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Contributed by Amanda Estok
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This week I attended the City Council meeting, where they discussed a couple things. One that I felt was very important is the issue on whether or not the city should assume ownership of our beloved Stroud’s Run. This topic was mentioned earlier in the summer; however it has become a more important matter this month. Apparently, Ohio no longer wishes to keep the park under state ownership and has asked the city of Athens to take over, which would increase our size to 3,000 acres (Stroud’s Run is 2,206 acres of land and water). This could propose many financial burdens on the city, which is the main contributor to the apposing argument. However, many citizens would like to see the city take ownership, as they feel we can earn revenue of around $30,000 or more per year by doing so; however, that figure is not guaranteed. Of course management of this park would take time and money, and in order to accumulate any sort of revenue, a few people suggested charging the public for use of the park. For example, charging fees for use of the gun range, swimming, camping, etc. I feel this may affect the student body, especially those who use and appreciate Stroud’s Run merely because it is student budget friendly (free!). On the contrary, city ownership of Stroud’s Run will ensure quality and improvement of the area over time, for the park is unfortunately the state’s last priority. I will continue to monitor the standing of this issue, and if anyone has any concerns, please contact me and I will certainly make sure that your opinion is heard. Council will vote on the ownership of Stroud's Run on Monday, October 16th. Lastly, I am proposing a new project that will hopefully take shape during winter quarter. I would like to throw a City Business Fair next fall quarter, much like the organization involvement fair provided for new students on campus. This fair would be open for any business to come and promote themselves among our student body by using promotions, coupons, food tasting, etc. More information will be available soon.
Have a great end of the week!
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City & County Affairs 
