City Council President Billy Young holds the gavel as Councilwoman Christie Thomas Young (L) and Sam Randolph (second from L) disagree over approving new alcohol licenses.
City Council President Billy Young holds the gavel as Councilwoman Christie Thomas Young (L) and Sam Randolph (second from L) disagree over approving new alcohol licenses.
Alcohol licenses caused a flareup at the Oct. 14 Selma City Council meeting.
The city council had before them several transfers of licenses to sell alcohol, all of which passed unanimously. But the council disagreed loudly over approving licenses for two new package stores on Highland Avenue.
City Councilperson Christie Thomas Young has stated her opposition to approving additional alcohol licenses in the past. At the Oct. 14 meeting, she read a statement into the record that she “would not support growth that lacks purpose for long-term benefit for the people we serve.”
“Selma does not suffer from a lack of alcohol access,” Young said. “What the city does lack is intentional economic development that builds opportunities for families and attracts quality businesses. If we go down this road (of adding more package stores and smoke shops), we’ll never get anybody coming here.”
Councilman Sam Randolph disagreed, saying that approving alcohol licenses for service stations and grocery stores and not approving licenses for small package stores is “discrimination, and that’s wrong.”
“We’ve got to be fair and treat everybody with dignity and respect,” Randolph said. “You don’t want some to have a liquor license because of who they are.”
The disagreement got so heated that Council President Billy Young gaveled the discussion to an end as he asked the council to “remember the rules of the chamber. We don’t attack each other.”
New licenses for Selma Sprits and Tobacco on 1310 W Highland Ave. and Selma Liquor and Smoke Shop LLC on 210 Highland Ave. failed on a 4-4 vote.
City Attorney Major Madison Jr. said that “there is no reason why” the business owners can’t bring the license requests to the city council again. A new city council will be seated on Nov. 3.
The council approved license transfers for the Curb Market on Highway 80 and voted to suspend the rules to approve the alcohol license for the new Aldi on West Dallas Avenue. Two other licenses were advanced and will be voted on at a later council meeting.
Councilpersons Michael Johnson, Randolph, Lesia James and Atkin Jemison voted in favor of each license. Billy Young, Christie Young, Troy Harvill and Jannie Thomas voted against the new licenses but voted in favor of the transfers.
Brad Fisher is Associate Publisher of the Black Belt News Network and Selma Sun. He can be reached at bfisher@kingfisher-media.com.
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Temperatures will fall below freezing tonight across all of
Central Alabama with residual moisture on local roadways. This will
lead to the possibility of hazardous travel in some areas. Black
ice may create slick spots on some local roads...bridges and
overpasses. Please use extra caution if you have to travel.
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
10 AM CST MONDAY...
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM
CST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...For the first Cold Weather Advisory, very cold wind chills
as low as 2 above expected. For the second Cold Weather Advisory,
very cold temperatures as low as 7 above expected.
* WHERE...Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee,
Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette,
Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Lowndes, Marengo, Marion,
Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega,
Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties.
* WHEN...For the first Cold Weather Advisory, from midnight tonight
to 10 AM CST Monday. For the second Cold Weather Advisory, from 9
PM Monday to 9 AM CST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin
is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of
subfreezing temperatures could cause pipes to burst.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a
hat, and gloves.
Keep pets indoors as much as possible.
Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure
portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills
inside.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
&&
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
10 AM CST MONDAY...
...COLD WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM MONDAY TO 9 AM
CST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...For the first Cold Weather Advisory, very cold wind chills
as low as 2 above expected. For the second Cold Weather Advisory,
very cold temperatures as low as 7 above expected.
* WHERE...Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee,
Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette,
Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Lowndes, Marengo, Marion,
Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega,
Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties.
* WHEN...For the first Cold Weather Advisory, from midnight tonight
to 10 AM CST Monday. For the second Cold Weather Advisory, from 9
PM Monday to 9 AM CST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin
is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of
subfreezing temperatures could cause pipes to burst.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a
hat, and gloves.
Keep pets indoors as much as possible.
Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure
portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills
inside.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
&&
Currently in Selma
35°
Cloudy
63° / 35°
8 PM
35°
9 PM
33°
10 PM
31°
11 PM
31°
12 AM
29°
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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