Athens City Council holds committee meeting, discusses outlook for 2024
Athens City Council held their second committee meeting of the new year Monday night. Committee meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month and allow the committees to bring forth concerns and potential ordinances. Monday’s meeting had four committees speak on what is to come in the new year.
The Committee of the Whole spoke first with a provided presentation from the Athens City Commission on Disabilities. Commission Chair David McNelly led the presentation which provided background on the commission and upcoming events in 2024. Their most anticipated event is the "Walk, Talk, and Roll,” which was a major hit in 2023. The commission is dedicated to “advocating for accessibility and disability rights and providing consultations to the city, county, and local businesses to inform decision making for improvements,” said Michelle Hahn, an active commission member.
Next to speak was the Planning and Development Committee who discussed plans for the property at 83 Columbus Rd. The property is a vacant lot that has not been owned or taxed since 2012. The committee proposed a transfer of the property from the city to the CIC, because the CIC can provide the property with economic development options that the city cannot.
The Transportation Committee then spoke on special events in 2024 and the regulations that come with these events, such as street closures and noise ordinances. Holiday parking was also discussed and Mayor Steve Patterson approved a proposition for free parking on Dec. 23. The city of Athens will now have no parking fees from Dec. 21 to Dec. 24.
Last to speak was the Finance and Personnel Committee, who disclosed the appropriation of city funds to come in 2024. The appropriations were as follows:
$20,432.70 to ARPA fund, capital improvements, and closing out the fund. Safety Director Andy Stone said this is the remaining unappropriated ARPA funds that “need to be spent soon.”
Decrease Diversion Fund by $44,900.
Decrease Court Communities Correction Fund by $66,500.
Increase General Fund by $115,000.
The decreases, which come as a disappointment to the council, are a result of state grants expiring in August. Once the two grants that fund the Diversion program and the Court Communities Corrections program expire, there will be no funding for these programs. The municipal court has suggested that once the grants expire, the difference could be made up out of the city’s general fund. “For this to work the court would be required to come to council and request an appropriation of funds,” said councilmember Jeff Risner, “as far as I know, no such request has come forward.”
Council closed out the meeting by authorizing an expenditure of $184,860 to go toward 2024 Water Softening Salt.
The next city council meeting will be held on Monday, Feb.5.