After a lengthy session of public comment and debate among commissioners, the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission approved a plan for an expansion of the Firefly Trail in the area just outside Winterville at its voting meeting Tuesday night.
The commission had to choose between three different design plans for a section of the trail. Option A, the plan commissioners approved in a 7-3 vote, is the shortest trail and closest to the Firefly Trailâs original design, which follows Athensâ historic rail line.
The prominent argument against the option was its proximity to several private properties. Constructing Option A will require about 15 property easements, as well as âextensiveâ storm drain improvements, according to the legislation. District 1 Commissioner Patrick Davenport said he met with some residents who own parts of the railbed the trail is set to be built on.
District 1 Commissioner Patrick Davenport went as far as to call the resolution an “insult” and, though he voted for it, he said he does not understand why Linnentown is “being put on a pedestal” when there are more recent incidents of similar actions against Black communities.
“I think this resolution is an insult to all the people who have suffered grievances by the government,” said Davenport.
Prior to Davenport’s comments, several other commissioners including District 9 Commissioner Ovita Thornton said that this resolution is a first step, but more needs to be addressed on the issues that allowed the dismantling of Linnentown.
Henry Queen | Staff Writer
The resolution states that the countyâs Justice and Memory Committee will determine the amount of intergenerational wealth lost to urban renewal, and make yearly recommendations to the mayor and commission for redress projects including affordable housing, economic development and public transportation. It also states that the county will work with the University System of Georgia to recognize Linnentownâs legacy and install a âwall of recognition.â
In addition, the county will seek a partnership with the USG to create a Center on Slavery, Jim Crow and the Future of Athens Black Communities.
Resolution resolved
The commission unanimously passed the resolution during a Tuesday special called session. Earlier this month, Mayor Kelly Girtz signed a proclamation officially apologizing for the countyâs role in destroying Linnentown.
The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission approved an allocation of grant funding to four local organizations, and a $250,000 settlement to resolve a lawsuit against the county by a man
The Somebody People: Better than its predecessor
The Somebody People by Bob Proehl
I wasn’t crazy about
The Nobody People. While the premise was intriguing (kids with supernatural powers being raised and trained in a boarding school without the public’s knowledge), the novel, for reasons I’ve described in my review, was not compelling. I struggled to finish it but, in the end, I was curious about where Proehl was going with the story. For that reason, I picked up the sequel,
The Somebody People, and I’m happy to report that I found this story more entertaining than its predecessor.