adminMayor Girtz tackles sensitive subjects when fighting for increased public safety in Athens-Clarke County.
On Friday, Sep. 23, Mayor Kelly Girtz of Athens-Clarke County held a press conference on Solving Athens’ Public Safety Puzzle at Grady College. Girtz says that he recognizes “that we’ve got a lot of work left to do” in regard to public safety as he enters his second term. The strides that Girtz and the city have made are apparent, but Girtz has several solutions and plans for the future of public safety in Athens-Clarke County.
Girtz is tackling the challenges of today, which includes reducing crime. In 2022 alone, over 1,500 crimes have been committed, including 2 homicides, 341 burglaries and 592 cases of entering auto. When asked about crime, Girtz says that he is for the United States ban on assault weapons, as well as stricter background checks and screenings. Georgia is the state of origin for the greatest number of loose weapons in the country, followed by Texas. “We really need to see some assistance around the use of weapons that are all over the state,” Girtz calls on higher governments to help with the loose weapons crisis in Georgia.
Another topic of discussion at the press conference regarded roadway safety in Athens-Clarke County. One student posed the question in light of the driver who killed UGA Student Ariana Zarce being found not guilty in court. They asked Mayor Girtz how he is going to ensure the safety of everyone in the county regarding roadway safety. Girtz says the implementation of Vision Zero is going to allow county roads to be safer. He recognizes that creating safer roads won’t happen overnight and that it will happen “through improvements in our infrastructure.” These include intersection improvements and speed limit changes.
In addition to mentioning gun control and roadway safety, Mayor Girtz says that he will put an emphasis on creating safer neighborhoods and putting an emphasis on supporting families. Partnerships with family connection communities in schools is one of the ongoing resources in Athens-Clarke County, which includes 17 neighborhood leaders. This helps families know where they can get vital resources like subsidized daycare, housing vouchers and where their children can go to summer camp.
Mayor Girtz shed light on several more issues during the press conference, all of which he laid out with solutions that tackle the Public Safety Puzzle in Athens-Clarke County.
Why I Wrote the Story
Public safety is a huge concern for so many within a city environment, and the fact that Girtz gave a news conference directly addressing how he, as mayor, will tackle public safety is why I wrote the story. I wrote it so people who read it will be able to see a distinct plan of action that Girtz is planning on taking during his time in office.