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ACC Commission Approves Multiple Programs

  At Tuesday night’s voting session, the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission voted to approve an eviction prevention program, a sanctioned homeless encampment and an application for a drug task force grant.

The commission approved a $2.4 million contract with the Athenian First Development Corporation to operate the eviction prevention program, which has been in the works since January.
 
The AFDC was the only organization to apply to the county’s request for proposals earlier this year, and county staff expressed concern about the organization’s lack of experience.
 
But following months of meetings with the nonprofit, the commission passed the measure unanimously last night.
 
The commission also voted 8-1 to approve a $2.5 million contract with the Athens Alliance Coalition to operate a sanctioned homeless encampment on the site of the old North Athens School on Barber Street.
 
The commission also voted to submit an application for a grant that, once approved by the federal government, will enable the city to continue funding its drug task force.
 
District 2 Commissioner Mariah Parker criticized the program, and the broader war on drugs initiative, calling it “routine maintenance of white supremacy.”
 
"Just like bussing and states' rights were used to justify segregation and slavery, Reagan's war on drugs was meant to cloak the maintenance of racial control in neutral language about criminals and being tough on crime," Parker said.
 
The vote passed 7-2, with District 6 Commissioner Jesse Houle joining Parker to oppose the application.