★★★★★
Ronald G. Marlow
Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunity
Executive Office for Administration and Finance
State House, Room 373
Boston, MA 02133
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=afhomepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Eoaf

As a follow up to Kenny & co March 5, 5009 review of the  Disability Policy Consortium – Press Release – Protest we would like to inform our readers that Ron Marlow, Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunity of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance has written a Letter To The Editor of the Boston Globe,  State committed to ensuring compliance that was published today, March 12, 2009.

I have communicated with Ron via email. He has been very kind and responsive. Ron personally reassured me that Governor Deval Patrick and the Executive Office for Administration and Finance is committed to assuring the accessibility compliance actions are taken as part of any project, where such compliance is required.  He has told me that “The rights of the disabled will not be disregarded, minimized, overlooked or otherwise abrogated.”

I believe and trust that Ron Marlow, the Executive Office for Administration and Governor Patrick is committed to doing the right thing and will do so.

Kenny & co give FIVE STARS to Ron Marlow, Governor Deval Patrick and the Executive Office for Administration and Finance for protecting access rights of all individuals with disabilities. Thank you, Ron!

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Boston Globe / March 12, 2009/ Letter To The Editor

Shovel-Ready-And Accessible

State committed to ensuring compliance
March 12, 2009

IN Response to  “Advocates say rights of disabled trampled: Access at issue in stimulus projects” (Metro, March 6), let me assure all that the governor has not proposed any action that would minimize the state’s responsibility to ensure accessibility compliance. At issue was a recommendation of the federal stimulus task forces that Governor Patrick convened to identify potential projects, possible barriers to getting those projects done, and proposed solutions to address those challenges.

The governor, former US assistant attorney general for civil rights, has made access and opportunity a top priority and will continue to do so throughout this important federal recovery process. The state Architectural Access Board is willing to consider a process that allows projects to move forward to meet federal timelines, while maintaining the obligation to undertake accessibility compliance measures.

We understand how a recommendation, absent context and additional information, signaled inaccurate information. The commitment to undertake as many projects as the federal stimulus will facilitate will not occur by abrogating the moral and legal obligations we have to all citizens.

Ronald Marlow
Assistant secretary for access and opportunity
Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Commonwealth of Massachusetts