Daughter of Former Athens City Councilman Accused of Stealing $16K from Sportsplex Concessions

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The city of Athens, Alabama, says a former Parks and Recreation employee and daughter of a former city councilman, Christy Gill-Strong, has been found in violation of the Alabama Ethics Law after an investigation into missing concession money at the Athens Sportsplex. The city discovered $16,000 in financial discrepancies involving concession cash receipts and determined Gill-Strong had taken the money for her own use. Gill-Strong resigned, and the city recovered the $16,000 and referred the matter to the Alabama Ethics Commission, which publicly determined the former employee violated state ethics law and ordered a $300 administrative penalty.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of strong financial controls and oversight in municipal operations, especially in revenue-generating facilities like sports complexes. The violation of public trust and misuse of taxpayer funds by a former city employee is a serious matter that can erode public confidence in local government.

The details

In late 2024, the city of Athens discovered financial discrepancies in the concession cash receipts at the Athens Sportsplex. After an internal review, the city determined that Christy Gill-Strong, an administrative assistant in the Parks and Recreation Department, had taken $16,000 for her own use. Gill-Strong is the daughter of former Athens City Councilman Jimmy Gill. The city referred the matter to the Alabama Ethics Commission to ensure a full and independent investigation. Gill-Strong resigned, and the city recovered the $16,000. The Ethics Commission later publicly found the former employee in violation of state ethics law and ordered a $300 administrative penalty.

• In late 2024, the city discovered the financial discrepancies in the concession cash receipts.
• By March 2025, the city had concluded its internal review and determined Christy Gill-Strong had taken $16,000.
• On Wednesday, the Alabama Ethics Commission publicly determined the former employee violated state ethics law and ordered a $300 administrative penalty.

What’s next

The city of Athens has reviewed and adjusted procedures to add additional internal financial protections for concession receipts at the Athens Sportsplex to prevent similar incidents in the future.