ATHENS, Ohio — At their regular meeting Monday evening, Athens City Council members discussed two major construction projects — and sparred over a proposed fall event.
The council heard second reading of an ordinance authorizing Uptown street closures for upcoming events. Transportation committee chair Solveig Spjeldnes, 1st Ward, asked to amend the ordinance to include Boogie on the Bricks, which she inadvertently omitted from the events list.
Boogie on the Bricks is set for June 14 on Court Street, between Washington and State streets.
Spjeldnes also asked that the ordinance include an emergency clause that would allow the ordinance to take immediate effect, rather than 30 days after passage.
After a lengthy discussion about how to proceed, the council agreed to amend the ordinance to include Boogie on the Bricks.
Council member Alan Swank, 4th Ward, then brought up his ongoing concern that the Ohio Brew Week Fall Fest is scheduled for Sept. 6 — the same date as Ohio University’s home football game against West Virginia University.
Swank said that OU officials told him that 30,000 fans from both schools are expected at the game — at least 4,000 more than at any home game in university history.
He has expressed concerns at past meetings about overburdening city services if two large events are planned on the same date.
“In short, there’s going to be a lot of people in a small area, and I think this event (Fall Fest), while a worthy event, would be better suited for another day,” Swank said.
Swank said the fall fest could potentially reschedule to the weekends before or after Sept. 6, when OU plays away games. He added that amenities such as restrooms will be impacted by having so many people in town during events where alcohol is served.
He moved to amend the ordinance by removing Ohio Brew Week Fall Fest until “we have more information about this game and the possibility of this thing coming off and being successful.” However, no one offered to second it.
Council member Beth Clodfelter, At Large, said that the fall fest event organizers had not been contacted about a proposed date change, which could “blindside them.”
Swank responded that the event was five months away, and that the organizers’ application was skimpy on detail.
Spjeldnes said she had spoken with Deputy Service-Safety Director Andrew Chiki, who processes event applications, who told her that holding two events on the same date would not be an issue.
“But he had no conversation with Ohio University,” Swank responded.
“That could be,” Spjeldnes said.
“That’s not could be, it is ‘be,’” Swank replied. “I asked [OU Athletic Director Julie] Cromer directly on Wednesday of [last] week and no one from the city had contacted her.”
Patterson noted that because the fall fest would be after the DORA ends, the organizers have to seek permits and handle security and crowd management.
No one seconded Swank’s motion.
Amending the ordinance sent it back to first reading, so Speldnes moved to suspend the rules and vote on the issue immediately. That question passed 3–1 to suspend the rules, with Swank voting no. Councilors Michael Wood, 3rd Ward, and Jessica Thomas, At Large, abstained because they own Uptown businesses that could be affected by street closures. Micah McCarey, At Large, was absent.
After suspending the rules, council moved on to a vote on the ordinance. Swank said he would be voting against the ordinance because of his objections to the Sept. 6 date for fall fest.
“I do support every other one of these [events], I want to make that clear,” he said.
The ordinance passed 3–1.
However, those votes may turn out to be invalid.
The council also heard second reading of two related ordinances that would suspend noise regulations to allow for live music and authorize vending, peddling and soliciting on event dates. Those passed by 4–0 votes, also by suspending the rules.
At the meeting, Swank asked if the council had enough members present to vote on suspending the rules; City Law Director Lisa Eliason said they did.
But on Wednesday afternoon, Swank told the Independent that Eliason informed the council on Tuesday that it did not, in fact, have enough members present to vote to suspend the rules.
Sidewalk situation resolved for 682/56 roundabout
The council heard second reading of Ordinance 0-34-25, which authorizes the city to seek bids and award a contract for construction of a roundabout at the intersection of SR 682 and SR 56. The $4.6 million project, which is expected to begin this summer, is funded by the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio Public Works Commission and the city’s street fund.
During the regular council meeting held Tuesday, March 18, Spjeldnes raised concerns about the lack of northbound sidewalks in the upcoming SR 682/56 roundabout project. SR 682 has a narrow section of shoulder by the Ohio Department of Transportation property, which is especially dangerous for pedestrians — such as residents of the nearby Kershaw Green complex, Spjeldnes said.
Since the March 18 meeting, Spjeldnes said, she had spoken with ODOT District 10’s Eric Davis, who informed her that the newest construction plans for the roundabout do in fact contain a sidewalk north on SR 682 in the direction of Kershaw Greene — including the narrow 100-foot stretch alongside the guardrail beside ODOT property.
The sidewalk will extend to the Margaret Creek bridge, the city limit boundary and not far from railroad tracks, Spjeldnes reported.
Planned sidewalks from the roundabout include one along SR 682 beside White’s Mill.
Stimson Avenue Bridge pre-work starts
The council heard first reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to seek bids and award contracts for a $6.2 million improvement project for the Stimson Avenue bridge. The ordinance was amended during previous readings, which sent it back to first reading.
Council President Sam Crowl noted that the ODOT’s share of project funding has increased, thus lessening the city’s burden. ODOT has raised its commitment from about $4.5 million to $5.3 million, monies from its Small Cities fund. Nearly $880,000 from the city will be taken from street rehabilitation fund line 572. The city’s commitment had been set at just over $1.2 million.
Swank emphasized that the bridge will remain open in one direction at all times during construction using temporary traffic signals. Motorists will not need to take shortcuts through the Near East side, he added.
Other ordinances passed
Ordinance adopted by Council on their third readings included:
- Ordinance 0-26-25 authorizing design, construction, and construction engineering necessary to close out the Dairy Lane/Stage Coach Road sewer project. Included is appropriating $285,000 from street fund line 220 toward sidewalk design and construction. The city-county project has a total cost of $6.9 million, the majority of which – nearly $5.3 million from sewer fund line 750 – went to sewer easements, construction engineering, and a loan fee. A total of $1.35 million from water fund line 740 went toward water line construction, construction engineering and contingency.
- Ordinance 0-27-25 authorizing a city fiber network, project #347, at a total cost of $1.06 million and with construction of phase four and design of phase five, set at $450,000. Funding involves $610,000 from American Rescue Plan Act fund line 286; $400,000 from street fund line 220; and $50,000 from general fund, fire, line 101.208. The conduit for the fiber optic network already exists along Court Street and will connect with traffic lights along Richland Avenue.
- Ordinance 0-28-25, authorizing the city to accept an Energized Community Grant award from the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council. The grant is used on energy savings projects such as green energy initiatives.
- Ordinance 0-25-25, granting a special use permit for seven years, with possible extensions for seven years, granting a right-of-way use permit for a homeowner at 245 Grosvenor St. for construction of a wooden fence that crosses an unused alleyway.
Council communications items
During communications, Crowl said that the state has granted a liquor permit transfer for 700 E. State St., site of the former Sol Island Bar & Grill and, before that, The Maplewood. The license is being transferred from Wilson Enterprises LLC of Athens to Nuzum Enterprises LLC, and includes permit classifications allowing the sale of beer, wine, spiritous liquor, and Sunday liquor sales.
Risner, a member of the Athens Municipal Arts Commission, passed out copies of a six-panel brochure recently printed by the commission titled “Mural Walking Tour: Uptown and Around.” Through maps and interactive bar codes, the brochure leads readers to 10 locations along a mural walk with “some prominent and hidden murals in close proximity to Court Street,” he said.
Starting at the Richland Avenue Tunnel Mural, the tour includes murals related to international peace, the American worker represented by coal miners, and ends at Aethelred Eldridge Mural at Siegfried Hall.
Risner said 5,000 brochure copies have been printed to give businesses serving visitors.
Athens City Council’s next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 14, in Athens City Hall, Council Chambers, third floor, 8 E. Washington St. Meetings are also available online. Regular sessions are on the first and third Mondays of the month; committee meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays.
