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Bedford commission prepares MOD grant applications, flags Town Common accessibility review
Summary
Commissioners discussed the MOD Municipal ADA Improvement Grant—planning or capital grants up to $250,000—and agreed to re‑examine the town’s ADA self‑evaluation and propose concrete projects in February; Chair Blackman will invite DPW representation in March to review Town Common design accessibility.
Chair Sarah Blackman reviewed the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) Municipal ADA Improvement Grant at the Jan. 13 meeting, describing the program’s two tracks: planning grants and capital project grants of up to $250,000 for physical and communication accessibility improvements at municipally owned properties. Blackman emphasized that only capital expenses identified in the town’s ADA self‑evaluation and transition plan (SETP) are competitive for capital grants and that awards favor projects with demonstrated impact, feasible timelines and alignment with Public Accessibility Best Practices.
Commissioners discussed strategic options: apply for a focused capital project already identified in the SETP (for example, a school‑based improvement) to maximize competitiveness, or apply for planning funds to assess gaps such as sidewalks, crosswalks, schools and civic processes. Members were asked to re‑read the SETP and propose at least one project by the February meeting.
Blackman also raised concern that a recent Bedford Citizen article on the Town Common improvement project did not explicitly address accessibility. The commission agreed to develop potential MOD grant ideas in February and invite Jeanette Rebecchi from the Department of Public Works to the March meeting to discuss the design’s feasibility and accessibility features.
