Athens City Council met Monday evening to pass a number of ordinances and authorize several financial transfers between funds.
Councilman Sam Crowl, D-3rd Ward, introduced an ordinance amending the 2021 appropriation ordinance to Council. The ordinance outlines multiple interfund transfers, including $11,000 which will be moved to the Athens Enhancement Fund, $29,233.96 to the CARES Act fund, $289,000 to the sewer fund, $9,000 to the stormwater fund and $35,000 to the stormwater fund for the environmental coordinator.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Council also discussed multiple ordinances up for first reading. Councilwoman Arian Smedley, D-1st Ward, introduced an ordinance regarding an amendment to Athens City Code Title 3, administrative provisions, unlawful discriminatory practices.
The amendment would add source of income discrimination to the existing ordinance, Smedley said. She also said it would clarify the penalty section of Title 3 and introduce a fee of no more than $150.
Crowl also introduced a single-reading resolution allowing Athens to become a Power a Clean Future Ohio community as well as striving to reduce greenhouse emissions in the city to 50% below levels in 2010 by 2030.
“A couple of weeks ago, our now ex-councilperson Beth Clodfelter, had a challenge for people to think about what all the different types of ordinances and policies that we have passed as a body that contributes to sustainability,” Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said. “Just from thinking about it, I came up with a list of 25 things easily. Going from expansion of the bus service and Go Bus…(to) doing composting…I challenge the rest of Council to think about those and to say ‘yes, we can do 50% easily, we are a can-do city.’”
The resolution was passed unanimously by Council.
Fahl also brought forward a resolution to express appreciation toward former Councilwoman Beth Clodfelter for her work with the city of Athens. The resolution was passed unanimously by Council.
Council also approved Mayor Steve Patterson’s Athens Municipal Arts Commission Appointee, the April 2021 financial reports and Council’s April 2021 credit card transactions.
