The Athens City Council passed the FY 2023 budgets at their Monday night meeting. Total expected expenditures for the coming year, including appropriations and transfers out, are $39,275,193. Expected revenues are $39,782,350 resulting in a $507,157 budget surplus.

The FY 2023 general fund budget is $2,151,550. The fire and police departments account for just shy of $13,000,000 of the city’s expected expenditures.

The council also introduced the new Athens Fire and Rescue Fire Chief and new Municipal Judge. Athens native James Hand was introduced as the new fire chief at Athens Fire and Rescue.

Local attorney Eddie Alley was chosen by the council to replace Judge Don Mansell, who is retiring after more than 26 years on the bench, effective Oct. 1. “We want to say thank you to Judge Mansell,” councilman Chris Seibert said. “We look forward to Eddie serving the city well. We are very confident in him.”

“Alley opened his private law practice in 2011 after having been a prosecutor for the better part of the previous decade. In addition to representing his clients in court, Eddie also serves as a legal instructor for the U.S. Department of Justice. Alley has served as a special judge for Athens and a special probate judge for Limestone County, when needed,” The city of Athens said of Alley.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Awareness Day is Sept. 30. Mayor Ronnie Marks recognized the observance of the special day saying, “I want to make sure that we give this awareness day an opportunity for families and their lives that have been affected by this to share their story and to honor the dedicated health professional that meet with them.”

On Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Pincham-Lincoln Community Center, Councilman James Lucas will be meeting with the people of District 3. “We are just going to introduce ourselves to the people of District 3 so we know who our neighbors are,” Lucas said.

The Athens City Council passed the following agenda items.

• Resolution to approve a Retail Beer and Wine Off Premises alcohol license for GK Enterprise, Inc., dba James Food Mart #2, 28025 Nuclear Plant Road, Athens.

• Resolution to reappoint Gina Garth to the Planning Commission for a six-year term, expiring on Sept. 30, 2028.

• Resolution to appoint Jackie Warner to the Personnel Board for a five-year term, expiring on Sept. 26, 2027.

• Resolution to accept the resignation of Billie Sue Bates, a member of the NCA 310 Board of Directors, effective July 7, 2022.

• Resolution to appoint Marsha White to the NCA 310 Board of Directors through June 30, 2025.

• Resolution to approve a a Retail Beer and Wine Off Premises alcohol license for AMS Retailers, LLC, dba Ankr Food Mart, 1517 North Jefferson Street, Athens.

• Resolution to approve a Retail Beer and Wine Off Premises alcohol license for La Miscelanea Party Store, 1010 North Jefferson Street, Athens.

• Resolution to set a public hearing for the regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2022, to review the request of SB&N Holdings LLC to rezone +/- 1.095 acres from R-1-1 (Low Density Residential Zoning District) to B-2 (General Business Zoning District) located on the NE corner of US Hwy 72 E and Sweetland Road.

• Resolution to grant T-Mobile a conditional Special Use Permit to modify their equipment at 108 East Elm Street, Athens.

• Ordinance to exempt certain covered items from the municipal sales and use tax during the last weekend of February 2023, as authorized by Act 2012-256, generally referred to as the state Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Legislation.

• Resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Limestone County Commission to perform work on Newby Road and Moyers Road. Total cost not to exceed $235,000.

• Resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Limestone County Commission to re-stripe Lucas Street and Nuclear Plant Road. Cost not to exceed $15,000.

• Resolution to approve the FY 2023 General Fund operating budget.

• Resolution to approve the FY 2023 Special Revenue operating budget.

• Resolution to approve the FY 2023 Special School Fund operating budget.

• Resolution to approve the FY 2023 Water Services Department budgets.

• Resolution to approve the FY 2023 Gas Department budgets.

• Resolution to approve a 5 percent cost of living (COLA) salary increase for all full-time employees effective Oct. 9, 2022.

• Resolution to reorganize the Electric Department (adding of an engineer position).

• Resolution to adopt the revised job description of Right-of-Way Manager for the Electric Department.

• Ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 888 to add the job title Right-of-Way Manager and to delete the job title of Right-of-Way Supervisor.

• Resolution to authorize the Mayor to allocate funds for Pryor Park for engineering services and to store materials there. Cost not to exceed $50,000.