The Athens City Council on Monday night approved the cost of the one-time lump sum payments provided for by the Resolution Act 2022-229 for eligible retirees and beneficiaries of deceased retirees of the City of Athens.

Councilman Harold Wales, who voted in support of the resolution, asked “I wonder what percentage of the cities in Alabama has voted to increase this?…. I have heard from several people urging me to support this and I am going to support it, but I can’t remove that urge not to support it.”

The Alabama Legislature has passed acts in 2014, 2018 and 2022 that give cities the opportunity to opt into the bonus payments.

“The legislature, they pass this, but I have never seen where they put a penny in it,” Wales said.

Mayor Ronnie Marks said of the resolution, “There are about 463 cities and towns in the State of Alabama. Some are not in very good financial shape. I would say 70 percent plus, from the last report [we] got from the League of Municipalities, has passed this on, knowing it is about every four years.”

The cost to the City of Athens for the payments is approximately $118,000. “It is something that is important to our retirees,” Marks said.

The council also adopted the 2023 Transportation Plan pursuant to the Rebuild Alabama Act. The plan includes the repaving of Elkton Street from Pryor to Elm and Hobbs Street from Athens State to US Hwy 31.

“They were currently on our old list but those are the street sections that are long and if you look at the estimate, they take up a considerable portion of the budget. They are in the worst shape and they need to be repaved. That is why they were selected,” City Engineer Michael Griffin explained.

The intersection of Moyers Road and Lucas Ferry Road will see some improvements soon. The council authorized the Mayor to issue funds for solar powered flashing stop signs.

The Athens City Council held the following public hearings Monday night and approved the following business items.

Public hearings• A public hearing concerning the zoning approval for the sale of alcohol by La Miscelanea Party Store, 1010 N. Jefferson Street, Athens

• A public hearing concerning the zoning approval for the sale of alcohol by AMS Retailers, dba Ankr Food Mart, 1517 N. Jefferson Street, Athens

• A public hearing concerning the zoning approval for the sale of alcohol by Victory Marketing, dba Sprint Mart #2052, 400 Highway 31 South, Athens

Consent agenda (budgeted items)

• Approved travel/education expenses for personnel of the Engineering Services Department.

• Approved travel/education expenses for personnel of the Electric Department.

• Approved travel/education expenses for personnel of the City Clerk’s Office.

• Approved the installation of network cabling and cabinet by Computer Support Systems (CSS) at the Athens Activities Center- cost $3,317

• Approved the purchase of a network switch and wireless access point for wi-fi internet for the Athens Activities Center on Pryor Street from C Spire Business- cost $5,024.39

• Authorized the Mayor to issue a purchase order to Schafer Plastics North America for 403 95-gallon green residential carts and 390 95-gallon blue recycle carts for the Sanitation Department- cost $51,549.98

• Approved the purchase of a 2022 CA406 equipment trailer from Safford Equipment for the Street Department- not to exceed $9,000

• Authorized the Mayor to issue a purchase order to TriGreen Equipment for the purchase of a 2022 John Deere compact excavator for the Street Department- not to exceed $85,000

• Approved the purchase of a 2017 Ford 4X4 pickup from the State of Alabama for the Street Department- not to exceed $32,000

• Approved the purchase of one 72” Z950M Ztrak zero turn lawn mower from TriGreen Equipment for the Cemetery, Parks, and Recreation Department- not to exceed $11,000

• Approved the purchase of one 2018 Ford pickup Crew Cab from Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) for the Cemetery, Parks, and Recreation Department- not to exceed $30,000

• Approved the purchase of one John Deere Gator TS, 4X2 tractor from TriGreen Equipment for the Cemetery, Parks, and Recreation Department- not to exceed $8,000

Regular meeting agenda

• Approved ordinance granting a franchise to Elegant Limousine Service LLC for a limousine service

• Authorized the City Clerk to renew the Tax Revenue Enhancement Agreements with AVENU Insights & Analytics, LLC (formerly RDS) for three years for revenue administration for the City of Athens

• Authorized the Mayor to accept the quote and sign the agreement with Engineered Installation Solutions, the authorized installation company provided by the 2022 Blue Cross Blue Shield Alabama Campaign Grant Program for the City’s Fitness Court at the Sportsplex

• Authorized the Mayor to issue funds to support a portion of intersection improvements at Moyer Road and Lucas Ferry

• Authorized the Mayor to enter into a signal maintenance agreement with ALDOT at the following locations: SR-304/ US 31, SR-304/ I65 south ramp, SR-304/ I65 north ramp

• Authorized the Mayor to enter into a lighting maintenance agreement with ALDOT at the following location: SR-251/ Lindsay Lane

• Approved Change Order 2 to the current Wilburn Street Pipe Bursting Contract with RDJE, Inc.

• A resolution to cover the cost of the one-time lump sum payment as provided for by the Resolution Act 2022-229 for eligible retirees and beneficiaries of deceased retirees of the City of Athens

• A resolution concerning the purchase of bicycle racks for the downtown area