ATHENS, Ohio — During Athens City Council’s light Monday agenda, the public learned there will be one more opportunity to comment on a few proposed changes to the council’s meeting rules — one of which would remove the need for members of the public to identify their home addresses when addressing the council.
The council also heard the schedule for the special 250th anniversary Independence Day events Uptown.
The council session was the last scheduled until August, when the council returns from its July recess.
Mulling meeting rules
During communications, Jessica Thomas, acting as mayor pro tem, read a letter from Council President Micah McCarey, who filled in for Mayor Steve Patterson.
McCarey stated that he wishes to give the public and the council one more opportunity, when council resumes in August, to comment on meeting rules changes proposed recently by Alan Swank, 4th Ward.
“While Council rules are generally internal rules of Council, amendments concerning public comment directly affect how members of the public participate in regular sessions,” McCarey wrote. As such, he sought “to make an exception for rules about public comment, and provide an opportunity for public comment before Council proceeds to a final vote.”
Swank’s proposal would:
- Allow members of the public to speak for up to three minutes on one topic, rather than speak just once per meeting.
- Remove a requirement for speakers to give their home addresses.
- Ask speakers to disclose group affiliations.
- Specify how three-minute and 15-minute time limits should operate. In addition to three minutes per speaker, per topic, there would be a 15-minute overall limit on any one topic.
America250 events Uptown
Swank provided the council with an overview of Independence Day events, with the city as a co-sponsor of America250 events in Uptown Athens. The events begin 10 p.m. Friday, July 3 with the annual fireworks display on East State Street.
A slide with an event poster, by Joel Prince of Visit Athens County, was shown. As relayed by Swank, the America250 Independence Day events, also available for view at athensfourthofjuly.com, will be:
- 9–11 a.m.: Patriotic bike parade for children ages five–12. Assembly at Jaegers Funeral Home on Morris Avenue. The parade will proceed to East State, Carpenter Street, Court Street, and to West State Street before ending at the Southeast Ohio History Center, address. Parade coordinators are Lynne Genter and Jessica Cyders.
- 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Sidewalk chalk art, with patriotic themes in front of the Athens County Courthouse.
- Noon–12:30 p.m.: Bell ringing at the Athens City Building, followed by a Declaration of Independence reading at the intersection of Court and West State streets.
- 1–2 p.m.: Hot dog eating contest at Court and West State streets, sponsored by Larry’s Dawg House.
- 2–4 p.m.: Historic games competition, open to individuals and families at Southeast Ohio History Center, 24 W. State St. Sign a commemorative banner; refreshments provided.
- 3–5 p.m.: Hard Knocks and Sam’s Gym, of Glouster community boxing exhibition, main stage at West State and Court streets, with remarks from Olympic Gold Medalist in U.S. Women’s Hockey team member Gwyneth Philips, who is from Athens.
- 4–7 p.m.: Community picnic on the Ohio University College Green, featuring free America250 sheet cake, along with live music from Bruce and Gay Dalzell, and the Rylee Bapst band; bring seating and blankets.
- 7–10:45 p.m.: Live music at the main stage, Court and West State streets; headliner band Bon Journey, a Bon Jovi and Journey cover band.
Council accepts energy grant
Prior to the regular council meeting, the Finance and Personnel Committee discussed two items that were placed on the regular session agenda for adoption.
One item involved the city receiving a 2026 Energized Community Grant of $7,120 from the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council.
The city receives the grant annually. This year, it intends to spend the money on a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning control panel at the Athens Community Center for improved efficiency, McCarey said.
The committee also, with no discussion, amended city code section 17.01.12 by adding the recently passed city income tax increase to its language.
The new, codified language, adopted as Ordinance 67-26, states, “Effective January 1, the tax rate shall be levied at a rate of 2.15%.” Previous increases included the income tax rate levied at 1.65% effective in 2016; a rate of 1.85% effective in 2017; and a rate of 1.95% effective in 2023.
Ordinances adopted
Ordinances adopted by Council upon third readings were:
- Ordinance 55-26, amending staffing levels, which includes a reduction in lab technicians from two to one; a reduction in water meter readers from two to one, as the city transitions into a new radio-signal controlled water meter system; and a reduction of parking enforcement employees from five to four.
- Ordinance 56-26, sets for 12 paygrades for non-union employees, depending on the positions, with categories of minimum, mid-level and maximum pay for those positions, including the service-safety director position, the highest-paid position. That position’s pay levels start at $41.79 per hour and max out at $59.54.
- Ordinance 57-26 amends Ordinance 117-24, pertaining to a fringe benefit package for non-union personnel. The ordinance defines overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week at a rate of time-and-a-half. It also establishes pay rates per pay period for employees who have licenses relating to water and wastewater.
- Ordinance 60-26 authorizes the service-safety director to advertise and accept bids, and enter into a contract for construction of Westside sidewalks, stemming from a 2024 $120,000 Community Development Block Grant. Council member Beth Clodfelter, At Large, said the money has not yet been spent.
Ordinances set for first reading, and then adopted after rules suspension, were:
- Ordinance 64-26, which authorizes $3,500 for a new laptop computer and accessories for purchase and use by the city treasurer; appropriates $32,160 to the parking garage fund, for a Park and Go module and a Park Smart reservation module; and $31,788 to replace money transferred to cover the cost of a property tax bill for the Athens Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Ordinance 65-26, which included Then and Now certificates for the following payments: $14,300 for pool pipe repair; $5,134 to Darrell Norris Greenhouses for Athens in Bloom Flowers; $6,000 for work management software; and $7,200 for the annual Law Enforcement Automated Data System fee.
Athens City Council recesses in July. Its next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3 at Athens City Hall, Council Chambers, third floor, 8 E. Washington St. Meetings are also streamed online. Regular sessions are on the first and third Mondays of the month; committee meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays.
