NOTE:

a. The meeting of the TC city commissioners is on Monday June 4th at 7 pm at the Government Center on Boardman St.

b. Significant contributions to this message were contributed by BACIL, Bay Area Coalition for Independent Living

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Sample Letter for Email or U.S. Mail
3. Sample Phone Conversation
4. Key Points for Phoning or Writing the City Commissioners
5. How to Contact the TC Commissioners via Email, U.S. Mail and Phone

1. Introduction

Would you like to show your support of the construction of accessible sidewalks also known as "ramped curbs" involving the 380 corner curbs throughout Traverse City (not in downtown TC where the curbs are already ramped)? Please consider sending the following sample communication or one of your own to the city commissioners who will be making critical budget decisions at the June 4th City Commission meeting at 7 PM at the government center. Traverse City Commissioner Ann Rogers has stated that funding is available. The Bay Area Coalition for Independent Living (BACIL) is taking leadership in the effort to get funding for ramping of the city's curbs. Its board of directors has passed a resolution of support. If you do contact a commissioner, please feel free to email a copy of your letter or a summary of your communication to myself, Cindy Shapiro (cinsh@gtii.com) who is involved in community advocacy and to executive director Steve Wade at BACIL at:

bacil@traverse.net
Phone: 231 929- 4865
888 883- 7033
Fax: 231 929- 4896

2. Sample Letter for Email or U.S. Mail

Name________________
Address of Writer______
Date_________________

Dear Commissioner,

My name is ____________. ( One sentence of self-description.)

I support making Traverse City's sidewalks accessible and safe for all by constructing ramped curbs on the 380 or so uncut curbs in Traverse City. I urge you to budget for the ramping of the uncut curbs as you develop priorities at the June 4th City Commissioners meeting.

Accessible sidewalks are one way to include the diversity of residents and visitors that gives Traverse City its character as well as its revenues. This includes people in wheelchairs, people with joint and neuro-muscular conditions, people pushing strollers, people with visual impairments, and many others such as seniors, shoppers who carry heavy packages and workers who make deliveries using a wheeled apparatus. The friends and families of people with mobility limitations also stand to benefit from ramped curbs as they travel together.

I am interested to learn your position on this issue. Will you support full funding to construct ramped curbs in the budget proposal at the meeting on June 4th?

Thank you in advance for your consideration and subsequent response.

3. Sample Phone Conversation

On the phone or when leaving voicemail:
1) Speak slowly and clearly
2) Be confident in your message
3) Personalize your message if you wish
4) A suggested message is:

Sample for Phone or Written Communication:

"Commissioner ________________. My name is _______________ and I am calling to ask for your support to approve funds in next year's budget to create curb cuts on all sidewalks in Traverse City. Your leadership will make Traverse City a leader in Michigan in our commitment to people with disabilities by providing 100% barrier-free sidewalks! This project gives access to all areas of the city including neighborhoods, recreation, shopping, and dining to people with mobility and visual impairments as well as folks pushing strollers and those who are walking with young children. Please vote to fund this project and make Traverse City accessible to everyone. If you have any questions I can be reached at _____________. Thank you.

4. Key Points for Phoning or Writing the City Commissioners

If you speak with the Commissioner here are a few key points to remember

• 380 curbs still need ramped
• This would make TC the first community of this size to our knowledge in Michigan to provide 100% barrier-free sidewalks
• Persons who benefit include chair users, families with strollers, etc
• The disabled community extends across all other demographic populations of both residents and visitors, and we are all looking for your leadership on this issue
• Resolution passed at the May meeting of the BACIL Board of Directors: We the Board of Director's of the Bay Area Coalition for Independent Living (BACIL), representing over 1,000 persons with disabilities, encourage the City Commission to lead this community to become one of the first communities in Michigan to have 100% barrier-free sidewalks by installing the remaining 380 curb cuts this year.
• Ask the person you are calling, "Can we count on your support on Monday the 4th?"

5. How to Contact the TC Commissioners via Email, U.S. Mail and Phone

Larry Hardy - arichards@armscole.com
Phillip Orth - phillip.orth@cox.com
Ann Rogers - arogers@traverse.com
Linda Smyka - ssmyka@aol.com
Margaret Dodd - M.Dodd@MargaretForMayor.com

U.S Mail and Phone Only (information follows):

City Manager:

RICHARD LEWIS, CITY MANAGER
Government Center
400 Boardman
Traverse City, MI 49684
email: rlewis@ci.traverse-city.mi.us

If written to Mr. Lewis, you can request that Mr. Lewis pass your letter on to all commissioners and he will send a copy to each individual.

City Commissioners:

Commissioners can be individually contacted using the following information:

LARRY C. HARDY, MAYOR
428 6th Street
Traverse City, MI 49684
(H) 231 947-7189
email: arichards@armscole.com

LINDA SMYKA, MAYOR PRO TEM
2014 Iroquois St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
(H) 231 941-0170
email: ssmyka@aol.com

JAMES F. TOMPKINS, JR.,
1241 Randall Court
Traverse City, MI 49686
(H) 231 947-2695
email: unknown

PHILLIP E. ORTH
721 Manor Avenue
Traverse City, MI 49686
(H) 231 941-7013
email: phillip.orth@cox.com

MARGARET DODD
240 Washington St.
Traverse City MI 49684
(H) 231 947-6913
email: M.Dodd@MargaretForMayor.com

ANN ROGERS
1236 Peninsula Drive
Traverse City, MI 49686
(H) 231 946-9643
email: arogers@traverse.com