COUDERSPORT — The County of Potter has been named in a federal lawsuit charging that some county-affiliated facilities are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Leslie Paul Howarth, a resident of Potter County, filed the suit against the county specifically due to accessibility issues at the Magisterial District Judge’s office in Coudersport.
Named in the suit are the County of Potter and Commissioner Doug Morley, who serves as the commissioners’ board chairman. Howarth has filed additional legal challenges aimed at other structures and businesses within the county, including the Coudersport satellite office of Pennsylvania State Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint.
Howarth attended a recent meeting of the Potter County commissioners to discuss the problems encountered by disabled individuals when attempting to access services and businesses that are readily and easily accessible to the able-bodied.
Commissioner Paul Heimel said that currently, Magisterial District Judge Annette Easton holds office hours in the Potter County courthouse for any individual who requests them due to accessibility issues at the North East Street office. Heimel also stated that the building housing the Coudersport Magisterial District Judge’s office is not owned by the county; the space is rented from private landowner Shane Wilson, a resident of the Coudersport area.
“District Judge Easton does accommodate any requests due to ADA in a satellite office located one block away at the Potter County courthouse,” said Heimel, who went on to state that these arrangements had to be made in advance and the process is inconvenient.
Wilson has been notified about the lack of ADA compliance at the location and he has indicated that he will address the issues, according to Heimel.
Howarth also requests that handicapped parking spaces be maintained at the magistrate’s office and other locations throughout Coudersport, which is also mandated through the ADA.
“We had a very productive and respectful meeting with Mr. Howarth, who is not doing this for his own gain. He just wants the issues addressed,” said Heimel. “He believes this should be addressed and doesn’t feel it has been taken care of the way it should be.”
Commissioners recently retained the law firm of McNerney, Page, Vanderlin and Hall, of Williamsport, to handle the federal lawsuit on the advice of the county’s solicitor.
The ADA was developed in 1990 to prohibit discrimination based on disability, adding similar protections to those added by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to eliminate discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin and other characteristics. The act was designed to assist those with physical and mental conditions access public buildings, services, employment and other aspects of life.
