<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.6212" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=joeharcz@comcast.net href="mailto:joeharcz@comcast.net">joe harcz
Comcast</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=rbernstein@sambernstein.com
href="mailto:rbernstein@sambernstein.com">Richard Bernstein Esq</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 02, 2012 3:12 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Fw: one of the buildings i've been complaining
about</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=joeharcz@comcast.net href="mailto:joeharcz@comcast.net">joe harcz
Comcast</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=mikezelley@aol.com
href="mailto:mikezelley@aol.com">Mike Zelley TDN</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=lukez@disnetwork.org
href="mailto:lukez@disnetwork.org">Luke Zelley TDN</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 02, 2012 3:06 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Fw: one of the buildings i've been complaining
about</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is a state leased building and one where the
MRS and MCB have offices and will be holding an illegal, because it isn't fully
accessable public meeting.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>These are facts and documented facts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>By the way there wasn't raised character and
Braille signage on every permanent room (ADAAG 3.40.1, 4, 5, 6) in 1992 and
there isn't now. It's a "proggram access issue for the blind....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=joeharcz@comcast.net href="mailto:joeharcz@comcast.net">joe harcz
Comcast</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=rbernstein@sambernstein.com
href="mailto:rbernstein@sambernstein.com">Richard Bernstein Esq</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=nfbmi-talk@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:nfbmi-talk@nfbnet.org">nfbmi-talk@nfbnet.org</A> ; <A
title=MCODY@mpas.org href="mailto:MCODY@mpas.org">MARK CODY</A> ; <A
title=ECERANO@mpas.org href="mailto:ECERANO@mpas.org">Elmer Cerano MPAS</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 02, 2012 3:01 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> one of the buildings i've been complaining
about</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Suit being filed over handicap
accessibility at - Flash Player Installation</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
href="http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/18910048/2012/06/28/lawsuit-being-filed-against-state-over-handicap-accessibility-at-cadillac-place">http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/18910048/2012/06/28/lawsuit-being-filed-against-state-over-handicap-accessibility-at-cadillac-place</A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Posted:Jun 28, 2012 8:21 PM EDT
Updated:Jun 28, 2012 8:21 PM EDT</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">By Alexis Wiley -</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">email</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Jill Babcock says Cadillac Place
is not easily accessible for people living with disabilities.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(Credit: WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com)</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Jill Babcock says Cadillac Place
is not easily accessible for people living with disabilities. (Credit: WJBK |
myFOXDetroit.com)</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">DETROIT (WJBK) -</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"Being a state government
building, it has to be accessible to all," said Jill Babcock.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">That includes people like her and
Gerald Lyons.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Both of them work at
the state's Cadillac Place building and they say it is not easily accessible for
people</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">living with disabilities.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"The state's not following
federal law," said Lyons.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">For example, only two of the
building's entrances are labeled handicap accessible and one is so steep Babcock
can barely make it through the door.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Plus,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Babcock has not been given
handicap parking, something the state says it doesn't have to provide for any
employees.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"I get dropped off by the bus
because I cannot drive down because there's no handicap parking," Babcock
said.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Lyons pays to park in a garage,
but his options are limited.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"I'm small in stature, so I can't
reach the buttons in the elevator in the parking structure.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So I only have one level that's really
feasible for me to</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">park at."</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">When he asked the state to make
the buttons more accessible, "They told me I should carry a stick so I can use
the stick to reach the buttons."</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"I was extremely independent and
now I have to be dependent," said Babcock.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">That's taking a toll physically
and emotionally.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"I'll spend the weekends sleeping
as opposed to doing things because I'm so tired out from the work week," she
said.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"You don't have accessible ramps,
you don't have accessible entrances, you don't have accessible parking, you
don't have accessible hallways, you don't</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">have accessible doorways, you
don't have accessible courtrooms, you don't have accessible restrooms in this
building," said attorney Richard Bernstein.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">That's exactly why Bernstein says
he is taking this case free of charge.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>He is filing a lawsuit in federal court demanding the state make Cadillac
Place</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">truly compliant with the
Americans with Disabilities Act.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"The way that the ADA was
designed, it was designed to make sure that people with disabilities and special
needs can have an opportunity to live an independent,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">good quality of life," Bernstein
said.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The governor's office won't
comment on the lawsuit, but a spokesperson told us their goal is to make sure
the building is compliant with federal law.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Babcock</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">says right now the building is
not.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"I'm tired of having to explain
to people the problems, and I kind of wish that they would take it on
themselves, common sense."</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">That federal lawsuit is expected
to be filed within the next two weeks and it could take years before we get a
decision.</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>