The Montgomery City Council June 2 revoked the license of the XS Ultra Lounge in Forest Hills in the wake of a shooting that took place there in March.
A man was shot and wounded by a security guard at the door of the club after the man raised a handgun. Lounge owner Edwardo Brown told the council at their May 19 meeting that the incident was beyond the club’s control.
Councilor Ed Grimes, who represents the neighborhood where the club is situated, said that he agreed that the matter was a “people problem,” but he thought that the club was not a good fit for the nearby neighborhood.
“The model is not working,” he told Brown. “I don’t think you guys are bad people. It’s just the model’s not working.”
Brown claimed that he was being discriminated against because of comments made by members of the Forest Hills Neighborhood Association, who complained about noise and traffic at the club.
The vote was unanimous other than Oronde Mitchell, who abstained.
At the council’s work session before the meeting, a Montgomery citizen accused a member of the Montgomery City Council of not living in the district she represents.
Keith McCormick said he had “documented evidence” that a home was purchased outside of the district in question, which is District 3. The home is reportedly located in District 7, and was purchased by a VA loan in 2024 that McCormick said is required to be the buyer’s primary residence.
“At a minimum this raises serious and legitimate questions about whether the residency requirement is currently being met and whether the legal condition that triggers a vacancy has already occurred,” McCormick said.
McCormick did not give the name of the councilor in question, but District 3 is represented by Marche Johnson, who has responded that she still lives in her district. Johnson was not present at the June 2 meeting.
McCormick said Alabama law states that council members must live in the districts that they represent for their entire term or their offices are considered vacant.
Council President Cornelius Calhoun thanked him but did not respond to his comments.
The Montgomery City Council meets at 5 p.m. every first and third Tuesday of the month at City Hall on 103 North Perry Street. Recordings of meetings can be found on YouTube and Facebook.
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