Agenda 10/12/1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Enclosure #3-d CITY OF MARTINSVILLE SECTION 504 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE The City of Martinsville has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's 25 CFR 8.53(b) implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 USC 794). Section 504 states, in part, that "no otherwise qualified handicapped individual... shall solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance ..." Complaints should be addressed to Wayne Knox, Planning/Zoning and Housing Manager, P.O. Box 1112, Martinsville, Virginia 24114, (540) 656-5169, who has been designated to coordinate Section 504 compliance efforts. A complaint should be filed in writing or verbally contain the name and address of the person filing it, and should briefly describe the alleged violation of the regulations. o · A complaint should be filed wkhin 30 days after the complainant becomes aware of the alleged violation. (Processing of allegations of discrimination occurring before this grievance procedure was in place will be considered on a case-by-case basis.) An investigation, as may be appropriate, shall follow a filing of a complaint. The investigation will be conducted by Fred Gordon, Building Official. These rules contemplate informal but thorough investigations, affording all interested persons and their representatives, if any, an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to a complaint. Under 24 CFR 8.53(b), the City need not process complaints from applicants for employment or from applicants for admission to housing. A written determination as to the validity of the complaint and description of resolution, if any, shall be issued by Fred Gordon, Building Official and a copy forwarded to the complainant no later than 60 days after its filing. The Section 504 Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the City of Martinsville relating to the complaints filed. The complainant can request a reconsideration of the case in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution. The request for reconsideration should be made within 3 0 days to Dewey Cashwell, Assistant City Manager. The right of a person to a prompt and ecluitable resolution of the complaint filed hereunder shall not be impaired by a person's pursuit of other remedies such as the filing of a Section 504 complaint with the D~epartment of Housing and Urban Development. Utilization of this grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.