Website accessibility Statement

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.  As a Title II entity under the ADA, the Port Authority is required to ensure qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against on the basis of disability in Port Authority services, programs and activities.  The Port Authority must also comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires that no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

The Port Authority's Office has procedures for the prompt processing of discrimination complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Complaint Filing Procedures

Any person who believes that they have been subjected to discrimination may submit a Title VI or ADA complaint to the Port Authority, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), or the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).  Complaints should be filed within 180 days of the last alleged incident of discrimination.

A complaint form template is available for download on this website in English.  Complaints may also be made by e-mailing the Port Authority at portauthority056@gmail.com.  Use of the complaint form template is not required.  Requests for alternate formats or other accommodations can be made by calling 573-767-5393.

Complaints should include as much of the following information as possible:

• Complainant's name, address, email, and phone number;
• The basis of the complaint (e.g., race, color, national origin (including LEP), sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), creed, age or disability;
• The date(s) on which the alleged discriminatory event(s) occurred; and
• Names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of persons who witnessed the incident(s)

A complaint may be filed anonymously, in which case, the complainant will not receive feedback.  Nevertheless, the complaint will be taken into consideration to help prevent similar discriminatory actions, as appropriate.

Complaints to the Port Authority can be transmitted as follows:

By MAIL to:

Lewis County Regional Port Authority

P O Box 85

108 N Jackson Street

Monticello, MO 63457

By E-MAIL to:

portauthority056@gmail.com

By PHONE to:

Lewis County Regional Port Authority

573-767-5393

Complaints may also be sent to the following external agencies:

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Civil Rights

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Federal Aviation Administration

Office of Civil Rights

ACR-1, Room 1030

800 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20591

Federal Transit Administration

Office of Civil Rights

East Building, 5th Floor - TCR

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

United States Department of Transportation

Departmental Office of Civil Rights

1200 New Jersey Avenue

Washington, DC 20590

Complaint Processing

1. After a complaint is received, ODEI or other Port Authority staff will log and track it by name, date, location, type of alleged discrimination and other pertinent details.
2. ODEI or other Port Authority staff will review the complaint to determine whether the Port Authority has jurisdiction.
3. A response will be sent to the complainant within approximately ten (10) business days, acknowledging receipt of the complaint and notifying the complainant if the complaint has been forwarded to another entity for processing.
4. If a complaint is about a tenant, subtenant, licensee or contractor, ODEI or other Port Authority representatives will forward the complaint to the tenant, subtenant, licensee or contractor.
5. When forwarding the complaint to a tenant, subtenant, licensee or contractor, the Port Authority will request that the entity process the complaint in accordance with applicable standards and provide a statement describing all actions taken to resolve the matter and the results thereof within thirty (30) business days.  If the matter is not resolved after this period, monthly updates on the matter will be required until the matter is fully resolved.
6. If a complaint is about a federal agency, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ODEI or other Port Authority representatives will forward the complaint to the appropriate federal agency.

For Port Authority complaints not forwarded to another entity, the Port Authority will conduct investigations using the following procedures:

1. ODEI or Port Authority representatives may contact the complainant to request additional information if necessary to conduct the investigation.
2. ODEI or other Port Authority representatives will contact respondent(s) and any witnesses identified in the complaint.  ODEI may take any additional investigative steps necessary.
3. After the investigation is complete, ODEI or other Port Authority representatives will notify the complainant and any respondent of its findings, if any, including any recommendation(s) for action on the matter.  The notification will also advise the complainant of their appeal rights.
4. The Port Authority will strive to provide complaint findings within ninety (90) days after the commencement of the investigation.
5. The complainant may appeal the results of the investigation in writing to the Port Authority Executive Director.  The written appeal must be received within thirty (30) days after receipt of complaint findings.  The written appeal must contain all arguments, evidence, and documents supporting the basis for the appeal.  The Executive Director will appoint a Board Member not directly involved in the matter to review and render a written decision, which decision shall be binding upon the parties, including the Port Authority.

Required Federal Agency Notifications

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The Port Authority forwards to the FHWA a copy of any complaint it receives alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in any of its FHWA funded departments.  The FHWA will notify the Port Authority whether the FHWA intends to investigate the complaint itself, or whether the Port Authority must investigate the complaint.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The Port Authority will notify the FAA within fifteen (15) days of any complaint it receives alleging discrimination against itself or one of its tenants on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or creed in any of its aviation facilities (other than those alleging discrimination by federal agencies such as TSA or CPB).  The notice will include a description of all actions taken to resolve the matter, and the results thereof.

Complainants should be aware that in the course of a complaint investigation, it may become necessary for the Port Authority to reveal the complainant's identity to persons at the Port Authority and other persons involved in the complaint and/or the investigation.  In addition, the Port Authority is also obligated to respond to public records access requests, which may include requests for details of complaint investigations (for more information contact the Port Authority at 573-767-5393 or by e-mail at portauthority056@gmail.com.)

Port Authority employees, contractors, and tenants will not intimidate or retaliate against a person who has filed a complaint alleging discrimination.

For further information regarding accessibility at the Port Authority please find our contact information below:

Lewis County Regional Port Authority

P O Box 85

108 N Jackson Street

Monticello, MO 63457

573-767-5393

portauthority056@gmail.com

Tenants, vendors, and their staff who receive ADA or Title VI complaints must forward copies of the complaints, along with a written statement describing all actions taken by the tenant/vendor to resolve the matter, and the results thereof, within thirty (30) business days of receipt to the appropriate ADA/Title VI Coordinator. 

• Reasonable Modification Policy

In accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Lewis County Regional Port Authority (Port Authority) to provide individuals with disabilities with a reasonable modification to its policies, practices, and procedures to ensure access to Port Authority programs, facilities, and activities.

Requesting a Reasonable Modification

A reasonable modification is a change or exception to a policy, practice, or procedure that allows people with disabilities to have equal access to programs, services, and activities.  Reasonable modifications must always be related to the individual's specific limitation caused by the disability.  When requesting a reasonable modification to a Port Authority program or service, an individual with a disability is not required to provide medical documentation or a diagnosis to justify their request, but they must be able to explain how their disability is related to the requested modification.

The Port Authority considers all requests for reasonable modifications of its policies, practices or procedures when necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability.  The Port Authority is not required to grant requests for reasonable modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the Port Authority's services, programs or activities.  Due to the fact-specific nature of requests, individual decisions and one-time modifications are not precedential.  If a modification is determined later to be unnecessary for the requesting individual to use a requested service, a fundamental alteration, or unsafe for other person(s) or property, the Port Authority may discontinue or change the modification.

How to Make a Request for Reasonable Modification

1.  Whenever possible, individuals should make such requests for modifications before the Port Authority is expected to provide the modification.  A customer requesting a reasonable modification must describe the modification requested and basis for the modification (i.e. how your disability is related to the requested modification).  The requestor is not required use the term "reasonable modification" when making a request.  Designated staff will make a determination and communicate the same to the customer within one (1) to fifteen (15) business days from the date of the request.  Advance requests may be made as follows:  Requests may be submitted by e-mail to portauthority056@gmail.com or by phone at 573-767-5393.
2. When request for modification cannot be practicably made and determined in advance (i.e. because of a condition or barrier which the individual with a disability was unaware until arriving), the operating personnel will make a timely determination so long as their actions do not result in a direct threat to the health and safety of others or fundamental alteration.  It is important to note the the Port Authority may be limited in its ability to accommodate immediate or same day requests.
3. If the modification is not approved, the Port Authority will provide the basis for the denial.  Modification requests may be denied on the following grounds:

• modification would fundamentally alter the nature of the Port Authority's service, programs, or activities;
• modification could create a direct threat to the health or safety of the requestor or others;
• modification would create an undue financial or administrative burden for the Port Authority; or
• the individual with a disability is fully able to access the Port Authority's services, programs, or activities without the modification.

The Port Authority reserves the right not to respond to the same general request from the same individual more than once.  The "same general request" is one that does not differ significantly from a previous request, and that would generate the same Port Authority response.