Apply for ‘Go Transit’ grant funding
A4E supports application for this grant so that Athens Transit may obtain the funds to purchase 10 hybrid engine buses, which have increased fuel efficiency.
Voting yes on submitting application: Hamby, Bell, Herod, Dickerson, Sims, NeSmith, Bailey, Wright, Link, Girtz
Voting no: none
Proposal made by: Link
Passed on February 2, 2016
Complete Streets Improvements for Chase Street
A4E supports complete streets across Athens. We are particularly pleased with the highly-visible green paint to be used for the bike lanes here, and that the center turn lane remains for the residential portion of this street.
Voting yes on complete streets: Hamby, Bell, NeSmith, Bailey, Link, Girtz
Voting no: Herod, Dickerson, Sims, Wright
CDO made by: Link, Proposal made by: Girtz
Voting yes on ‘dividing the question’ in an attempt to remove some complete streets components: Herod, Dickerson, Sims, Wright, Bell, Mayor Denson
Passed on May 3, 2016
IN RETROSPECT: It’s clear the implementation of this didn’t go as planned. Complete Streets Athens has a good take on this, that our process of collecting public input on proposed street changes needs some work.
Allow for the Sale of Growlers in Brewpubs
A4E supports allowing the sale of growlers at Copper Creek or any other brewpub. The current alcohol laws in Georgia, some of them holdovers from the Prohibition era, are overly complex and harm what is a growing industry in Athens.
Voting yes on allowing growlers: Hamby, Bell, NeSmith, Bailey, Link, Herod, Dickerson, Sims, Wright
Voting no: none
Absent: Girtz
CDO and Proposal made by: NeSmith
Passed on July 5, 2016
Fare-Free Buses for K-12 Students
A4E supports letting K-12 students ride Athens Transit free of charge. During the summer pilot program in 2016, youth ridership went up by a massive 600% once fares were removed. It only makes sense to help kids get to school — after all, we don’t charge for school bus rides either and the Clarke County School District has previously been one of the biggest purchasers of bus passes after UGA. This is a win for our kids, for the school district, for the gang task force, and for all of Athens!
Voting yes on fare-free rides for kids: Hamby, Bell, NeSmith, Bailey, Link, Herod, Dickerson, Sims, Wright, Girtz
Voting no: none
Absent: none
CDO and Proposal made by: Girtz
Passed on August 2, 2016
Bar Admittance and Civil Rights Committee
A4E supports both the Bar Admittance Ordinance and creation of an Athens Civil Rights Committee, which we have marched and spoken out strongly for as a part of the the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement. However, this vote was strangely contentious and does not actually require the creation of a new Civil Rights Committee; it directs ACC staff to put forward a proposal for doing so but is not very specific. Melissa Link and Kelly Girtz, two of the strongest advocates for the Civil Rights Committee, had to abstain from this vote because it did not include an amendment to involve the public in the committee creation process. Jerry NeSmith and Jared Bailey even voted no for that same reason. A4E feels that all votes here advanced the cause of human rights in Athens, but not transparency or public involvement. Therefore, we are leaving this vote out of our tally for the year.
Voting yes: Hamby, Bell, Herod, Dickerson, Sims, Wright
Voting no: NeSmith, Bailey
Abstaining: Link, Girtz
Absent: none
There were multiple competing CDOs that were roughly equivalent.
Amendment for public input made by Melissa Link and put forward by Kelly Girtz (but was rejected by Andy Herod).
Proposal that passed was made by: Herod
Passed on November 1, 2016