U.S. Attorney's Office Investigating ADA Complaint Against City of Glenwood

The United States Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into a complaint against the city of Glenwood for an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
    

The complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in May 2013 by rural Glenwood resident Mary Dyer. Prior to the relocation of City Hall in 2012, Dyer asked the city to install a “loop system” in the new council chambers that would allow hearing-impaired citizens in the audience to hear discussion taking place during meetings. Dyer, who has been deaf since 2008, sells the loop system device and gave the city a bid for $2,500 to have it installed.

The loop system is an amplifier capable of sending signals directly to a person’s hearing aid or cochlear implant without the distraction of background noise.

Dyer continued to press the issue in 2013 while the city explored alternative hearing assistance options. Dialogue between city officials and Dyer became contentious at times after she filed the complaint with the DOJ because of a lack of progress on the matter.

In July, after the start of the 2014-15 fiscal year, an FM hearing assistance system was installed at City Hall at a cost of around $800.

The FM system transmits audio signals to a receiver worn by the listener - typically a headset or neck loop. The system complies with ADA guidelines, city administrator Brian Kissel said, although Dyer contends the loop system is far superior.

In a letter sent to Dyer last month, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie J. Wright said her office is investigating the complaint against the city. When contacted Friday, both Kissel and city attorney Matt Woods said they were unaware of the investigation. Kissel said there had been talks last summer of the DOJ arranging a mediation session between the two sides, but it became unnecessary once the FM system was installed. Kissel said he informed a member of the mediation team over the summer that the FM system was in place.

“I told them we fulfilled our obligation. We knew what we needed to do,” Kissel said. “Yes, it took us some time because finances are an issue. But we found money in this year’s budget to do this portion.

“Long story short, the city has not heard from anybody since the FM transmitter was installed. The cost of it was around $800 and Mary’s product is about $2,500-$2,700.”

Woods said with the FM system now in place, the city is confident it has met ADA requirements and sees no reason for further action.