The Chattanooga City Council met on July 21, 2026, for an agenda session and a business meeting. The council adopted a proclamation for the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, denied a rezoning request on first reading, approved a $900,000 allocation for the Child Savings Account Initiative, and confirmed numerous board appointments. Public comments addressed meeting timing, support for unhoused neighbors, and community center investments.
Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to call to order the July 21st meeting of the Chattanooga City Council and recognize Councilwoman Hill to lead us in our Pledge of Allegiance and invitation. Under God and liberty and justice. Okay. Welcome everybody. Um like to at the beginning of these meetings just kind of give a rundown for how our meetings operate for any who might be new, and just as a refresher for those who have been with us before, um, first of all, if you would just silence uh or turn off your cell phones so we don't have any interruptions during the meeting, that would be much appreciated. Um handled in two parts, and so the first part um which is our agenda session, uh we cover special presentations of which we do have one today that uh councilman Harvey will be doing in just a minute on our behalf. Uh, we also look at our minutes from our last meeting and our agendas for tonight and next week, as well as items that are coming before the council three weeks or more into the future, um, so that we're well prepared for all the items that come before us. Umtimes during this agenda session, we'll have a uh committee meeting or a department report. We do not have that this evening, and so after we've looked at all of our agenda items and uh had discussion as needed about those, we'll take a recess during which we normally um have an attorney client meeting with our city attorney, and we will have one of those today to discuss a few items with our uh city attorney. And so when we get back from our recess, that will be the business portion of our meeting in which we vote on all the items that are on our agenda before us uh for a vote this evening. Um at the end of that, at the very end of our meeting, we do have a period um for public comment during which um we're happy to welcome members of the public who are here to talk to the council, and so at that time um we'll have folks to line up at the podium down front, and our city attorney will give some rules at that time uh that govern our public comment session. So with that, I would like to invite councilman Cody Harvey to the podium to deliver a special proclamation recognizing the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um I'll ask uh some members of uh the disability council to come up and join me. Um today I'm joined by Deborah Duncan, who is the chair of the mayor's council uh on disability and uh my lifelong friend Lindy Locke, thank you for being here today uh as I read this proclamation. Uh Mr. Chairman, I rise today to uh present on behalf of the city of Chattanooga uh a proclamation honoring the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Whereas the Mayor's Council on Disability had its inception in 2006 as a council whose focus is to provide direction and guidance to the mayor and the Chattanooga City Council by proposing policies, programs, practices, and procedures that give equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, empowering them to achieve inclusion and an integration in all aspects of society. Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed on July the 26th, 1990 to ensure the civil rights of citizens with disabilities. Whereas this year, the City of Chattanooga's Mayor's Council on Disability celebrates 20 years of existence while also commemorating 36 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A time when we can come together as a community to recognize and support our fellow residents with disabilities, their unique needs and their special interest. Now, therefore, the City Council of Chattanooga proclaims July the 26th, 2026 as Americans with Disabilities Act Day, inviting all citizens to celebrate this 36th anniversary and reaffirm our commitment to an inclusive inclusive community that values the contributions of every resident. Be it further proclaimed that we honor the mayor's council on disability for their years of dedicated service, leadership, and advocacy in ensuring that Chattanooga remains a city of equal opportunity for all, dated this 21st day of July. Let's give them a hand for their service. Thank you, Council. I would just like to make two points to you. One, the composition of the mayor's council on disability is about 50% self-advocates like Lindy Locke, who is our vice chair. About 40% are representatives from agencies that support those with disabilities, and that about 10% are people like me who have a family member or a loved one with a disability. And we are a very active council. I also wanted to make a point too of how important the ADA is. After 36 years, I think we might take it a little bit for granted. But one of the things I I'd learned about the ADA is that in the spring of 1990, when Congress was considering it, it was open to the public to give comment. But the um uh congressional building was not accessible to those with disabilities. So all of these people who wanted to advocate for themselves could not access the building. So on March, I think it was March 12th of 1990, these advocates left aside their mobility advice devices and crawled up the stairs of the Capitol in order to get to the room where they could advocate for their own rights. And we're not in that place anymore. And I'm sorry, as you can tell, I care a lot about this. Lindy gets to go wherever I get to go. And that shouldn't be a special right that she has. And I'm just so glad by your you signing this proclamation, you just affirm that right for Lindy and for all of us. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you, Councilman. All right. Council, could I get a motion on our minutes from the previous meeting?