Provo resident urges full-time ADA coordinator; arts group offers vouchers to council

During the open public comment segment at the Feb. 25 Provo Municipal Council meeting, two residents raised separate community concerns and offers.

Andrew Thompson, who identified himself as having lived in Provo for 43 years, said the city has "a serious problem" with unresolved Americans with Disabilities Act issues and suggested the council appoint a full-time ADA coordinator. "We need to consider getting an ADA coordinator immediately," Thompson said, adding he had previously raised problems with handicap parking, excess welding and other accessibility matters. He also said he had challenged council members "to spend a little time with me in a wheelchair." Thompson criticized what he described as misplaced priorities, saying the city should "make priorities, not art installations that cost $73,000."

Denise McGuire, who said she serves on the community advocacy committee for the Ruth and is the city's liaison, described the Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater at doTERRA Campus ("The Ruth") and said the theater has distributed "approximately 6,500 vouchers for tickets to The Ruth" countywide. McGuire invited council members and department heads to accept vouchers for upcoming performances and asked staff to coordinate distribution.

Council staff responded to McGuire's offer by directing her to work with city staff to distribute tickets. No formal council action was taken on either public comment; public comment is not a venue for immediate action on non-agendized matters, the council noted in its guidelines.