Brantley continues to move forward with alcohol sales

Published 6:00 am Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Town of Brantley continued to move forward with the process to allow limited alcohol sales on Sunday at Monday night’s council meeting.

The proposed measure would only allow sales after 1 p.m. on Sunday, and it was originally brought up in September, where it passed with a 3-1 vote.

Councilman Lorey Bogen later asked to rescind his  “yes” vote on the matter, and Monday night was the council’s first regular meeting since that time.

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Since that meeting, there was a question about how a vote may be changed.

“I called the AG (attorney general), then called the League (of Municipalities), and it all came back the same,” said Council member Darryl Elliott. “If it’s brought back up and entertained, then it can go back to another vote.”

Bogen made a motion to bring the issue back to the table for another vote, but it died for a lack of a second.

The proposal still has a number of steps to go through before it would take effect.

Under Alabama law, any such changes at a local level must first be approved by the state legislature as an amendment to the constitution and then put before the voters of the town.

In other business, the council also took steps toward getting new water meters for the town as part of a previous loan was forgiven and a new agreement with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management was given.

Some $123,400 was forgiven, and $125,000 will be left under the terms of a special authority loan agreement, which will be due over 20 years.

Mayor Bernie Sullivan also talked about the possibility of the town expanding its city limits in the future.

“We’re looking at taking in areas along Highway 331 that might bring in tax revenue,” Sullivan said.

He cited the fact that the town is running out of room for development along Highway 331.

He said that the plan wouldn’t call for taking in whole communities like Brunson Chapel or Mount Zion, but just a stretch for business much like Luverne did in years past with its city limits.

“We certainly don’t want to take in more than we can afford,” Sullivan said. “We’re trying to get everything paved in town.”

Recommendations for town staff were also presented and approved.

The following reappointments were approved: Titus Averette – police chief; Harry Driggers – fire chief; Phillip Moseley – town clerk; Bill Rayborn – town prosecutor; Maverick Ball – administrative assistant.

The reappointment of Mark Smyth as town judge was tabled until the next meeting.

The council also voted to adjust the time of council meetings from Monday nights to the second Tuesday night of each month at 6:30 p.m.