05-12-2026 Mayor & Commission Work Session & Budget Review

The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission held a work session and budget review on May 12, 2026, focusing on two main topics: a feasibility study for extending sanitary sewer services in the Sandy Creek Basin and proposed updates to the county's purchasing ordinance. The sewer discussion, led by engineers from Hazen and Sawyer, explored alternatives such as gravity sewer extensions, pressure sewer systems, and community septic systems to address aging septic infrastructure and support future development. Preliminary cost estimates for sewer expansion were around $25 million, with challenges including environmental impacts and crossing major roadways. Commissioners expressed concerns about environmental stewardship, equity in service provision, and funding implications. The purchasing ordinance update aimed to modernize procurement thresholds and processes to reflect inflation and current business practices, proposing increased contract approval limits and annual inflation adjustments to thresholds. The session also included an initial overview of the FY27 budget, highlighting a $377 million total budget with capital investments, new and restructured positions, and funding priorities such as economic development and public safety. Commissioners discussed budget allocations, funding sources, and the importance of transparent public engagement in upcoming budget meetings. No formal votes were recorded during this session, but action items included further feasibility analysis for sewer expansion and advancing the purchasing ordinance update through the approval process.