Athens City Council met on Monday in a special session to discuss an ordinance allowing the Athens County Agricultural Society to place a fence on the city right-of-way.
Councilmember Alan Swank, D-3rd Ward, said two years ago when the city requested the Agricultural Society not sell Confederate merchandise at the county fair, it voted to ignore the city’s request, according to a previous Post report.
Section three of the ordinance discussed at the meeting reads, “Due to the relevance of the Union Army on this site, the permit shall be contingent upon said owner not allowing vendors to sell paraphernalia promoting seditious organizations or hate groups during the fair or any other times the fairgrounds is being used.”
Swank said after the last council meeting, he communicated with Matt Day, president of the Agricultural Society. Swank said Day told him section three of the ordinance is a non-starter and the society will not agree to it if it remains in the ordinance.
Councilmember Solveig Spjeldnes, D-1st Ward, said removing the contingency clause in section three would probably make the Agricultural Society more likely to negotiate the fence situation.
Spjeldnes proposed an amendment to the ordinance that would remove the third section.
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said he was shocked that Council was considering removing the language that would prevent the continuance of selling seditious paraphernalia.
“We tout that we’re an inclusive community. We tout that we are protecting all who live in our community,” Patterson said. “By removing (section three), regardless of what the consequences may be, you are becoming and remaining part of the system that is racism.”
Council ultimately decided not to amend the ordinance, and it will be read for the third time next week.
