Website Accessibility Policy

Effective Date: 3/1/2026 | Last Reviewed: 3/1/2026

1. Policy Statement

Forest Township (“the Township”) is committed to ensuring that its official website is accessible to all residents, visitors, and members of the public, including individuals with disabilities. We believe that all people should have equal access to government information and services, and we strive to meet or exceed the requirements of applicable federal and state accessibility laws.

This policy applies to all web-based content published and maintained by the Township, including the main township website, any associated subdomains, and online services or portals operated by the Township.

2. Legal Framework & Compliance

The Township’s website accessibility efforts are guided by the following laws, regulations, and standards:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II — Requires state and local governments to ensure equal access to their programs, services, and activities, including those delivered online.
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act — Federal standards for electronic and information technology accessibility.
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA — The internationally recognized technical standard for accessible web content, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The Township targets full WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance.
  • Applicable State Laws — The Township also complies with any accessibility requirements imposed by Michigan state law.

3. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to all digital content owned, controlled, or published by Forest Township, including but not limited to:

  • The main township website and all web pages
  • Online forms, permit applications, and service portals
  • Documents published to the website (PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, etc.)
  • Images, videos, audio content, and multimedia
  • Meeting agendas, minutes, and public notices posted online
  • Any third-party platforms or tools embedded in or linked from the Township website

Where the Township links to third-party websites or services not under its direct control, it will make reasonable efforts to work with those vendors to ensure accessible alternatives are available.

4. Accessibility Standards & Commitments

To achieve meaningful accessibility, the Township is committed to the following principles based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines:

4.1 Perceivable

  • Providing text alternatives (alt text) for all non-text content, including images, charts, and graphics
  • Offering captions and transcripts for all video and audio content
  • Ensuring content can be presented in multiple ways without losing meaning
  • Using sufficient color contrast between text and backgrounds
  • Avoiding content that relies solely on color to convey information

4.2 Operable

  • Ensuring all website functionality is accessible via keyboard navigation (not requiring a mouse)
  • Providing users enough time to read and use content
  • Avoiding content that flashes more than three times per second (which can trigger seizures)
  • Providing clear navigation, page titles, and skip-navigation links

4.3 Understandable

  • Writing content in plain, clear language appropriate for a general public audience
  • Identifying the language of each page for screen readers
  • Ensuring forms include clear labels, instructions, and helpful error messages
  • Maintaining consistent navigation and layout throughout the site

4.4 Robust

  • Building web content to be compatible with current and future assistive technologies (screen readers, voice recognition software, refreshable Braille displays, etc.)
  • Using valid, standards-based HTML and CSS
  • Testing with common assistive technology tools during development and updates

5. Ongoing Accessibility Efforts

The Township recognizes that accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time task. We are actively working to:

  • Conduct regular accessibility audits of the website using automated tools and manual testing
  • Review and remediate accessibility issues as they are discovered or reported
  • Train Township staff responsible for creating or publishing web content on accessibility best practices
  • Incorporate accessibility requirements into any future website redesigns, platform upgrades, or new digital service launches
  • Evaluate third-party vendors and require accessibility compliance as part of procurement criteria

6. Known Limitations

While the Township strives for full accessibility, we acknowledge that some content may not yet meet all WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria. Known areas of ongoing remediation may include:

  • Older archived documents (e.g., PDFs of historical meeting minutes) that predate this policy
  • Third-party embedded content or tools not fully under Township control
  • Multimedia content published before captioning requirements were in place

The Township is actively working to address these gaps on a prioritized basis, beginning with content that is most critical to public access and participation.

7. Requesting Accessible Content or Accommodations

If you are unable to access any content on the Township website due to a disability, or if you require information in an alternative accessible format, please contact us. We will make reasonable efforts to provide the information in a format that meets your needs in a timely manner.

Accessibility Contact:

  • Lisa Margrif 
  • Township Clerk 
  • Phone: (810) 631-4997
  • Mailing Address: 130 E. Main St.
    Otisville, MI 48463
  • Office Hours:
    Monday – Thursday
    9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    Friday – Sunday
    Closed

Requests for accessible accommodations will be responded to within [5] business days. For urgent matters related to public meetings or time-sensitive services, please contact us by phone for the fastest response.

8. Feedback and Complaints

We welcome feedback from users about the accessibility of our website. If you experience an accessibility barrier or wish to report a problem, please use the contact information above.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility request or complaint, you may also file a complaint with:

  • U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division — ADA complaints: www.ada.gov or 1-800-514-0301
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (if related to health services)

9. Responsibility & Governance

Responsibility for implementing and maintaining this policy is assigned as follows:

  • Overall responsibility: Mary Ann Price – Supervisor
  • Web content updates and remediation: Finepoint Design
  • ADA compliance monitoring: Lisa Margrif – Clerk

All Township employees or contractors who create, publish, or maintain web content are responsible for understanding and following this policy.

10. Policy Review & Updates

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and updated as needed to reflect changes in applicable law, technical standards, or Township operations. The most current version of this policy will always be available on the Township website.