SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The South Lake Tahoe City Council recognized June as Pride Month and voted to paint a sidewalk with pride colors in recognition of the LGBTQ+ community on Tuesday.

Councilmember Cody Bass requested to present the proclamation which urges, “citizens to recognize the contributions made by members of the LGBTQ community and LGBTQ organizations to actively promote the principles of equality and liberty.”

“I’m incredibly honored and proud to accept this proclamation today. What started as a riot in June 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City is now celebrated today as diversity and equality worldwide and it’s great for our city to join hundreds of cities across the world to celebrate such a great thing,” Bass said.

The council also approved a sidewalk to be painted with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Three segments of the South Tahoe Bikeway Path located Lakefront between 3351 Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Fremont Avenue will be painted.

The paint will last a year, at which time, the council will decide if it should be repainted. Mayor Pro Tem Cristi Creegan voted on the look of the paint but not the location, since one of the suggested locations is in front her property.

The council also requested a future agenda item to discuss other sidewalk paintings, such as an American flag.

One member of the public made an impassioned comment against painting the sidewalk, stating members of the Christian faith don’t get the same kind of recognition.

Councilmember Tamara Wallace responded stating that she too is a Christian and she too struggled with the item but continued to say, “my Christianity teaches me to love everyone.”

Wallace also reiterated that the council will be discussing other painting opportunities in the future.

“The world could use more color,” said Councilmember John Friedrich at the conclusion of the item.

During the meeting, the council also heard a presentation about updating the city’s single-use plastic policy. The presentation was made by South Tahoe High School senior Darby Creegan, with the help of City Attorney Heather Stroud, as part of her senior project.

The city currently has a polystyrene and plastic food packaging ban in place and was one of the first cities in the state to enact a plastic bag ban, which has since been repealed so the city could align with the state’s more stringent ban.

Stroud and Darby Creegan recommended increasing outreach and enforcement of the current single-use plastic policy, as well as prohibiting single-use plastic at city events and the sale of certain single-use plastic on city property.

Bass said he’d like the city to work with the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority on a campaign to tell visitors about the city’s plastic policy.

As part of her project, Creegan crafted an ordinance, which the council would like to have brought back at a later date.

The council authorized requests for proposals regarding a Community Choice Aggregation study. A CCA would allow the city to take on the procurement of energy while the utility company still distributes and bills customers.

This gives the city more control when it comes to fire resiliency as well as allowing them to more easily meet their renewable energy goals.

The city will be reaching out to Alpine, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada and Plumas counties to invite them to participate in the analysis.

During the meeting, council approved the transfer of 1195 Ski Run Boulevard to Ski Run Park LLC at no cost for continued construction of Ski Run Park.

They also approved a contract with Sosu TV which will allow the city to continue broadcasting on Channel 21 but will also create original content and a digital bulletin board.

Finally, the city accepted a proclamation Recognizing June 16-19 as “El Dorado County Fair Week.“

The next council meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 21.