Politics & Government

Farmers and Cheaper Trash Rates To Come Downtown

ACC Commission okays having Farmers' Market vendors at city hall; talks about a roundabout in Cedar Creek and agrees to drop solid waste fees for downtown residents.

Jerry NeSmith, the founding director of the Athens Farmers' Market, is pleased. By the second Wednesday in May, he believes some vendors from the Athens Farmer's Market--say, 10 to 20 of them--will be selling their goods on the sidewalks around City Hall.

"People won't be selling prepared food," he said. They won't be competing with any existing restaurants or other food operationa downtown. Instead, they will be selling vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy products, baked goods and eggs. Plus, there will be live music, as there is on Saturdays in Bishop Park.

People who get SNAP can shope at the Farmers Market, which accepts SNAP. NeSmith is happy that downtown residents will be served, at least one day a week.

Find out what's happening in Athenswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At their monthly agenda setting meeting Thursday night, the Mayor and ACC Commission discussed and placed various measures on the consent agenda, which will be passed during their May 1 meeting.

In other business, the ACC Commission decided to lower the monthly trash bill for residential customers in downtown. They will continue to pay far more than do residential customers in single family neighobrhoods. Why? Because they live downtown, and trash trucks go through downtown many times a day, snagging trash bags fro the sidewalks outside of businesses.

Find out what's happening in Athenswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Washington Street resident Nichole Martin asked the commission to lower her rate from $40 to $20 to be more in line with homeowners. She now pays $15 for bags and a $25.60 service fee. During the discussion, some commissioners said her rate can be lowered to $33.10, but it can't go any lower without  the county losing money.

And several people spoke about an intersection in Cedar Creek, at Ponderose Drive and Sunnybrook. Each person endorsed having a roundabout put in when the county does work on the stormwater drainage system to prevent flooding.


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