The Athens City Council on Monday unanimously approved optioning a 60-acre tract of property on Hine Street, which could be used for a future industrial project.

The option on the property is good for 90 days. If the council chooses to purchase the property, the price would be $1 million, plus incidental costs related to closing.

The resolution states the property “would be used for municipal or public purposes related to industrial development.”

After the council’s work session, council members, Mayor Ronnie Marks and representatives with the Limestone County Economic Development Association entered into executive session to discuss a matter related to the purchase of real property. It wasn’t clear if the Hine Street property was the reason for the session.

The tract is near the intersection of West Sanderfer Road and is in the vicinity of other industries, including Shape Corp., Steelcase and Turner Medical. Last month, the council approved spending up to $10,500 to have property on West Sanderfer Road surveyed.

At the time, Mayor Ronnie Marks told the council the city was “this close to winning a huge project.”

Road projects

In other business Monday, the council authorized Marks to issue a task order to Reed Contracting to pave several streets in the city limits. The total projected amount is $795,000, and work will be paid from the city’s capital infrastructure fund.

Reed has the bituminous paving contract with Athens after submitting a low bid in 2017.

The projects are as follows:

• Mill and pave North Jefferson Street from Hobbs to Elm streets ($300,000);

• Patch and pave Durham Drive from Sanderfer Road to Steelcase ($100,000);

• Overlay and pave Fifth Avenue from Jefferson to West Market streets ($125,000);

• Overlay and pave Lucas Ferry Road from Sanderfer Road south to Moyers Road (cost to be split with Limestone County; Athens’ portion is $150,000); and

• Mill and pave Clinton Street from Washington to Forrest streets and including intersection with Hobbs Street ($120,000).

Public Works Director James Rich said paving should start before the end of April and would be completed by the end of May.

“Most of the jobs are pretty quick,” he said.

Other business

In other business, the council:

• Accepted the resignation of Maria Taylor from the Athens-Limestone Public Library Board and appointed Allison McCormick to fulfill Taylor’s term, which expires Sept. 30, 2021;

• Accepted the resignation of Charles Hughes from the Athens Housing Authority Board and appointed Mamie Lee Gilbert to fulfill Hughes’ term, which expires Dec. 1, 2020;

• Reappointed Venard Hendrix to the Athens Planning Commission for a six-year term, which expires March 31, 2025;

• Reappointed Cleophra Scales to the NCA310 Board (formerly the North Central Mental Retardation Association Board) for a six-year term, which expires April 30, 2025;

• Reappointed Martha Jones to the NCA310 Board for a six-year term, which expires April 30, 2025;

• Reappointed Billie Sue Bates to the NCA310 Board for a six-year term, which expires April 30, 2025;

• Approved the purchase of three 72-inch ExMark zero-turn mowers and one 60-inch ExMark zero-turn mower; and

• Set a public hearing for April 8 to hear comments about proposed changes to the Athens Zoning Ordinance.