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Wet-dry shots fired in Thomasville
One dissension on zoning The zoning ordinance was approved with only one council member dissenting. Council member Alberta Dixon said, "I'm not voting against zoning, I'm voting against the part that was not clear. I think we've needed zoning for a long time." Dixon was referring to the clause in the zoning ordinance that grandfathers existing uses of land into the ordinance. Marc Prescott also voiced concerns, wondering how a mobile home park he is developing on Gates Drive would be affected. Prescott has other mobile home interests in Thomasville too. "We've had over a year of discussion and worked long and hard to get input from citizens and incorporated much of the citizen input," Mayor Sheldon Day said. "I want to thank the zoning task force for all their hard work on it. I also want to thank the community. I think we've had a lot of good give and take on this." Rumors abound on alcohol The most excitement centered around the alcohol issue and rumors that the council would also be approving an alcohol control ordinance at the meeting helped to pack the council's chambers. One rumor even suggested that council members would take steps to legalize alcohol sales without a vote of the people-something they could not legally do. "That rumor - that has never been the intent of this council, we wouldn't do it anyway and we don't have the right under any authority to do that, said Mayor Day. "I have no intention to approve this [alcohol] ordi- nance tonight," he said. "I'll take the blame that maybe I was not as clear as I should have been." Day said the proposal was only a first draft and that changes would take place and shape the document upon receiving feedback from the council and the community. Modeled after Jackson, M'ville The proposed ordinance was modeled after similar ones in Jackson and Monroeville, said city attorney Edmon McKinley. Day had presented copies of the two cities' ordinances to council members in a previous meeting earlier in the year. Advice was also sought from the state's Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) officers on crafting a control ordinance and additional information was sought from Monroeville and Jackson about their experiences in implementing these ordinances, Day said. McKinley said that licensing fees were under review and would likely change. Rob Moore, representing Citizens Against Alcohol Sales in Thomasville presented his concerns over the ordinance and the issue of alcohol sales in general. "We talk about these new businesses coming to Thomasville and everything that has been done here has been done without a penny of alcohol sales," he said. Turning 'businesses into bars' Moore said he was alarmed by the language of the control ordinance and what he saw as business owners in town "looking to turn their businesses into bars." Day clarified saying there would be no bars or lounges allowed with Thomasville's ordinance. The first technical issue Moore dealt with was the requirement that any establishment selling alcohol must be at least 200 feet away from an established, freestanding church, but with no restrictions on distance in areas zoned for general business. Moore said he would prefer miles of separation. Moore then took issue with the list of banned activities considered to be adult entertainment. "Why can't we just say this won't be tolerated period?" Day replied that the specific language was added at the recommendation of state beverage control officials. Moore also called the initial listing of $150 for an alcohol license "absurd" and the idea of alcohol sales on a country club's golf course "uncalled for." Charges ordinance was hidden Moore questioned where the ordinance has been prior to Monday night. "Why did it take so long for this document to surface? You've been mum until it's finished," Moore said. Day replied that the alcohol control ordinance was not finished and that he gave copies of the Jackson and Monroeville ordinances to council members to begin thinking about this issue "months ago." In fact, in April of 2006, Day announced his plans to have an alcohol control ordinance available for public review before a vote was taken on alcohol sales. "The public needs to make an educated decision and it needs to know what the rules would be in advance of the vote," Day said during that April meeting. Day said he and city officials rushed to put together a draft ordinance because he was receiving so many requests from the community to see it. No sneaky moves, says mayor "It's very disappointing to me and unfair that there's this perception that I'm trying to do something behind the scenes," Day said. "Perceive what you want, but there has been no attempt to sneak this through." Moore closed saying that if Thomasville approved alcohol sales, "you open the door to something you've never dealt with before...opening the door to a lot of bad things in this city." Petition needed to trigger vote Apetition must still be presented to the city council containing the names of at least 25 percent of registered voters who voted in the last municipal election formally requesting that a referendum on municipal alcohol sales be held. After verifying the signatures, the council would set an election date. The question will require a simple "Yes" for legalized sales or "No" to continue the status quo. Avote is not expected until after the first of the year. Jackson and Monroeville are two area municipalities in dry counties that had enabling local legislation passed so that they could hold alcohol referendums. Some Thomasville residents who favor legalized sales pushed for the legislation after Jackson successfully voted in alcohol in May of 2005. Clarke County remains legally "dry" with Jackson the only legally "wet" oasis in the county. The Jackson campaign was a heated one. If the exchanges made at Monday's Thomasville council meeting are any indication, it will be equally heated in the north Clarke County community too.
Thomasville Times Editor Arthur McLean contributed this report.
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