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ADA advisory council reports 17 complaints in 2024, urges stronger coordination and a dedicated ADA coordinator
Summary
At its April 15 presentation to the Topeka City Council, the ADA Advisory Council reviewed 2024 activity including 17 complaints (mostly parking issues), pedestrian-safety priorities and requests for a retained ADA coordinator and stronger interdepartmental follow-up.
The Topeka ADA Advisory Council told the City Council on April 15 that it handled 17 formal complaints in 2024 and is urging the city to restore staff capacity and greater interdepartmental coordination to address accessibility problems across city programs and infrastructure.
The council’s chair, Joe Sheray, said the advisory board’s mission is to “support the civil rights of ample integration into Topeka community life for all people with disabilities” and described the group’s 2024 work as including outreach, partner briefings and complaint handling. “We received and managed 17 complaints, ADA complaints, in 2024,” Sheray said.
Why it matters: Council members pressed staff on whether complaints are being routed, how quickly they are handled, and what changes the city might make to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and local accessibility goals. Councilmember Hiller asked for a profile of the complaints; Sheray said most were “parking stall issues” such as mispainted spaces and unclear markings. ADA coordinator Monique Glade explained the city’s intake process: complaints come to the ADA coordinator or to council offices and are routed to the appropriate departments or to state/federal channels if outside city jurisdiction.
During questioning, Councilman Dover urged a comprehensive disability audit of city-owned buildings and facilities; Deputy City Manager Braxton Copley said staff are developing a request for proposals to perform an ADA audit of city-owned facilities. Public Works Director Steve Grone confirmed the RFP will initially cover city-owned properties and that the council can later decide whether to expand scope to include parks and other properties.
Council members also discussed enforcement and accommodation options for people attending downtown events. Deputy Director of Public Works Jason Tryon later told the council that Kansas law exempts valid ADA placard holders from paying on-street meter fees; that clarification surfaced during the downtown parking discussion but affects ADA attendees citywide.
The ADA Advisory Council asked the governing body to support: retaining a dedicated ADA coordinator; reviving analysis of a prior parking survey and forwarding recommendations to appropriate staff; stronger accessible pedestrian signal upgrades; and continued work with city communications to provide equally effective communications for City of Topeka meetings and publications. Sheray closed by thanking the council for the opportunity to present and offering to answer questions.
What’s next: Staff said an RFP for a facilities ADA audit is in development. The council did not take formal action on the ADA presentation at this meeting.
