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Athens council approves air show authorization, grant‑management contract, easement and other routine resolutions
Summary
On March 9, the Athens City Council unanimously approved multiple resolutions including authorization to seek military aerial support for a 2028 air show, awarding a grant administration contract for potential CDBG‑DR funding, an Oncor easement, a cemetery pavilion MOU, and extended interim fire chief services; the council also confirmed a board appointment.
The Athens City Council on Monday approved a slate of resolutions and an appointment during a regular meeting, voting unanimously on each measure.
The council authorized the Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation to pursue military aerial support for a Thunder Over East Texas air show at the Athens Municipal Airport on June 30, 2028, and authorized the City Manager to execute U.S. Department of Defense Form 2535 (Request for Military Aerial Support). Kevin Lilly, director of the Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation, told the council the organizing committee is working on a 2026 air show and said, "$880,000 has been raised for veterans in Henderson County."
Council also approved an extension of the city's agreement with Strategic Government Resources to maintain interim fire chief services for David Jones while a permanent hire is sought and authorized the associated expenditure.
The council approved a grant of a city authorization to submit a Grantor Easement Information Form to Oncor to reinstall an electrical line to serve properties on North Pinkerton Street and authorized the City Manager to sign the final easement. Council members also authorized the City Manager to enter a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Athens Cemetery Association to oversee pavilion construction at the cemetery using cemetery funding paired with city community grant dollars (Borstad noted the Murchison Foundation provided $5,000).
On grant recovery work, City Manager Elizabeth Borstad presented the results of a request for proposals and the grant review committee's recommendation to award contract administration services to Traylor and Associates for applications to the Texas General Land Office Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) Local Communities Program under 2024 disasters DR‑4781 (Texas Severe Storms) and DR‑4798 (Hurricane Beryl). Borstad said the city can apply for two separate $5,000,000 grants, each requiring only a 5% local match; the council approved awarding the contract and authorized the City Manager to execute it.
The council confirmed the appointment of Kelley Townsend to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and approved the consent agenda (minutes, two TIRZ appointments and an HR system renewal). Items concerning a final TIRZ project and a related ordinance were not discussed and will appear on a future agenda. The council held two executive sessions under Texas Government Code §§551.087 and 551.074 and returned to open session with no action taken on the items discussed.
Mayor Aaron Smith requested a future agenda item to seek Texas Department of Transportation permission to abandon the north and west sides of the Athens Square; he asked for a public hearing on the matter.
