Published: April 22, 2006 05:29 pm      

New Albany restaurant bill approved 8-0

Eateries would be exempt from liquor-license quotas downtown

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to create a riverfront development district where restaurants could buy liquor licenses without adhering to state quotas.

Several business owners spoke in favor of the bill during the public comment period, saying it would attract new restaurants and entertainment. The bill must be approved two more times to become law.

However, councilmen Dan Coffey and Steve Price called for more stringent language in the bill that would forbid the city from paying to help new business owners with costs like building refurbishment. The two voted yes on the unamended bill after saying they wanted to explore more options later.

The $1,000 licenses allow the sale of beer, wine and liquor; restaurants that make a majority of their profits away from the bar are eligible. Most bars would not be.

Develop New Albany associate director Jane Alcorn distributed copies of a petition with about 100 signatures of business owners and residents who she said supported the ordinance.



First reading of $5,000 from city for Studio2000SI art project:

• Yes: Dan Coffey, Bill Schmidt, Donnie Blevins, Jack Messer, Mark Seabrook, Jeff Gahan

• No: Steve Price, Larry Kochert



First reading of quota exemption for liquor licenses at downtown restaurants:

• Yes: Dan Coffey, Bill Schmidt, Steve Price, Larry Kochert, Donnie Blevins, Jack Messer, Mark Seabrook, Jeff Gahan



First reading of creation of full-time city attorney:

• Yes: Dan Coffey, Bill Schmidt, Steve Price, Larry Kochert, Donnie Blevins, Jack Messer

• No: Mark Seabrook, Jeff Gahan



Other city council business:

• Six of eight members voted in favor of giving the Studio2000SI student art project $5,000. The bill had been tabled for several meetings. Bill sponsor Price and Larry Kochert voted “no.” Each attributed his vote to the presence of higher financial priorities.

• Six of eight also voted for an ordinance formalizing the council’s approval of city departments’ use of credit cards and purchasing cards. Bill Schmidt and Price voted no.

• Resident Cathy Wicke’s petition to close down an alley adjacent to her East Cottom Avenue property was rejected on its final vote.

• The council unanimously voted to charge tow companies $25 per “junk” car removed to compensate for the city’s administrative work.

• Controller Kay Garry told the council that the police and fire departments’ “drop program” would see 15 workers leave their posts at the end of 2007, taking $1 million in salaries off the books.

• Police Chief Merle Harl asked the council to consider approving new police vehicles to replace several that have traveled more than 150,000 miles and are unsafe.