The Trenton City Council will get a second chance to reconsider a decision made earlier this week to allow alcohol at the Rock Barn during an alumni dance in August.
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The Administrative Committee, which was charged with coming up with guidelines to allow alcohol for the event, voted on Thursday night to table that action and instead send the decision back to the council for a second vote. According to Committee Chairman Ed Holt, information received regarding what he termed “faulty information” in a letter sent to the city council by the class hosting the dance, along with a telephone call from fellow councilman Chuck Elliott, made him decide to ask for the issue to be revisited.
The information referred to was a section in the letter in which it was stated that Park Superintendent Jason Shuler and Board President Marti Williams had both told class members it would be alright to have alcohol at the event, which under city ordinance is not allowed on any park properties, including the Rock Barn. Both Shuler and Mrs. Williams were present at the meeting and both said that while they told class members they could hold the event at the Rock Barn, both also told them about the policy concerning no alcohol. Mrs. Williams even indicated she had told one class member two times while Shuler said he had told class members that if they wanted the policy waived, they would need to visit with city officials.
“Whether it was miscommunication or a misunderstanding, I’m not sure,” Holt said. “But I think it needs to be looked at again by the whole council.”
Terry Toms, who was one of three council members to vote on Monday night against allowing alcohol at the event, said she felt the council needed to discuss the issue again as several members indicated they voted for the ordinance waiver because the class members had gone through the proper channels.
“But apparently that was not the case,” she said.
Several individuals who were obviously opposed to the action taken by the council were present at the meeting, however, they did not speak. Mrs. Williams did say that as a citizen, she was upset that the council would waive an ordinance that was inn force “for the safety of both (city) property and the public.”
City Community Developer Sean Burge noted that the ordinance did allow for the council to waive the alcohol ban for a three-day period if it chose to do so. That comment did draw some concerns from the audience, with at least one individual stating they felt that needed to be changed.
All five members of the committee were present, including Holt, Ms. Toms, Steve Perry, Jim Bush and Kenneth Ewing. Also present from the city were Mayor Cathie Smith, City Administrator Kerry Sampson, City Clerk Cindy Simpson and Burge.
The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 14.