Tim Denson

- The mayor leads the executive branch of local government, presiding over city council meetings, making sure city departments run smoothly, and providing services to citizens. 
- The mayor runs the city day to day and prepares the budget each year, meaning that they propose how much funding goes to each city department, including the police department, city parks, transportation, and the fire department. 
- The mayor also hires the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and city department heads, such as City Planning, Parks & Recreation, and Transportation. 
- Most Georgia mayors are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 

Athens

Public safety

COVID-19

Public transportation

Georgia

Economy

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

Mayor

Buket Urgen

Walter Ley

Tim currently works with individuals facing behavioral health crises and helps house those who are facing homelessness. He has also worked as a labor organizer for United Campus Workers of Georgia (CWA Local 3821), as organization coordinator of Athens for Everyone, and has more than a decade of experience in the service industry.

Tim previously served as an Athens-Clarke County Commissioner from 2019 to 2022. He is currently a member of the Clarke County School Board.

Supports using public economic incentives to create living wage and union jobs.

Supports implementing purchasing policy changes to assist Black, women, and minority-owned businesses in securing government contracts.

Supports addressing racial disparities in the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Disparity Study.

As a county commissioner, worked with the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement to create an anti-discrimination ordinance.

Supports maintaining and improving green spaces, parks, and trails, including developing a Westside Park.

Supports the sale of special ACCGOV-permitted cups to generate revenue for downtown safety, infrastructure, and events.

Supports expanding local art and music grants.

Supports increasing public funding for local music, art, and cultural events.

Supports creating a Childcare Affordability Program to ensure low-income families can access childcare.

Supports the creation of affordable housing through the Affordable Housing Fund, Land Bank Authority, and expanded inclusionary housing policies.

Supports adapting zoning policies to allow diverse housing options like duplexes, cottage courts, tiny homes, and in-law suites.

Supports funding eviction prevention programs to help families stay in their homes.

Supports creating a "Tangled Title Fund" to assist low-income individuals in clearing legal titles to their homes.

Supports helping seniors maintain their homes by expanding home rehabilitation programs.

Supports helping homeowners lower property taxes by enrolling in homestead exemptions, including new and low-income exemptions he authored legislation for.

Supports reducing chronic homelessness by 50% by 2035 by implementing "housing first" and supportive housing models.

Supports providing mental health resources, sobriety resources, and harm-reducing resources to eliminate barriers to housing, health, and safety.

Supports and wants to expand co-responder units and community policing initiatives.

Supports working with the sheriff to reduce the inmate population, ensure safety in jails and courthouses, and end cooperation with for-profit prison companies.

Supports the Public Safety Civilian Oversight Board.

Supports protecting residents from "unlawful activity of ICE & other federal entities."

Supports local marijuana decriminalization.

Supports reforming cash bail legislation.

Supports expanding sidewalks, crosswalks, and multimodal transportation.

Supports zero-fare public transit for Athens-Clarke County.

Supports increasing zero-fare bus service to run more often and to more places.

Supports the development of commuter rail between Athens and Atlanta.

Supports ensuring safe routes to all public schools and parks in Athens.

Supports continuing "100% Athens Resilience & Sustainability Initiatives."