Mayor Patterson proclaims June 2026 Pride Month; reminds residents about City Source app, NIXLE and pool accessibility

Mayor Steve Patterson read and paraphrased a proclamation declaring June 2026 as Pride Month in Athens and reiterated the city's stated commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ residents.

"I, Steve Patterson, the mayor of the great city of Athens, Ohio, do hereby proclaim June of 2026 as Pride Month and encourage all residents to respect, honor, and celebrate our ongoing efforts to actualize that genuine equality," Patterson said.

In the same update he promoted the "Athens, Ohio City Source" app for reporting issues such as debris, waterline breaks and deteriorated sidewalks, and he described NIXLE as a free alert system for inclement weather, missing-person and Amber alerts (the mayor read a text subscription instruction: text 455701 to 888777).

The mayor also reviewed accessibility features at the city swimming pool, saying the facility includes multiple lifts and a zero-degree entry ramp; he noted the deeper end is "about three and a half foot deep" and framed the ADA work as improving access for people with mobility limitations. Finally, he listed upcoming meetings for the Athens Municipal Arts Commission (June 10), Athens City Council (June 15) and the Athens Planning Commission (June 17).

The proclamation text cited local policies and past actions the mayor said the city maintains, including an inclusive nondiscrimination policy, a domestic partner registry, a past proclamation supporting marriage equality, the Fairness Ohio Act, a ban on conversion therapy, and support for Prism, an afterschool program at 29 Parkplace.