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T'ville beer sales not automatic with zoning While many Thomasville residents appear supportive of some kind of zoning ordinance for the city, there are a few misconceptions about it, Mayor Sheldon Day told council members and the public at Monday's council meeting. He said some citizens have asked him why they can't vote on and decide the issue. Enacting a zoning law requires the city council to approve an ordinance. A municipal ordinance, by Alabama law, can't be enacted by a popular vote of citizens. That is countered with a proposal for a non-binding vote that would give the council a consensus of public sentiment to act on. Day said there have been such non-binding referendums but there are legal issues as to who would pay for such a referendum. Past cases have suggested that a government entity cannot pay for a non-binding referendum. Finally, there is the question of legalized alcohol sales. "Some people think if we vote in zoning, alcohol [sales] go in automatically. That can't happen," Day said. Day said the procedure for a vote on alcohol sales is governed by a state law already on the books, apart from anything concerning zoning. The alcohol sales issue requires a petition of a certain percentage of Thomasville citizens to be presented to the council. If it were in order, the council would set a date for a referendum to allow alcohol sales in the city limits. However, the mayor and council members have stated that it will not call for a vote on alcohol until a zoning ordinance is in place because they believe zoning can be a good tool to help regulate legalize sales. At any rate, the council can't call for an alcohol vote on its own without a petition triggering the process. That petition has not been presented. Regarding last week's zoning hearing, Day said there was a good turnout and people seemed to be genuinely interested in the issue. Suggestions and changes from that meeting will be incorporated into the plan and it will have to be approved by the planning commission before it goes to the council. The city would then advertise the proposed ordinance for two weeks and then hold a hearing on the matter before taking a vote. Day estimated that the ordinance couldn't possibly be considered until late October or early November. Even then, if the ordinance is approved, he estimated at least 60 days before the ordinance would be implemented because of the numerous forms and procedures that would have to be in place. Copies of the proposed zoning ordinance, along with a map showing proposed zoning districts, is available in paper form and on CD for computers at City Hall.
Hospital plans proceeding Day said plans continue for Southwest Alabama Regional Medical Center, the Thomasville hospital, to build a new facility on the south side of the city. Day spoke for the privately owned Resurgence Health Care, owner of the hospital, saying that it had considered working with Grove Hill Memorial Hospital and Jackson Medical Center on the idea of a combined hospital. "But considering the tremendous amount of time and money already committed to the project, and a Certificate of Need [a state requirement before a hospital can be built] being in hand, they deemed it wasn't in their best interest or Thomasville's best interest to pursue that." However, Day said the hospital and the city wants to work with the rest of the county to provide the best possible health care for the region. "We both have similar goals; just different ideas on how to go about it," he said. The problem in the past was "all three tried to be everything to everybody." He said there is a great opportunity to network and provide a variety of services. Plans have been developed for a new hospital on city-owned property just off Highway 43 South with adjacent doctors' offices and related healthcare offices. A new hospital has been estimated to cost $35 million.
Other business In other business, the council: +approved hiring George Hutchinson as an ordinance compliance officer; +agreed to create a police department reserve officer group. Volunteers would be paid $25 for a minimum of five hours of assigned duties such as parades, football games, etc. as required by Police Chief Billy Hicks. They would receive no employee benefits other than regularly cleaning of their uniforms; +agreed to proceed with the payments and transfer of properties between the city and Lower Dixie Timber Co. Lower Dixie is relocating in the city's new south industrial park and the city will be taking possession of its old property on Bashi Road; +agreed to pay a local mental health group $1,000 a month for the collection of cardboard for recycling; +heard from a girls softball team group requesting that the slow pitch field be converted to fast pitch. Fence changes would cost $960. Mayor Day said the recreation committee would work with the group to try and make it happen; +agreed to allow Fire Chief Mark Sims to purchase a new four-wheel drive suburban type vehicle to replace his 12-year-old chief's car that was heavily damaged by a hail storm earlier this year. The fire department will pay for the vehicle but the city will handle taking bids on the vehicle; +heard Day say that the city has been invited to a NASA conference in Huntsville and he and others will be attending; +heard Day note the impending closing of the Southern Family Market grocery store. He said the city is working to find a new grocer for the building; +heard Day say that the civic center continues to be looked at to see if a facility can be developed. Bids on renovating the old high school for a civic center have come in far over what was expected; +passed a resolution giving retired city employees a cost of living raise, effective Oct. 1; +approved several building permits, including four for new homes. Day said if the trend continues the city will approve over 200 permits by the end of the year; +heard Day say the council will meet Sept. 18 to approve the budget for the coming year. The council will not meet Sept. 25 because Day will be out of town.
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