At its meeting the Athens City Council read several ordinances required for 2026 administration and benefits and discussed an unanticipated $6,000 bill from ChargePoint for EV chargers.

Ordinance 121-25, authorizing 2026 staffing levels, was read for the first time. Staff flagged one court position currently shown in fund 235 that is not filled and that the court does not plan to fill until a grant is secured. Staff proposed listing the position but reducing the budgeted FTE to 0 until grant funding arrives, to avoid the auditor being compelled to cover associated medical-fund contributions for a position that would otherwise reduce a fund balance.

Ordinance 122-25, on nonunion compensation, was read for the first time. The ordinance would authorize a 2% general hourly pay increase for full-time and permanent part-time nonunion employees effective the first pay period of 2026 and a one-time lump-sum payment of 2% for employees whose pay exceeds the grade maximum.

The council also read Ordinance 123-25, authorizing the service/safety director to contract with the Employee Benefit Service Center as the city’s third-party administrator for health benefits in 2026, and an ordinance authorizing a one-year stop-loss excess-medical insurance contract with Sirius America for 2026.

Separately, Ordinance 125-25 would authorize the auditor to expend up to $6,000 from the Recreation Fund (transaction code 300) to pay a prior-year ChargePoint invoice for EV charging stations. Administration said the auditor prefers suspending rules to permit rapid payment of past-due invoices. A motion to suspend the rules was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote; the presiding officer noted one nay but said the majority voted to suspend.

Council then read a related ordinance authorizing a then-and-now certificate to allow payment of the unencumbered invoice. Administration explained the certificate is necessary because the vendor did not send a 2024 bill in the normal encumbrance cycle; staff also said they will verify vendor ownership and payee legitimacy before issuing payment because the ChargePoint contract had changed hands in recent years.

All items were placed on first reading; no final ordinances were adopted at this meeting.