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TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1993 <br />Council considered the following items relating to the establishment of <br />a Disability Services Board: (1) adopting a resolution establishing a <br />Disability Services Board through a Multi-Jurisdictional Agreement; (2) <br />authorizing the City Manager to execute a Joint Exercise of Powers <br />Agreement for the Creation of the West Piedmont Disability Services <br />Board; and (3) appointment of a Staff person as a member of the Board. <br />Present from the State Department of Rehabilitative Services was Dr. <br />Allen Gouse, Deputy Commissioner of the Department, and Harold <br />Billings, Program Supervisor in the Roanoke Office of the Department <br />(who will be the staff person assigned to work with the Regional <br />Board). Dr. Gouse made a presentation regarding the purposes for which <br />the General Assembly adopted legislation mandating the establishment of <br />these Boards, noting that the idea for their creation came from the <br />Beyer Commission, a legislative commission that was addressing the <br />needs of individuals with disabilities. Dr. Gouse stated that the <br />Boards would serve three main purposes: (1) to provide input to State <br />agencies on service needs and priorities of persons with physical and <br />sensory disabilities; (2) provide information and resource referral to <br />local governments with regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act; <br />and (3) to provide such other assistance and advice to local <br />governments as may be requested. Dr. Gouse stated that the Statute <br />creating the Boards carries no mandate for local funding. Councilman <br />Oakes expressed concern that creation of the Board would be adding a <br />new layer of bureaucracy and that he would prefer the functions of the <br />Board to be addressed by an existing Board (such as the Social Services <br />Board or Community Services Board). In response to a question by <br />Councilman Oakes, Dr. Gouse said that the Department's budget for <br />providing support to the Disability Services Boards is $100,000. Vice- <br />Mayor Adams also stated that he felt any number of existing Boards <br /> <br /> <br />