Blind Shoreline leader says city hasn’t accommodated for his handicap

Published 12:00 pm Thursday, February 21, 2008

SHORELINE — A Shoreline City Council member who is legally blind claims that the city has not been accommodating for his disability.

Because of this, council member John Chang said he was unable to understand materials presented at Monday night’s city council meeting, in which the council was scheduled to take action on whether or not to permit Aegis to build senior housing on the south portion of land near Thornton Creek.

“I am legally blind and unable to see the materials. I have told the city manager that, and I have asked for materials to be given to me before the meetings. It is only fair for me. I ask the mayor to postpone this until next week,” Chang said.

City Manager Steve Burkett responded by saying that the city has been accommodating for Chang, and that material presented Monday night is already in the record and has been available in council office for review for several weeks.

“We have made every effort to accommodate Mr. Chang,” Burkett said. “Anyone could have copied the materials, and we have provided equipment for Mr. Chang.”

According to Joyce Nichols, community relations manager with the city, when Chang was elected, the city contacted the state Department of Services for the Blind, which helped the city purchase technology including computer screen enlargement technology software, scanning software and scanner.

Council member Rich Gustafson said, “I spent three to four hours in the council office, and all the books were there, and we were given instructions to review it.”

Mayor Scott Jepsen said, “A voice mail was sent to all of us two or three weeks ago to study the issue and go through the exhibits presented as well as the verbatim transcript.”

Council member Ron Hansen said, “those materials I wanted in detail I checked out or had copies made. There is no doubt in my mind the materials were available and three weeks ago we were advised to prepare.”

Chang responded, “Perhaps the materials are available, but it’s very confusing at best to put all that material into my head, it seems completely new to me now.”

The council voted to postpone the decision to a special meeting to be held Monday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Shoreline Conference Center.