City Council - Regular Meeting

get started. You wouldn't mind calling the role for us, Annette? Sure. Mr. Creasy here. Mr. Lucas is not here. M. Mrs. Henry here. Mrs. Golden here. And Mr. Cyber here. four present.

Okay. Um if you don't mind, we'll have you go right at the end. Is that okay? Okay. We have got a relatively short meeting tonight. On the consent calendar, item A, we have a resolution approving travel expenses for personnel the electric department in the amount of $160. Item B, we have a resolution approving the purchase of one John Deere ZTRA mower from Tri Grand Equipment at a cost of $13,353 to be funded from the Cemetery Parks and Wreck Department existing capital expenditure fund. Item C, we have a resolution approving the purchase of a Ford Explorer XLT 200 for the building inspection department from the state of Alabama bid list from Styver Ford Lincoln, Montgomery, Alabama at a cost not to exceed 39,593 uh and shall be funded from the fiscal year 2026 capital fund allocated on February 3rd, 2026 to the building inspection department. Item D, we have a resolution approving the purchase of a 2026 um heeled dip thip python automated side loader garbage truck at a cost of 417,888 and a 2026 heel DPHP commercial front loader garbage truck at a cost of 403570 for a total cost of 821458 from Ingram Equipment Company through Sourcewell contract 11,000 uh or 110223 THC and shall be funded from the existing sanitation department capital account. Item E, we have a resolution approving the purchase of two 2026 Pac-M225A Kenworth T480 grapple trash trucks from Ingram Equipment Company through Sourcewell contract 01825 HMC at a cost of 30175 each for a total

cost of 603590 to be funded from the existing sanitation department capital account. Item F is a resolution to enter into an agreement with the state of Alabama to maintain approximately 425 linear feet of concrete sidewalk within the rightway of Alabama 99 that will be installed as part of the food city economic development phase 2 project. Item G is a resolution approving payment to courts company in the amount of 49,978 for asphalt resurfacing of six pickle ball courts and multiport resurfacing of one tennis court at Big Spring Park to be funded from the previously approved allocation of coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds for the cemetery park and wreck department. All these are budgeted.

They are. And Mr. So, just uh uh Bert and I have had a lot of conversations about resurfacing the uh pickle ball courts down at Big Spring Park and we got a estimate to put a band-aid on it for what 10 15,000 and we thought why not try to do it right to give us three hopefully five years on doing it doing it this way and I just thought it was the best deal. So that's why we have it on there. Is that anything else B? No, that's great. Okay, thank you for that. Any other questions from anybody on any of the other items? Okay, who will uh who will take the consent calendar?

Okay. Item H is an ordinance to restate and amend the local ordinance which regulated dealers and precious metals items to ensure that is consistent with the state law and so that it also provides a clear definition of the type of business activities of retail merchants and wholesalers to which it does not apply. Shane, did you have a little blurb on that just real quick? I mean, you and I talked about it, but

Sure. Uh back in the early 1980s, the city council adopted a ordinance having to do with precious metals. Basically, folks that would buy and sell gold and silver and jewels and things like that. And it re it because of the propensity for some issues with that, the the council adopted an ordinance that would require that dealers who would buy from folks like that would hold on to them for a certain amount of time and turn in a report to the police department. That was in 1983. In 2010 or so, the state of Alabama adopted a similar state law on the books as well. The two are not entirely consistent with each other as far as the amount of days between the reports that need to be turned into the police department and and on other matters. And so I've been working with the city clerk's office as well as chief press to try to decide how we need to handle that internally at the city. And so uh the police chief is of the opinion that the best thing to do is to take our ordinance and make it streamlined so it matches with that state law. So this does that that it also however answers a question uh which relates to what kinds of retail merchants are accepted from this and it provide that exception is spelled out in the you've got in front of you. Basically, if you are a retail merchant dealing in precious items and you buy from a a wholesaler or from a manufacturer, you don't have to turn in the report for the wholesale or the manufacturer. But if you buy from any Tom, Dick, and Harry, that does need to go on the report that where we had a daily report in the ordinance originally, this now says that has to be weekly. So, if you're engaged in that kind of business, this ordinance makes it clear that you have to have a permanent place of business. So you're not just located maybe at a hotel for a week and then a different hotel for a week, which sometimes you see in different places, but you have a permanent place of business and that you keep a log every time you buy like a if somebody comes in, wants to sell you a

ring, someone wants to sell you gold, you have to keep a log of description of the item, who it was that turned it in, copy their identification, you hold that and then each week you turn it over to the chief of police. that report is there for the chief of police to match against any items that may have been claimed to be stolen within the last week or so. So, it's a way to to have a check on that just because of the propensity for abuse for that kind of a business. Not to say that there would be, but just in case, this is kind of a guardrail. Licensed pawn brokers are accepted from this because the state law accepts them from that. They are under a different licensing scheme. So, that's it in a nutshell. So, so would that just the the typical person on the street if they want to sell a ring to someone, would they have to report that? Would that be a way? I assume this is so people can't go break into somebody's house and then go sell the

the the the gold on the street.

That's exactly right. It's a guard rail against that. So, this this applies to those folks that h have business licenses. So, if you're regularly engaged or hold yourself out as a purchaser of prec precious items of uh you know of diamonds, sapphires, gold, silver, this would apply to you. So, when you go in to see the clerk's office about obtaining the business license where they would make sure that you've got a copy of of these rules that you need to abide by, they would then work with the police department and get a copy of that report and every week they'd have to turn in a report if they bought any. Sometimes you see, you know, dealers like this, if you go to antique malls and places like that, sometimes you'll you'll have a vendor or somebody that is in there and they're buy they're saying, "Hey, we we will buy gold. We will buy silver." From folks that would do that and regularly buy or hold themselves out to buy from u common citizen, not from a wholesaler, not from a manufacturer. That's who this would apply to.

Okay, makes sense. Yeah. Any other questions? Okay. Who will who will take that?

And we'll need a rule suspension on that. I will. Okay. Item I is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a written agreement with East Madison Capital Partners LLC for the lease of property located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Market Street and Madison Street for public parking upon the following terms. A three-year lease term with the right to extend term for two additional years. The city's payment of rent in the amount of $1750 per month. Any questions on that? that will require rule suspension too.

This is the parking lot across the street from Salty Cod. Uh item J is a resolution authorizing the electric services director to accept the low bid of $74,250 from Seammens for the two 15 uh KV substation breakers for the Athens utilities breeding park electric substation and cost expenses shall be paid from the city of Athens 2015 warrant fund andor the 20 uh22 warrant fund 2022 going to I'm sorry. Any questions on that one? Okay, who will take that?

That's budgeted. So, we don't need a rules. Um, yeah, we do need rules on that one. Yes, sir.

Okay, we will do the rules. Item K is a resolution approving a 3% cost of living salary increase for all full-time employees effective April 5th, 2026, which is the first day of the payroll period ending on April 18th, 2026. Uh that's payable on April 23rd, 2026, and to approve revising the city's official pay scale to reflect the change in pay rates. Any questions on that one? that was budgeted in the 2026 budgets.

And Mr. Cyber, I just want to give a shout out. I know you guys appreciate our city employees. They do outstanding job from those that, you know, that deal with the electric, power, police, fire, everybody. And I really appreciate y'all taking this up. We had a good budget year and I think it's good uh to reward our employees and uh I just I'm proud of you taking it up. Thank you. No, and I would say we appreciate the good fiscal management of you and Annette and this city that we're able and a position to do it. So, thank you guys. Uh, do we need to do a rule suspension on that? We don't. Okay.

Any questions on that? He's taking it. Okay. Okay. Item L is a resolution to allocate 54,470 from the 2018 general obligation warrant proceeds for CXT to perform construction, engineering, and inspection and project management services for the upcoming project uh roadway improvements to Airport Road and SR127. Any questions on that one? Okay, who will take that? We'll need rule suspension on that one.

Okay. Who would do the rules? Item M is a resolution to enter into a agreement for a local roads safety initiative program project with the state of Alabama acting by and through the Alabama Department of Transportation relating to a project for safety improvements at four sites on Hind Street at Moyers Road, Sander Road at Lucasf Fairy Road, Elkton Road from Elm Street to the Athens city limits, and Edgewood Road from Elm Street to the Athens city limits. Uh project number HRR-4226. Funding for this agreement is subject to availability of federal aid funds at the time of authorization. The city sheriff cost will be funded from the proceeds of the 2018 general obligation warrants. The estimated cost and participation by the various parties is as follows. Uh federal funds 90% $94,629. City funds 10% $10,514 for a total of $105,144. Any questions on that one?

And Miss Cyber, as you can as you read through that, these are just safety areas that we uh wanted to take on. And when we got the grant, that's a 9010 match. We thought it was a great opportunity to kind of look at this and provide safety in those areas. So, appreciate it. Yes, it's costing us 10% of the budget. So, this is a good one. Who will uh any other questions on that? Okay. Who will take that?

We need Yes, sir. Okay.

Yes. Counciloman Henry's going to do it. Uh, final item on the agenda is an ordinance relating to water and sewer rate and fee adjustments. Um, Jimmy, I know you should come up probably and give us a quick rundown. We we discussed that at our last meeting. We did uh this is basically uh follow on to the last meeting and basically we divided up the uh ordinance into specific rate increases on sewer that'll go through a four-year schedule of minor increases to cover the amortization or or debt service on some bond issues we have to take out to complete upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. Why are we doing upgrades? uh compliance reasons is our permit changes as the regulations change. We have to cover that. In addition, we've got equipment out there that's seen its useful life. So, it's time to pay for those things. Uh portion of it's going to be paid with the bonds, but we do have uh capital reserves on hand to pay for the remainder. Uh the second part of the uh resolution ordinance is going to be to cover uh increase in system development free fees which will basically be fees we charge to developers and builders for jumping into our system. So growth will pay for growth in those situations. We'll keep the folks that get the benefit of the use of the plant. The existing customers will be helping out with that while the developers and builders will be covering the expense of the assets that we have to grow to keep them in business.

Typical increase you said I think was5 to $6. Yes. Four or$5 dollars per month for the typical residential user over the next uh four years. So it's, you know, you won't see that full amount till the end of the fourth year, until the fourth year's rate increases occur. And the last increase was the last increase on sewer was January 1. So uh we'll be a year from not a year uh what is that 10 months out from the first increment of this.

Yeah. Okay. Any questions on this? Okay. Who who will take this one?

And we will need a rules suspension on that. Correct. Yes, sir.

Okay. Do we have any add-ons or anything new? No, I don't have any. I just uh we got a couple of things working, but I can talk to you and Miss Henry later on about a couple of projects that's going on and before it gets too indepth. We do have a guest, Miss Katherine Lawson. Is that correct? Partnership for a drug-free America. So, if you want to come on up. I have nice little packets for y'all. Sure. Yep. Sure.

Thank you.

Yeah. Leave leave that one and we'll get it to him. And you may want to give one to a city clerk over there. Thank you for hearing me today. Um I just want to introduce a proposal for funding for expansion of substance use assessment case management and recovery support services for Athens Limestone County area. Um, I'm with Partnership for a Drug-Free Community. Uh, we started in 1988 as a youth education and prevention organization. In 2019, we expanded to recovery resources. So, we provide substance use assessments, treatment referrals, case management, peer support. We're kind of a one-stop shop for getting people into substance use treatment programs. So, I'll run through the grant proposal for you. Um, Jessica Null is the executive director. She couldn't be here tonight. She had a death in the family over the weekend, so she's taking a little bereavement time. There is a need for substance use resources here in Athens area. Um, let's see. According to the CDC, Alabama recorded over 1,600 overdose deaths in the most recent reporting year. Um, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl remain the primary driver of overdose fatalities. Substance use continues to place significant strain on health care systems, law enforcement, and correctional facilities. Recent data indicates that while prevention efforts have helped reduce overdose deaths slightly, the need for

early intervention and treatment access remains critical. Growing counties such as Athens and the surrounding areas of Limestone County continue to experience population growth, which increases the need for accessible behavioral health services. Currently, many residents must travel outside the county to access clinical substance use assessments, case management, and recovery navigation. This creates barriers for individuals who may already be struggling with transportation, financial instability, or involvement in the criminal justice system. Without early intervention, individuals often cycle through emergency rooms, county jails, uh repeated relapse, and untreated mental health conditions. So, we are asking to expand our brickandmortar services here into the Athens area. Um, we need to increase our service capacity. We want to add an additional three staff members, which would be an assessor, a master's level clinician, a case manager, and a peer support specialist. That way, we will have enough staffing to provide additional services and a brickandmortar location out here to assess the need. Um, if a local office space can be provided, these individuals will be primarily located in the Athens limestone area. So, we want to have three staff members stationed here in Athens full-time. If office space cannot be provided, they would join our Huntsville office location and would help with the patient load for Athens Limestone area. Together, these positions create a comprehensive service pathway assessment, treatment, placement, and recovery support.

Let's see. The clinical substance use assessments. Um, I'll explain a little bit about that because a lot of people don't know how that works. If you are seeking treatment for substance use, you don't have insurance, your insurance doesn't pay for treatment, um, or if you don't have the money to pay for treatment, which can be expensive. There are many different state-f funded treatment facilities that get money from Alabama Department of Mental Health and other sources, but you have to have one of these substance use assessments to be able to qualify. Now, usually they cost money. Um, I know there is a local area that will do them for $100. So, the individual would have to go and pay $100 initially to get the assessment and to get the referral for the state funded treatment facility. And again, if you don't have insurance, you don't have money, you're not going to be able to afford those assessments. and we do all of our services for free, including the assessments that allows individuals that otherwise would not be able to go to treatment to go to a treatment program. Um, these assessments guide referrals to outpatient intensive outpatient, residential or Matt treatment, which is medication, medication assisted treatment like a methodone or suboxone clinics. So it assesses where the person is in recovery, what their relapse potential is, if they have any co-occurring mental health issues. So we complete that and then we send it out to the state funded facilities to get that patient on the waiting list and we do help facilitate the admission into the programs. We have the peer support person and she is a person in long-term recovery. So, she has a lived experience in active addiction, substance use, and she kind of helps them along the way. This is what you need to do. You need to be making these

calls. You need to be going to meetings. Then, of course, our case manager um helps with getting IDs, getting insurance, helping find housing, sober living programs, anything along that line. Um and that's listed out in a little bit of detail in the book. I'm not going to read it all. So, we are requesting an office space um to accommodate three staff members, which would be the master's level clinician, case manager, and recovery support specialist. Um we're also requesting um transportation assistance. Sometimes these individuals don't have a way to get to treatment. the closest one um there's Gunnersville, Hazel Green, um beyond that, Birmingham, Montgomery. Those are the state funded treatment facilities other than Bradford, but again, you have to have insurance, so it's a whole thing. Um the transportation assistance would allow us to be able to transport these individuals to the treatment facilities. Um annual transportation fund is 15,000. um sober living assistance funds. Another thing that you may not know is these sober living facilities um halfway houses commonly they're referred to. They cost money. You've got to pay an entry fee and then once you get there you're required to get a job and then you pay a a rent. They don't call it rent but it's rent. So those can be a barrier to individuals without any money. So the annual sober living assistance fund would be 20,000. Um financial plan annual salaries would equal out to 158680 and that would be for all three staff members. Um fringe benefits, health benefits, and operational costs.

Um so we're hoping to do a 4-year agreement with the total budget for each year being 252,000. And we are hoping to my brain stopped. Um opioid settlement funds that everyone is distributed. We're hoping to be able to utilize that fund to carry out this plan. Um let's see. I'm going to move on to the second part of the packet here. This is my annual report that I created from fiscal year 2025. Um, we completed 818 substance use assessments in fiscal year 2025. We do track progress and patient entry. So, we had 299 individuals that we could confirm enter a treatment program in fiscal year 2025. Now, that averages about to 37%. Um, it is growing. At the very end, I have the current numbers. Let's see. 287 individuals identified as unhoused and 484 clients, which is 59% were uninsured. Um 55% of the individuals that did have insurance had Medicare or Medicaid. Medicare or Medicaid only covers detox facilities. So, you can go do your 7-day detox with your Medicare or Medicaid, but you cannot continue with further residential treatment without one of these assessments. Um, additionally, there are some demographics. Down at the bottom, we have gender and ethnicity. Um, co-occurring mental illnesses. 52% of assessments were diagnosed with co-occurring mental illness.

That can be an obstacle. A lot of times places can't accommodate those individuals, particularly if they're high acuity, untreated schizophrenia, things like that. But we do a screening that assesses what level of mental illness that they have, if they're medicated, and that helps us place them appropriately. Um, age distribution is all over the map. We've had 19 year olds all the way up to 73. So it happens to everybody. Age group, marital status, substance use patterns is interesting. Um alcohol is our number one substance reported to be abused. Second would be methamphetamine and then third is opioids and that includes fentanyl and heroin. On the very last page of the report is our county distribution. Um at this time we only have funding to serve seven counties. including Limestone County. We get that funding from the Alabama Department of Mental Health, but it does not allow us to have a brickandmortar location here, but um we only had 19 assessments for Limestone County in fiscal year 2025. Um we've been out in the community, we've been reaching out. I attend the coffee and conversation with the chamber. Um we do outreach. We've been to many different events in Athens and we're just not getting as much service that we should be and I know the need is there. So having this office and these available staff members would help us help more people in the area. We work a lot with community corrections um court jail diversion

and for Limestone County we only had 06 from community corrections in Limestone County. So the numbers um are not the best but we want to change that. We want to help the citizens of Athens and Limestone County and provide them services that are much needed. Thank you very much. Does anybody have any questions for u I know that Katherine, we met with Jessica and and I thought it was a good idea just to make a presentation. My understanding is with the budget request that you have, it does not have office space. And so the budget there is plus a request for office space if that's available. Uh but before that, please give Jessica our condolences and uh thanks for being here. We know there's critical need. I don't know uh where we go from here. I think we need to get our limestone county some folks or a sheriff's department and our police department and maybe some city council members to look at the critical need. I know what we have in our uh opioid lawsuit settlement. It's not these kind of budget figures. So, uh, that'll have to be a whole lot of discussion before we really try to move forward with it.

We're open to discussion. Yeah. Yeah. Let us let us talk about it and we'll maybe get back together in a couple weeks or so. Absolutely. Okay. What is the what is the success rate for someone that goes through a uh dry out period? I I forget what term you used. Opposed to someone that goes into rehab, if they just go to detox, detox, not good.

They very frequently relapse soon and have to go into the process over again. We've had many different repeat clients who only went to detox, they didn't want to go any further, then they went right back out and did it again. I don't have a number is is is the success rate cons I know that the detox rate that the rate after detox is low but is the rate after the program is it a significant increase there

if they complete the whole process which normally we recommend to do the detox at least 3 four months of residential treatment, then the success rate is good. They just have to do the whole process. We usually always recommend a sober living type facility that keeps them accountable. They go to work. They learn how to reintegrate into society. Um those numbers, I don't have an exact number, but it's significantly higher than if you just go through the detox process. I'm I'm not familiar with anybody that just goes through a detox and comes out successful.

It's not very successful. Okay. Anybody else? Thank you so much. Thank you, Katherine. Thank you for hearing me today. I look forward to hearing from you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Uh do you guys want to just continue on or take a short break? The weather's pretty continue on. Okay, we're just going to continue on with the meeting. Um, so with that, we'll call the regular scheduled meeting to order. Annette. Okay. Mr. Creasy here. Mr. Lucas is absent tonight. Mrs. Henry here, Mrs. Golden here, and Mr. Cyber

here. Four present, one absent.

Uh, our invocation will be offered by Councilwoman Henry, and our pledge of allegiance will be offered by Mayor Marks. Dear heavenly father, be with us this evening as we conduct the business of the city of Athens. Help direct our decisions and our actions in your name. Be with those who in our community are struggling as we just heard. Be with those who have faced loss, who face uncertain times, and who need our support both as individuals and as a community. It is in your son's name we pray. Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you for that, Councilwoman Henry. Um, can I get a motion for the approval of city council minutes and the work session minutes? So move a second. Okay. Can we get roll call on that please? In that Mrs. Golden? Yes. Mrs. Henry? Yes. Mr. Cesy? Yes. Mr. Cyber? Yes. Forier zero.

We don't have any special city council minutes nor standing committees or special committees. So we'll jump in the report of officers. Mayor Marks. Uh, I don't have anything much other than another successful weekend downtown Athens with the boutique crawl, I believe is what it was called. And understand uh some of you may have been involved in that. And so again, another shout out to Main Street and Tourism and what they're doing for the local people to uh shop local. So, thank you our city attorney Shane. Nothing for me, Mr. President. Nothing from you, Mr. Casy. Nothing for me, Miss Henry. I have nothing. Thank you. Nothing.

Golden. Okay. I would echo that. Uh the word I heard was that it was a good event. The boutique crawl did well for the local businesses. So that's always positive. Um we don't have any public hearings. Uh next on the list is public remarks regarding agenda items. Anybody like to come up and address an agenda item? Now is the time to do that. Okay, we will move on to the consent calendar. Coach Casy, Council Cases, Councilman Casy. Yeah,

sorry about that. Res resolution or con a resolution approving travel expenses for personal for personnel on the electric department in the amount of $160.87. B. Resolution approving the purchase of a John Deere Z9 950M Ztrack mower from Tri Grand Equipment at the cost of $13,353.34 to be funded from the Cemetery Parks and Recreation Department's existing capital expenditure fund. C. Resolution approving the purchase of a Ford Explorer XLT200, a two-w wheelel drive 2.3 L for building inspection department for the state from the state of Alabama bid list from Styver Ford Lincoln Mer Montgomery, Alabama at the cost to not to exceed $39,593 and shall be funded from the fiscal year 2026 capital fund allocated on February 23rd, 2026 to the building inspection department. D. Resolution approving the purchase of a 2026 Hy Defon automated side loader garbage truck at a cost of $417,888 and a 2126 high DPHP commercial front loader garbage truck at the cost of 43 $43,570. for a total of 821,458 from Ingram Equipment through Source Whale contract223-THC and shall be funded from the existing sanitation department capital account.

Resolution E, resolution approving the purchase of two 2026 Pac-Man KBF- 225A Kinworth T480 grapple trash trucks from Ingram. Try to say that with a a mouthful from Ingram Equipment Company through Sourcewell Contract 010825-8 MH HMC at the cost of 301,795 each for a to each for a total of 6,000 600,000 three $63,590 to be funded from the existing sanitation department capital account. Resolution F is a resolution to enter into an agreement with the state of Alabama to maintain approximately 200 or 425 linear feet of concrete sidewalk within the right of way of of Alabama 99 and Elm Street that will be installed as part of the food city economic development phase 2 project. Resolution G is a resolution approving payment of to Cortez company in the amount of 49,978 for the asphalt resurfacing of six pickle ball courts and multi-port surfacing of one tennis court at Big Spring Park to be funded from a previously approved allocation of Corona virus state and local fiscal recovery funds from the Cemetery Parks and Recreation Department. Any discussion on those items? Can we get a get a second? I get first of all.

Second from Councilwoman Golden. Any discussion? Okay. We get a vote, please. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Four, zero nays. Item H. Councilwoman Henry, it ordained to restate or amend the local ordinance which regulated dealers in precious metals and items to ensure that it is consistent with the state law and so that it also provides a clear definition of the types of business activities of retail merchants and wholesalers to which it does not apply. Move to suspend. Get a second on the suspension.

Second. Right. Can we get a roll call on the rules, please? Mrs. Golden, yes. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Forier, Zero Naz. And can we get a second on the ordinance, please? Second. Any discussion on that one? Okay, [clears throat] we get a roll call on that, please. Now, Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Four, zero nays. Item I, Councilwoman Golden,

be it resolved by the city council of the city of Athens, Alabama, to authorize the mayor to enter into a written agreement with East Madison Capital Partners LLC for the lease of property located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Market Street and Madison Street for public parking upon the following terms. three years. Um, a three-year lease with the right to extend for two more years. I move that we suspend the rule. Okay. All right. We got a second on the rules suspension from Councilwoman Henry. We get a roll call on that, please. Annette. Mr. Cesy. Yes. Mrs. Henry. Yes. Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mr. Cybert. Yes.

Forier zero nays. And could we get a second on Councilwoman Golden's resolution? I'll second. Second by Councilwoman Henry. Any discussion on this one? This is well needed parking and hopefully the I know the businesses around it will be happy. Uh we get a roll call on that. Please announce. Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mrs. Henry. Yes. Mr. Cesy. Yes. Mr. Cyber. Yes. For zero nays.

Item J. Councilman Cesy. A resolution authorizing the electric service director to accept the law low bid of 74,250 from the Seaman's Industry Incorporated for the two 51,000 volt substation breaker for the Athens city utility breeding park electric substation and cost and expenses shall be paid from the city of Athens 2015 warrant fund. Uh, we just moved. Hang on. Warrant fund and or 2022 fund. Uh, warrant fund.

Move to suspend. Second. Second by Councilwoman. Golden. Uh, can we get a roll call on the rules, please? Mrs. Henry. Yes. Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mr. Cesy. Yes. Mr. Cyber. Yes. Borier. Zero nays. And can we get a second on the resolution? Second. Second by Councilwoman Golden. Any discussion on that one? Okay, we get roll call on that. Mr. Cruy, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Four, zero nays.

Item K. Councilwoman Golden. Resolution approving a 3% cost of living salary increase for all full-time employees effective April tw pay payroll period ending April 18th 2026 payable on April 23rd 2026 and approved and approved revising the city official pay scale to reflect the change in pay rates. Second. Second by Councilwoman Henry. Any discussion on this?

I would like to make a statement on this. I think it's very important that we keep our rates that we pay or the the wages that we pay our city employees at at a as high a rate as we possibly can. We don't want to we don't want to be a training ground for North Alabama where we hire people here and then they go through the training and get the experience and then move on to someplace else because they they pay more. And I think that we need to take it upon ourselves to make sure that our employees that work for the city are well compensated and and that we get the best and brightest, not what's left. Anyway, I just wanted to make that statement. No, I would second that. U, we're lucky to be in a position to do it and uh certainly the cost of living has gone up and so it's good that we're we're able to pass this on to the employees

and we went for some time where we couldn't keep the best employees here in the in the city of Athens and uh now we are and and we need to make sure that we keep it that way. Anybody else? We get a second. We get a second on that. Mrs. Henry. So with that, let's uh let's call the role. Okay. Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cesy, yes. And Mr. Cyber, yes. For zero nays. Item L. Councilwoman Henry.

May by city council that the city is authorized to allocate 54,471 for CSXT to perform these activities. that the funds for this purchase shall be drawn from the 2018 general obligation warrant proceeds. That any unused funds from this allocation shall be in reburseed to the city of Athens, that the agreement for the administration activities and plan review process be executed in the name of the city by its mayor for and on behalf and that it be attested by the city clerk and the seal of the city of Athens affixed. That the completion of the execution of this agreement by all parties, a copy shall be kept on file with the city by the city clerk. Move to suspend.

We get a second on the rule suspension. Second. Second by Councilman Cesy. We get a roll call on the rules, please. And that Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mr. Cesy. Yes. Mrs. Henry. Yes. Mr. Cyber. Yes. Four. Zero Naz. And can we get a second on the resolution? Second. Second by Councilwoman Golden. Any discussion on that? Okay. Can we get a roll call, please? Now, Mrs. Henry, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Borier, zero nays. Item M. Councilman Casy,

be it resolved that the city enters into agreement with the local road safety initiative program project with the state of Alabama acting by and through the Alabama Department of Transportation relating to the project for safety improvements at four sites. shoulder widening, guardrail and guardrail in anchors and signage at curves on Hine Street, Mory Road, Sandifer Road and Lucas Ferry Road, Elton Road from Elm Street to the Athens city limits and Edgewood Road from Elm Street to the Athens city limits. Project number HRR-4226.

I get a motion to spin the rules. I move to suspend. Second. Second by Councilwoman Golden. We get a roll call on the rules, please. And that Mrs. Henry, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mr. Casy, yes. Mr. Cyber, yes. Forier, zero nays. And can we get a second on the resolution? Second. All right. Any discussion on that? We get a roll call, please. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mrs. Golden, yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cyber,

yes. Four, zero nays. Item N, Councilman Cesy, ordinance relating to the water and sewer rates and fee adjustments. Let me see what else we got here. Whereas in the meeting on February 23rd, 2006, the city of Athens water service department presented the city council with findings from the comprehensive rate and system development fee studies with recommended rate adjustments essential for the safe drinking water and all the effective collection and treatment of sanitary waste water. Whereas current currently the city charges some of the lowest rates in North Alabama area and will and with and the full implementation of these rates of these rate changes the base customer charges for a typical 4,000galon per month consumer will still remain below the North Alabama area. And whereas the city council finds it deter and and determines that is the best interest of the public and these recommendations just be made. Therefore, it be ordained uh the adjustments recommended by the city of Athens watering service department are as are approved through the amendments of the code of ordinances of the Athens city of Alabama and set forth in detail in this ordinance.

Move to suspend. Second. Could we get a roll call on the rules, please? Mrs. Golden. Yes. Mrs. Henry, yes. Mr. Cesy, yes. Mr. Mr. Cyber. Yes. Forier zero nays. And can we get a second on the ordinance? Second. Any discussion? Okay. Now, would you please call the role? Mr. Creasy? Yes. Mrs. Golden? Yes. Mrs. Henry? Yes. Mr. Cyber? Yes. Four. Zero Naz. Okay. That concludes our formal business. Did anybody Mayor Shane anything else to add? Okay.