Athens City Council continued the discussion on street closings for fests, and hosted a presentation for the Athens Public Transit Program.
Athens City Council members discussed the slow movement of the process of closing streets for fests at the body's Monday night meeting.
Councilman Pat McGee, I-At Large, said he was contacted by students about a petition circulating that is currently up to about 1,000 signatures.
“The petition they sent me dealt with safety,” McGee said. “Most students believe it’s much safer to have those streets closed off.”
McGee also said the students are planning on presenting the petition formally in front of the council sometime soon.
“It’s a degree of how you want your citizens to express their own enjoyment of their neighborhood,” McGee said. “I’m not necessarily for the fests, but I am for students being treated fairly.”
Service-Safety Director Paula Horan-Moseley had different views on the street closings.
“I am not in favor of surrendering our streets just for parties,” Horan-Moseley said. “I believe the APD chief would speak the same.”
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson also had negative views on the issue.
“My chief concern for anything along these lines is liability,” Patterson said. “It’s essentially an act of condoning what is going on in that area.”
Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, believes the idea to be premature and poorly constructed.
“Students need to ask these serious questions, and how they would contribute to self-policing,” Fahl said. “It’s easy to sign a petition, but students leading this need to start thinking seriously.”
Council also hosted an Athens Public Transit presentation at Monday night’s meeting.
The transportation committee, headed by Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd ward, hosted the presentation given by Michael Lachman, coordinator for the Athens Public Transit Program.
The Athens Transit presentation is a yearly report that gives council members a rundown of the previous year in Athens public transportation.
The program, which includes the public bus system and GoBuses, was very successful this year, Lachman said.
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Lachman said the Athens Transit Program implemented a number of successful systems in 2015, including day passes for the public busses and toll-free customer service line.
Lachman also said the Transit Program is thinking about the future.
“We’re looking to better ADA access at bus stops in the future,” Lachman said.
Councilwoman Jennifer Cochran, D-At Large, showed support for the Athens Transit Program.
“We’re really lucky to have this vibrant system in Appalachian Southeast Ohio,” Cochran said. “It’s really unique.”
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