At last night's meeting, members of council voted to hire an environmental engineer to evaluate a communications tower, to authorize building developments and to delete and create city jobs.
Members of council authorized the service safety director to hire an environmental engineer to evaluate the communications tower on Roosevelt Drive
Members of council appropriated $5,000 to cover the costs of the engineer, who will investigate the safety of the tower in its environmental surroundings, said Councilwoman Nancy Bain, D-3rd Ward, who introduced the ordinance.
Councilwoman Sherry Coon, D-2nd Ward, who voted against the ordinance, expressed concern about the cost of the engineer because the city is experiencing economic problems. She said that safety is very important, however the $5,000 fee could grow if there were problems with the tower, and the budget is already tight.
It's nice to have more data
but if that data tells me that I have to move the tower then I have to go back here and tell these guys (council) that for another $200 000 we've got to move the tower Mayor Paul Wiehl said, adding that he is considering vetoing the ordinance, but he has not decided yet.
In order to cut the budget, members of council voted to eliminate two unfilled city positions: a maintenance specialist in the street department and a patrol officer in the Athens Police Department.
Despite voting to eliminate positions, members of council also voted to apply for a grant to hire two new police offers for APD. If received, the grant would cover the salaries of two new entry level police officers for three years, Coon said.
Members of council also voted to approve the seven-house Madison Heights Planned Unit Development on Madison Avenue. The developers of Diversified Properties now have to get one final permit from the city before they can start building, said Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D- 4th Ward.
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Gail Burkhardt
