WATCH: Project Homebound

Project Homebound is a collaborative program of ACCGov’s Corrections and Animal Services Departments with professional dog trainer Patricia Hall that started in September 2022.

It teaches returning residents life and dog training skills, provides obedience training for dogs to make them more adoptable, and helps relieve shelter overcrowding.

Watch a short video about the program on youtube.com/accgov or on the ACCGov Roku channel.

Carr's Creek Greenway extension now open

The Carr's Creek Greenway extension is now open to the public. The newly-built section of the North Oconee River Greenway is accessible on Carriage Lane just off Barnett Shoals Road. It is part of TSPLOST 2018 Project #5 and was officially dedicated on April 16, 2024.

The segment connects to the Bailey Street segment and the North Oconee River Trail for access to the UGA East Campus Connector and the Oconee Hill Cemetery segment and beyond. This multi-use paved trail is available for use by pedestrians, bicyclists, and any non-motorized modes of transportation.

Learn more at accgov.com/greenway.

Recycle used tires for free May 20-25

Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful and the Solid Waste Department are teaming up to round up abandoned tires in the community. 

Bring your old tires or abandoned ones to the Landfill (5700 Lexington Road) or CHaRM (1005 College Avenue) from May 20-25 to recycle them for free. There is a 6-tire limit per person.

Find out more at www.accgov.com/kaccb.

FY25 Mayor's Recommended Budget Submitted for Review

The Fiscal Year 2025 Mayor’s Recommended Budget for July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 for ACCGov has been submitted to the Commission for review. The Commission is scheduled to discuss the budget at a series of meetings during May - including several public hearings to allow the public to express opinions - and will tentatively adopt the budget at their Regular Session voting meeting on Wednesday, June 5 (moved from June 4). 

All budget documents and meeting dates / times can be seen at accgov.com/budget. Additional documents related to Commission questions and updated financial information from these meetings will be posted on the site and updated throughout the process.

Budget review meetings and public hearings will be streamed live online and available for on-demand viewing at accgov.com/videos, at youtube.com/accgov and on the ACCGov Roku channel.

Mayor & Commission Meeting Changes

As of Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Mayor & Commission meetings scheduled to take place at City Hall have moved to the Clarke County School District's Vernon Payne Meeting Hall in its administrative offices at 595 Prince Avenue. The temporary change is being made while additional security measures are being implemented at City Hall. The meetings are expected to return to City Hall in mid-July.

Some changes for public input are also now in effect for in-person comments at Mayor & Commission meetings. (An online comment form remains available 24/7). In-person public comment on agenda items and on non-agenda items will now be limited to two minutes instead of three minutes. 

Additionally, members of the public interested in speaking on items that are not on the agenda during monthly Regular Session voting meetings must sign-up prior to 6:00 PM on a list that will be available at the meeting. As has been the case for a long time, comments are only allowed on agenda items at other Mayor & Commission meetings. The next Regular Session meeting is scheduled for Wed., June 5.

Meeting location details and agendas can be found on the calendar entries at accgov.com/calendar.

Reminder: Poll Location Changes

Changes to local voting precinct boundary lines and new locations for some polling sites were approved in the fall by the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections. These changes were in effect beginning with March's election and will be in effect for the May 21 General Election / Nonpartisan Primary. 

Residents’ voting districts, ballots, and candidates did not change as a part of the process – only the location at which some voters will vote in-person on Election Day. 

Maps of the updated precinct boundaries and polling locations can be found at accgov.com/elections.

First Gold Level BioReady County in Georgia

Thanks to the hard work of the Economic Development Department, Athens-Clarke County has been designated a gold level BioReady® Community by Georgia Bio. 

The designation illustrates Athens-Clarke County’s readiness to host biotechnology facilities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity, which helps real estate developers and biotechnology companies find favorable destinations to locate. 

Athens-Clarke County is the first county in Georgia to receive this certification. 

Pool & Splash Pad Information

The Walker Park Splash Pad is now open weekends on May 11-12 & 18-19 from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Admission is $1/person.

All other Athens-Clarke County pools and splash pads – with the exception of Bishop Park, which is closed for the season due to renovation construction – will open Saturday, May 25 for the summer.

Visit accgov.com/aquatics for more information.

The ACCGov Mixtape is distributed monthly by the Public Information Office, accgov.com/pio, 706-613-3795