BUTTE — After a year-long process, a medical facility located in Uptown Butte finally has an ADA-compliant ramp. Now the city says that even though there’s no policy in place for constructing ramps on the public right-of-way, they are working towards building a more accessible Butte.
On an afternoon in late August, just days after obtaining a permit, a cement truck rolled up outside the medical facility located just across from the county courthouse. Four contractors and the business owner bounced a flurry of moving cement into a smooth ramp that runs along the front of the building.
"We’re building a ramp!" says Jamie Decker, the owner of Top Deck Medical Aesthetics and Wellness. She gestures proudly to the workers behind her. At times, she even pitches in to help by holding a device that shakes the cement into place.
"I just hope that everybody understands that this was a super long process. Hopefully, it makes way for change so that the next person, you know, really doesn’t end up in the position we were in," says Decker.
Top Deck Medical Aesthetics and Wellness opened its doors about a year ago with the goal of serving anyone seeking medical care, including patients who do not have insurance. Decker, a nurse practitioner, says she poured her life savings — including money she made while serving as a hospitalist during the Covid-19 pandemic — into creating the facility.
In order to reach her goal to serve anyone seeking medical attention, Decker says she needed to construct an ADA-compliant ramp on the public right-of-way. An initial report from an engineering company stated that constructing a ramp on the interior of her century-old building would not be possible. The report indicated that a disturbance to the foundation of the old building might compromise the structure.
In April, after months of discussions with city officials, Decker brought a request before the council of commissioners. Dozens of advocates for disability rights filled the council chambers and spilled out into the halls of the courthouse giving emotional testimony and support for Decker's quest for accessibility. After several hours, the city council voted to allow construction of the ramp.
"Something that was really great and really positive that came out of that experience was this need to re-evaluate our policies and programs to really make sure that they are equitable, right? Because it’s great that Ms. Decker has her one ramp, but one ramp is only the beginning," says James Ouellette, the ADA coordinator for Butte-Silver Bow.
Ouellette says there is still no policy in place but the next step to creating policy for the issue of ADA compliance is to get public input.
"So we really need the public support. Not just for feedback but to also show that this is a community that really believes in accessibility," he says.
A meeting seeking public input on ADA compliance will be held on September 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Butte-Silver Bow Archives. Ouellette says a survey seeking public input is also available for members of the community who cannot attend the in-person meeting.
Decker says any day now the new ramp at her medical facility will be adorned with railings. As she looks over the work being done outside her building, she recalls a time when she didn't know if it would be possible to even construct the ramp.
Decker says the relief she feels upon the completion of the endeavor matches her gratitude for all the support she has received from local businesses and disability rights advocates.
"We’ve just got some really good support, comments, things along the way. I just hope that it makes way for change."
