Athens Police Chief Rick Mayer suggested several safety and crowd control restrictions at last night's Athens City Council meeting for future street fests after the near riots at Palmerfest.
(The ordinance would require) the city to look at and require certain structural integrity of the stage
electrical inspection of the amplifiers ... require adequate sanitation facilities restrooms Porta Johns
whatever
and some other types of things that would lend themselves to creating a safer environment for those involved
Mayer said, adding that the ordinance also would put responsibility on the hosts of the event to conduct it safely.
Palmerfest cost the city $11,000, Mayer said, adding the amount did not include police from other departments other than Athens Police.
The proposed ordinance probably will be voted on later in the summer, said Councilwoman Nancy Bain, D-3rd Ward.
Also last night, members of Council voted to combine the water, sewer and streets departments into a public works department.
Current Streets Director Andy Stone would assume the position of city engineer and public works director, Bain said.
Council also approved appropriating $12,500 over five years to the Athens County Community Improvement Corporation in an attempt to keep Ed Map, an educational material company, within Athens County.
The CIC is raising $35,000 to give Ed Map, which has outgrown its current facility in Nelsonville, a tax credit for each job it creates, said Todd Shelton, the interim director of the Athens County Economic Development Council. The money is coming from the Athens County Port Authority, the city of Athens and the CIC, he said, adding that Ed Map has said they will create 40 new jobs within three years.
These three entities coming together - the CIC
the port authority and Athens City Council - is fantastic to show that in this economy
we have a company that's growing
and they want to expand
and they want to create more jobs. It's important that we do all we can to keep them here
he said.
