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Mayor says ODNR grant could fund south-side trails; Saturday transit service tied to tax vote
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Summary
Mayor told council he will testify in Washington on community choice aggregation and said a past carbon-fee vote supports local solar initiatives; he also described an ODNR-funded trail project and said Saturday transit service could return if a proposed income-tax increase passes.
The mayor told Athens City Council on April 20 that he will testify to Congress about community choice aggregation and noted local interest in the city's 2018 carbon-fee initiative. He said he will discuss how the city’s policies allow citizens to purchase electricity or gas through aggregation and that congressional staff were interested in Athens’s prior voter-approved 0.2¢/kWh carbon fee used for municipal solar initiatives.
On local planning, Councilmember Wood described Ordinance 40-26, which authorizes the mayor to apply for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) grant to support park projects. Wood and the mayor said the primary project is trail construction on land donated by the Gawande family and adjoining acreage (previously acquired from the Dollar family). The mayor said the ODNR funding would be 100% state funds and that no city match is expected.
The mayor and Wood noted potential project features: additional trails on the city’s south side, possible ADA-accessible trail segments, and connections with existing Sells Park trail systems. The mayor also mentioned exploring a plateaued area for an ADA-accessible hiking route and said the project would complement Dow Lake and Strouds Run trail networks.
Asked about transit, the mayor said a successful income-tax ballot measure could restore Saturday, and possibly Sunday, Athens Public Transit service in 2027–2028. "There is an opportunity with success with the income tax increase to be able to bring back in 2028, maybe late 2027 Saturday service," the mayor said, adding he had heard strong demand from students and other residents for weekend service.
What’s next: Ordinance 40-26 was read for the first time; staff will return with project details if the grant application proceeds.
