CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – ADA compliance issues were brought up during the Montgomery County Commission meeting Monday, with proposals for sign language interpreters at commission meetings and as needed for the Sheriff’s Office.

The commission also discussed the performance incentive plan for the new Costco at Freedom Farms.

ADA compliance issues

During public comments, Artie Terrell Grassman, an advocate for the deaf and hard of hearing, spoke about improving access to public meetings for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Grassman explained that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by state and local government entities. It covers public education, public transportation, and even digital web accessibility.

“Things like arrest, Miranda (rights), interrogations, police reports should be conducted in American Sign Language with an ASL interpreter if that’s how that deaf person communicates,” Grassman said.

During COVID, there were no ASL interpreters, she said, and when county commissioners did remote/virtual meetings, deaf and hard of hearing people were “kind of left out in the cold.”

Grassman said she spoke with the previous mayor about these issues, and with Golden when he came into office. She also spoke with Lt. Bishop Delaney at the Sheriff’s Office.

Grassman said a resolution was filed with the County Commission to provide ASL interpreters at commission meetings and to improve county accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents by a hearing-impaired member of the commission, Commissioner David Shelton, serving District 21. However, it did not pass out of the Finance Committee and was tabled until next March. Grassman believes these services should be in the budget, and they should have been since the passing of the ADA.

“My job is hopefully to help bring Montgomery County into compliance and into modern times by taking up and passing the resolution that was tabled until next March, so that deaf and hard of hearing people in our county can have equal access,” Green said.

Costco performance incentive

Buck Dellinger, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council (EDC), spoke about the contribution agreement between the Industrial Development Board and Costco.

He said the agreement will benefit not just in bringing Costco, but in bringing over $6 million in annual sales tax revenue. The remaining land left over from Freedom Farms would be used for other recruited retailers. Dellinger said another benefit from having Costco would be the quality of retail establishments would be higher.

“We need this contribution agreement approved to make a contribution to the Industrial Development Board, who will then have an agreement with Costco to reach the incentives,” Dellinger said. The incentive is performance-based and worth $21 million over 10 years.

The formal commission meeting will be 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at the County Courthouse.

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