Sparta officials approve beer permit and vote on ordinances

Vice Mayor Jim Floyd officiated November’s second regularly scheduled meeting of Sparta’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

During the meeting, at which Alderman Jerry Lowery, Alderman Robert Officer, and Alderwoman Judy Payne joined the vice mayor in approving one ordinance, a request to solicit employment applications, and a request to solicit bids for equipment, and to serve as the city’s beer board and approve one application for an off-premises permit.

The four board members present unanimously approved Ordinance #21-941: An ordinance to delete Title 11-807 of the Sparta Municipal Code, which forbid the wearing of masks or hoods which covered any portion of the face so that could conceal the identity of the wearer without written permission from the city’s recorder.

Additionally, the board agreed to allow Sparta Police Department to solicit applications for a new patrol officer due to the chief receiving a letter of resignation from one of the department’s officers. The board also agreed to solicit sealed bids for dumpsters for the city’s sanitation department. It was stated by the city’s administrator, Brad Hennessee, that the price of the dumpsters had increased so as to make him believe the total cost for the number of dumpsters the city needs would be above the $10,000 limit that didn’t require bidding.

The board also briefly suspended the city’s meeting and convened as the Beer Board to approve an application for an off-premises beer permit for Michael McCollum who will serve as the manager of Walgreens #10815, at 483 West Bockman Way.

“We’ve checked him out. His background came back good,” Police Chief Doug Goff. “He applied for a permit when he was here about 14 years ago. He’s been in several Walgreens stores, so he is well aware of the repercussions of selling to minors and so forth.”

When addressed, McCollum answered the board’s questions saying that he helped open the Sparta Walgreens location 14 years ago but has been with Walgreens for 22 years, and he is very familiar with the laws regarding the sale of alcohol.

“Our registers will block out employees if they haven’t been trained, it will even kick them off if it expires,” he told the beer board and explained that all employees know and understand the laws and regulations in regard to the legal age for alcohol purchases.

The aldermen, who reconvened as the city board after approving the off-premises permit for McCollum as the beer board, heard updates from each of the city’s department heads with all departments reporting business as usual and preparations for the winter holidays and festivities that take place around the city.

The next meeting of the board of the Sparta Board of Mayor and Aldermen will be 5 p.m., Dec. 2, 2021, at Sparta City Hall.