Athens City Council approves equipment purchases, employee pay increase and new water and sewer rates

The Athens City Council met in regular session and approved an array of budgeted purchases and policy actions, including equipment for sanitation and parks, a low bid for electrical substation equipment, a three-year lease for downtown parking, and a four-year schedule of water and sewer rate increases.

The council approved the consent calendar that bundled smaller resolutions for purchases (a John Deere ZTrack mower, two Kenworth grapple trucks, Heil automated and front-loader garbage trucks) and a payment of about $49,978 for resurfacing courts at Big Spring Park. Those purchases were funded from department capital accounts and previously authorized warrant funds, the council said.

Council members also authorized the electric services director to accept Siemens Industry Inc.'s low bid of $74,250 for 15 kV substation breakers for the Athens Utilities Breeding Park substation. The cost will be paid from the City of Athens 2015 and 2022 warrant funds.

Councilwoman Golden introduced and the council approved a resolution to authorize the mayor to enter a three-year lease, with up to two one-year extensions, for a public parking lot at the northeast corner of Market and Madison streets. The city’s monthly rent under the lease was stated as $1,750.

The council approved a resolution to grant a 3% cost-of-living salary increase for all full-time city employees, effective April 5, 2026, with revised pay scales to reflect the change. Members described the move as a retention and recruitment measure; one council member said the city needed to "keep our rates that we pay our city employees at as high a rate as we possibly can."

The council voted to participate in a Local Road Safety Initiative with the Alabama Department of Transportation covering four safety sites (Hind Street at Moyers Road; Sandifer Road at Lucas Ferry Road; Elkton Road from Elm to the city limits; and Edgewood Road from Elm Street to the city limits). The total estimated project cost was presented with a 90% federal share and a 10% city share (city portion described as $10,514).

On the final ordinance of the evening, the council adopted amendments to the city code to implement sewer rate increases and raise system development fees over a four-year schedule. Jimmy, a city water services representative, said the modest annual increases—about $4–$6 per month for a typical residential customer when fully phased in—are intended to amortize bond debt and cover wastewater treatment plant upgrades required by permit changes.

All recorded votes on the items described in the agenda were unanimous, with a roll-call showing four yeas and zero nays from the voting members present (Creasy, Golden, Henry, Seibert). The council concluded formal business and opened the meeting to general public comment.