DICKINSON, Texas — Tuesday is to be the grand opening of an $8 million city hall and library complex, but a handicapped resident complains the facilities are inaccessible for people like her.

The man in charge the buildings’ construction said they meet all building codes for those with handicaps and argued the city took the extra steps to improve access for those with physical disabilities.

Bridget Long, a frequent city hall visitor, said she was appalled to discover the new building lacks an automatic door opener for people in wheelchairs, electric carts or using walkers.

“Who failed to come up with that plan? That’s what I’d like to know,” Long said. “Someone should have made sure they took something like that into account what’s needed for senior citizens and people like me.”

Long was so upset she was on the phone with every elected official who would take her call during the weekend and Monday.

Fire Marshal Norman Hicks, also the project manager for the city hall and library complex, acknowledged there isn’t an automatic door at city hall, but said an inspector who specializes in Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines found only three minor problems, which have since been corrected.

During the May 26 review, the inspector found that the wheelchair ramps entering the buildings needed to be a different color than the rest of the walkways, that one restroom door needed to be adjusted and that padding under sink wheels in the bathrooms needed to be added, Hicks said.

While not required, the inspector did suggest that the city add hand railings to the landings near wheelchair ramps at the employee entrances to the building.

All three issues were fixed before city hall opened two weeks ago. Last week, city council approved adding the railings.

Hicks said that while the library has an automatic door, it is not required and is considered a “convenience.”

The codes only require doors wide enough to allow wheelchair access and that they be easily opened.

All of the doors at city hall and the library meet those standards, Hicks said.

Automatic doors were not installed at city hall because there are more paid staff there to help people get in out, while the library has a smaller, mostly volunteer staff.

He did not rule out automatic doors for city hall in the future.

That’s not good enough for Long.

“Picture yourself with a walker or an electric cart trying to get in,” she said.

“It’s not easy. To spend this much money and not think about this is a shame.”

There is an automatic door inside city hall that connects the council chambers to a back room, Hicks said.