Athens City Council members will discuss ordinances for the Halloween Block Party at their meeting on Monday including closing streets and setting times for the block party.
Council members will read the city’s Halloween ordinances for the second time. In a previous Post report, Brandon Thompson, a member of Athens Clean and Safe Halloween Committee, said the street closings for the 2017 block party will be the same as last year, and there will be the same ending times for the party as well.
“Everything seemed to work out,” Thompson said of last year's closings.
During last week’s council meeting, Councilman Patrick McGee, I-At Large, raised concerns about the vendors’ effect on local businesses.
“People who should be benefitting from a local festival (are) losing business,” McGee said.
Council members will also vote on an agreement between the city and several local fire agencies.
The agreement, which is between the Athens City Firefighters Local 3351, Ohio Council 8, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL - CIO). The contract is a continuation of previous agreements and must be reapproved every 3 years. The current agreement will be renewed and updated in 2019.
The contract serves “the purpose of establishing wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment,” according to older versions.
Council members will also discuss the East State Street Improvement Project, which will add bike lanes and sidewalks and narrow car lanes on East State Street. Design is already finished on the project, and the city is preparing to authorize construction and engineering services for the project.
In a previous Post report, Athens City Engineer and Director of Public Works Andy Stone said the project, which will include an additional turn lane, will make the street more accessible to all residents of Athens.
“We are trying to support higher volumes, as traffic on East State has been increasing over the years, and make it safer for everyone,” Stone said.
Last week, council members passed a ban on conversion therapy on minors in Athens, as well as a long-debated parking permit program.
