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Athens council approves AEDC grant programs totaling $305,000, authorizes loan payoff and budget amendment
Summary
Council approved AEDC Business Assistance ($100,000), Community Development ($175,000), and Workforce Development ($30,000) grants for FY2026, authorized payoff of First State Bank Loan #8602 for Biomerics tenant improvements, and approved a related budget amendment.
The Athens City Council on Sept. 22 approved a package of Athens Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) measures including three grant programs and financial adjustments to the AEDC budget.
Council approved second readings and authorized the expenditure of $100,000 for the AEDC Business Assistance Grant Guidelines, $175,000 for AEDC Community Development Grant Guidelines, and $30,000 for an AEDC Workforce Development Grant Program for FY2026. Community Development Manager Donna Meredith told the council there were no changes to the resolutions since the first readings and that public hearings were held at the AEDC meeting on Sept. 16.
Finance Director Sarah Smith explained that the AEDC will also pay off First State Bank Commercial Loan #8602, originally issued in 2019 for Biomerics tenant improvements; Council approved a resolution to authorize the payoff and a related Budget Amendment #02 for FY2025 that implements the transaction. Smith also explained a separate transfer of $212,490 will increase the city’s General Fund emergency reserve to the recommended 90 days; Council approved that transfer by unanimous vote.
Each resolution was approved by unanimous vote. Motions and seconds were recorded in the public minutes for each item; no dissenting council votes or objections were recorded in the meeting minutes.
The approvals allow the AEDC to operate the three grant programs in FY2026 and to retire the specified loan; the minutes do not specify recipients of the grants or an implementation timetable beyond the budgetary authorization.
