Mayor & Commission Meetings

Meeting Minutes Ad Hoc Committee: Public Right of Way October 28, 2025, 3:00 – 4:00 pm City Hall 301B Members in Attendance: Commissioner Carol Myers, Commissioner Dexter Fisher, Commissioner Patrick Davenport Members Absent: Also in Attendance: Mayor Kelly Girtz Staff: Alex Bond, Harrison Daniel, Courtney Davis, Will Fleenor, Rani Katreeb, Jeanne Connell, Vic Pope, Jack Reddick, Laura Cobb, Chinesia Thompson Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 3:00 pm. Approval of Agenda: A motion was made by Commissioner Dexter Fisher to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Myers and approved unanimously. Approval of Minutes: A motion to approve the October 10, 2025, minutes was made by Commissioner Myers and seconded by Commissioner Fiser. The motion was approved unanimously. Public Input: Michael Moss, a representative from the Homeless Coalition shared findings from a small survey about providing lockers for unhoused individuals downtown. Discussion: Attorney Courtney Davis reviewed the draft ordinance 3-5-23 concerning use of public spaces. The term “materially interferes” was added to clarify language about obstructing sidewalks, streets, and public areas. The ordinance now covers sidewalks, alleys, roadways, greenways, and other public areas. Language about arrest authority was removed to ensure that enforcement focuses on compliance and public safety rather than criminalization. Officers will continue to provide a verbal warning and an opportunity to move before taking any enforcement action. Chief Harrison Daniel supported the changes and discussed adding terms like “passage along” to include walking and biking areas. Committee members discussed ensuring that officers have clear discretion to distinguish between obstruction and harmless use of public areas. The committee reviewed current ordinances and procedures related to unattended or abandoned property in public areas. Currently, Leisure Services gives 72 hours for removal after tagging an item, while other departments allow 96 hours. Committee members felt this timeline was too long and recommended shortening it to 24 hours to promote consistency and faster cleanup. Departments explained their current processes for tagging, photographing, and removing items such as shopping carts, tents, and stored belongings. They also discussed the challenge of OFFICE OF THE MANAGER T H E U N I F I E D G O V E R N M E N T O F A T H E N S -C L A R K E C O U N T Y , G E O R G I A P. O. Box 1868 • Athens, Georgia 30603 (706) 613-3020 • Fax (706) 613-3029 www. ac cgo v. co m distinguishing between truly abandoned items and personal property belonging to someone nearby. Police, code enforcement, and transit staff described how their teams handle removal, documentation, and storage of items when necessary. Committee members revisited the locker proposal, noting that secure storage could reduce clutter and improve safety downtown. The Homeless Coalition representative pointed out that lockers could encourage engagement with support services and reduce the need for enforcement actions related to stored property. Operational staff from several departments, including Public Works, Transit, and Leisure Services, explained how a shorter 24-hour timeline would affect their workload. Most agreed it was manageable for weekday operations but noted that weekend response could be delayed since many staff are off duty. Police and code enforcement also suggested that handling the timing in policy rather than ordinance form could make it easier to adjust procedures in the future. The committee agreed this would offer flexibility while still setting clear standards for the public. Committee members also discussed creating partnerships with nonprofits or faith-based organizations to pilot a locker storage system for unhoused individuals. This initiative could reduce the amount of unattended property and serve as an alternative to removal. Staff will research potential costs, locations, and funding options for the next meeting. For next steps, Attorney Courtney Davis will prepare clean, updated versions of the ordinances with the revised language and title changes. The next meeting will review these final drafts and discuss options for a locker pilot program. The Committee confirmed a quorum for their next meeting date of Monday, November 17 from 2:00 -3:30 pm at City Hall. Commissioner Davenport made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Fisher seconded that motion. The Committee voted unanimously to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 4:04 pm.