On Friday, February 20, the Athens City Council convened at the McMinn Higher Education Center with the Southeast Tennessee Development District for the Athens Strategic Summit 2026. At the Summit, city leaders discussed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects for the upcoming fiscal year and beyond.

During the summit, department heads presented proposed projects outlining infrastructure needs, long-term planning initiatives, and strategic investments aimed at supporting the continued growth and development of the City of Athens. Following each presentation, Council members discussed the proposals and indicated which projects they were interested in prioritizing.

No action was taken on these proposals, and Council Members will vote on the future of these projects in May & April.

The data reflecting Council members’ project interests and feedback is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JaGOdpLVmmGXSzxntrripf5dOf4wOeQh/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107246827925422743059&rtpof=true&sd=true