Athens City Council President Harold Wales implemented a change Monday to the manner in which council meetings are conducted. He allowed public comment prior to the final vote on each item of business rather than all public comments being heard at the conclusion of business.

Wales also allowed an alliance of area ministers to speak against an ordinance passed in November 2022 approving the operation of medical cannabis dispensing sites. Pastors from Athens First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, West Highland Baptist Church, and Madison Street Baptist Church spoke for over twenty minutes on the reasons they oppose the actions taken by the City Council.

“Nobody knew about this action, and I know y’all put it in the paper, in the legal notices that nobody reads. It wasn’t on the front page. I assure you, this group right here, had it been on the front page of The News Courier, we would have been here,” West Highland Baptist Church Pastor Joe Teal said.

Stories about the proposed ordinance and the passing of the ordinance ran on the front page of the News Courier on November 16 and November 30 of 2022.

Henry Pollitz addressed the council in favor of the ordinance and was given two minutes to speak. He told the pastors of his son’s struggle with cancer and said, “When he was throwing his guts up, if they could have been there and seen that, they would have a different opinion.”

Prior to the conclusion of the Athens City Council’s work session, the three council members present at Monday night’s meeting, Councilman Wales, Councilman Wayne Harper, and Councilman James Lucas, and City Attorney Shane Black, went into an executive session concerning the purchase or sale of real property.

Mayor Ronnie Marks was unable to attend Monday’s meeting due to being quarantined for COVID, and Councilman Chris Seibert and Councilwoman Dana Henry were absent.

The Athens City Council approved the following agenda items.

• A proclamation proclaiming the month of April 2023 Fair Housing Month

• Resolution granting AT&T a special use permit to modify their equipment at 204 Commercial Drive

• Resolution authorizing the mayor to apply for an Industrial Access Grant for improvements at Airport Road and Jefferson Street, and at Elm Street and Jefferson Street.

• Resolution to set a public hearing for the regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on April 24, 2023, to review the request of George L. Braly, Celia B. Williamson, and Carol B. Carter for the rezoning and zoning approval of property located near Huntsville-Brownsferry Road and Interstate 65, for the previously zoned portions of the property to be rezoned from B-2 (general business district) to EST (estate residential and agricultural district), and for recently annexed portions of the property to be zoned EST (estate residential and agricultural district).

• Resolution to set a public hearing for the regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on April 24, 2023, to review the request of Dirt for Sale, LLC for the Master Development Plan approval for Cambridge Estates Subdivision and for the rezoning approval of property located on the south side of US Hwy 72, approximately 280’ west of McCulley Mill Road, to be zoned from R-1-3 (high density single family residential) to R-2 (multiple family residential)

• Resolution to authorize the mayor to enter into a contract with Alta Planning + Design, Inc. for a scope of work for design of Sunrise Park, Phase 1

• Ordinance to exempt certain “covered items” from the municipal sales and use tax during the third full weekend of July, 2023.

• Resolution adopting the job descriptions of Gas Measurement Supervisor, GIS Regulatory Supervisor, and Administrative Assistant for the Gas Department

• Ordinance amending Ordinance number 888 to add the job titles of Gas Measurement Supervisor, GIS Regulatory Supervisor, and Administrative Assistant and to delete the job titles of Gas Services and GIS Administrator, Regulatory Compliance Coordinator, and Administrative Technician for the Gas Department.

• Resolution concerning the Solid Waste Transfer Station