Dana Henry began her term as Athens City Council president Monday night. Henry recently sat down with the News Courier to discuss her new role.
“I have a really good working relationship with all the members of the city council. I don’t foresee that my being president and being female will be an issue to anybody. If anything, it may eliminate your need to refer to me as councilwoman. That, I think is odd,” Henry said.
“It’s very important for the city council members, in my opinion, to like and respect each other. I think that is true. I’m sure I get on their nerves and they get on my nerves, but that is just part of being part of any kind of, I hate to say family, but we are,” she said. “We like and trust each other. We respect each other. We can argue, but that’s ok because, at the end of the day, we are going to go home and be ok with each other.”
She continued, “That hasn’t always been the case. There have been some knock down, drag out personality clashes. I don’t think that is good or conducive to keeping the running of the town in order. If you can’t like something because someone is supporting it that you don’t like, then you have made it about yourself and not the process. And, I trust the process.”
Although each council member represents their own district, Henry says it’s important to remember their decisions must be made in the best interest of the entire City of Athens.
“Right now, we have got so much going on in every area. There is no function of city government that is not affected by the growth we are experiencing. Our challenge is to keep the pace of it. If we can all work together then that just makes the transition better for all of us,” Henry said.
The City Council approve the following agenda items Monday evening.
Consent calendar
• Approve a Restaurant Retail Liquor alcohol license for CSFAMILY Hospitality Group, LLC, dba: Lil Mazzara’s, 102 E. Washington Street, Athens.
• Approve a Restaurant Retail Liquor alcohol license for Ro’s Grille, LLC, dba: Ro’s Grille, 126 N. Jefferson Street, Athens.
• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the Mayor’s Office.
• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the Customer Accounts Department.
• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the Electric Department.
• Approve travel/education expenses for City Councilman Chris Seibert.
• Reschedule the regular City Council meeting on December 25, 2023, to December 18, 2023, at the same place and time.
• Accept the proposal of Huntsville Fence Company to install 20ft. poles and netting at Swan Creek Park at a cost not to exceed $5,300.
Regular meeting
• Authorized City of Athens to enter into a service contract to upgrade existing permit software for the Building Inspection Department.
• Approved the purchase of real property on Bibb Garrett Road at a price of $60,000 per acre, and the granting of a first right of refusal for real property located on Mooresville Road.
• Allow the City Engineer to enter into an agreement with Morell Engineering to survey portions of unimproved right of way from Athens-Limestone Drive to Forrest Street, for engineering design of a future minor collector to be named. Cost not to exceed $6,500.
• Authorized the Mayor to issue a task order to Morell Engineering for Boundary Survey and Phase I Environmental Assessment for property located north of Athens Public Works Department property on Elm Street in the amount of $10,000.
• Amendments to the zoning ordinances Section 6-1-9A5 and 6-1-9A8 relating to material standards for detached residential development within the City of Athens.