Athens City Council will appoint former Chief Prosecutor Lisa Eliason to Law Director. Council will also discuss filing Eliason’s former position.
Though Athens City Council members didn’t meet last week due to winter weather conditions, they will be holding a special session Monday in the Athens City Building, 8 E. Washington St., to catch up.
At their meeting, city councilmembers will discuss filling the position of Chief Athens City Prosecutor, who would work with acting Athens City Law Director Lisa Eliason.
Athens currently employs three prosecutors: Tracy Meek, James Stanley and Matthew Ward.
Councilmembers will also bring forward an ordinance declaring the buildings affected by the West Union Street fire as a part of a historic district.
This would aid building owners in reconstruction efforts, City Planner Paul Logue said.
As part of a historic district, the buildings would be qualified to receive historic tax credits.
According to the Ohio Development Services Agency website, “the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program provides a tax credit in order to leverage the private redevelopment of historic buildings.”
The credits would match 25 percent of money spent on reconstruction efforts.
“Applicants are eligible for no more than $5 million in tax credits unless approved as a catalytic project,” the ODSA site reads.
Though the buildings sustained significant amounts of damage, Logue said they still qualified for the tax credits if the facades still stood.
After discussing ways to pay for improvements for the East Washington Street parking garage, councilmembers will introduce an ordinance allowing for construction to begin.
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To help offset payment for the improvements — projected to cost about $1.9 million — council will be raising parking fees in the garage.
Parkers currently pay 50 cents per hour, though the fee will be raised to 75 cents per hour.
According to Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl, the garage has generated about $288,000 in revenue a year. The projected revenue from parking meters this year is roughly $139,000.
“With our present cash flow, we can’t (pay the loan),” Wiehl said in a previous Post report.
To cover the cost of the loan and regular maintenance, Wiehl said the garage would have to generate about $220,000 in parking fees a year.
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