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~L Resources Accessibility of polling places The Secretary of State's Office and the Minnesota State Council on Disability wish to provide some timely information about polling place accessibility by elderly and handicapped iodividuals. Redistricting may result io the need to identify and secure new polling places. If this is the case, please remem- ber to identify and secure polling places that are accessible to iodividuals with disabilities. An iocreasiog number of Minnesota voters are acquiriog age-related disabilities, so the need is greater now than ever. The law with regard to access requires each polling place comply with the fOllowiog minimum standards: . Paved parking with extra wide spaces reserved for disabled persons; . Curb cuts or temporary ramps; . Paved main routes free of stairs or with ramp or elevator bypasses; . Entrances/doorways a minimum of 32 ioches wide; . Walkways and hallways at least 36 ioches wide; . Hallways free of protrusions overhangiog the floor; . Handrails on all stairs; . Signs directing voters around obstructed entrances or stairs to accessible routes; . Signs outlining the assistance available to voters; and . One or more wheelchair~<;cessible voting booth or station with writing surface 34 ioches high. In addition, the doorways, handrails, ramps, and disability parking provided pursuant to this subdivision must conform to the standards specified io Chapter 1341 of the Mirmesota State Building Code. For a review of the actual law; please refer to Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.016, subd. 5. t: Looking for an environmental consultant? Local officials seeking to hire consult- ants for environmental services are encouraged to visit the Local Govern- ment Environmental Assistance Network's (LGEAN's) directory of environmental consultants. The direc- tory, located on the LGEAN web site, enables local government officials and other users to identify and contact consultants who perform work io the environmental and geographical area io which they are ioterested. Local officials can search for environmental consultants by keyword, service area, location, or name of consultant! company. The directory provides city and county representatives with impor- tant ioformation about environmental consulting firms, iocluding a description of company services, local government references, and contact ioformation. Managed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), LGEAN is a "first-stop shop" providing environmental management, planniog, funding, and regulatory information fur local government appoioted and elected officials and their staff. Users ioclude public works and environmental service directors, city managers, mayors, and federal and state agency employees. Consultants who perform environmental work fur local governments are also iovited to register in the directory. To visit LGEAN's Consultants Directory, go to: www.lgean.org/ consultants. For more information, contact Anlhew Seth, ICMA, at (202) 962-3622 or Igean@icma.org. t: Opportunity for Participation - Serve on Younger Citizens Advisory Task Force City officials who would like to encourage youth io their community to help the Secretary of State's Office develop voter and citizenship educa- tional materials for Minnesotans io their teens and early 20., can apply for appoiotment to the Younger Citizens AdvisoryTask Force. At least 12 of the task force members must be 16 to 24 years of age. The task force meets quarterly at the State Office Building io St. Paul. Application forms may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Secretary of State, Open Appoiot- ments, 180 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55155-1299. Phone: (651) 297-5845. Applications will be reviewed and appoiotments made by the Secretary of State. Completed applications are due at the Secretary of State's Office by April 23. t: Visit the League on the web: www.lmnc.org ----------- for aU the latest information about how your city can participate and benefit from LMC and LMCIT services, resources, and training opportunities. April 17, 2002 Page 13