ATHENS, Ohio – Athens City Council met Monday for its biweekly regular session where Mayor Steve Patterson gave a report on his recent visit to Ukraine.
Patterson reported on his eight-day visit to Ukraine from Feb. 17-24, when he visited Athens’s sister city Ostroh, Rivne Oblast and Lviv Oblast.
Patterson visited Unbroken in Lviv, the “epicenter for trauma-induced amputations and prosthetics,” according to Patterson. Patterson said the staff at Unbroken would like to establish a connection with the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University.
Patterson added that he has a meeting with Dr. Ken Johnson, the college’s Executive Dean and Chief Medical Affairs Officer, in early April to discuss the possible establishment of residencies or traineeships for individuals interested in that level of trauma emergency medicine.
Additionally, Patterson debriefed his engagement with the provost of Ostroh Academy where he spoke with a psychology professor about establishing a psychology clinic there. He reported that once he returned from his trip, he established an agreement with Ohio University Psychology Clinic and Ostroh Academy, so OU can assist Ostroh Academy with creating their own psychology clinic.
Patterson also encountered two air raid sirens in his visit and gave a speech in a former crypt — while seeking shelter — to about 50 students.
After debriefing other places he visited in Ostroh, Patterson said that everyone in the cities he visited ultimately expressed gratitude for U.S. funding of Ukraine and urged him to share his experiences there at Capitol Hill. Patterson attended the National League of Cities’ Congressional Conference in Washington March 9–13; he previously said he would relay those concerns from Ukrainian citizens while in Washington.
In other business, Councilman Micah McCarey, At-Large, shared an opportunity for council members to attend a webinar by the Strong Cities Network this week.
At council’s Feb. 19 meeting, McCarey suggested the council consult the SCN about the city’s resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and similar issues that could arise in the future.
McCarey described the SCN as “a resource [Athens City Council] could partner with to find strategies to combat polarization, extremism and hate.” On March 27, there will be a briefing on the “hate and extremism landscape related to the Israeli-Gaza crises,” he added.
Councilman Michael Wood, 3rd Ward, shared messages supporting the council’s continued membership in the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, the council of governments that spearheads the Baileys Trail Project.
The city’s $90,000 membership fee was initially contingent upon the county’s membership. The county, however, declined to renew its commitment this year, citing budget concerns. Athens’ membership remains up in the air, as the council must modify its original agreement to remove the tie to the county’s membership.
Wood shared messages from Hocking Hills Animal Clinic vet Dr. Shannon Moore and Laura Sowers, owner of Baileys Lodging Company and cofounder of Women Bikers of the Baileys.
ORCA has been “instrumental in the programs that benefit the community and facilitate economic, social, environmental and health benefits from environmental resources,” Moore wrote.
Sowers wrote that her company is specifically tailored to visitors of the Baileys Trail System in Wayne National Forest; she encouraged the city to continue its commitment to funding the trail system.
“The Baileys is not just a collection of trails, it’s a vision of sustainable, community-connected world-class recreation that promises significant return,” wrote Sowers. She added that similar trail systems have been effective in drawing visitors and “attracting high-wage employers looking for quality of life.”
ORCA has its monthly meeting next week at 3 p.m. Friday, March 29, at the Baileys Trail System mountain bike rental office, at 23 Main St. in Chauncey.
Athens City Council’s next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, March 25, 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.
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