Commission discusses countywide ADA plan amid warning of TDOT funding risk

Sumner County commissioners spent a lengthy portion of their meeting discussing the county’s obligation to adopt a formal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance plan and how that requirement affects eligibility for Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) funding.

Speaker 1 said the county does not currently have a formal ADA plan and cited a warning that the county could lose TDOT funding unless it adopts and shows intent to meet ADA benchmarks. "We do not have an ADA plan in place right now," Speaker 1 said, adding that the county risks losing funding with TDOT if a plan is not formally adopted. County Attorney Keith Kelly was referenced as saying the commission must at minimum show intent and a plan to work toward benchmarks.

Commissioners debated options. Some said the full countywide plan previously prepared was costly — they described sidewalk improvements and other measures that drove an estimated cost into the 'hundreds of millions' in earlier estimates — while others said the commission can adopt a comprehensive plan and phase implementation over time. One commissioner asked whether the body could adopt parts of a plan to demonstrate progress; speaker responses differed, with at least one stating the county must adopt an "all-encompassing plan" while another argued the county can adopt a plan that shows staged benchmarks.

Speaker 1 moved to place an ADA plan item on next month’s agenda so the commission can review the existing materials and discuss steps toward compliance. No final adoption occurred at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to bring back the plan materials and implementation benchmarks for further discussion.