Mayor & Commission Meetings

Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Special Called Session Tuesday, September 21, 2021 5:09 p.m. City Hall The Mayor and Commission of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County met this date in a special called session. Present: Mayor Girtz, Commissioners Davenport, Link, Wright, Denson, Houle, Edwards, and Myers. Absent: Commissioners Parker, Thornton and Hamby. The purpose of the meeting was to enter into executive session for discussion of personnel matters. A motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Davenport, to enter into executive session for discussion of personnel matters. The motion passed by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m. __________________________________ Clerk of Commission ************************************* Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Special Called Session Tuesday, September 21, 2021 6:02 p.m. City Hall The Mayor and Commission of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County met this date in a special called session. Present: Mayor Girtz, Commissioners Davenport, Link, Wright, Denson, Houle, Edwards, Myers, Thornton and Hamby. Absent: Commissioner Parker. The purpose of the meeting was to consider several items of new business. A motion was made by Commissioner Denson, seconded by Commissioner Houle, to suspend Rules of Commission. The motion passed by unanimous vote, A motion was made by Commissioner Link, seconded by Commissioner Myers, to amend this agenda that upon conclusion of the agenda setting session of this date the Mayor and Commission enter into executive session for discussion of personnel matters. The motion passed by unanimous vote. Citizen input The following citizen input was received. 1. Theresa Omanovic - supported equity. New business – Consider under suspension of Rules A motion was made by Commissioner Myers, seconded by Commissioner Edwards, to approve allocation of $100,000 of American Rescue Plan Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to the Clarke County Health Department for the Athens-Clarke County COVID-19 Vaccine Incentive Program and direct the county manager to create an RFP to solicit other health care providers to expand the vaccine incentive program to underserved areas. (Agenda report dated September 15, 2021.) Commissioner Houle offered an amendment that no financial incentive will be given for a third shot. The amendment was accepted  The motion as amended passed by unanimous vote. A motion was made by Commissioner Houle, seconded by Commissioner Edwards, to HOLD until October 5 the eviction prevention program. A substitute motion was made by Commissioner Wright, seconded by Commissioner Hamby, as follows. a) Do not approve funding for the proposal submitted by the Athenian First Development Corporation based upon evaluation criteria; as the Commission directed that a vote to approve a selected agency partner would be held by September 21, 2021; and b) Authorize ACCGov staff to issue a revised Request for Proposals (RFP) to select an agency partner to coordinate with the Magistrate Court, landlords, and tenants to prevent evictions and to provide rental assistance to households in need. The substitute motion failed by roll call vote with Commissioners Wright, Myers, and Hamby voting YES; and Commissioners Davenport, Link, Denson, Houle, Edwards, and Thornton voting NO. (3 YES; 6 NO) The original motion passed by roll call vote with Commissioners Davenport, Link, Wright, Denson, Houle, Edwards, Myers and Hamby voting YES and Commissioner Thornton voting NO. (8 YES; 1 NO) A motion was made by Commissioner Wright, seconded by Commissioner Edwards, to adopt the following resolution. The motion passed by unanimous vote. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMISSION OF ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY, GEORGIA TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIMS OF TONIA SMITH; AND FOR OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSES. WHEREAS, on November 8, 2019, Alfred Jones, acting in his capacity as an employees of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, was operating a sanitation truck that struck a vehicle being driven by Tonia Smith, (“Smith”); and WHEREAS, on February 4, 2021, Smith’s attorney file a Complaint for Damages in the State Court of Clarke County, Case No. ST21CV066, against the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, (“A-CC”), for the alleged injuries Smith suffered as a result of being struck by Alfred Jones, (“Smith’s Claims”); and WHEREAS, A-CC and Smith desire to voluntarily resolve Smith’s Claims and all other disputes that may exist between them by compromise and without incurring additional attorney’s fees, expenses, and costs of litigation; and WHEREAS, without admitting liability or fault, the Commission finds it to be in the best interests of A-CC to resolve Smith’s Claims as set forth below; NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission hereby resolves as follows: SECTION 1. The Commission does hereby approve and authorize the payment of the sum of Seventy-Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($75,000.00) to Smith in settlement of Smith’s Claims. SECTION 2. The Attorney for A-CC and outside counsel retained for purposes of these Claims shall have authority to take all further actions necessary to carry out the intents and purposes of this Resolution and to prepare, or to cause to be prepared, any and all documents necessary to effectuate the resolution of the Claims as described herein. SECTION 3. The Mayor of A-CC shall have authority to take all further actions necessary to carry out the intents and purposes of this Resolution, including but not limited to, the authority to sign any documents as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the intents and purposes of this Resolution.  SECTION 4. The Commission hereby declares that the foregoing preamble and whereas provisions set forth hereinabove constitute, and shall be considered to be, substantive provisions of this Resolution and are hereby incorporated by reference into this provision. SECTION 5. In the event scrivener’s errors shall be discovered in this Resolution or in the Exhibits hereto after the adoption hereof, the Commission hereby authorizes and directs that each such scrivener’s error shall be corrected in all multiple counterparts of this Resolution. SECTION 6. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its approval by the Mayor or upon its adoption into law without such approval. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. _____________________________________ Clerk of Commission