BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

CANTON – The Canton Town and Village boards plan to make the municipal building more accessible for people with mobility issues.

The boards will tap the joint building committee to consider possible solutions.

The discussion came during a joint meeting of the two boards, following concerns raised by residents at a recent village board meeting about the building’s lack of handicap accessibility at a recent village board meeting.

“We recognize there are limitations here,” Village Mayor Michael Dalton said during the July 29 meeting.

Dalton said the town and village need to develop a plan for addressing the building’s accessibility problems and seek input as they consider potential solutions.

“As the town sits with us we have to come up with a plan to move forward,” he said.

Dalton said the issue will be assigned to the building committee, which includes representatives from the town and village. He said determining exactly how the problems will be addressed will take time and that officials will consider all entry points and options.

The discussion did not result in a specific construction project or accessibility solution, but officials made clear the issue was not being ignored.

Town Supervisor Jim Smith agreed that the building committee should take up the issue. A member of the public also asked whether someone with expertise in accessibility should be added to the committee.

Smith said that would happen at some point.

Village Trustee Beth Bullock Larabee acknowledged that accessibility would be addressed.

“We are committed to making improvements,” she said.

Village Trustee Anna Sorensen also thanked residents who have brought the issue forward. Sorensen, who has served on the village board for six years, said she understands how issues can sometimes remain unresolved in local government.

“It isn't because of any person's bad intentions, it's because we have really flawed systems,” she said. “But that's not an excuse. It's our job to keep the focus and keep the priority on serving the needs of everyone in the community.”

Sorensen said both boards will work to address the issue and noted that she serves on the building committee.

The July 29 discussion followed concerns  shared at a village board meeting where members of the public said  the municipal building’s lack of accessibility prevents some residents from fully participating in local government and accessing services.

Katrina Hebb, who has lived in Canton for 25 years, told village trustees that she has repeatedly encountered accessibility problems at the building. She said some improvements have been made, including automatic door openers installed after she previously raised the issue with the board, but other problems remain.

Hebb said she has attended meetings by climbing the stairs on her “bottom” because of the lack of an accessible meeting space.

“That’s humiliating,” she said. “That’s inappropriate. That’s not how we do things in the United States of America.”

She also said the lack of accessibility can create privacy concerns, limits civic participation and could discourage residents with mobility disabilities from seeking elected office.

“It’s time to stop being illegal and fix this problem,” Hebb said. “I’m really not a person that likes litigation, but I’m at the point where I’m ready to do that if this isn’t addressed properly.”

Other residents also spoke about the issue.

David Wilson described the lack of access as discriminatory and said Canton should do better.

“Who we are is not what we want. It's not what we plan for. It's not what we hope for. Who we are is what we do. And what we're doing is discrimination,” Wilson said.

Rainbow Crabtree said the issue could be an opportunity for a broader community conversation about accessibility, noting that improvements could extend beyond the municipal building.

The July 29 joint meeting marked the first step by the town and village boards toward developing a response to the concerns.

 Officials said the building committee will be responsible for moving the discussion forward, but acknowledged the process will take time.