do know one
▶ 22:51 of your daughters, uh, Becky went to high school with her, 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 Councilor Van Devin. 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? Well, um, I, 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
▶ 23:55 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. Thank you. Any other questions? 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
▶ 25:48 Manjula Karamcheti: 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, all in favor? 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. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank You. Um, at this time, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn. Second. Motion to adjourn made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Rio. Uh, all in favor, Aye. Aye. Any opposed?