WATCH: This is Bulldog City

When it comes to our community, Athens-Clarke County Unified Government employees and former employees want to make sure that everyone knows that This is Bulldog City.

Future Foundations Program celebrates first graduates

A unique partnership of the Clarke County Sheriff's Office and Athens Area Habitat for Humanity is making a difference in the community – in more ways than one. 

The mission of the Future Foundations Program at the Jail is to provide hands-on job skills training for jail residents, reduce recidivism, and build affordable housing. Jail resident participants attend weekly Construction 101 classes taught by a local licensed general contractor and building classes every two weeks taught by Habitat staff. 

Housing components are built on-site at the Jail and then assembled off site at one of Habitat’s locations. The inaugural class of four women graduated on June 4.

Economic Development Dept. & community partners continue externship program

For the past three years, the Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department has partnered with other groups for a week-long summer educator externship program. Clarke Connects includes local employers, the Clarke County School District (CCSD) / Athens Community Career Academy, Worksource Northeast Georgia, Georgia Power, Athens Technical College, and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. 

The goal is to connect local K-12 educators with local employers so they can spend several days on-site learning about each industry, the key skills required, and career paths that are available. They also create a plan for sharing information about local careers and companies with students and parents. 

This year, 22 CCSD educators were matched with nine local employers for the externships in early June.

Keepin' it Clean Dirty Dance Party on Aug. 24

The annual Dirty Dance Party raises funds for the Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful's mission of working towards a cleaner, more beautiful environment. 

The August 24 event will feature dinners for sale, dance performances, face painting, raffle packages, and plenty of time for adults and kids to dance the evening away! 

Full details and raffle tickets are available at accgov.com/dirtydanceparty. For those who can't make it to the dance party, raffle tickets can be purchased online - winners do not need to be present to win.

Animal Services Enrichment Drive in August

ACCGov's Animal Services Department is hosting an animal enrichment drive during the month of August. 

Consider donating enrichment toys such as: 

• Kong toys
• Snuffle & lick mats
• Peanut butter
• Catnip
• Ice molds
• Plastic Easter eggs
• Empty toilet paper rolls
• Other items that can help provide animals with a creative outlet for mental and physical activity. 

Donations can be dropped off at the ACCGov Animal Services Adoption Center at 125 Buddy Christian Way during normal operating hours. Details online at accgov.com/animalservices.

Athens Water Festival, Sep. 7

Join the ACCGov Public Utilities Department for the annual Athens Water Festival on Saturday, September 7, from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Sandy Creek Park. The festival is free, however there is the $2 per person park entry fee.

This year's theme is Legos, and they’re shining a light on the most important building block of life: WATER! 

Bring a bathing suit to run through the spray of the water trucks and swim in Lake Chapman. Be wowed by a magic show and make Lego art with the art truck. There will be plenty of interactive games, displays, and activities for the whole family.

Complete details available at accgov.com/waterfestival.

APPLY: 21 Positions on Nine Policy-Making Boards

ACCGov is seeking qualified candidates to fill terms on important policy-making boards, authorities, and commissions (BACs). If you are interested in serving the community and having a voice in local government policy, apply for a position on one or more of the following boards:

• Athens Downtown Development Authority *
• Athens in Motion Commission *
• Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region 2 Advisory Council
• Division of Family and Children Services *
• Hearings Board
• Human Relations Commission
• Planning Commission
• Public Safety Civilian Oversight Board
• Vision Committee *

* - Incumbents are eligible for reappointment and may reapply.

An online application and full details on each board can be found at accgov.com/boards. Applicants must be Athens-Clarke County residents. The deadline to apply is Friday, August 16.

Mayor's Youth Council for 10-12th Grade Students

ACCGov is seeking applications by Sunday, August 18 from current 10th-12th grade students who are interested in taking part in the Mayor's Youth Council. 

Eligible students can attend public or private schools or be homeschooled, but must be Athens-Clarke County residents. Applications, including one reference, should be submitted at accgov.com/youthcouncil. 

The goal of the Mayor’s Youth Council is to encourage effective youth engagement in Athens-Clarke County and to provide an opportunity for youth voices to communicate directly with local government leadership..

Become a Poll Worker

Becoming a poll worker is a great way to serve the community and strengthen our nation’s democracy. Ready to help Athens-Clarke County vote in November or beyond? Apply for a position with the Athens-Clarke County Elections Department. 

Poll workers can be ages 16 and up, with pay starting at $15.60/hour. Applications for Poll Clerk, Assistant Poll Coordinator, and Poll Coordinator can be found online at accgov.com/pollworker.

MACORTS 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Open House & Public Comment

The Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study (MACORTS) Draft 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan is available for review through September 13. 

MACORTS will host an open-house style meeting on Tuesday, August 20 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department (120 W. Dougherty Street) for residents to learn more and provide feedback on the prioritized projects and updated long-range transportation plan for the region.

All meeting materials will be also accessible online through macorts.org. Residents can access draft documents and provide comments from August 14 to September 13, 2024.

RESOURCE: Landlord Tenant Handbook

Curious about state laws and policies that govern residential rental properties? The Georgia Landlord Tenant Handbook may provide answers to your questions - take a look through the electronic copy at accgov.com/landlord. 

Although the current edition is a few years old, it still has valuable information about rights and responsibilities for both renters and landlords.

The handbook is designed to provide an overview and answer common questions about Georgia residential landlord-tenant law. The information does not apply to commercial leases, and should not be a substitute for professional legal advice.

The booklet was created by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

The ACCGov Mixtape is distributed monthly by the Communications Department, accgov.com/communications, 706-613-3795