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Syracuse council proclaims Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month, approves consent agenda items
Summary
The Syracuse Common Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing May 15–June 15, 2026, as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month after a personal statement from Council President Rita Penaagua; the meeting also advanced a broad consent agenda with several items held or withdrawn and routine procedural votes.
The Syracuse Common Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring May 15 to June 15, 2026, as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month in the city of Syracuse and encouraged community education and inclusiveness.
Council President Rita Penaagua read the resolution on the floor, described Tourette syndrome as "characterized by repetitive involuntary movements and or sounds called tics," and cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately "1 in 50 school age children in the United States are affected by Tourette Syndrome or another persistent tic disorder." Penaagua described the issue as personal and emotional, thanked members of the Vietnamese Buddhist community for participating in the meeting, and noted that City Hall would be lit in teal through June 15 as a symbol of awareness. "We recognize May 15 to June 15 as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month in the city of Syracuse," the resolution states; the council adopted it by unanimous voice and roll call vote.
The meeting also advanced a substantial consent agenda. Several items were introduced and approved by roll call; some items were held for later consideration and one (item 29) was withdrawn. The clerk recorded routine roll-call approvals across numerous items, and a small number of abstentions were noted: Strauss abstained on one item, stating his role as "vice president of the board," and another councilor abstained from a vote citing employment with the Syracuse City School District and JSCB involvement.
Councilors discussed administrative matters including a notice that the city regularly seeks contractors for a list of municipal work and that the contracting roster is open to applicants. The council also considered and approved supplemental-agenda waivers to introduce items 44 and 45, approving the waivers and then adopting the introduced items by unanimous vote.
The meeting concluded routine business and moved on to supplemental agenda items after the resolutions and consent votes.
