Council Positions 1, 3, 5, and 7 are up for election this November
Position 1
Melanie O’Cain
No response submitted. Contact: melanie4kenmore@gmail.comSuzanne Greathouse
Contact: suzanne@suzannegreathouse4kenmore.com, www.suzannegreathouse4kenmoreDo you have any direct experience with disability?
Yes. In High school I was involved with a service club working with developmentally disabled young people and also tutored a junior high developmentally disabled student. I have a nephew who is autistic. I am on the board of the Northshore Senior Center, which offers multiple programs for the developmentally disabled - over the last two months I have worked with young people from that program to train for the Bothell 5K Capes for Courage, which is used to raise money for their programs. I was also involved with race planning and am an active supporter of their programs. I also volunteer regularly at Kenmore Mary's Place - and have interacted with several families with developmentally disabled family members.
1. HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
I'm currently a member of the Kenmore Planning Commission - we are looking at Accessory Dwelling Units as a means to provide more low cost housing. I like this option for developmentally disabled because these dwellings are often part of an existing home or on the property of a family member. I believe this group of individuals has a greater success rate when they are part of a supportive community.
2. SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
I am a regular/consistent volunteer at Mary's Place family shelter - during my time at Mary's Place we have had several guests with autistic children and we have had developmentally disabled parents with small children, as well as other guests with mental health issues. Mary's place has done a good job of supporting special needs by providing rooms with doors for families who need quiet. They also have regular support of doctors, nurses, counselors. I would support the creation of more family shelters as well as shelters at faith based facilities who have a policy of NO Discrimination.
3. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
I would find out more about these programs. Because of my involvement with Northshore Senior Center, and it's Wrangler's Inclusion program, I believe I can get in touch with resources who can make a difference in this area.
4. SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
I would support or require programs for Police/Fire/EMT related to persons with disabilities. I know many public service organizations have education on this topic, I would push for certification and continued education along these lines.
5. SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?
Yes, I support cross training among professionals in the courtroom, etc. to prepare for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
6. ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
I would champion an education program in our community regarding straws and ensure they are made available.
7. JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
The Wrangles program, along with others in our community work with local business to place disabled folks in jobs. I would continue to encourage this effort and look for ways to facilitate connecting workers and employers, as well as establishing programs to ensure workers are ready for employment.
8. SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
Our community has several programs and initiatives for this express purpose. I will continue to support and ensure funding is available to complete safety improvements and expand as needed.
9. TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
I agree that these services should provide wheelchair options. The Northshore Senior Center is currently looking into partnering with these organizations to provide rides to the elderly and disabled - I will continue to support this effort through my position on the Board of Directors.
10. TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
Our community is very involved with Transit. Our Mayor is on the Transit Board and transit is a cornerstone in our economic/community development. I will continue to support City efforts and ensure they are comprehensive enough to support/serve all individuals, especially those with disabilities.
Position 3
Milton Curtis
Sitting council member. No response submitted. Contact: curtis4kenmore@hotmail.comPosition 5
David Baker
No response submitted. Contact: David@votedavidbaker.com, www.VoteDavidBaker.comPosition 7
Corina Pfeil
Contact: CorinaPfeilForKenmore@gmail.comDo you have any direct experience with disability?
I'm a person that experienced a sudden life-altering seizure disorder that changed my life overnight and put me out of an occupation of 18 years that I had loved. I'm also dyslexic, and have fibromyalgia; Currently, I'm a Behavioural and Social Health Services Undergrad & Pre-Public Health at Lake Washington College; and we at home are a family of differences.
My oldest son has autism and is moderate to high functioning, ADHD, Sensory Integration Disorder and Fine motor dyspraxia. I raised JP, now and 22 yrs old to be as independent and able person as can be and we together are always a work in progress. My youngest son Skyler, is a young 18yr old, and is transgender. He's still in high school, participating in the dual enrollment programs at LWTech, and was diagnosed as gifted dyslexic - with severe dyslexia. He has been out and transitioning publicly. I"m very familiar with the IEP Process and 504 Process, and often have served in support of families in navigating the IEP process aiding them in becoming fine advocates able to understand the vocabulary and utilize the process to their students best outcomes. It's unfortunate the basic civil and federally protected rights are not affected upon a doctors or pediatricians letter of diagnosis to a school.
Navigating the real world is another hurdle: The transportation system, the transitions, and requirements of the daily routine. While our community is becoming more aware of persons with differences, our community has much more work to do - to ensure persons of differences have a place in the workplace, classroom, or in navigating the health care system.
1 - HOUSING: How would you make affordable housing available to people with developmental disabilities?
In Kenmore, the independent living tax deferred apartment housing has a 2 year wait list. Currently, the senior housing allows for persons with disabilities to also live there, yet we have many seniors also looking for housing.
My oldest son is an example of a person who can't afford to live independently in our community, not on his fixed income, and limitations of SSA.
I as a parent person who is disabled and on a fixed income, attending college, with the family I have completely understand how hard it is to access resources; or if you can't drive, let alone the rising cost of the rental market.
This is where addressing the housing crisis "in the middle" will be most important: Mother-in-law apartments, Attached / or Detached ADU's . Education for the community will be equally important. Working with non-profit and public partnerships to build or exanad housing.
Ensuring we have *Targeted Universal Approaches* in our community for people to access the resources they need within their reach, to reduce the barriers. This can be helpful with regular *satellite center locations* as we can't afford to wait - to afford a center, we must be proactive to meet the needs of our most impacted with the least resources within our communities.
2 - SHELTER: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities have a safe place to sleep and stay?
Ensuring we have *Targeted Universal Approaches* in our community for people to access the resources they need within their reach, to reduce the barriers. This can be helpful with regular *satellite center locations* as we can't afford to wait - to afford a center, we must be proactive to meet the needs of our most impacted with the least resources within our communities.
Places like Marys Place - are helpful for keeping families together vs splitting them apart because a adult disabled child is male , or male identifying.
3 - SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: How would you ensure people with developmental disabilities are receiving case management and the support needed to escape homelessness?
People with developmental disabilities we must be mindful as adults - have the option of choice and opting in first. We can't force able people to accept services, however, we can educate them on their options.
Persons without the ability to make independent decisions should be afforded a process with structured support, and not an over cumbersome complicated paper application process - this all needs to be made simpler.
4 - SAFETY: How would you ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities in police interactions?
The Trevor Law was passed to help ensure 911 responders could know in advance when entering a home - if a person had a disability or not, if they could hear and or see/ or not; if not mobile where their room resides. Yet I can say my son and his former Adult Transition Program classmates biggest fear was - possibly getting in trouble in the community and not being able to speak in the moment, or to be touched / handled/ or cuffed by an officer. My son has no filter, I worry.
We need to do more to ensure people and families know they can register to have their information in the emergency responder system. Having a behavioural and social health services specialist as part of the emergency response team is equally important to work with people of differences in the midst of a personal crisis - or their worst/ bad day.
5 - SAFETY & JUSTICE: Would you support cross-training among professionals in the courtroom, police departments, victim assistance agencies and schools to prepare the justice community for situations involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities so they can receive equal justice?
Yes.
Wonderful groups exist that need to be part of the overall solution; PEERS for example is one of these organizations along with ARC. Them members of the community receiving services with the ability to offer their experience and insight can be an amazing resource and seat at the table to building solutions together.
My own oldest son JP gave testimony a few years back - in Olympia on Trevors Bill.
6 - ACCESS & ACCOMMODATIONS: How would you ensure access to straws in public areas?
Access: To work, place, transit, medical care and school are important, and often forgotten amongst city leaders are how one navigates through their environment city leaders design for the community. I'm for a connected walkable community with level walk routs/ bike routs/ trails with ramps and accessible curbs leading to crosswalks. Not everyone can walk or open a door. Access - comes with accessible features ie: buttons to open doors; pathways in stores one can navigate through, and accessible bathrooms & the forgotten accessible sink.
Access: Also means welcoming spaces in our community and work. Promoting workplace equality can connect others abled persons of differences to jobs. Working with business owners and work places - we can share the wealth of knowledge of workplace equity and build a road to independence.
Accommodations - Are The Tools One Needs To Navigate Their World = To Others Period!
If its visual tables, technology, chairs, desk's and alternative formats, and/or straws (preferably plastics that are recyclable - into recycling; but there is room for growth *and medical exemptions) these are just the tools one needs to navigate the real world while taking care of their person. The same is true of a person with diabetes that must give them self their diabetic medication / or other medications via injection.
7 - JOBS: What would you do to increase job prospects for people with developmental disabilities?
Navigating the real world is another hurdle: The transportation system, the transitions, and requirements of the daily routine. While our community is becoming more aware of persons with differences, our community has much more work to do - to ensure persons of differences have a place in the workplace, classroom, or in navigating the health care system.
Currently in Kenmore, the City partners with the NSD - ATP Program, however only on janitorial type of jobs. Little is done to promote social awareness of hiring persons with disabilities across all lines of jobs available in our workplace market or surrounding area. Larger corporations like Microsoft is leading the way with their Ability Fair, and Amazon could follow. Job' awareness, and programs in clinics, hospitals, and technology could help connect employment.
The Bothell Kenmore Business Chamber Meetings could be a good foundation for promoting and increasing local awareness with business and employers.
8 - SAFETY: How will you ensure your city's streets, sidewalks and intersections are safe and accessible to everyone?
Safety and Access:
Access:
To work, place, transit, medical care and school are important, and often forgotten amongst city leaders are how one navigates through their environment city leaders design for the community.
I'm for a connected walkable community with level walk routs/ bike routs/ trails with ramps and accessible curbs leading to crosswalks. Not everyone can walk or open a door.
Moreover, my oldest is prone to fall's due to his weight and how he carries his weight. At one point he was in a wheelchair - then walker - currently he walks with the assistance of a cane, and had a tri-bike but our area didn't have level walk routs for him to ride safely on. Navigation via wheelchair required specialized transportation, and without ample access - he missed out on fun events and experiences - like other members of our community have. His experience is similar to our seniors with limited mobility - or those with serious longer term limited mobility.
Not every transportation bus is equipped to be accessible; the lack of connectivity is a real issue in our community, and limitations to accessing our community are prevalent from our schools to our downtown corridor - connecting to our transportation system - including parks and trails. We have work to do!
Access also comes with accessible features ie: buttons to open doors; pathways in stores one can navigate through, and accessible bathrooms & the forgotten accessible sink.
Complete Streets a National Program offers city's 50% matched grants for design, studies, repairs and multi-mobile routs of transportation. Working together with our schools we can increase Safe Routs to Schools through the local School District and State; At the regional level - budgets are the issue - applications must be turned in.
All of this takes time, yet partnering together with Non-Profit Programs and Partners - work can be done on trails and pathways - in community services projects. Accessibility should always be part of the discussion, and I promote the use of a Diversity & Equity Toolkit to review programs, policies, and procedures to address the areas where we are lacking in & improvement can be made.
9 - TRANSIT: Do you think Lyft, Uber and other ride-share companies should be required to include wheelchair accessible vehicles in their fleets?
Lyft and Uber are opt in systems of business. I think the better answer is - encouraging the marketing of Lyft & Uber to interested parties that can be part of the access mobility fleet - and there by fitting a need.
10 - TRANSIT: What will you do to expand transit service and improve reliability?
Promote and work hard to connect and bridge the divide.
