Athens City Council approved an ordinance Monday night that gives the police department permission to trade 55 firearms to a Cleveland-based company for the cash to buy the city’s cops new guns.
The city expects to get $10,160 out of the trade, said Kent Butler, D-1st Ward.
They’ll put that towards $18,148 worth of new firearms, Butler said, adding that in the end, taxpayers would be footing an almost $8,000 purchase.
The guns the city would be selling off are a mix of broken, damaged or otherwise unusable guns. That includes any firearms that may have been confiscated as part of APD’s law enforcement efforts.
Councilwoman Chris Knisley, D at-large, brought up an ordinance designating which departments will be receiving additional funding within the next few weeks as part of an amendment to the 2013 appropriation ordinance.
Council granted $15,000 in spending for various odds and ends around the city, including a defibrillator for the city’s Law Administration building and a panic button at the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St.
“Hopefully that’s installed before the end of the year, and hopefully within the next few weeks,” Knisley said. “Because of the high amount of traffic coming in and out of the community center every day, it was considered necessary.”
An additional $15,000 will also be appropriated to the community center for custodial supplies and gas heating. Council approved $38,000 Monday night for street lighting and building repairs.
Members also discussed how the city has completed the repairs at the University Estates for $188,000 less than what was budgeted, Knisley said, adding that the extra cash now will go back to the street department.
Kathy Hecht, the city’s auditor, presented an update on the Cleveland-based Central Collection Agency program that has helped Athens track down and collect unpaid taxes. Hecht said that the city had collected $200,000 in income tax so far with the help of the agency.
“We are really right on target,” said Hecht, who added that this sum isn’t to be expected from the 200 new taxpayer accounts in the coming years. “While we have these 200 new accounts moving forward, we won’t get the bump of five years’ worth of taxes at the time for the rest of them.”
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