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Athens council approves consent calendar including equipment purchases, sets public hearing on 122-acre rezone
Summary
The Athens City Council on July 28 approved a consent calendar that included multiple equipment and vehicle purchases, declared a wastewater truck surplus, reappointed a zoning board member and set a Sept. 8 public hearing to consider a conditional rezoning of about 122 acres near U.S. Highway 72 and Cambridge Lane.
The Athens City Council on July 28 approved a consent calendar that included multiple equipment and vehicle purchases, a surplus declaration, a zoning-board reappointment and the setting of a Sept. 8 public hearing on a conditional rezone of roughly 122.02 acres near U.S. Highway 72 and Cambridge Lane.
The consent calendar passed by roll call vote, 5-0. Items approved included travel and education expenses for street-department staff ($631.86) and for water-services personnel ($5,007.50); the reappointment of Jim Earnest to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a three‑year term; declaring a 1997 Ford F‑700 wastewater collections truck surplus and authorizing its public auction; and several purchases of equipment and vehicles.
Why it matters: the purchases and the rezoning public hearing involve city capital budgets and land-use decisions that could affect traffic and development patterns near a busy stretch of U.S. Highway 72 and the Cambridge Lane intersection.
Most significant items approved included: - A purchase not to exceed $7,000 for rescue rope and accessories for North Alabama Fire Equipment to be funded from the fire department's capital account. - Purchase of a 2026 Chevrolet 1500 crew cab pickup from McSweeney Auto Group (Clanton) for $48,762.22. - Purchase of 10 Surface Pro 11 computers for the police department (cost not to exceed $15,900) to be funded from the IT department capital account. - A Dell PowerStore 500T data storage appliance and related equipment (including three years of pro support) at $59,686 through a NASPO contract to be funded from the IT capital account. - A Cisco Catalyst 9300L network switch from C Spire at $8,651 from the IT capital account. - A 2024 Ford F‑250 super cab 4x4 pickup with utility body for the gas services department from Stivers Ford Lincoln (Montgomery) at $58,044, funded from the gas services FY2025 capital budget.
The council also set a public hearing for the Sept. 8 regular meeting to consider a conditional rezoning request for approximately 122.02 acres west of Cambridge Lane and roughly 610 feet south of U.S. Highway 72 from EST (estate residential and agricultural) to R‑13C (high‑density single‑family residential district) with conditions.
During the public‑comment period, resident Kelly Range urged the council to address safety at the Cambridge Lane intersection and asked, “are we gonna put a light up there?” A councilmember said the city has been working with the Alabama Department of Transportation and federal representatives on options ranging from a J‑turn to a traffic signal and encouraged Range to raise the issue again at the Sept. 8 public hearing for the rezoning request.
A separate public commenter asked why some city vehicles were purchased from nonlocal vendors; a staff member explained that those vendors are on the state bid list and that local vendors may join that list to be eligible for sales from state contracts.
No ordinance or rezoning decision was taken at this meeting; the rezone will be considered at the public hearing on Sept. 8.
Less critical details: the consent calendar also authorized staff travel and training, and the surplus truck is to be sold on govdeals.com.
The council will revisit the rezoning request at the Sept. 8 meeting, where public testimony will be taken.
