Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Council Actions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Athens City Council unanimously approves liquor license, AEDs from opioid fund and $16,500 design contract
Summary
At a brief Dec. meeting, the council approved a liquor-license resolution for Athens Beverage 2, purchased three AEDs with opioid-settlement funds, authorized a $16,500 schematic-design contract for 105 West Hobbs St., and adopted an ordinance extending a North Elm Industrial Park contract; all measures passed 5–0.
The Athens City Council unanimously approved a package of routine and project-specific measures at its Dec. meeting, including a retail alcohol-license resolution, the purchase of three automated external defibrillators funded from the city’s opioid-settlement account and a $16,500 schematic-design agreement for a city-owned building.
Council members voted 5–0 to approve a resolution authorizing Cheyenne Khanna LLC doing business as Athens Beverage 2 to hold a liquor license for premises at 2030 U.S. Highway 72; the council’s reading of the resolution concluded that the business had met the City of Athens alcohol ordinance requirements. The public hearing on a separate application for alcohol sales at a proposed restaurant at 116 North Jefferson Street (identified in the record as Sashimi/Sashimi Asian Bistro; transcription varies) drew no public comment and was closed.
The council also approved multiple consent items including the purchase of laboratory equipment for the water-treatment plant from Viola WTS Analytical Instruments for $26,405.10, and modest travel and education reimbursements for planning and cemetery, parks and recreation staff ($560 and $17.93, respectively).
On equipment for public safety, Councilman Creasy moved — and Councilman Lucas seconded — a resolution to buy three Powerheart G5 semiautomatic defibrillators and three sets of adult and pediatric pads from Boundtree Medical for $5,815.71. The purchase was authorized to be paid from the Athens City opioid fund. Mayor March and others noted the city joined prior opioid litigation and that settlement proceeds are restricted to law-enforcement, prevention and treatment uses; City Attorney Shane said he would provide a list of eligible expenditures. John Sobe, a resident who spoke during public remarks, urged the council to prioritize addiction-recovery spending from the fund.
Councilwoman Golden successfully moved an ordinance to further amend a contract related to a parcel in the North Elm Industrial Park (described in the discussion as an extension); the council suspended the rules to consider the ordinance and approved it by roll-call vote. Golden also introduced and the council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with AMBL (Amble) Studios for schematic design services at 105 West Hobbs Street at a cost of $16,500, to be charged to the FY2022 General Fund Surplus Capital Projects Fund.
All recorded votes in the transcript excerpt were 5–0 in favor. Mayor March offered brief remarks on community events and thanked staff; ceremonial items (prayer and Pledge of Allegiance) and routine minute approvals were part of the meeting.
The council did not take public testimony on the Sashimi/Sashimi Asian Bistro zoning hearing, and no items were tabled or postponed in the portion of the record provided. Several council members urged attention to outside-agency appropriation requests ahead of the council’s Dec. 22 agenda, noting agencies rely on year-end payments.
What’s next: the council indicated it will consider outside-agency appropriations at its Dec. 22 meeting and proceed with the authorized schematic-design work and equipment procurement as approved.
