Testing.

You ready, Rock?

Sergeant Arms, please call our September twenty-third, twenty twenty-five meeting to order.

I would like to recognize our chaplain of the day, Apostle Kevin Davidson of Dominion Transformation Center Church, invited by Councilwoman Cooper Sutton.

Apostle Davidson, please lead us in prayer.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Everybody bow your heads.

Father, we thank you most of all for being the God of the present, the God of the past, and the God of the future.

Father, we thank you most of all for this great council.

We thank you for our mayor.

We thank you for a great and amazing city.

Keep granting wisdom and knowledge that this city can pull together in peace and in unity.

And in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Greetings.

Be it hereby known that Apostle Kevin Davidson is reckon in recognition of a life of exemplary quality, outstanding service to the city, involvement in humanitarian affairs, and demonstrate concern for governmental process has been appointed.

Chaplain of the day of the Memphis City Council, and is hereby entitled to all of the honors, rights, privileges, and prerogatives obtaining to the office and to the display of this certificate.

Given under this seal this twenty-third day of September, twenty twenty-five, Chairman J.

Ford Canale, presented by Council Member Yolanda Cooper Sutton.

Thank you.

Madam Comptroller, please call the roll.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Councilmember Carlisle, Cooper Sutton, Easter Thomas, Ford, Green, Logan, Smiley Jr.

Spinoza, Vice Chair Swearing to Washington, Walker, Warren.

White.

Chairman Cannelly.

Mr.

Chairman, you have a quorum.

Thank you, Madam Comptroller.

I believe Vice Chair Swearinger Washington has read the meeting minutes for our September 9th meeting.

Thank you, Chair.

I have reviewed the minutes and find them to be in order.

I move for the adoption of the September ninth, twenty twenty-five meeting minutes.

Okay.

Take yours out, smile.

All right.

Meeting minutes were moved by Madam Vice Chair Sword and Washington, seconded by Green.

Seeing no members in the queue, please prepare the voting screen.

Members, please cast your votes for the meeting minutes.

Carlisle, yes.

Cooper Sutton, yes.

Easter Thomas, yes, Ford, yes, Green, yes, Logan, yes, Smiley, yes, Spinoza, yes, Sweringen, Washington, yes, Walker, yes, White, yes, Chairman Canale, yes.

That item passes.

And all those listening online to our September 23rd, 2025 regular meeting of the Memphis City Council.

Member meetings of the council shall be conducted in an orderly manner to ensure the public has full opportunity to be heard and the deliberate process of the council is retained at all times.

The sergeant arms has meeting agendas available up front, as well as comment request cards for members of the public wishing to be heard on a specific item.

All those wishing to speak on an item must turn in their comment card to the sergeant at arms before the item is called.

If you are not here to speak on a specific item, you can note your request to give general comment at the end of the meeting.

As chair, I will only recognize citizens that properly register to speak by submitting a completed comment request card to the sergeant at arms.

Members of the audience and persons addressing the council will not be permitted to engage in gossip, make defamatory personal slanderous or profane comments, or use abusive or vulgar language.

Item number one is a resolution recognizing September as death awareness month.

This resolution is sponsored by Councilwoman Cooper Sutton.

And where is National Deaf Awareness Month is not merely about recognition, but also about action and empowering a community that comprise over 466 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

And whereas significant statistics about the deaf community remind us that many people experience hearing loss.

And whereas National Deaf Awareness Month originated in 1958 as an international day of death, evolving into the International Week of the Deaf in September of 1951, and has since expanded to a full month of recognition and celebration.

And whereas it is important to use respectful and empowering terminology when referring to this community.

Such terms such as death, death, and heart of hearing, and preferred overhearing impaired, as recommended by the National Association of Deaf, focusing on identifying and ability rather than limitation.

And whereas the City of Memphis is committed to ensuring accessibility and inclusion for all residents, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, by actively removing communication barriers and promoting civic engagement for individuals with disabilities.

And whereas, under the leadership of the city ADA office, and ADA coordinator, Memphis coordinates communication access services across departments and contracts with two local interpretation services, providers to ensure America's Sign Language, ASL, interpreting is available upon request at public meetings, programs, and events.

Whereas that this Memphis City Council reaffirms its commitment to promoting accessibility, equality, and an inclusion for all individuals.