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and most handicapped persons cannot afford taxi cabs. Mr. <br />Mitchell stated that handicapped persons must plan trips <br />approximately 24 hours in advance in order to use JAUNT. <br /> <br /> Ms. Dorothy Emerson, Chairman of Region Ten Community <br />Services Board and a member of the Task Force, stated that <br />the Region Ten Board has not taken a position on the <br />recommendations, but has always been supportive of efforts <br />that allow greater participation in the community by all <br />citizens. <br /> <br /> Ms. Mora Beavers, 410 Carlton Road and a member of <br />the Task Force, stated that as a blind persons she is <br />unable to attend many weekend and evening events in the <br />community because of the lack of transportation. <br /> <br /> Ms. Laura Emerson, an 8th grade student at Buford <br />Middle School who is handicapped, stated that she must <br />rely on others for transportation and is often unable to <br />attend functions with her friends because of the lack of <br />transportation on weekends and evenings. Ms. Emerson <br />stated that handicapped persons deserve the chance to get <br />out with other people and urged Council to equip the buses <br />with lifts as soon as possible and not wait until they are <br />replaced. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ruth Wadlington, Vice-President of the League of <br />Women Voters, stated that the League supported the <br />recommendation to extend JAUNT's hours and felt that <br />further study of the user side subsidy recommendation <br />should be done. Ms. Wadlington stated that if the figure <br />of $150 per bus for lift-equipped buses was correct, she <br />would support that recommendation. <br /> <br /> Mr. James Corbin of Midway Manor, supported the <br />recommendations of the Task Force. <br /> <br /> Mr. Richard Zenzel, President of the <br />Charlottesville Federation of.the Blind, supported the <br />Task Force's recommendations. <br /> <br /> Mr. Steve Campbell, Chairman of the Social <br />Development Commission, stated that he supported equal <br />opportunity for access to transportation and supported the <br />use of Community Development Block Grant funds for the <br />user side subsidy. <br /> <br /> Due to the adverse weather conditions, the public <br />hearing was continued until the March 2nd meeting. <br /> <br /> Mr. Barnes requested that Council receive the <br />following information prior to the next meeting:~ 1) <br />information regarding the possibility of using UMPTA grant <br />funds to retrofit the buses, and 2) when the trolley buses <br />are expected and what their cost will be. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix noted that the trolleys are not designed <br />to accommodate lift equipment° <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe questioned whether it would be possible to <br />use lift-equipped school buses for handicapped <br />transportation on weekends and requested information on <br />the number of persons who currently use JAUNT and could <br />use Charlottesville Transit Service lift-equipped buses. <br />Mr. Towe also requested information on the number of <br />vehicles that would be necessary to reasonably serve the <br />handicapped population. <br /> <br /> Ms. Linda Wilson, Director of JAUNT, stated that <br />JAUNT maintains a list of handicapped-eligible persons and <br />she could approximate the number of persons who would be <br />able to ride lift-equipped buses. <br /> <br />129 <br /> <br /> <br />