Ruralite Cafe: Published 10/05/00

By Rose Hooper - Features Editor

Watch out for the ADA police

So, have you met the new policeman in town?

His name is Bill Wheeler and he's one tough dude... just ask his former criminal justice students at Smoky Mountain High School. Now he's in charge of advocacy for the Americans with Disabilities Act, and he aims to see the is ADA enforced. Out for justice, his first stop was the Jackson County Justice Center.

"They were the first violators I apprehended," said Bill from his new office at Pathways for the Future on Mineral Springs Drive.

His mission is to stop the violators, and the first ones he's concentrating on are those who pay no attention to handicapped parking signs and markings. You've seen them - harried, healthy types who barely shove the gearshift into park before they jerk the keys out and run - on two perfectly good legs - into the store. Perhaps they think it's body language for "Hey, I'm so fast you're not supposed to see me."

But what happens to the time warp when, 47 minutes later, they casually stroll out with a small plastic bag containing a carton of Marlboros, a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips, two Twinkies, a quart of Mello Yello and a package of Cool Mint Certs? Do you think they even care if someone like Bill, who doesn't have two good legs, has been circling the parking lot for 47 minutes waiting on the handicap space?

Before he became disabled with a recent illness and lost his right leg, Bill, like me, was not so personally aware of just how important handicapped parking is.

"But now, with limited mobility, believe me, I can tell you how important it is," he said. Amen, I agreed, glancing down at my heavy cast, which is like dragging a sack of concrete. Since the first of the year, fines for violating handicapped parking increased to a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $250. Previously, the minimum had been $50 and the maximum $100. "Now it's $250, plus court costs. That's a pretty hefty fine and ought to give people a second thought about pulling into one of those marked spaces," said Bill.

That new law, House Bill 143, also says that businesses with a handicap sign on their property must upgrade those signs showing the increased penalties that went into effect in January. If they don't, businesses could face the same increased fines of a minium of $100 and a maximum of $250, plus court costs. Government offices with handicap parking must do the same. That's why Wheeler started at the Justice Center. County Manager Jay Denton was quick to bring the county into compliance. That's setting a pretty good example for us, don't you think?

The handicap would vote for Bill's next move. Along with Elections Supervisor Lisa Lovedahl-Lehman, Bill went around to all the polling places in the county.

"I'll be working to get them in compliance," he said of the task ahead.

And now, all you business folks, Bill will be visiting you next. So, if you update your handicap sign before he arrives, it could save you big bucks. If you don't, you could be shelling out $250, plus court costs. Here at the Cafe we're sure you could spend that money on something better... like buying us lunch.

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