Athens City Council met on Monday to discuss a resolution recommending the mayor deprioritize the criminalization of any aspects of abortion in Athens.
According to a previous Post report, Councilwoman Sarah Grace, D-At Large, said she proposed the resolution because the body is limited in its scope of authority, and a resolution would be best to urge the administration to deprioritize those types of investigations.
The resolution states, “eliminating legal access to abortion has been empirically proven to dramatically increase the risk of death, bodily injury and infertility, especially within low-income communities and communities of color thereby depriving them of their constitutional rights.”
The resolution encourages Athens Mayor Steve Patterson to make the criminalization of abortion a low priority for enforcement and the use of City resources and personnel, except for in cases of coercion or force used against the pregnant person, criminally negligent conduct involving the health of the pregnant person seeking care and where the abortion, miscarriage or reproductive healthcare is not the crime being investigated by evidence of another crime.
The resolution passed, and Patterson said he would sign it immediately.
The body also passed an ordinance for Service-Safety Director Andrew Stone to accept bids and enter a contract for the replacement of the Athens Community Center’s roof.
Councilman Samuel Crowl, D-3rd Ward, said not only would the roof be replaced, but it will also be prepared for solar installations.
Crowl said the ordinance allows Stone to expend up to $500,000—$317,000 from the Community Center Phase Two fund, $150,900 from the APR income tax fund and $67,100 from capital improvements fund 580.
The ordinance was approved.
