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PARADE Magazine
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2007
EDITORIALS | OPINION | HOME | ARCHIVES | COLUMNISTS

EDITORIAL

City should use rulebook to avoid suit

Decatur City Hall apparently is out of compliance with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And there is hand wringing about what to do, so City Hall does nothing, which sounds like the city may be headed for litigation over the allegations.

Government officials must love to litigate because too many of them don’t read rules and regulations and too many of them ignore the law.

In a litigation-waiting-to-happen, the city isn’t necessarily buying that it is out of compliance as Rayburn Rogers alleged in a discrimination complaint filed against the city 10 months ago.

That’s where lawyer Lonnie Williams became involved with the city’s lawyer Herman Marks Jr.

Mr. Williams gave the city some information about the lack of compliance and suggested the city hire an expert to help achieve compliance.

He said City Hall lacks the required parking spaces for people with physical disabilities. He said the counters at City Hall are too high. He said City Hall lacks enough bathrooms for disabled citizens. The city needs more curb cuts for wheelchair access, too.

There may be more violations, so we have a suggestion for City Hall to avoid a lawsuit and the taxpayer expense of hiring an expert:

1. Get the rulebook and read the disabilities act.

2. Have city employees check those things that might be out of compliance.

3. Fix the problems.

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