FACT SHEET

Settlement Agreement between the United States of America and Humboldt, Kansas

 

On February 7, 2012 the Department of Justice entered into a settlement agreement with the city of Humboldt, Kansas, under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

The Department of Justice initiated a compliance review of Humboldt in July of 2009 as part of Project Civic Access, a Department initiative to ensure greater access for persons with disabilities to state and local government programs, services, activities, and facilities.  An on-site survey of Humboldt's buildings, programs, and services was conducted in November of 2009.  Humboldt officials worked cooperatively with the Department throughout the compliance review in order to reach a settlement agreement.

Facilities and programs surveyed by the Department and covered by the agreement include: Centennial Park and Pool, City Hall, Camp Hunter Park, Cannon Park, Humboldt Housing Authority, West Shelter, North Shelter, Pool Shelter and Humboldt Public Library.  The Department also reviewed Humboldt's employment policies, web-based services and programs, and effective communication provisions.

Under the agreement announced today, Humboldt officials will take several important steps to improve access for individuals with disabilities.  The text of the settlement agreement specifies the modifications Humboldt will make to its programs, services, and facilities covered by the agreement and the timeframes for making each change.  Among other things, Humboldt has agreed to:

• Make physical modifications to its facilities so that parking, routes into the buildings, entrances, restrooms, locker rooms, service counters, and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities.
• Survey other facilities and programs and make modifications wherever necessary to achieve full compliance with ADA requirements.
• Ensure that buildings and outdoor facilities that will be built or altered by or on behalf of the city comply with the ADA's architectural requirements.
• Post, publish, and distribute a notice to inform members of the public of the provisions of Title II and their applicability to the city's programs, services, and activities.
• Ensure that the official website and other web-based programs are accessible to people with disabilities.
• Develop a method for providing information for interested persons with disabilities concerning the existence and location of the city's accessible services, activities, and programs.
• Undertake the required planning and modifications to ensure equal, integrated access to emergency management for individuals with disabilities, including emergency preparedness, notification, evacuation, sheltering, response, clean up, and recovery.
• Recognize the Kansas telephone relay service as a key means of communicating with individuals who are deaf, are hard of hearing, or have speech impairments and training staff in using the relay service for telephone communications.
• Implement a comprehensive plan to improve the accessibility of the city's sidewalks, transportation stops and pedestrian crossings by installing accessible curb ramps throughout the city.

This is the 197th agreement under the PCA initiative.  Located along the Neosha River in eastern Kansas, Humboldt was the Allen County seat from 1858 until 1865 and was incorporated as a city in 1870.  Humboldt is also the birthplace of baseball greats Walter Johnson and George Sweatt.  According to census data, the city population is just under 2,000 and more than 21 percent of Humboldt residents have a disability.

The Department will actively monitor compliance with the settlement agreement, which will remain in effect for three years from February 7, 2012, or until all actions required by the Agreement have been completed, whichever is later. 

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