This came about after community members and advocates began making public incidents of discrimination happening in the County. Residents and community groups began advocating for the creation of an Athens Civil Rights Committee, or human relations commission. After nearly a year of pressure, the Clarke County Commission directed “the Office of the ACC Manager and the ACC Attorney to explore ways to create a more inclusive and welcoming community through the creation of a government‐appointed and operated citizen “human relations” committee, through partnering with an established local entity, or through some other mechanism. The goal of such exploration will be to recommend a framework which can best address claims of discrimination, whether through education, through training, through referral to other local, state, and/or federal resources, and/ or through some other means. The ACC Manager and/ or Attorney’s Office will present their findings and recommendations to the Mayor and Commission by no later than the end of FY17 (June 2017) for review and possible action.”

The 30 page document, written by County Manager Blaine Williams, touches on a lot, from history on discrimination nationally and locally to best practice inclusion plans in other cities.

From the Conclusion and Recommendation:

“Discrimination occurs in human society, which includes Athens‐Clarke County. Local citizens relay that discrimination today is most often subtle in nature, and creates a negative effect…There is a need locally for a thorough and frank assessment of the impact of discrimination in the community and its connection with equity and socio‐economic issues. This is a step which should be taken before creating a new Human Relations Commission or other body…it is recommended that the Mayor appoint a temporary (6‐12 month) task force of community members from across Athens‐Clarke County to work with staff from the Housing and Community Development Department and the Manager to create a draft scope for development of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan for the community. This task force will further work through the ultimate facilitation process.”

The Manager will prepare this recommendation in the form of an agenda item for Mayor and Commission consideration in the August/September 2017 cycle.

Read the entire document here.

10. Consent Culture Now! Rally a Success!

On a freezing February Saturday in downtown Athens, dozens of people began to gather. In the midst of the regular weekend bar crowd the voices of a hundred protesters could be heard up College Avenue and across North Campus. The diverse group had come together to advocate for a future where sexual assault isn’t pushed under the rug, and society doesn’t turn a blind eye to rape culture. (READ MORE…)

9. A4E convenes Transit Town Hall meeting in Pinewoods, pushing for transit expansion on US29

Athens for Everyone members, Pinewoods residents, Commissioner Kelly Girtz, and others concerned about transportation options along US highway 29 assembled in the Pinewoods Library last week.  A4E President Tim Denson explained our plan to extend bus service along US29 all the way out to the county line, and slightly beyond to the Veteran’s Clinic in Madison County. [Read More…]

8. A4E joins Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Real Food UGA, and more to demand Wendy’s join the Fair Food Program

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers have been pressuring retail food companies to join the Fair Food Program to ensure workers who pick fruits and vegetables on participating farms are provided humane wages and working conditions. Athens for Everyone, along with Real Food UGA & other participating groups, have joined the boycott of Wendy’s until Wendy’s joins the Fair Food Program. A4E was able to host CIW organizers in Athens for a day of action that included a rally, picket, and teach in [READ MORE…]http://www.ciw-online.org/blog/2016/10/tour-reports-southeast-midwest/

7. Georgians Successfully Urge Gov. Deal to Veto Campus Carry Bill!

[youtube https://youtu.be/S1y759-sSSU%20&w=600]

(The complete video is available at: http://athensclarkecounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 )

Athens for Everyone fully endorses this program becoming permanent. A4E believes that services are valuable to residents, especially when they are free and that an exchange of currency is in no way necessary for it to be “valuable”.

Unfortunately, Commissioner Harry Sims has put forward a Commission Defined Option (CDO, which is an alternative option created by a commissioner that can be passed instead of the original proposal) that changed the program from being permanent to being a trial program that would have to be renewed. Sims’ CDO also changed the language from “free” to “fees waived”. Commissioner Kelly Girtz has put forward a CDO that keeps the program permanent and also uses the word “free”. Athens for Everyone supports Commissioner Girtz’s CDO.

“I think it is dangerous for our elected leaders to act like providing services for free is a bad thing”, said Athens for Everyone President Tim Denson, “to assume that residents can’t recognize something as being valuable unless money has been taken from them. What’s next? Our school buses? Our sidewalks?”

The voting meeting will occur on Tuesday, August 2 at 7pm at City Hall. The public is invited to attend and will be given time to speak.

In April, the ACC Commission approved allowing all students under 17 years of age to ride Athens Transit buses free for the summer of 2016. Athens for Everyone fully supported this idea and advocated for it, along with others including Commissioner Harry Sims, to be put in place permanently.

Athens for Everyone is very excited to see an agenda item coming before the Mayor & Commission that will, “request that the Mayor and Commission approve a Youth Ridership program that allows all local youth, ages 5 -17, to ride Athens Transit’s fixed-route services (The Bus) free of charge year round.” The estimated cost in lost revenue would be $40,000.

“(a)  request that the Mayor and Commission approve a Youth Ridership program that allows all local youth, ages 5 -17, to ride Athens Transit’s fixed-route services (The Bus) free of charge year round.

The Mayor & Commission will discuss it at the July 19 Agenda Setting Session and, hopefully, vote for it at the August 2 Voting Session. Athens for Everyone will be organizing a push to make this happen, stay tuned (become a [free] Member of Athens for Everyone so you don’t miss a thing)!

UGA Transit was also approved for their grant proposal and will be receiving funding for 19 electric buses to be used, that will be a third of its fleet. Below is the description from Gov. Deal’s press release:

“Athens-Clarke County
Hybrid-Electric Buses
Replaces one-third (10 buses) of the Athens-Clarke diesel powered bus fleet with new hybrid-electric buses. The new buses will reduce long-term maintenance costs and decrease emissions.

University of Georgia
Electric Buses
Replaces one-third of the existing diesel bus fleet (19 buses) with new fully-electric buses, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing a quieter ride for transit users. The buses will also reduce maintenance costs, improving the cost-effectiveness of the system.”

Chatham Area Transit, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Henry County, and MARTA were also given grants.

Since the fall of 2015, Athens for Everyone has been fighting for all county employees to be paid a living wage of $10.17/hr (or higher). Progress has been made but much work is still to be done.

The County will take on a wage-study and classification project that should raise the hourly wage for about 100 of the 240 County workers being paid less than a MIT-researched Living Wage for Athens, to $10.17/hr or greater. This classification should be done by January 1.

An unofficial timeline has been created to raise the other 140 jobs to, or above, a living wage eventually also.

“Even though we did not see funds to pay living wages to all ACCUG employees, we are hopeful the commissioners and staff will keep to their word,” said Drew Hooks, Workers Rights Campaign Coordinator for Athens for Everyone. “We will continue to push the mayor and commission until living wages are paid to all part-time, seasonal and temporary employees. It is their moral obligation as employers, and it is their economic responsibility to curb poverty through paying higher wages. If we want an Athens that is affordable for everyone, then the local government needs to set the example and pay their workers living wages.”

Look for a detailed breakdown of the Living Wage story later this week here at athensforeveryone.com