I’ve written several columns about Arlington’s STAR paratransit service abruptly changing the rules and stranding disabled residents in public places for up to an hour. Now a member of the Arlington Disability Advisory Commission says a vote asking the County Board to study and reevaluate changes to STAR service that disabled residents told me were “life-altering” was not included in a February 2 letter DAC sent to the County Board.
“I was the maker of the motion, and what was in the letter was not my wording or what I voted on,” Doris Ray, who is also the advocacy director of the Independent Center of Northern Virginia, told The Examiner. “The letter did not say that we support the consumers’ request for recision of the policy until county leaders adequately included STAR participants in the decision-making.”
Ray added that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) requires dedicated public hearings when any major changes are made to programs that impact the disabled by local or state governments that receive federal funds. “The requirement for citizen participation still stands,” Ray pointed out.
When asked if she thought STAR officials met the public participation requirements under Sec. 504, Ray answered: “No, because they did away with the STAR Advisory Committee. I have not seen what they claim was citizen participation in making decisions about changes in policy….
“All of a sudden this summer, STAR staff stopped interim rides and the consumers didn’t know it was coming…It should have gone to some sort of public hearing.”
At this point, the County Board needs to step in and order STAR officials to apologize to any disabled residents who were inconvenienced by the unannounced changes, return service to what it was prior so disabled people aren’t stuck somewhere for an hour when their business is completed, and make sure that no other service alterations are made in the future without citizen knowledge and input.
Is that too much to ask?
