Tuesday, the Poplarville Board of Aldermen voted to accept applications from two local businesses to sell beer and light wine by curbside or drive-up service.
Last month, the board approved an amendment to the city’s beer and light wine ordinance, which would afford business owners who have a privilege license to submit an application to the city for permission to sell beer and light wine through a drive-thru window. The owners would have to have a clear-cut reason as to why they wanted to see curbside, city attorney Nick Thompson said at the September 3 meeting.
The owners of Hall’s Service Station LLC and Corner Discount Tobacco Store both submitted applications for the board’s consideration.
The board voted on both of the matters separately. Aldermen Byron Wells was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
The first vote regarding Hall’s and the motion passed three to one with alderwoman Shirley Wiltshire casting the lone dissenting vote.
During the second vote regarding Corner Discount, the vote was tied with Wiltshire and alderwoman Maggie Smith voting nay, while aldermen Jason Pearson and Glenn Bolin voted in favor of the application.
When there is a tie vote, the mayor must break the tie, city clerk Jody Stuart said. Poplarville Mayor Brad Necaise voted yay in the matter and the authorization passed.
The reason both businesses gave for curbside sales was a lack of parking.
In other action:
–– The board added Branson Herring to the volunteer firefighter roster for the Poplaville Fire Department.
–– Poplarville Fire Chief Jonathan Head informed the board that the department was denied their AFG grant for turnout gear. There was only a 34 percent award rate in the state, Head said.
Head said he also met with a representative from the American Red Cross regarding their desire to have a larger presence in Poplarville and their offering of the installation of smoke and fire alarms and the disbursal of fire informational materials.
The money raised from the fire department’s can drive was donated to local resident Brittney Creel, wife of Poplarville Police Captain Rossie Creel, who is battling breast cancer, Head told the board. “We are glad to help and support one of her own,” Head said.
–– Creel told the board that the police department that, by the end of the week, dispatch will be swapped over to digital and should have a more secure transmission.
–– Public Works director Sam Hale told the board that the hydrant was installed at the splash pad on Nov. 3 and the amenity has been closed for the winter.
Hale also told the board they received a fluoridation award from the Mississippi State Department of Health for the year 2014 for water quality.
The next aldermen meeting will be held on Dec. 1 at 5 p.m. in the board room at City Hall.