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Athens City Council approves bridge rehabilitation, gas easement and other routine measures
Summary
At its April 21 meeting the council approved several ordinances including authorization to rehabilitate the Stimson Avenue Bridge, declare surplus police equipment, and grant a perpetual easement to Columbia Gas. Several staffing and appropriation measures were introduced for further readings.
Athens City Council on April 21 approved a package of ordinances that included funding and authorization to move forward on local infrastructure and intergovernmental agreements.
Council passed Ordinance 39-25 to advertise and accept bids for rehabilitation of the Stimson Avenue Bridge and to amend related 2025 appropriations; sponsor Council Member Spianis said additional funding reduced the overall bid cost and that the bridge clearly needs work. The council also adopted Ordinance 40-25, declaring 32 firearms, 23 tasers, radios, ammunition, and related equipment no longer needed for municipal purposes and authorizing disposition according to the attached list.
Separately, Ordinance 41-25 authorizes the Service Safety Director to enter into a perpetual amended easement and right-of-way agreement with Columbia Gas Transmission LLC to modernize nearly 100-year-old pipeline infrastructure serving city water and sewer lines; Council Member Swank characterized the project as improving safety and environmental outcomes. Council approved a one-year contract (Ordinance 47-25) with the Washington County Commissioners for prisoner housing at $100 per day and suspended the rules to meet the contract start date.
Council also introduced several items for first reading: Ordinance 43-25 would appropriate $30,000 to the water fund for abandonment of unused wells (to be reimbursed by the Ohio EPA); Ordinance 44-25 and 45-25 amend staffing levels and non-union paygrades for the recreation and community center; and Ordinance 46-25 proposes postponing educational requirements for two years to allow the mayor to appoint Jared Balderson as city engineer and director of public works while he completes required state exams.
Ordinance 51-25, brought by Council Member Swank, requests the law director file a civil lawsuit seeking injunctive relief against property owner(s) at 37 Woodward Avenue for constructing a patio and curbing in the city right-of-way without permits; the sponsor said the owner had been previously notified and the ordinance will advance through the legislative process for further action.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 39-25 (bridge rehabilitation) — approved; Ordinance 40-25 (police equipment surplus) — approved; Ordinance 41-25 (Columbia Gas easement) — approved; Ordinance 47-25 (prisoner housing contract) — approved; Ordinance 48-25 (Joneswood repair) — approved (covered separately). For several items the transcript records only that "the motion carries," and no roll-call tallies were provided.
Council scheduled the staffing and compensation ordinances for additional committee review and further readings; no final actions on those items were recorded at this meeting.
