Donald Foudriat

To the editor,

At the September 19th, Sanbornton selectmen's meeting, a representative of the Sanbornton Building Committee presented plans for installing a single flush toilet in the Town Hall building. The restroom plan was designed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and met the minimum design essentials. The location of the toilet in the woodshed represents the majority view of the Committee. I am a member of the minority which objects to the majority plan and suggested a better design and location to more adequately serve the future needs of ADA and the general public using the Town Hall .

The Sanbornton Town Hall is an ancient structure which has been added to from time to time. One of these added a kitchen and woodshed to the rear of the main structure. The addition is used for general storage, storage and distribution of charitable food bank supplies and also an ADA designed entry port to the Town Hall for disabled Americans who are in wheel chairs. To get from the wheelchair entry port to the main floor of the Town Hall requires the wheel chair to traverse the rear of the kitchen from north to south, about 45 feet and then go through a normally closed door into the main auditorium From this door entering the auditorium it is in another 32-feet to seats in the center of the auditorium All other people, including disabled people who are able to walk, use the Town Hall's front stairs and find themselves in the center of the auditorium immediately.

The Sanbornton Town Hall presently has two composting toilets, one for each sex, in the Southwest corner room of the main building, These units are available and in close proximity (about 30 feet) to the auditorium center. They can be used, but are generally shunned by would be users because of the "outhouse" privy appearance. All agree that the composting toilets should be removed. The Southwest corner room also contains the oil furnace that provides heat when necessary. Plans call for furnace to be remove and replaced with more efficient space heaters installed in other locations. Removal of the composting toilets and furnace leaves a vacant room which can be used to accommodate two new restrooms (male and female) suitable for ADA accessibility. The Building Committee minority recommends this course of action

Donald Foudriat

Sanbornton