Local leaders, legislators and disability advocates had a message for those attending a town hall meeting Thursday: When it comes to accessibility for those with disabilities, much has been done and much is left to do.
Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan looked back on the 35 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in July 1990. The lives of people with disabilities have improved since the passage of that bill, with greater access to buildings, better access to transportation and even more inclusion in the community.
Commissioner Bill Gaughan greets attendees to the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Mayor Paige Cognetti during the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
An interpreter translates Director of Economic Development for Lackawanna County Kristin Magnotta’s speech into ASL during the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Community members listen as the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall begins at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Rep. Bridget Kosierowski addresses the crowd gathered for the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Commissioner Chris Chermak speaks during the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lackawanna County Disability Action Committee chairman Keith Williams served as emcee during the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
State Rep. Jim Haddock speaks during the Building Bridges Disability Issues Town Hall at the Electric City Trolly Museum in Scranton on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Seemingly, many barriers have been torn down, but many remain.
“Here we are still working in 2025, stone by stone, to dismantle those walls,” he said. “We know that too many remain closed, literally and figurately.”
Providing accessibility and opportunity for those with disabilities shouldn’t be an afterthought, he said. Instead, every citizen, whether disabled or not, should have a voice that carries weight.
Gaughan said the town hall, titled “Building Bridges,” was an opportunity to work to see barriers for those with disability come down.
Lackawanna County Commissioner Chris Chermak said the county backs multiple projects which make the community more accessible for those with disabilities.
He credited those participating in the town hall and those attending with doing the work necessary to make change possible.
“We’re here to encourage open dialogue and communication as we build a more accessible future,” he said.
Equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, economic stability
Dale Verchick, Disability Rights Network and the event’s keynote speaker, said it was appropriate for the event to be held at the Trolley Museum, which focused on moving people forward.
“That’s our goal this afternoon, to connect across systems so those with disabilities can get where they need to go in every area of life,” she said, adding a focus on ADA goals including equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self sufficiency.
The benefits of the ADA were apparent to many of those who wheeled into the session, equipped with ramps and seating areas that made their participation possible. Other benefits of the legislation are closed captioning, relay calling, sign language interpretation and moving people out of institutions and into the community.
“Whether because of the force of law or the pull of conscience, the ADA has moved us toward our goals,” she said.
She spoke about the accessibility of Lackawanna County’s McDade Park, with slides and swings accessible to those children in wheelchairs and quiet areas designed with autistic children in mind.
“These are concrete local wins,” she said.
But the need to fight for additional accessibility still remains, whether that means contacting legislators or supporting legislation to force the hands of leadership.
“We still hear concerns from those with disabilities in Pennsylvania every day,” she said. “None of these goals belong to one party, they belong to every constituent.”
‘It’s about quality of life’
Kristin Magnotta, Lackawanna County Department of Planning and Economic Development director, said grants received by the county often have built in requirements to make projects ADA compliant. Because of those requirements, it is important for the county to take accessibility seriously when it comes to parks, trails and economic development.
But, she said, it goes beyond that.
“It isn’t just about having access to a location,” she said. “It’s about quality of life and the opportunity for those with disabilities to enjoy the same amenities as everyone else.”
Like the other speakers, she indicated there was more to do.
“My department stands ready to hear,” she said. She reminded those in attendance the Trolley Museum itself is an accessible space.
Full participation
State Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski said she grew up in the 1980s and remembers when young disabled people didn’t have the opportunity to participate in normal everyday activities.
She recently attended the unveiling of an updated Weston Park playground, paid for by several state grants.
Kosierowski said the playground is accessible to children in compliance with ADA requirements. She is also seeking additional state funds for more disabled-accessible playground equipment, such as sensory boards, at Weston Park.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kosierowski also serves on the Aging and Older Adults committee in the state’s general assembly. She said she was happy to see the opening of the Older Adult Advocacy Center in Scranton, which provides resources for older adults experiencing serious challenges.
State Rep. Kyle Mullins said there have been real successes regarding those with disabilities.
“But, there is a collective recognition that our work to make our communities more inclusive, compassionate and accessible is not finished,” he said. “I think this is our charge and our responsivity as public officials, but also everyone else up here has loved and cared for someone in this room.”
He pointed out that when it comes to Pennsylvania constituents, legislators are always working to find new ways to make their offices and the state Capitol fully accessible.
Each voice makes a difference
Tim McGrath, executive director of the County of Lackawanna Transit System, or COLTS, said transportation is key to accessibility
McGrath said the agency’s Shared Rides program serves 458 square miles, provides 500 trips daily and serves older and disabled residents. Its fleet of vehicles includes 37 vans, equipped and fitted to carry four wheelchairs each.
The elephant in the room, he said, is that COLTS and other programs like it across the state operate at a deficit for several reason, including insufficient compensation.
McGrath said the agency is working with PennDOT consultants to operate more efficiently.
He’s hoping that increases in compensation and increase in efficiency will mean the agency can no longer operate at a loss.
Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said she is excited for improvements the city has made, including upgrades to cross walks, pave cuts and accessibility.
Like the other speakers, she said there is still more to be done.
“If I could redo every pave cut and cross walk, I would, but we can’t,” she said. “We truly can’t fund everything we’d like to do.”
She said Thursday’s event highlights the importance of public input when it comes to issues such as accessibility.
“With your voices, I think we can continue to make great progress,” she said.