Athens City Council Regular Session – September 21, 2026

The Athens City Council met in regular session on Monday, September 21, 2026, to address flooding concerns, adopt several ordinances, confirm appointments, and hear public testimony on pedestrian safety. The meeting was called to order with all members present.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved unanimously.
• Minutes from the special session on August 24, regular session on September 8, and special session on September 14 were approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 82-26, amending parking penalties to allow 14 days for payment (previously 5), was adopted unanimously.
• Ordinance 85-26, appropriating funds and authorizing interfund transfers for the 2026 employee retirement incentive program medical fund, was adopted unanimously.
• Appointments confirmed unanimously: Stacey Strauss to the Board of Zoning Appeals; Fiona Davis, Brittany Multer Hopkins, and Afa McLaughlin to the Environmental and Sustainability Commission; and 11 members to the Comprehensive Plan Review Advisory Commission (Aaron Leatherwood, Matt Seaford, Alicia Sweeney, Christy Thomas, Mark Weinberg, Natalie Whitman, Kim Kelly, Member Isherwood, Connor Lavelle, Megan Jennings, John Ketowski).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Connor Gogler, an Ohio University sophomore and member of the Undergraduate Student Senate, spoke on behalf of students and residents about pedestrian safety on Richland Avenue near President Street, West Mulberry, and Bentley Annex. He cited a poll of 444 people: 85.6% found crossing unsafe, 52.9% had nearly been struck by a vehicle, and 91.5% believe the city must act. He stated that a prior email and a traffic study with Councilman Swank received no response from the Transportation Committee chair since July 31. He urged the council to implement rumble strips, beacon-assisted crossings, or other measures before a tragedy occurs.

Discussion Items

• Flooding and Infrastructure: Councilmember Wood reported historic rainfall leading to flooding on Richland Avenue, East State Street, and other areas. He noted storm drains cleaned recently were already overwhelmed, and called for a comprehensive plan. Councilmember Quitepower announced that Dr. Natalie Cruz Daniels will present a plan for Richland Avenue flooding next week. Councilmember Wood showed photos of water still running from a ground rupture at 1 p.m. (nine hours after rain stopped), a storm drain that had exploded, and a retention pond at The Summit that had breached, posing a dam failure risk. He also mentioned three properties on East State Street (275, 283, and a third) that have flooded basements three times. He suggested the city help fund backflow prevention valves. Acting Mayor clarified that such action typically originates from the administration, but council can initiate spending. It was agreed to hold a committee-of-the-whole discussion on flooding mitigation next week.
• Ordinances for First Reading:
  • Ordinance 87-26: Repeals the authorization to lease the former fire department headquarters on Columbus Road and instead authorizes the service safety director to advertise and accept sealed bids for sale (minimum bid one-third of appraised value).
  • Ordinance 88-26: Authorizes conveying the same property to the Athens Community Improvement Corporation (ACIC) if no acceptable bids are received, to allow negotiation for neighborhood-friendly uses (e.g., retail, food/beverage). This runs concurrent with 87-26.
  • Ordinance 89-26: Amends housing regulations to allow the city to require removal of accumulated solid waste after five violations, with costs placed as a lien on the property. Councilmember Isherwood explained it is modeled on the mowing ordinance and intended for rare public health issues.
• Comprehensive Plan Commission Expansion: Councilmember Swank proposed amending the ordinance that created the commission to add more citizen members, as the current 11 include mostly representatives from organizations. The matter will be discussed in the Planning and Development committee next week.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Ordinances: 82-26 (parking penalties) and 85-26 (medical fund appropriations).
• Appointments Confirmed: Stacey Strauss (BZA), three to Environmental and Sustainability Commission, and 11 to Comprehensive Plan Review Advisory Commission.
• Next Steps:
  • Ordinance 84-26 (sewer fund sensor) will return for third reading in two weeks.
  • Ordinance 87-26, 88-26, and 89-26 will proceed to second reading.
  • A committee-of-the-whole meeting will be scheduled for next week to discuss flooding mitigation, including the presentation by Dr. Natalie Cruz Daniels.
  • The Planning and Development committee will consider expanding the Comprehensive Plan Review Advisory Commission membership.
  • The administration will be asked to provide a comprehensive flooding plan and address immediate needs such as backflow prevention for affected properties.