Feels Weird… Just Saying

It's Tuesday which means I had my Assist, Inc., today volunteer board I sit on which allocates funding for folks to repair their homes mostly seniors, people disabilities folks of low-income. The committee only meets a couple times a month now due to funding cutbacks. We've been told it's just a matter of waiting for the new fiscal year to start but I've only recently realized the accepted the writing on the wall that perhaps the funding will not be continued as it used to be. Of course, that doesn't make much difference to me since I volunteered my time on this committee but if the agency Assist, Inc. does not have the funding to even do their work then there is a problem. Our committee is now three members from what it used to be five or six. Three members have actually died, to others or so infirmed they can no longer make the meetings per se. That leaves the three regulars – us. Quick refresher, our offices right next to the Department of Education which also used to be Utah State Office of Rehabilitation or USOR.

Before I was an employee of the state of Utah I was employed by a major private nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities. Part of my job was attending meetings at this facility two or three times a week sometimes. Many of the boards I sat on use this building for their meetings. One of the things I loved about this building was that it had an accessible restroom. One of the most accessible restrooms in the city, so much so that I often rated this restroom as number one in access for the city of Salt Lake. This of course is not a big deal to anyone else but to someone in a wheelchair it was a big deal. I never questioned using this restroom when I was a board member of the many advisory boards of the state I sat up nor did I have problems with this building as a state employee after all a state employee is a state employee. I've never really questioned access.. Even when the State of Utah and USOR had the big battle and Rehab changed I still never worried about using the restrooms. Now, in retirement I have not really had reason to use this building except for attending other retirement celebrations are open houses but have not not used the facilities restroom. I often stop in before my Assist meeting or afterwards to use the bathroom. I did that today but as I was leaving the “guardian of the front door” asked where I was going and I said “to use the restroom”. She then said “from now on out you need to use the library's restroom.” I was too shocked to do anything but say “yes”. It was only afterwards in my assist meeting I processed the moment. I'm confused and opened back that I can't use the facility ran on state.tax dollars and I'm a taxpayer. It's not like I'm going in and wandering around offices and stuff. I can use the library they have very limited access as far as bathrooms go but I am pondering what else I might do. Perhaps contact old friends at the State, letter to the editor or just let it go. Still feels weird.