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The City of LaGrange has set up a new way for citizens to address disability issues within the city.

The change will bring the city into compliance with decades-old requirements to have a grievance policy to deal with deficiencies in handicap access.

City staff were notified just prior to the departure of former City Manager Meg Kelsey that the city was not in compliance with a requirement to complete an American Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) dating back to the 1990s.

The required report outlines what the city needs to do to bring all of its facilities including sidewalks, infrastructure and buildings, up to ADA specifications.

Assistant City Manager Bill Bulloch explained that reports had been submitted back in 2012 but they were not complete and it had taken more than a decade to bring it to the city’s attention.

To fulfill the requirements for the transition plan, city staff evaluated ADA compliance for every street, sidewalk and building throughout the city.

The plan also requires that the city provide a grievance procedure that will allow citizens the ability to report any ADA deficiencies. The grievance form will be on the city’s website so that citizens can report any problems with handicap access or other ADA requirements.

Bulloch noted citizens can also report any issues they see to city staff or council members as they have done in the past. 

The process also requires that the city has a trained ADA coordinator, which is being fulfilled by Public Works Director Bo Prather.

The ADA Transition Plan was unanimously approved by the council.