Athens‑Clarke County commission approves five housekeeping items including SRO agreement and property tax rates

The Athens‑Clarke County Mayor and Commission met July 21 at City Hall and approved five procedural items during a special-called session held immediately before the regular agenda-setting meeting.

The commission adopted the 2026 property tax rates and accepted the current property tax digest after attorney Drake read the ordinance language on the floor. The body also approved an ordinance to levy and assess taxes for the Clarke County School District for 2026; both measures were described by commissioners as routine housekeeping and were passed on unanimous voice votes.

The commission approved the annual School Resource Officer agreement for the 2026–27 school year with the Clarke County School District. Commissioner Fisher clarified that the school district will pay the full program cost — staff stated the total in the agenda packet is $470,000, which covers six officers’ salaries and a portion of a supervisor salary; staff also confirmed a minor discrepancy in the number of contract days (packet showed 179; the correct number is 180). After that clarification the motion carried unanimously.

Two additional items were approved without substantive debate: renewal of the county’s annual small business enterprise subscription (time‑sensitive) and a bid award for accessible parking improvements at the Heard Community Center, which commissioners said would improve safety for users of the facility. All motions carried on voice votes with no recorded opposition.

Next steps: the items approved are effective as indicated in the county’s procurement and ordinance processes. More detailed implementation steps — including contract execution and project timing for the Heard Community Center improvements — will be handled by county staff and reported back to the commission as required.