City Council discusses upcoming construction, Halloween, liquor permits

Athens City Council is back at it after a month break. The first meeting Tuesday night focused on the impending Richland Avenue South construction project.More money will be poured into the Richland Avenue South construction project. The project is becoming more complicated as it goes and more money is needed to get the job done correctly, said Safety Service Director Kathy Hecht.Mayor Paul Wiehl pointed to the major traffic in the area, the fact the area is a flood plain and the entrance to The Summit at Coates Run as the major issues delaying the process.“Everyone wants to know why we need all this extra money and where it’s coming from; the simple answers are that this process is just really complicated. The money is from the already set up construction funds in the cities budget, and reallocation of money from other city funds,” Wiehl said.Some community members are worried about the various construction projects happening around Athens at the same time becoming a nuisance, but the City Council said once these repairs and construction projects are finished everything will run much smoother.Also at the meeting, they discussed adjusting several ordinances for the annual Halloween Block Party on Oct. 25 and 26.These include the official closing of the streets, enforcement of the glass-free drinking container zone and suspension of the noise ordinance for scheduled bandstand performances.Ohio University applied for a liquor license for Peden Stadium and the Convocation Center, an issue on the agenda the council was not yet willing to address. However, City Council President Jim Sands said it will be discussed more in the future.“The reputation of liquor in Athens has always been a sore subject, so we intend to take this process slowly and hear all sides,” Sands said.