Athens County Public Meetings & Local News Roundup: 12/19-12/23

Public meetings

Meeting schedule is based on meeting notices published by public bodies and regular meeting schedules. Meeting information may change.

Monday, 12/19:

9am: Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has a special meeting to discuss operations matters and possible amendments to bylaws at the AMHA office, 10 Hope Dr., Athens. In-person only.

See: Athens Metro Housing Authority director put on leave as state, federal warrants served

1pm: Buckeye Hills Regional Council’s Broadband Committee has a meeting at the council office, 1400 Pike Street, Marietta. In-person only.

4pm: Athens County Children Services Board has a regular monthly meeting at Zenner House, 30 Utah Pl., Athens. In-person only.

5pm: Athens County Veteran Service Commission has a regular biweekly meeting at OhioMeansJobs – Athens County, 510 W. Union St., ste. 102, Athens. In-person only.

5pm: Rome Township Board of Trustees has a regular biweekly meeting at the township building, 8708 SR 144, Stewart. In-person only.

6pm: York Township Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the York Township Fire Department, 15255 Elm Rock Rd., Nelsonville. In-person only.

7pm: Athens City Council has a regular biweekly meeting at the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St., Athens, and over livestream.

Tuesday, 12/20:

9:30am: Athens County Commissioners have a regular weekly meeting at the Athens County Courthouse, 1 S. Court St., 2nd fl., Athens, and over Zoom. Agenda

4pm: Nelsonville City Council Finance Committee has a meeting to discuss the 2023 budget and city finances at Nelsonville City Hall, 211 Lake Hope Dr., Nelsonville and over livestream.

6pm: Federal Hocking Board of Education has a regular monthly meeting at the Federal Hocking High School Library, 8461 SR 144, Stewart. In-person only.

6pm: Tri-County Career Center Board of Education has a regular monthly meeting at the center, 15676 SR 691, rm. 108, Nelsonville. In-person only. Agenda

7pm: Sunday Creek Valley Water District Board of Directors has a regular monthly meeting at the district office, 15945 Second St., Millfield. In-person only.

Wednesday, 12/21:

11:15am: Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has a special meeting to discuss personnel matters at the AMHA office, 10 Hope Dr., Athens. In-person only.

See: Athens Metro Housing Authority director put on leave as state, federal warrants served

4:30pm: Athens County Public Libraries Board of Trustees has a regular monthly meeting at the Nelsonville Public Library, 95 W. Washington St., Nelsonville. In-person only.

6pm: Parade of the Hills Committee has a regular monthly meeting at the community room of Nelsonville Homes, 900 E. Canal St., Nelsonville. In-person only.

6:30pm: Albany Village Council has a regular biweekly meeting at the village hall, 5153 Alton St., Albany. In-person only.

Thursday, 12/22:

12pm: Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council’s Personnel Committee has a rescheduled meeting at the Ohio University Innovation Center, 340 W. State St., rm. 103, Athens. In-person only.

Friday, 12/23:

No public meetings.

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Local news roundup

News on our radar from around the county, state and region

Unscrupulous landlords and a lack of zoning or other regulations in rural parts of Athens County and southeast Ohio result in low-income renters being forced to live in near-uninhabitable structures. (WOUB)

Kelsea Mercer, whose mother Jennifer Ohlinger died in 2018 at the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail in Nelsonville, argues in an appellate brief that jail staff showed “deliberate indifference” by not immediately getting a doctor after her mother fell and hit her head. A federal district judge granted jail staff qualified immunity and dismissed her lawsuit in September. (Logan Daily News)

Opioid overdose kits will be made available to Ohio University students for the Spring 2023 semester. (The Post)

Retiring longtime Republican state legislator Jay Hottinger is joining the Athens-based lobbying firm Sunday Creek Advisors. (Newark Advocate)

Regional planning organizations may bypass a stalled state government to fund Amtrak and commuter rail services in partnership with the federal government (NEOtrans Blog).  While lines connecting the 3C Corridor are the first priority, the proposed line reconnecting Athens and Columbus could be next on that list.

State ID requirements, tighter mail-in ballot deadlines and fewer dropboxes: a closer look at the voter suppression bill awaiting Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature. (Ohio Capital Journal/WEWS)

Three reporters for the Pulitzer-winning Charleston, WV Gazette-Mail were fired after criticizing a softball interview that the newspaper’s owner — also a member of the state House of Delegates — published with coal baron and convicted felon Don Blankenship. (Associated Press)