During the final session before Athens City Council goes on a break for the month of July, members approved multiple time-sensitive ordinances that dealt with infrastructure, public transportation and street closures.
On Monday, members voted to approve the third phase of a construction project which would create a spur from the West State Street ballfields to University Estates, connecting the neighborhood to the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. This is the last piece of legislation required for the project which allows the service safety director to advertise and accept bids.
Councilman Peter Kotses, D-At Large, said that this is the most disconnected piece of neighborhood that is in the city, with regard to pedestrian and cycling transportation.
Members also approved a limited partnership agreement between the Ohio Department of Transportation and the city which would allow them to move forward on the Richland Avenue bridge that runs over Coates Run that was originally built in 1935.
“I don’t what kind of overhaul im going to get when I am 83 years old but i think this bridge is ready for some updates,” said Kotses. “It is time.”
The construction would take place during the summer of 2019 and is estimated to cost over 1 million dollars. The construction would shift traffic to one side of the bridge and not cause any business closures.
An ordinance to update the relationship between the city and the Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, or HAPCAP, was passed. This ordinance would transfer the ownership of the city busses to HAPCAP, authorizes them to buy new vehicles and make them responsible for insuring the vehicles.
This was one of many ordinances that the members had to suspend the rules to pass due to their break during July. Others included the bridge project, a motion to enter into a payment system agreement regarding court costs, a contract extension with recycling center, and closing a portion of court street on August 10th and September 21st for two cruise-ins held by the Lions Club.
Mayor Steve Patterson said that there is a community dance day on June 23rd from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Putnam Hall. It is a technique dance class with David Dorfman, a noted choreographer.
“Come check that out if you want to dance your socks off,” Patterson said.
