Extended weekday alcoholic beverage sale hours and Sunday liquor sales soon could be coming to Columbus, as the City Council Tuesday night agreed to send a petition on the matter to the Mississippi Tax Commission.
The council agreed to mail the petition after Columbus Mayor Robert Smith voted in favor of the resolution to extend on-premises alcohol sales hours in the city.
Smith was forced to vote after the council produced a 3-3 vote on the matter. Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor, Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin voted in favor of the resolution. Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens, Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box and Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem voted against.
Although the City Council voted to extend the alcoholic beverage sales hours, the decision still must be approved by the Mississippi Tax Commission before it is enacted, noted City Attorney Jeff Turnage.
If approved by the commission, the law would allow on-site alcohol sales in the city from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Currently, city ordinance allows local bars and restaurants to sell liquor and wine from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Although the city now allows on-site beer and light wine sales from 7 a.m. to midnight on Sundays, it does not allow Sunday wine and liquor sales.
Although mayoral tiebreakers typically are uncommon, Smith said he had prepared to vote on the matter.
“I knew when I woke up this morning that I would probably have to vote tonight,” Smith said. “I listened to the pros and cons of the matter during the public input session last night, and I think it is in the best interest of the city, from a progressive and economic standpoint, for me to support this motion tonight.”
Tuesday”s vote came after a brief discussion, during which a few council members shared opinions on the extension.
“It”s been a matter very near and dear to me,” Gavin said. “I think the city needs to move forward in passing this if it wants to be more progressive.”
However, Box urged the council to seek other forms of boosting the city”s sales tax collections.
“This is continually referred to as an economic issue, but I think there are other things that can be done,” Box said. “We are frequently compared to Tupelo and Tuscaloosa, but neither of them allow alcohol sales on Sunday.
“So to say that you won”t be able to get the Olive Gardens and the other big restaurant and hotel chains in Columbus without allowing Sunday liquor sales is wrong,” Box added.
Because the state tax commission must review the matter, city officials were unable to predict when the law could be finalized.
“I imagine Jeff Turnage will mail the resolution to the tax commission within the next several days,” said Columbus Chief Operations Office David Armstrong. “Then we will just kind of wait to hear back from them.”
In other business, the council:
n Agreed to allot a total of $91,500 during the 2010 fiscal year to Columbus-Lowndes E-911.
Although the council Aug. 24 voted to allot $40,000 to the E-911 department, city officials voted unanimously to budget an additional $51,500 for the department.
Because E-911 is funded jointly by Columbus and Lowndes County, Lowndes County Administrator Ralph Billingsley urged the council to evenly split E-911”s projected expenses with the county.
“We are asking the city to at least contribute 50 percent of 911”s projected budget,” Billingsley said. “If there is a budget shortfall at 911 at the end of the year, I”m sure the county will cover that expense again.”
n Voted to form an ad-hoc committee to “assist in making the Public Works Department more accountable and efficient,” according to Karriem.
Karriem will join Box, Columbus Public Works Director Mike Pratt and City Engineer Kevin Stafford on the committee, which will meet regularly to discuss issues facing the city”s infrastructure, Karriem explained.
The council voted 4-2 to form the committee. Mickens, Box, Karriem and Gavin voted in favor of the committee. Taylor and Stewart voted against.
“I just want us to put like minds together to help make our wards and our city better,” Karriem said. “There is more to this city than the Riverwalk and Main Street, and the Public Works Department needs to address the city”s deteriorating infrastructure.”
However, Smith urged the council to not become involved in the day-to-day operations of the department.
“The council has no authority to directly manage any department heads,” Smith said. “It”s not the council”s place to micro-manage city departments like that.”
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