Athens City Council at last night's meeting discussed new programs Athens courts will implement in 2006 to update the court system.
Athens Municipal Court Judge William Grim said the court system will give an unused $44,900 more to the city this year than it did last year. One of the main reasons the courts have more money is fewer under-age drinking charges, Grim said.
New programs the courts will begin in January include Substance Abuse for the Mentally Ill and a new DUI court.
The Substance Abuse for the Mentally Ill project will pay for treatment of patients. It is only 1 of 13 in the nation, so it is a great program to have in Athens, Grim said.
The city will be reimbursed for 90 percent of the cost of the DUI court by a state grant. Prior to reimbursement, the courts special project fund will cover $25,000 for the new DUI court, and Grim asked council to appropriate another $25,000 needed for this project. This money will cover the court for three years.
Council also adopted a number of ordinances that have been in discussion for some time.
One of these ordinances was the change in the Arts/West Community Facility ordinance that regulates how much money the facility can spend. The ordinance was updated to allow the facility to spend $76,000 in donation money to continue renovations on the facility.
It was changed as a result of another $13,000 in donations that have been given to this project.
Councilwoman Carol Patterson, D-2nd Ward, said this month's parking rental money covered all the utilities for the facility. She said this was quite impressive considering the facility has been open for only five months.
Council also adopted the ordinance that will require all vendors to pay $1,000 a year to vend on N. Union St. The new ordinance also states costs will increase by 3 percent every year.
Two major changes are included in the ordinance.
One is a use it or lose it clause that states vendors must use their license a certain number of days a year or they will not be able to renew their license.
The other change in the ordinance allows council to change all vending regulations on Halloween weekend if they choose.
Although an ordinance is being passed
more work will need to be done to clear up other problems surrounding vending Patterson said.
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Meghan Nicholson
