Athens City Council approves 2023-24 appropriations

Christy Bailey, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·2 min read

Jan. 10—The Athens City Council held a special called meeting Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, regarding 2023-2024 municipal appropriations. At its regular meeting held Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, the two resolutions related to the appropriations were introduced, but Councilman Harold Wales asked that the vote be delayed to allow for more time to research the local organizations expected to receive the appropriations.

The council voted unanimously to approve the resolution regarding the appropriations in the following amounts.

Governmental agencies and purposes

—$135,000 to the Athens Limestone Public Library for operating expenses.

—$25,000 to Houston Memorial Library for operating expenses and up to $10,000 for maintenance of the library and museum.

—$20,000 to the Healthcare Authority of Athens & Limestone County for its operation of a transportation program to city residents in need of kidney dialysis treatment.

Third-party non-governmental entities

—$12,000 contract with Limestone Veterinary Clinic acting as coordinator of the "SNYP" program for the sterilization of the cats and dogs within Limestone County, Ala.

—$25,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama in exchange for the planning, establishment, and furnishing of recreational, social and cultural facilities, services and programs made available and open to the youth of the city.

—$80,000 to Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association, Inc., in exchange for activities promoting the economic and industrial development of the municipality.

—$6,000 to Athens-Limestone County Beautification Board for maintaining the health and cleanliness of the city.

—$27,000 to Keep Athens Limestone Beautiful (KALB) in exchange for maintaining health and cleanliness of the city.

—$20,000 to Athens-Limestone County Family Resource Center to assist in funding its operation of educational activities, recreational activities, social services and programs open to all city residents.

—$10,000 to Athens-Limestone Learn-to-Read to assist in funding its operation of educational activities programs open to all city residents.

—$50,000 to Athens Main Street for activities promoting the economic development of the municipality.

—$19,000 to the Mental Health Center of North Alabama, Inc., for public health work.

—$10,000 to the Athens-Limestone Children's Advocacy Center for social services work.

—$20,000 to the Alabama Veteran's Museum for operation and maintenance.

—$8,000 to The ARC of Alabama, Inc. (Athens/Limestone ARC) for the planning, establishment, and furnishing of recreational, social and cultural facilities, services and programs for persons in the City with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

—$25,000 to the Athens-Limestone Community Association for the planning, establishment, and furnishing of recreational, educational, social and cultural facilities, services and programs for the citizens of Athens.

—$6,000 to Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.) for transportation services program for the elderly of the city.