While most students were headed back to their dorms Monday evening after the first day of classes, Athens City Council focused on a spookier event — Halloween.
Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, introduced the yearly ordinances that will go into effect for the busy weekend of the Halloween Block Party, which is Oct. 27-29.
Court Street is slated to be closed from Mulberry Street to Carpenter Street for "a large number of people converging on downtown Athens," according to the text of the ordinance.
The noise ordinance will be suspended as well to accommodate the late-night music acts scheduled to perform on Athens’ main thoroughfare. In addition, an ordinance will be suspended to allow vendors on Court Street.
City council also gave its "seal of approval" to a contract between the Athens City Firefighters Local 3551, 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).
Councilman Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, who introduced the legislation, said the contract had been signed already. According to a previous Post report, the agreement is a continuation of a previous contract that must be approved every three years.
