AG orders cable board to change meeting spot

SAUGUS – The state attorney general?s office has ruled that the Saugus Cable Television Station board must meet in a handicap-accessible location as long as the cement wheelchair ramp leading to the SCTS station at the high school does not conform to state standards.The ruling is in reply to a complaint that was first presented last July that the ramp was in poor condition. Tom Lucey, former secretary of Saugus Cable Television (SCTV) – which was replaced two years ago by SCTS – charged that the ramp did not conform to Americans-with-Disabilities-Act requirements and, as a result, violated Open Meeting Law.Lucey filed his complaint with the attorney general, and assistant attorney general Kevin W. Manganaro issued the state?s response last week.The complaint centered around the one entrance closest to the cable station, although there are several handicap-accessible entrances to the school.?We order the Board to hold all future meetings in a location that complies with the requirements of the ADA,” Kevin W. Manganaro, assistant attorney general, wrote in a letter to the board?s attorney, Ira Zaleznik. “This may be achieved by repairing the ramp to meet ADA specifications, by holding the meetings in a different location that complies with ADA specifications, or by ensuring that the internal door connecting the school building to the SCTS studio is kept open after school hours.”Emalie Gainey, deputy press secretary to Attorney General Maura Healey, said that while the law states the board has to meet in an accessible location, it does not require SCTS to repair the ramp.According to building commissioner Fred Varone, the existing ramp isn?t code-compliant, but it is legal. Varone said the area is accessible through nearby accessible ramps, one of which was built within the past few years.?It should be 18 inches to the right of the door, but it?s only 6 inches,” Varone said. “That?s a 12-foot difference. The ramp width is okay, and a wheelchair could fit, but it should be widened so that the handicapped person could open the door (him or herself).”The slope, said Varone, “should rise no more than 1/4 of an inch,” Varone said. “It rises 1/8 of an inch, which is lower than it should be. That is good.”He said the ramp should be rebuilt as soon as the weather gets warmer.?Rebuilding it will only take a half a day,” Varone said. “It?s too cold right now. It probably wouldn?t adhere. If anyone is going to use that ramp, they should make it code-complaint.”Zaleznik asked the attorney general to reconsider their claim violation.?To our knowledge, the attorney general?s office did not visit the site and make actual observations of the conditions as they exist,” Zaleznik said. “The building commissioner for the town did examine the ramp and concluded that it was compliant with legal requirements. To the extent that the opinion of the attorney general?s office is based upon misinformation, we intend to supply correct information for the consideration of the office of the attorney general to reconsider its prior position.”However, Zaleznik said if rebuilding is necessary, the board will comply.Lucey had a different opinion and noted the ramp isn?t suitable.?It?s been a long time to get a just resolution from the Mass. attorney general?s office regarding the Open Town Meeting Law complaints I filed, but it?s been worth the wait,” Lucey said. “I also feel that the SCTS Board of Directors did in fact know they were violating the Open Town Meeting Law by conducting their meetings at the SCTS studio. The SCTS studio?s handicap ramp was clearly not suitable to meet the Open Town Meeting Laws codes pertaining to ADA compliance. The SCTS Board of Directors and their counsel attempted numerous times to delay this process but in the end the truth came out.”