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From YouTube: Athens City Council September 11th, 2017
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A
Good
evening
and
welcome
to
Athens
City
Council,
it's
September
11
2017
at
7:00
p.m.
and
tonight
we'll
be
having
a
series
of
committee
meetings,
our
first
one
of
which
will
be
the
committee
of
the
whole.
Before
we
begin
on
these
committee
meetings,
I
would
like
to
announce
that
our
government
channel
has
offered
some
hearing
assistance
devices
which
we
now
have
available.
So
if
anybody
would
like
to
use
that
tonight,
they
can
come
to
the
control
room.
A
These
are
the
kind
of
devices
also
that
you
can
use
your
own
earbuds
with,
or
they
will
sync
with
hearing
aids.
We
try
and
speak
loudly,
but
we
don't
often
do
a
good
enough
job
at
it.
So
this
is
this
will
be
a
real
improvement,
I
think
to
the
being
able
to
hear
the
meetings
well
here
in
the
hall
tonight.
A
What's
come
to
the
attention
of
some
of
the
city
council
members
is
that
citizens
are
concerned
about
the
issue
and
while
we
don't
at
this
point,
have
a
firm
definition
of
the
way
in
which
city
would
play
a
role
in
it.
We
did
think
that
this
was
an
appropriate
opportunity
for
council
members
to
at
least
talk
about
what
some
of
those
financial
implications
might
be
and
then
to
also
open
that
up
for
comment
from
members
of
the
audience
who
might
be
here
tonight.
A
What
we'll
do
first
is
lead
off
with
council
member
Pappy
and
then
other
any
other
City
Council
members
who
might
want
to
make
comment
mayor
Paterson
from
the
administration.
If
you
would
like
to
make
any
comments
and
then
we
will
open
it
up
to
audience.
Members,
if
you
would
like
to
come
to
speak,
if
you
do,
we
just
ask
that
you
come
up
to
the
podium
and
sign
in
and
announce
your
name
for
us,
so
that
we
have
that
for
the
records
and
also
for
those
of
people
who
are
viewing.
A
The
meeting
tonight
and
I
set
a
timer
for
three
minutes
for
each
person
and
it
starts
with
a
green
light
and
moves
to
yellow
and
red
and
then
an
ugly
little
beep,
but
we
very
rarely
get
to
that
portion
because
people
are
usually
pretty
good
to
keeping
to
their
3-minute
time
limits.
So
we'll
begin
with
councilmember
Pappy
Thank.
B
Wanted
to
begin
by,
in
our
conversations
to
put
this
on
the
agenda,
we
discussed
the
fact
that
council
is
a
financial
body
for
the
city
of
Athens
and
our
conversations
need
to
reflect
our
concerns
from
a
financial
aspect.
So
I
just
wanted
to
start
out
with
that
that
that's
kind
of
a
clarification
I've
also
prepared
a
statement
because
I
don't
want
to
get
off.
Focus
and
I
want
to
stay
on
task,
so
I
went
ahead
so
I'm
going
to
read
my
statement
at
this
point.
B
I
can't
think
of
a
more
emotional
community
issue
than
the
education
of
our
children
other
than
maybe
raising
taxes.
It
seems
that
this
issue
with
the
school's
covers
both
I'd,
also
throw
the
roundabouts
in
there,
but
for
the
past
15
months
has
all
of
you
know.
The
school
district
has
been
in
conversation
and
planning
regarding
their
facilities
and
programming.
B
As
a
city
council,
member
I've
sat
back
and
listened
and
followed.
The
conversation,
mostly
from
afar
I,
did
a
10-1
meeting
last
fall
that
was
held
at
the
high
school.
Recently
I
became
more
interested
when
I
started.
Reading
in
the
newspaper
about
a
land
donation
from
Ohio,
University,
I'm,
somewhat
familiar
with
the
land
being
discussed,
because
I
was
also
co-chair
of
the
affordable
housing
committee,
where
we
looked
at
different
sites
that
might
be
developed
bullet
ball
in
the
city
of
Athens.
B
In
the
past
few
months,
more
constituents
have
been
discussing
their
concerns
with
me
regarding
the
elementary
school
campus.
There
is
anxiety
and
concern
with
citizens
and
business
owners.
I
believe
that
having
this
conversation
at
Council
is
another
Avenue
for
our
city
voters
to
share
their
thoughts
because
they
are
taxed
both
for
city
infrastructure
and
the
yacht's
and
city
school
district.
B
Obviously,
as
a
council
member
I
am
concerned,
with
the
impacts
of
any
option,
I
believe
that
there
are
significant
financial
implications
for
all
of
the
plans
under
discussion
for
the
past
six
years
on
council
I've
tried
to
promote
thoughtful
and
progressive
development.
This
discussion
tonight
is
paramount
for
Athens
future
as
chair
of
the
Transportation
Committee
I
understand
the
implications
and
financial
aspects
of
infrastructure.
B
I
have
many
questions
related
to
the
cost
of
infrastructure,
including
safe
travel
at
the
site
of
an
elementary
school
campus
on
the
proposed
land,
as
well
as
other
issues
like
runoff
erosion,
sewer
and
water
expansion
to
the
site.
I
know
there
will
be
no
answers
this
evening,
but
these
issues
will
certainly
have
to
be
addressed
in
time.
Another
question
regards
the
impact
on
housing
in
our
current
elementary
school
neighborhoods
and
conversations
regarding
trading
buildings
for
infrastructure.
In
the
past
few
years,
Athens
city
has
been
noted
on
several
national
lists
for
being
an
exemplary
commit
community.
B
There's
a
long
history
of
democratic
process
and
discourse
here
and
a
committed
caring,
active
citizenry
in
that
vein,
as
other
communities
have
moved
forward
with
difficult
planning
issues
as,
for
example,
Lancaster
in
their
schools,
I
wondered
if
they
use
their
Planning,
Commission
or
comprehensive
planning
process.
This
Athens
City
School
District
decision
will
affect
the
city's
economic
development,
real
estate,
job,
recruiting
and
overall
quality
of
life.
In
my
opinion,
maintaining
an
open,
transparent
conversation
is
what
Athenians
expect
and
deserve.
In
the
end,
they
are
our
partners,
neighbors
and
taxpayers.
C
C
Community
schools
are
part
of
the
community
when
you
talk
about
moving
changing,
it's
very
much
impacts
more
than
just
the
students
that
are
in
the
student
in
in
the
school
or
the
parents
that
are
in
the
school.
It's
a
community
issue.
I
think
that
the
planning
process
that
I've
seen
with
this
issue
is
very
compartmentalized
and
siloed,
because
they're
not
necessarily
looking
at
impacts
with
our
infrastructure,
which
we
have
spent
money
and
grants
and
time
developing
for
individual
schools.
C
We
are
going
on
a
comprehensive,
planned
process
which
is
super
super
exciting
for
us
planning
wackos,
but
it
stymied
our
processes
are
already
stymied
because
we
don't
know-
and
we
haven't
been
included
in
the
discussion
about
the
school
issue
and
that
impacts
every
single
neighborhood-
that
we
have
we're
already
behind
the
eight
ball
in
comprehensive
planning,
because
the
process
hasn't
been
transparent
and
has
not
reached
out
to
all
the
stakeholders
that
are
beyond
the
students.
I
can
understand.
C
Looking
at
the
students,
school
board
has
their
things
that
they
have
to
do
and
but
to
not
look
at
the
whole
Gestalt
of
the
process
is
I,
think
selling
our
very
inclusive
and
very
dynamic
community
short
and
does
a
disservice
to
a
lot
of
people
who
care
about
the
schools
they
care
about
our
neighborhoods
and
they
want
a
process.
That's
fair,
inclusive
and
transparent
and
I.
Just
from
a
planning
point
of
view,
I,
don't
think
that
the
school
board
has
done
those
sort
of
homework
points.
D
D
But
I
understand
the
perspective
that
that
has
been
brought
up.
You
know
we
do
want
to
be
mindful
and
prepare
for
all
scenarios
if
we
can
and
I
the
way
I
understand
it.
Attempts
for
me
to
bring
some
financial
figures
tonight,
but
we
just
are
not
able
to
do
that
right
now,
there's
just
too
many
variables
too
much.
We
don't
know,
that's
the
way.
I
understand
it.
Certainly
correct
me
if
I'm
wrong,
so
that
those
are
my
comments
at
this
time.
D
A
E
My
room
again
thank
you,
I
feel
like
I'm,
watching
out
or
waiting
for
the
end
season
of
Game
of
Thrones,
really
anxious
to
figure
out
who's
going
to
be
on
top
when
the
last
season
comes
out
or
the
last
show
comes
out.
I
would
like
to
know
what
the
administration
is
doing
in
in
regards
to
any
kind
of
negotiations
with
a
university
for
land
transfers.
That's
what
I
would
like
to
know.
E
My
understanding
is
that,
with
the
rumors
being
heard
around
town,
that
there
are
all
sorts
of
things
being
discussed,
but
city
council
apparently
is
not
here
in
those
things.
So
I
would
like
to
know
what
the
administration
is
in
fact
negotiating
anything
in
regards
to
property
for
future
school
sites,
which
I
I
really
think
would
be
premature.
Thank
You.
F
You
I
appreciate
the
comments
from
my
colleagues
and
I'm
welcome
to
dialogue
this
evening
and
I
think
that's
the
biggest
thing
at
some.
That's
it's
necessary
or
a
part
of
this
because,
as
I
was
knocking
on
doors
and
meeting
with
Westsiders
getting
paper
signed
for
running
for
office,
this
issue
came
up
almost
every
door
that
in
house
that
I
visited
and
it
is
of
paramount
importance,
I
think
councilman
or
Pappy
summed
it
up
quite
eloquently
in
her
written
statement.
F
Something
that
impressed
me
during
the
Obama
administration
was
transparency,
I
think
the
Obama
administration
worked
quite
diligently
at
communicating
openly,
and
many
of
us
in
the
community
feel
a
bit
lost
with
the
federal
government's
lack
of
transparency
and
or
lack
of
true
leadership,
and
so
feeling
a
little
helpless
in
our
small
town.
Community
of
Athens
is
a
little
heartbreaking,
because
I
think
this
is
an
issue
that
has
grave
implications
for
many
generations
to
come.
F
So
my
hope
is
for
us
to
begin
that
dialogue
this
evening
with
transparency
and
I'm,
encouraging
both
the
school
district,
the
city
university,
to
continue
to
have
dialogue.
The
university
is
held
to
an
extremely
high
standard.
They
spent
thousands
of
dollars
with
consultants
looking
at
six
and
10-year
master
plans
and
and
communicated
with
many
entities
quite
clearly
about
where
they're
hoping
to
go
and
I
and
I
am
encouraging
the
school
district,
as
well
as
the
city
and
university,
to
continue
that
type
of
openness.
As
we
move
forward,
Thank
You.
G
You
I'm
not
ready
to
be
an
alarmist,
yet
you
know
really
I
believe
that
everybody
is
still
working
towards
what
what
they
want
to
propose
and
bring
forward
we're,
probably
not
ready
yet
because
they're
not
ready
yet
so.
I'm
I'm,
okay,
with
waiting,
I'm
I,
know
that
I
have
been
able
to
contact
superintendent
Gibbs
and
he
sat
down
and
spent
time
with
me
and
I've
reached
out
to
two
other
groups
and
we've
had
a
lot
of
discussion
and
conversation
about
this.
So
I
do
believe
that
a
lot
of
that
is
happening.
It's
happening
at
pickup.
G
H
A
C
H
C
What
I
think
basically
we're
saying
is.
We
need
to
be
included
in
a
lot
of
the
discussion,
because
we
also
represent
people
who
are
not
necessarily
represented
by
the
parents
organization
and
the
students
where
the
community
and
a
lot
of
people,
even
though
they
may
not
have
students
or
be
in
pickup
or
talk
to
dr.
Gibbs
after
a
school
event.
This
affects
every
single
person
in
the
community
and
the
economics
of
the
community
I.
B
Just
add
that,
as
council,
we
are
a
microcosm
of
the
diverse
citizenry
that
we
represent
and
if
we're
not
we're,
not
understanding
or
clear
or
hearing
these
rumors
as
well,
that's
not
healthy,
and
so
that's
what
I
would
say
as
our
community-
that's
not
a
healthy
spot
to
be
in
and
we
we
want
to
be
more.
A
part
of
that.
So
I
would
see
this
resolution
making
some
statement
in
that
direction.
D
Just
want
to
comment
I
just
would
say
that
I
would
not
say
that
I
fall
into
the
camp
of
being
someone
who
feels
that
that
it's
not
forthcoming
enough.
So
that's
just
I
just
want
to
make
sure
that's
clear
that
there
are
diverse
opinions
on
this
council
on
where
everyone
stands
in
terms
of
where
the
plan
how
the
planning
process
is
going,
it.
A
I
Let
me
start
by
answering
the
only
question
that
I
truly
heard
that
was
from
number
Mickey
and
know
there
are
no
negotiations
on
the
city
side
for
land
transfers
to
anybody
when
it
revolves
around.
You
know
P
K
through
12.
That
does
not
happen,
and
is
you
know
at
this
point
in
time
is
not
happening
and
if
it
ever
were
to
council
would
be
certainly
be
involved,
because
I
can't
just
willy-nilly
relinquish
land
in
the
city
of
Athens,
but
that's
not
at
this
point
in
time.
That
conversation
is
never.
I
You
know
have
been
put
to
test
where
we're
sitting
there
gone.
Where
could
they
have?
I
can
say
that
the
superintendent
for
the
school
district
has
been
turning
over
every
stone,
I
think
possible
in
terms
of
of
what
this
whole
process
where
schools
could
be
what
schools
could
be
retrofitted,
you
know,
I
can
honestly
tell
you.
I
would
not
want
to
be
a
school
superintendent
in
a
situation
like
this
just
being
forthcoming
about
that
this
is
very
difficult.
I
I
I
can
also
tell
you,
in
my
conversations
with
the
school
superintendent
that
that
this
is
very
difficult
on
his
behalf
as
well,
so
I'm
not
going
to
speak
for
him.
I
can
just
tell
you
conversations
that
I
have
had
with
him
in
the
decision-making
process.
I
know
that
council
is
aware,
with
of
this
and
I'm
sharing
this
with
those
of
you
who
are
here
today,
as
well
as
anyone
who
be
watching
tonight.
I
For
that
matter
informed
it
was
like
watching
a
ping
pong
bottom.
You
know
ball
bouncing
around
inside
an
empty
room.
It
was
just
the
the
the
ideas
kept
changing
and
for
a
sundry
of
reasons,
I'm
sure
we're
the
school
board
having
to
make
hard
decisions
back
and
forth
that
their
quasi
governmental
entity
and
they
they
are
doing
their
own
thing.
I
I
You
know
who
should
be
on
the
comprehensive
planning
committee,
as
we
start
getting
things
rolling
the
initial
one
and
we're
looking
at
to
see
what
might
be
missing
and
one
of
the
things
that
jumped
out
at
me,
and
this
was
conveyed
a
little
bit
just
a
moment
just
a
little
bit
ago,
and
that
is,
we
should
have
a
bath
in
the
City
Schools
element
within
the
Comprehensive
Plan.
As
we're
looking
forward.
I
You
know
what:
how
do
we
see
our
school,
the
schools
in
the
city
of
Athens
and
so
city,
planner,
Paul
Logue,
took
that
on
and
I'm
sure
that
that's
going
to
become
either
a
subgroup
or
it's
going
to
certainly
be
part
of.
The
comprehensive
plan
is
how
we
vision
envision.
The
schools
in
the
city
moving
forward.
I
You
know
that's
that
is,
is
basically
what
I
wanted
to
say
and
and
get
that
out
there
again
again.
I
have
mentioned
this
on
camera
several
times
the
council,
we're
kind
of
reporting
out
the
steering
committee
and
what
kinds
of
things
were
going
on,
but
also
knowing
that
the
again
the
city
of
Athens
to
have
have
the
schools
migrated
out
and
what
I've
been
told
from
the
school
superintendent
that
that
is
not
the
plan
at
this
point
in
time,
in
particular,
one
of
the
things
I'd
like
to
share
that
I
was
very
adamant.
I
I
For
me,
you
know,
even
that
was
a
hard
pill
to
listen
to
or
a
real
hard
pill
to
swallow
when
I'm
listening
to
all
the
other
dialogue
that
was
going
on
from
the
other
steering
committee
members,
the
options
as
councils
aware,
the
three
options
that
came
forward
from
the
steering
committee,
you
know
I
even
had
to
fight
for
that,
because
at
different
points
during
the
dialogue,
the
idea
was
well.
Should
it
be
a
single
option
to
which
I
wasn't
going
to
vote
on
a
single
option?
That
was
a
non-starter
for
me.
I
You
know
I
said
it
a
minimum.
There
should
be.
You
know,
we're
discussing
three
options.
Those
three
options
should
go
forward
to
the
school
board
and
that's
where
they
basically
landed
with
the
steering
committee
is
that
all
three
options
moved
forward,
but
the
student
steering
committee,
as
well
as
the
school
board,
knew
what
my
option
was
in
that
case.