NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday accepted two sections of state law that will allow the Commission on Disabilities to apply for grants and use handicapped-parking fees. 

 

The adoptions were brought forward by City Councilor Ashley Shade in cooperation with Mayor Jennifer Macksey and the commission. 

 

"The section 8J will allow the Disabilities Commission and the city to be eligible for grants and funding through the state to improve disability access and for projects that would affect people with disabilities in our community," said Shade. "The adoption of 20G would reserve funding from handicap parking fines to be directed to specifically be spent under the jurisdiction of the commission for people with disabilities. ...

 

"This is Disabilities Pride Month so it's very fitting that we take these measures this month and work to continue improving access."

 

The measures are MGL Title VII, Chapter 40, Sections 22G and 8J. 

 

"We're very excited to support this," said the mayor. "We were quite surprised when we started digging in about what was accepted and what hasn't been formally accepted. I really just wanted to applaud the work of the Disability Commission, many of the members who are here tonight. They're an active group and are really working on the betterment of individuals with disabilities in our community."

 

Macksey said the adoption will allow for fines incurred for handicapped parking spaces to be set aside in a reserve account for use by the commission. The amounts are small — ranging from $900 to $1,500 annually the past three years — so should not have a huge impact on local receipts, she said.