During last night’s Mayor and Commission meeting, members of SafeD Athens accused Mayor Girtz of not keeping his promise of safety.
In the June 3rd Mayor and Commission meeting, a member of UGA’s Parents for Safety and Security and SafeD Athens spoke about the insufficient funds directed towards the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) in the proposed 2026 fiscal year budget.
Lynn Gainous formally submitted a petition with 750 signatures that asks for the RTCC to be fully staffed through the FY26 budget and made a point to bring up Mayor Girtz' promise to the community after the murder of Laken Riley.
Gainous also had a letter from Allyson Phillips, the mother of Laken Riley, addressed to the commission that read “Making Athens a sanctuary city is total negligence on the part of the city. Something must be done so that no other family has to endure the devastation we have to go through”
Another member of SafeD Athens echoed the same sentiment, pointing the finger at the Mayor for the understaffed RTCC.
