Note: The transcript references July 6, 2026, but the meeting date provided is July 7, 2026. This summary uses the provided date per instructions.
The meeting covered a range of topics including public comments, consent agenda, public hearings, and major reports. Key actions included awarding a transit operations contract to Via Transit, approving Heart of the City paver repairs, and receiving an update on the Granger Linear Park design.
Yeah, it's nice. That's something like the manual labor. But in general, what are you all dressed up for? Dan up the bar a couple weeks ago. I think you're side of the side of the city. I couldn't be the only guy. I felt comfortable in Dan dressed the same as me, but then you went and got a suit jacket. Thomas. Yeah. He don't ever tell you how he feels or what he thinks. He's kind of shying back while I can't. A lot like you, Sean. Okay. Please rise as you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance. If you the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God. Welcome everybody to our uh City Council meeting for July 6, 2026. And we begin every council meeting with our open comment period. This is an opportunity for anyone from the public to speak on items that we will not be taking separate public testimony during a public hearing later in the agenda. Each person has up to two minutes to speak for a total of 20 minutes. I will keep track uh by two methods. One is the stoplight here at the dais, and one is the uh the countdown clock on the wall. Um and so please know I may need to cut you off if uh you go beyond the two minutes. I'd also request that each speaker be concise to allow more people to speak, and participants are encouraged to limit comments generally to topics that are within the scope and jurisdiction of the council's ability to affect policy. Council members and staff do not respond directly to your comments during public comment period, but will instead uh follow up on any specific requests separately. If you have materials to share with the council, you can give them to the city clerk uh who is sitting to my right. Uh with that, I will invite you up according to how you signed up. Um Paula Hardin is first. Hi. You look perfectly fine to me as a common comment by ableds when people with disabilities explain that something creates a barrier for equitable participation in communities. For years I felt ignored by city leadership because nothing was being done fast enough or optimally to meet my expectations of what local government could do if they really wanted to choose accessibility as a priority. Maybe some of you thought I was able. Did you think I didn't have a vested interest in and desperate need for accessible housing? Having no lip entrances would be the easiest way to make all housing visitable, meaning disabled people can at least get in the door to dwellings and visit family and friends. Back in the days, never occurred to Congress to even debate accessibility to mean more than being able to find some place to live. In reviewing some changes that the city has made, I find there has been progress. And I thank you for every single detail that shows thoughtfulness and consideration for the many types of disabilities people experience. MS will not kill me, but kidney failure will. Thank you, Miss Hardin, and thank you for your advocacy. Next up we have Rachel LaForge. Good evening, Council, City Staff and Rachel LaForge. I am speaking on my own behalf, not on behalf of any other entities or organizations to which I may belong. What I want to talk about is Elton Hills Drive. I don't live in Elton Hills Drive, but I know a lot of people who do, a fair number of whom live on the north side and have to drive to cross to the south side because it is unsafe. What I want to address specifically is can we for once be proactive? And what I say mean by that, I moved here almost exactly 16 years ago. And I thought to myself, who is this Ariana McMamrah? She's a seven-year-old who was killed at a known dangerous intersection. Ten years later, Margaret Myland was killed at 19th Street, which is connected to Elton Hills Drive at another known dangerous intersection. April of this year, two of our police officers were hit by a driver at another known dangerous intersection. You're in fact voting tonight on whether or not you're going to pay to replace that police car that was totaled.