As members of the Athens City School District Board of Education continue to debate potential changes to the district’s configuration, members of Athens City Council addressed the issue, which stirred strong emotions at Monday's meeting.
Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, delivered a prepared statement in which she stressed the importance of council’s involvement in the school district’s planning process.
“This discussion tonight is paramount for Athens’ future,” Papai said. “I know there will be no answers this evening, but these issues will certainly have to be addressed in time.”
The Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee proposed three options regarding repairs for the high school, middle school and elementary school buildings, according to a previous Post report. Each plan differs in its approach to the elementary schools, with one option proposing the consolidation of the four local elementary schools into one “mega school.”
Several council members voiced concerns that they were being left in the dark when it came to facilitating plans for district’s future.
“I feel like I’m waiting for an end season of Game of Thrones,” Pat McGee, I-At Large, said. “(I’m) really anxious to figure out who’s going to be on top when the last season comes out.”
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, a member of the school steering committee, addressed concerns brought forward by McGee that the city is negotiating for a transfer of land with Ohio University.
“No, there are no negotiations on the city side for land transfers with anybody. That has not happened.” Patterson said. “I can’t just willy-nilly relinquish land in the City of Athens.”
Although local residents were asked to keep their comments focused on the financial implications of the proposals, some remarks strayed into the personal, and at times, accusatory.
“I find it a little confusing why members of city council — if you have questions — haven’t gone to the school board meetings,” local resident Barbara Stout said. “They’re all completely open to the public.”
Amber Duff voiced her frustration with the current school configuration, disparaging the “hyper-segregated” district, and going off-script from her prepared remarks to address the council members.
“I wasn’t going to be angry. I wasn’t going to be mad. But I am,” Duff said. “This is the town I grew up in, and I’m tired of seeing people manipulate it for their own advantage."
Although council did not move to make any concrete decisions addressing the district configuration, there was discussion of a potential resolution to establish council as one of the “major stakeholders” in the process.
“We need to be included in a lot of the discussion,” Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said. “This affects every single person in the community.”
The individual council committees also discussed Richland Avenue pedestrian improvement plans, the potential establishment of an affordable housing commission and an amendment allowing the president pro tempore — an interim council president who acts in the absence of the regular president — to vote.
