August 11, 2002

Village President Ernest F. Kolb
Village of Oak Lawn
9446 S. Raymond
Oak Lawn, IL 60451

Dear Village President Kolb,

Linda Stearns went to Advocate Christ Hospital this week. You made her and every other handicap person extremely happy. Advocate Christ Hospital has corrected all of the 8-foot wide handicap parking spaces with 4-foot access lanes and made them 8-foot wide with 8-foot access lanes.

UVDA wants to thank you for your help in accomplishing this.

Will you please make a mention of this in your Newsletter to the village residents, that Advocate Christ Hospital has fixed their handicap parking spaces?

It would be appreciated if you will check all businesses in the Village of Oak Lawn and verify that their handicapped parking spaces are l6-feet wide and close to the entrance of every business. This means commercial and retail.

This winter, if we have any snow, please also notify all businesses that when they plow or have their plowing done for them, that they do not put the snow into these handicapped parking spaces. These handicapped parking spaces should be clear and salted.

We also request that you make it part of village law that if these plowing businesses do not comply there will be a fine of a $1000.00.

These fines are to make businesses understand that people with disabilities have rights; given both by the United States Constitution and the ADA Law. Handicapped people shop in the winter as well as the summer. UVDA is going to do what we can to see that accessibility is being enforced correctly. We appreciate what you and your trustees have done for us. Please keep up the good work

Thank you again.

Cordially,



Rosemarie A. Botthof
UVDA