ATHENS, Ala. — Athens city council members on Monday approved an approximate $2,967,284 in spending. Money that was earmarked will be used for various improvement projects and equipment purchases.
The largest expenditure, totaled at $1,013,867, will fund paving projects across all five city districts:
- Oakdale Rd.
- Frazier St.
- Piney Creek Dr.
- Founders Circle
- Allyn St.
- Plato Jones (from Hine St. to Lucas St.)
- Levert (from Hwy. 72 to 3rd St.)
- W. Hobbs St.
- Lucas Ferry Rd. (from Hwy. 72 to Elm St.)
- Green St. West
- South St.
- Lee St.
Eight acres of land on S. Jefferson St. will be purchased at a cost of about $800,000, for the construction of a new customer accounts building for Athens Utilities.
The city will spend about $420,000 on a new garbage truck, and a further $270,000 on what was described on the city's Twitter account as an "automated leaf machine."
$242,817 was approved for a fleet of seven pickup trucks for the water services department. $220,600 was approved for a contract to replace the roof and make other repairs to the city's water treatment plant.
At last week's "state of the city" address, Mayor Ronnie Marks said the city needs a new sewage treatment facility. "We have a need as we grow to develop another pond, as I call it," he said.
The city population remains just shy of 50,000, but the mayor pushed for investments that will help the city grow and create new jobs. He also stressed the importance of education in the city.