Members of a committee concerned with accessibility issues in Freeport are pleased with the response they received from the Town Council when they presented an exhaustive report on their recommendations Feb. 2.

Sally Walsh, spokeswoman for the Freeport Accessibility Task Force, made the council presentation. She was joined by the other task force members and report authors, Gordon Haldeman, a physical therapist; Brad Williams, who is wheelchair-bound; Gilbert Broberg, a longtime advocate for people with disabilities; and architect Jill Johanning.

Walsh herself was the impetus for the formation of the task force, after she broke her leg in the spring of 2012 and couldn’t get around town well enough on her crutches. She got together with other Freeport residents who experienced the same problem, or whose families had endured accessibility issues, and began to study solutions.

The Freeport Accessibility Task Force report outlined what both the town and businesses in Freeport can do to improve accessibility. Walsh was scheduled to follow up her Town Council appearance with a report to the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Haldeman will speak to FreeportUSA officials during their meeting on March 10 at the Harraseeket Inn.

“The Town Council reception was supportive,” Walsh said. “They will go to their committees, and to other groups, with our findings.”

According to the task force, changes can be made immediately by the Department of Public Works with curb cuts, repainting lines on the crosswalks and adjusting the location of handicap spaces.

Kristina Egan, the Town Council liaison to the Traffic & Parking Committee, said that the council appreciates the work of the task force.

“The Town Council is really grateful to this dedicated, knowledgeable group of volunteers,” Egan said. “It’s just terrific work that they did.”

First on the Traffic & Parking Committee’s to-do list, Egan said, is a look at the distribution of handicap-accessible parking spots in town.

“The task force says there are some spots that are downhill, making it hard to go up with a wheelchair,” she said. “On Main Street, they’re few and far-between. The next step is for the Traffic & Parking Committee to take a look at the current distribution to see if we need to make changes.”

The Municipal Facilities Committee will take a “bird’s-eye view” of the task force report, Egan said.

“When you look at trying to improve accessibility, there are so many ways it could be done,” she said. “They’re already putting in a new handicap ramp at the Winslow Park beach.”

Other task force recommendations to the Town Council:

• Signage concerns and ideas for improvement should be forwarded to the other committees working on signage.

• All landlords and business tenants not in compliance should be notified and asked to make appropriate modifications.

• Town officials should modify and formalize the job descriptions of those staff who are responsible for compliance with the applicable laws regarding handicap accessibility. Those staff should then be directed to work with the businesses and owners as much as possible to assure the required work is completed.

• The Town Council should enact a new ordinance aligned with the accessibility laws to increase the leverage needed to make positive change and to demonstrate solidarity.

• New businesses, businesses moving into a new space, or businesses doing renovations need to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines, and this compliance function should be performed by codes enforcement.

• To the extent possible there should be ongoing monitoring and reporting of what properties are or are not in compliance in Freeport.

• Entities that promote Freeport as a destination should be asked to help in furthering these efforts.

Walsh said the signage is important.

“Freeport has a lot of accessibility,” she said, “but you can’t tell because there aren’t signs. And when you come into town, there are no signs telling people where’s there’s handicap parking.”

The Freeport Accessibility Task Force also has suggestions for businesses and landlords. Handicap access to stores and store bathrooms are issues, Walsh said.

“Store entry should be addressed,” Walsh said. “Portable ramps are inexpensive. In the interior of stores, counter heights, aisle widths and handicap-accessible bathrooms are all issues.”

Walsh praised Azure Cafe for its “fabulous signage” regarding its accessibility.