Massachusetts Office on Disability offers Danvers commission free accessibility audits, trainings and grant guidance
June 25, 2026 | Town of Danvers, Essex County, Massachusetts
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Representatives from the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) briefed the Town of Danvers Accessibility Commission on June 25, 2026, offering technical assistance, training and guidance on grants and regulatory processes.
Jeff Dugan, MOD assistant director for community services, told the commission MOD provides training and outreach and can help with plan reviews and on-site accessibility checks: "We do it as a free of service. We're not an enforcement agency and we're really here to help and bolster you in your role in your community." He offered periodic site visits to review projects such as school rebuilds before municipal acceptance to prevent costly remediation later.
Dugan walked members through MOD’s online resources — including sample bylaws, operating procedures, an ADA checklist for existing facilities and a Title II action guide for municipal compliance — and directed commissioners to monthly MOD office hours for commissions to network and ask technical questions.
MOD also explained statutory options relevant to Danvers. Dugan said the 22G authority, which allows municipalities to collect certain parking fine revenues for accessibility purposes, "can be adopted right through the select board" rather than requiring town meeting action, making it a potentially faster local route to fund accessibility work.
On grant funding, MOD said the FY27 ADA improvement grant cycle has closed; applications are under review and selections are routed through Administration and Finance and the governor’s office. Dugan said the agency expects award notifications by around November.
Ralph Dico, MOD access specialist, described training programs for local volunteers and officials. MOD runs a two-day virtual Community Access Monitor (CAM) training, an advanced CAM module and a new on-site CAM site-visit training that demonstrates measurements and survey techniques in person. Dico emphasized building inspectors as a local ally for technical plan review — "the building inspectors... enforce 521 CMR" — and said commissions can send electronic plans to MOD or the building inspector for guidance.
MOD described CAM logistics and participation expectations: the virtual two-day CAM training is intensive, the on-site session lasts a few hours and MOD typically looks for a minimum group size (about 20) for some events, but said exceptions are possible for local hosts. MOD invited Danvers to host or be part of on-site CAM training in 2027 and asked the commission to signal interest by email.
Commission members also noted local partnership efforts such as a recent community walk audit with Walk Massachusetts and identified potential municipal sites (for example, the senior center) for training or audits. MOD pledged to circulate direct links and materials the next day so the commission can review resources and follow up about hosting trainings.
No formal motions or votes on funding or adoption of 22G were recorded during the meeting; next steps documented were MOD sending resource links by email and the commission considering whether to host or participate in CAM training in 2027.
Jeff Dugan, MOD assistant director for community services, told the commission MOD provides training and outreach and can help with plan reviews and on-site accessibility checks: "We do it as a free of service. We're not an enforcement agency and we're really here to help and bolster you in your role in your community." He offered periodic site visits to review projects such as school rebuilds before municipal acceptance to prevent costly remediation later.
Dugan walked members through MOD’s online resources — including sample bylaws, operating procedures, an ADA checklist for existing facilities and a Title II action guide for municipal compliance — and directed commissioners to monthly MOD office hours for commissions to network and ask technical questions.
MOD also explained statutory options relevant to Danvers. Dugan said the 22G authority, which allows municipalities to collect certain parking fine revenues for accessibility purposes, "can be adopted right through the select board" rather than requiring town meeting action, making it a potentially faster local route to fund accessibility work.
On grant funding, MOD said the FY27 ADA improvement grant cycle has closed; applications are under review and selections are routed through Administration and Finance and the governor’s office. Dugan said the agency expects award notifications by around November.
Ralph Dico, MOD access specialist, described training programs for local volunteers and officials. MOD runs a two-day virtual Community Access Monitor (CAM) training, an advanced CAM module and a new on-site CAM site-visit training that demonstrates measurements and survey techniques in person. Dico emphasized building inspectors as a local ally for technical plan review — "the building inspectors... enforce 521 CMR" — and said commissions can send electronic plans to MOD or the building inspector for guidance.
MOD described CAM logistics and participation expectations: the virtual two-day CAM training is intensive, the on-site session lasts a few hours and MOD typically looks for a minimum group size (about 20) for some events, but said exceptions are possible for local hosts. MOD invited Danvers to host or be part of on-site CAM training in 2027 and asked the commission to signal interest by email.
Commission members also noted local partnership efforts such as a recent community walk audit with Walk Massachusetts and identified potential municipal sites (for example, the senior center) for training or audits. MOD pledged to circulate direct links and materials the next day so the commission can review resources and follow up about hosting trainings.
No formal motions or votes on funding or adoption of 22G were recorded during the meeting; next steps documented were MOD sending resource links by email and the commission considering whether to host or participate in CAM training in 2027.
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