Grace Farmer
Advertising & Social Media Manager | Music Enthusiast
Mayor Kelly Girtz addresses public safety and community initiatives.
By Grace Farmer
Mayor Kelly Girtz is actively addressing public safety in Athens-Clarke County by improving policing, creating stable neighborhoods, and supporting local youth.
“When you think about public safety, you think about your own human health,” said Girtz in analogizing his approach to public safety, “Your lungs need to work well, your heart needs to beat, you need to be getting enough exercise, you have to pay attention to your nutrition and your sleep schedule.”
Mayor Kelly Girtz discussed public safety with University of Georgia students on Sept. 26. (Photo/ Grace Farmer)
Mayor Kelly Girtz discussed public safety with University of Georgia students on Sept. 26. (Photo/ Grace Farmer)
In a news conference at the University of Georgia on Sept. 26, mayor Girtz discussed the areas that the Athens-Clarke County Government is currently monitoring as well as data that reflects their progress.
Although someone is half as likely to be a victim of a crime in Athens-Clarke County than in 1995, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and ACC Government recognize that there are specific categories on the rise, according to Mayor Girtz.
According to Girtz, between July 2021 and April 2022, there was a significant spike in motor vehicle thefts and aggravated assaults and shootings; averaging 15 related crimes each month.
Since April, these crimes have declined as a result of targeting gang-related violence, purchasing local ballistic analysis, and expanding the number of cameras in crime-ridden areas.
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The epicenters of crime in Athens are north of downtown and the Nellie B and Springvalley communities. The locations of these epicenters have been taken into consideration by the local government and law enforcement.
Within these epicenters, the local government and police departments are focusing on creating safer environments and supporting the youth and families inhabiting them.
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Large-scale revitalization efforts working toward supporting these communities include Pauldoe, now known as Columbia Brookside, and Bethel Midtown, a part of the North Athens Downtown Development Project.
Pauldoe, located off Hawthorne Avenue, was reconstructed in 2013 by the Athens Housing Authority. The reconstruction created a larger, mixed-income housing development now known as Columbia Brookside. Since its completion, there has been a dramatic drop in crime despite the community tripling in population.
Similar to Pauldoe, Bethel Midtown Village is expected to begin its first phase of construction starting sometime during Fall 2022.
Other community projects are expected to begin - including two new park amenity projects as well as $500k of new funds that were invested in the development of the underprivileged youth of Athens in Summer 2022.
Why I Wrote the Story
As an Athens local, the issues of poverty and crime surrounding Athens-Clarke County are of great importance to me. The news conference with Mayor Kelly Girtz is newsworthy because, on a local level, residents are curious about how their government plans to ensure their safety and well-being. This assignment taught me how to ask hard-hitting questions in order to yield meaningful responses. I also learned how to go back through transcripts and fact-check quotes and attributions.