Bathroom renovations to comply with American Disabilities Act

Kempner Volunteer Fire Department seeks funding from Lampasas County Posted On: Monday, Feb. 13 2012 11:17 PM Bathroom renovations to comply with American Disabilities Act

By Mason W. Canales

Killeen Daily Herald

LAMPASAS — County commissioners agreed Monday to consider financing the remodeling of the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department bathrooms to bring them into compliance with the American Disabilities Act before the municipal elections.

Kempner Volunteer Fire Chief Dan Hause approached county commissioners Monday in hopes the governing entity would pay for renovations to a public bathroom in its main station on Pecan Road in Kempner.

"Technically, the majority of the people that come into the building are the public because of the court," said Hause, who noted earlier that Justice of the Peace Sheila Hood also uses the facility.

The Kempner Volunteer Fire Department has allowed the county official to use the facilities for several years at no cost, said Hause.

The restrooms are the closest to the courtroom and do not meet American Disabilities Act compliance.

"When we know there is a handicapped person coming to court, we do make the courtroom accessible, but we do not have restroom facilities there, not even a water fountain," said Hood.

Hause said the fire department already sought one contractor's opinion on remodeling the bathrooms and estimates it would cost about $26,000.

County Auditor Jack Clark questioned why the county would pay 100 percent of the remodeling cost for a joint-use facility, especially when it includes a shower that members of the public probably would not use.

"Over the years, we have been giving, giving, giving, and now we are asking," said Hause.

Clark said the county has helped pay for fire trucks and other equipment since the creation of the department.

Commissioners debated whether the bathroom should be paid for this year or next, until County Elections Administrator Dorothy Person said without ADA-compliant bathrooms, the site can't be used as a polling place for elections.

The facility has the largest parking lot and has served as the polling site in Kempner for years and the county would like to continue to do so, she said. Person said she didn't know the bathrooms weren't in compliance until fire department officials brought it to the county's attention at Monday's meeting.

Commissioners agreed to find funding for the renovations, but asked Hause to seek two to three more bids from contractors by their next meeting, when they plan to formally vote on the issue.

County commissioners also took the following actions:

Appointed Commissioner Alex Wittenburg to sit on the Lampasas committee for the design of the Lampasas City Fire Station.

Requested the county attorney draft a surety bond to cover damages caused by Oncor Electric Delivery on county roadways.

Approved a platting for a seven-lot subdivision on County Road 4700.

Contact Mason W. Canales at mcanales@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7474. Follow him on Twitter at KDHCoveEditor.

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Bathroom renovations to comply with American Disabilities Act