This grievance procedure may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of the City’s programs, services or activities.
Complaint Process
- File a written complaint the City of Bellingham’s ADA Coordinator as soon as possible, but no later than 180 calendar days after the alleged violation.
- The written complaint should be submitted by the grievant and/or designee.
- Alternative means of filing complaints — such as personal interview or a tape recording — will be made available on request by people with disabilities.
- The written complaint should contain information about the alleged discrimination, such as name, address, phone number of complainant and location, date and description of the problem.
- Within 15 calendar days after receiving the complaint, the City of Bellingham ADA Coordinator and/or designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions.
- Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, the ADA coordinator will respond in writing or by other appropriate accessible format. The response will explain the position of the City and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.
- If the response by the ADA coordinator does not resolve the issue, the complainant and/or designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receiving the response to the Mayor’s office.
- Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Mayor’s office or designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions.
- Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, the Mayor’s office or designee will respond in writing or by other appropriate accessible format with a final resolution of the complaint.
- All written documents in the process will be retained by the City for at least three years.
Alternative formats and language translations for this web page are available on request to: ada@cob.org, or (360) 778-7900, Relay: 7-1-1 The above procedures do not deny the right of the complainant to file formal complaints with other state or federal agencies or to seek private counsel for complaints alleging discrimination or unaccommodated barriers to access.
