Athens City Council Meeting Summary: November 2, 2026

The Athens City Council convened in regular session on Monday, November 2, 2026. The agenda was amended to include an executive session for personnel matters. The meeting featured extensive debate on the proposed street closure fee ordinance, the 2027 budget, the Rumpke waste contract extension, and the creation of neighborhood corridor overlay zones. Public comment was heard on several issues, including a proposed gas plant in Pike County and a local business's request for a C2 liquor permit.

Consent Calendar & Routine Approvals

• Ordinance 91-26, amending the allocation of the Arts, Parks and Recreation (APR) levy funds, was adopted on third reading. It allows for the transfer of fund balances over $1 million from the debt fund to the income tax fund.
• Ordinance 109-26, a "then and now" certificate for payment for the five-year highly pressurized testing of firefighter air tanks ($3,093.48), had its rules suspended and was adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 08-26, extending the ad hoc subcommittee on rental code inspection processes until February 2027, was adopted unanimously.
• Resolution 09-26, affirming dignity, integrity, and respect in political campaigns and public discourse, was adopted unanimously.
• The appointment of Aaron Sandau to the Community Relations Commission was approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Pike County Gas Plant: Councilmember Cloudfelder relayed an email from citizen Aaron Leatherwood opposing a proposed 10-gigawatt gas plant in Pike County powered by simple gas turbines, citing concerns about downwind health impacts (asthma, COPD) on Athens County. Councilmember Swink suggested forwarding concerns to NOPEC and SOPEC. Mayor Patterson expressed intent to oppose the project's use of uncatalyzed generators and to oppose the EPA rollback of methane standards.
• Street Closure Fees: An email from Brandon Thompson was read, expressing general support for streamlining but raising concerns about fees for first-time events and proposing a city working group. Multiple speakers, including Rob Delich and Joe Radwinny, addressed the council, recommending broader community discussion before finalizing the fee schedule.
• 2027 Budget: Tom Hanlin urged council to examine historical staffing levels and the city's growing debt load, questioning if the city is over-spending on new projects while infrastructure crumbles.
• C2 Liquor Permit: Several owners and employees of Athens Community Drive-Thru (James Wonkey, Kevin Mann, Alex Schwartz, Brock Rausch) and a neighboring business owner spoke in favor of the business's application for a C2 liquor permit. They highlighted their local ownership, six years of incident-free beer sales, community service, and the lack of similar retail options on the city's far east side.

Discussion Items

• Street Closure Fee Schedule (Ordinance 96-26): Council debated the proposed fee structure. Councilmember Swink raised concerns about differential fees potentially infringing on First Amendment rights. Councilmember Cloudfelder moved to amend the fee for a one-block residential neighborhood gathering from $300 to $150 to avoid discouraging small events. Following public testimony, the amendment passed on a voice vote, sending the ordinance back to first reading for further discussion.
• Rumpke Waste Contract (Ordinance 107-26): Council considered the first reading of a two-year contract extension with Rumpke, locking in current rates. Councilmember Wood advocated for allowing the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District to present a competing government-to-government proposal. Councilmember Swink praised Rumpke's local service record and 119 employees in the region. The Auditor noted time sensitivity for any alternative proposal.
• 2027 Budget (Ordinance 110-26): Council conducted the first reading of the proposed budget, which is $16 million below the previous year's. Councilmember Swink questioned the allocation of the $2.1 million income tax increase revenue. The Auditor and Mayor explained that the revenue is not spent entirely in the first year, with over $1 million budgeted for a medical fund increase and the remainder intended to build reserves for future years while keeping the expense budget flat.
• Staffing Ordinance (Ordinance 111-26): A debate arose over proposed title changes for seasonal community center positions (e.g., changing "daycare instructor" to "kids crew facilitator"). Councilmember Swink moved to restore the original names, arguing the new titles were demeaning to the profession. The motion lacked a second and failed. Councilmember Thomas defended the titles as the preference of the department director.
• Neighborhood Corridor Overlay (Ordinances 104-26 & 105-26): The first reading for two ordinances to create a "Neighborhood Corridor" overlay zone was held. Councilmember Swink explained the first ordinance establishes the zoning term, while the second details development standards. The goal is to enable walkable, mixed-use development in corridors like Stimson Avenue, which is currently difficult under existing code. Councilmember Isherwood clarified that non-conforming structures would be grandfathered in.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 96-26 was amended to lower the fee for a one-block residential gathering to $150 and was sent back to a first reading to allow for further public input and consultation with neighborhood associations.
• Ordinance 111-26 (Staffing Levels) and Ordinance 110-26 (Budget) were read for the first time. The proposed amendment to restore original staff titles failed due to a lack of a second.
• Ordinance 112-26 (Non-union compensation) was tabled, and council entered an executive session on personnel. Following the closed session, the ordinance was untabled and read for the first time.
• Ordinance 107-26 (Rumpke contract) remained on first reading to provide time for a potential alternative proposal from the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District.
• Council voted unanimously to enter executive session for personnel matters, then reconvened to complete the first reading of the non-union compensation ordinance before adjourning at 10:55 p.m.