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At a glance: council adopts ordinances on signs, parks, courts, auctions, transfers and then-and-now certificates
Summary
Athens City Council passed a package of ordinances on Feb. 18, 2025, including a change to political sign size limits, bridge project authorizations, park restroom and court repair appropriations, an internet-auction authorization for surplus property, interfund transfers, and certification of then-and-now payments. Most measures passed on voice
Athens City Council adopted multiple ordinances on Feb. 18, 2025, by voice vote. The measures included changes to local sign regulations, authorizations for bridge projects, increases to park and court repair expenditures, authorization to sell obsolete municipal property by Internet auction, an interfund transfer and approval of then-and-now certificates to pay prior-year or immediately due invoices.
Key outcomes voted on by council (voice votes unless otherwise noted):
- Sign regulations (Ordinance 07-25): Council amended Title 23 sign rules to raise the allowed size of political/ideological signs from 350 to 432 square inches; council member Swank introduced the ordinance and the ordinance was adopted.
- Bridge project authorization (Ordinance 09-25): Council authorized the service/safety director to advertise, accept bids and enter contracts for design and maintenance on the Richland Bridge over the Hocking River and the Strouds Run Bridge over US-33; the ordinance was adopted after clarifying project numbering.
- West State Park restroom (Ordinance 10-25): Council approved an increase of $50,000 to cover the cost of a prefabricated restroom facility at West State Park; funds were already appropriated and this ordinance adjusted authorization to proceed.
- Tennis and pickleball courts (Ordinance 11-25): Council authorized an additional $21,750 to cover necessary recoating and repairs to tennis and pickleball courts affected by iron oxidation in the asphalt.
- Sale of obsolete property by Internet auction (Ordinance 12-25): Council authorized the service/safety director to contract with a government auction service to sell unneeded or obsolete municipal personal property online in accordance with Ohio Revised Code requirements; the ordinance cites Ohio Rev. Code §721.15(D).
- Interfund transfer and appropriations (Ordinance 13-25): Council approved an interfund transfer totaling $120,000 (see ordinance text for fund-to-fund details) and amended 2025 appropriations accordingly.
- Then-and-now certificates and emergency declaration (Ordinance 22-25): Council suspended rules, approved 17 then-and-now certificates for prior or immediate payments and declared an emergency so the city could timely pay past-due bills. The auditor explained these payments were incurred before purchase orders could be entered due to year-end timing.
- Appropriation for indigent drivers alcohol fund (Ordinance 23-25): Council appropriated $10,000 to the Indigent Drivers Alcohol Fund (Fund 260) to support driver intervention programs; the funds were available in the court grant account.
Most of these measures carried on voice vote; the meeting record does not include roll-call tallies for these items in the public transcript. A few items (notably the Stimson Avenue bridge appropriation amendment) involved more extended debate and amendments recorded earlier in the agenda.
