Esto Council discusses liquor store ordinance

ESTO – The town of Esto, population 359 according to the 2004 census, has five locations that are licensed to sell liquor. The close proximity to dry Geneva County, AL is considered to be the major reason.

Esto City Council is discussing a new ordinance that would put limits where a liquor store could be located while at the same time “grandfathering in” the existing establishments. The ordinance was a main topic at Tuesday night’s Council meeting.

There are currently no restrictions on opening stores, but under the proposed ordinance a new package liquor store would have to be 3,000 feet from a church, and a new convenience store selling beer and wine would have to be at least 1,000 feet from a church.

“We want all the business we can get,” said Council President Jeff Carnley, “we just don’t want them next to a church or right next to another.”

The Express Lane, Daniels package store, Friendly Mini-Mart, Woodham’s and B&B Trading Post, all along State 79, are either in operation or in the case of B&B are not in operation but have an occupational license.

City Attorney Brandon Young said that under the proposed ordinance if any store loses its license for a year it would lose its City permit. The proposed restrictions, however, would not apply to the existing stores.

Young said there is no state law about distances from churches, and that restrictions are up to local government.

The draft ordinance will be updated and advertised for a final hearing at the Oct. 7 Council meeting.

In other business, Council:

•Accepted an $800 bid for well service from Donald Smith of Headland, citing good service from that company in the past.

•Discussed bidding out garbage collection. Young reported that the City of Bonifay is taking bids for garbage collection and suggested Council contact the winning bidder and see if Esto could “piggyback” onto that contract.

•Changed Bobby Jones from a temporary employee to part time, entitling him to holiday pay like other employees. City salaries would be reviewed in January. Jones received excellent reports for his work.

•Heard a report that AT&T does not appear interested in combining all four City phones under a new DSL setup. Council discussed attempts to get this done for over a year.

•Accepted a bid of $641.60 from P&P Heating and Cooling of Esto to replace a coil in the clerk’s office. A lower bid was received from High Temp for $525, but Council members said they preferred to keep business local and that P&P had provided good service in the past. Councilman Danny Powell, the owner of P&P, abstained from voting.