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A two-year, citywide conversation culminated on April 23 with the Montevallo City Council’s approval of the city’s first non-discrimination ordinance.

The ordinance passed 4-2.

Councilwoman Tiffany Bunt, Mayor Hollie C. Cost and Councilmen Jason Peterson and Matt Walker voted in favor of the ordinance.

Councilmen Rusty Nix and Willie Goldsmith voted against the ordinance.

“What everybody has to keep in mind is, after tonight, everything’s got to mesh back together and move the city forward, and everybody’s got to work together — I mean, neighbor helping neighbor and citizen helping citizen,” Nix said. “That’s what we’re all about.”

The NDO was initially presented to the City Council by the Montevallo Acceptance Project on May 9, 2016, requesting legal protection against discrimination of the LGBTQ community in Montevallo.

Feedback from numerous public forums, panels, committee meetings and City Council discussions have since shaped the NDO’s construction, ultimately expanding its intended impact to include all foreseen, potential realms of discrimination.

“By enacting this division (unlawful discrimination), it is the purpose and intent of the City Council of Montevallo, Alabama, within constitutional limits, to protect the right and opportunity of all persons to be free from all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, familial status, or veteran status, and to promote the public health and welfare of all persons who live and work in the City of Montevallo,” the ordinance reads.

On April 23, 2018, the Montevallo City Hall auditorium was filled to capacity, seats overflowing to line the walls with citizens present to witness the outcome of an ardent endeavor.

During the citizen participation portions of the meeting, 24 individuals presented to the council either approval or disapproval of the ordinance, requesting council members to consider their concerns and vote accordingly.

As agreed upon in prior meetings, all councilmen were present for the vote.

The NDO amends the Montevallo Municipal Code as designated Article IV of Chapter 16: Offenses and Miscellaneous Provision.

A full draft of the ordinance is publicly accessible on Cityofmontevallo.com.

In other proceedings, the Council:

• Approved paving in the Arden Subdivision and Calmont Subdivision, due to lower-than-expected paving bids. The two projects were initially scheduled for paving in future years.
• Approved on a trial basis to permit parking on the Main Street Tavern side of North Boundary Street, due to limited parking space for Main Street Tavern customers. “No Parking” signs are expected to soon be posted on the opposite side of North Boundary Street.