The Jefferson County Accessible Community Advisory Committee is looking for new project ideas and new committee members for the 2018-2019 grant cycle. 

The ACAC was formed in 2015 after Washington passed the Accessible Communities Act, which takes $100 from every $450 fine given to people who park in accessible parking spots without a permit, and gives it to committees in each county to access grant funding to improve accessibility. The purpose is to raise awareness and acceptance of people with disabilities. 

Jefferson County was the first county in Washington to set up a committee, which became the ACAC. It was headed by Anna McEnery, developmental disability program coordinator at Jefferson County Public Health. 

“We’re hoping that there might be some individuals in the community that might be interested in joining the ACAC, especially individuals who have disabilities or have family members who do, and we want input on new project ideas,” McEnery said. 

The committee is currently made up of a group of people who have disabilities, or have family members or close friends who do. The group also has connections with the Port Townsend Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff's office, and other organizations in Port Townsend and other communities around Jefferson County. 

“When we’re talking about accessibility issues, it takes many eyes to see what’s needed,” said ACAC Board Member Carl Hanson. “The committee itself is a good cross-section of people from various backgrounds. What really is key, is the eyes and ears of everybody else to be brought to the table, to give us a different perspective.” 

Since the committee formed, Jefferson County has received more than $73,000 in grant funding. In 2016, one of the ACAC’s first projects was to use grant money to buy a beach-accessible wheelchair and walker for Fort Worden. Since then, the committee has worked on creating informational brochures about service animals, sponsoring movies at the Port Townsend Film Festival that bring awareness to people with disabilities, and purchasing wrist transmitters for people in Jefferson County suffering from dementia or other disabilities causing them to get lost and need help, among other initiatives.

Just this year, ACAC board members Colleen and Roland Faragher-Horwell headed up a project with the Jefferson County Fair, to make the fairgrounds more wheelchair accessible. 

“I had just come from the Jefferson County Fair, which was totally inaccessible,” said Colleen Faragher-Horwell, who uses a wheelchair. “Everywhere I went, I was stopped and it was very frustrating, because I really love the fair. So I thought, ‘Well, why not? Maybe (the ACAC) will work on the fair.’ So I came to a couple meetings.” 

After joining the ACAC, the Faragher-Horwells partnered with Sue McIntire, manager of the Jefferson County Fair, and with the help of grant funding, were able to install a paved accessible parking lot, sidewalks and a paved path to the animal barns. They also paved an area for a wheelchair accessible bathroom. 

The Faragher-Horwells also worked with the ACAC to improve accessibility at the community center in Coyle, where they live, and hope to do the same at the Tri-Area Community Center. 

This year, the ACAC has a host of new project ideas for the next grant cycle, but they are hoping to hear from community members about possible needs that have not been addressed yet. So far, they are hoping to work with Dove House Advocacy Services and the Vulnerable Adult Taskforce to raise awareness about cyber crimes and how they affect people with disabilities. They also hope to purchase books about kids with disabilities for the YMCA summer literacy project, and help Jefferson Universal Movement Playground with funding for an accessible playground at HJ Carroll Park in Port Hadlock. 

“Anytime we introduce something new, whether it’s an accessible door at a building or an extension to a sidewalk, the community around that’s involved (in the project) immediately starts to realize that there are a lot of other issues that can be solved,” Roland Faragher-Horwell said. 

When it comes to bringing up ideas, anything is possible, according to McEnery. But with those ideas there must come commitment and a willingness to work with the ACAC and the organizations needed to bring the ideas to a reality. The ACAC will take all ideas into consideration and then go through a voting process, during which they will decide which projects they want to get funding for immediately, and which they will keep in the works for the next grant cycle. 

The ACAC will have a meeting Oct. 1 that is open to the public, where community members can propose ideas and learn more about what the committee does. 

Those wishing to become committee members will go through a screening and recommendation process by the Executive Committee to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners. Membership terms are two calendar years beginning in January. Members can serve two consecutive years. Anyone interested in submitting project ideas or learning more about joining the ACAC can contact Anna McEnery at 360-385-9410 or by email at amcenery@co.jefferson.wa.us.