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Article published Oct 12, 2008 Commission will reconsider beer permit
By Joel Davis of The Daily Times Staff
The Blount County Commission has an opportunity for a do-over of its contested July 17 decision to deny a beer permit application made by business owner Mimi Wiese Hiatt.
The commission, sitting as the Beer Board, will hold a public hearing on the application during its regular meeting on Thursday. Rob Goddard, the county mayor’s attorney, said commissioners can choose to approve the application at the conclusion of the hearing, if they wish.
“They will have that opportunity,” he said.
In September, the County Commission voted to rescind the denial after Hiatt filed a lawsuit petitioning Blount County Chancery Court to force approval a beer permit for Ridge Valley Farms on Six Mile Road. The commission, sitting as the Beer Board on July 17, acted against the advice of its attorney when it denied the special-events beer permit. A motion to approve Hiatt’s application for a permit failed 10-9.
Goddard has told the commissioners several times that Hiatt had met all the legal requirements, but some commissioners appeared to be swayed by the concerns of several nearby property owners who spoke at the hearing.
The County Commission will also consider approval of a settlement concerning a traffic accident involving a Blount County deputy and a Michigan couple. No details were available on the accident, which happened within the past year, but no lawsuit has been filed in the matter. The amount of the settlement being discussed is greater than $50,000, so would need County Commission approval.Also on the agenda
In other business, the commission will consider a revised sediment and erosion control resolution. The resolution is necessary for the county’s compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase II stormwater regulations.
Commissioners will also hear from Blount County Schools about possible spending plans for increased revenues if voters approve a sales tax increase during the Nov. 4 referendum. In a recent letter to Commissioner David Graham, Director of Schools Alvin Hord outlined several possibilities but also wrote that Blount County Schools may have to use any resulting revenue just to maintain existing programs.
The County Commission in August authorized a referendum on Nov. 4 to increase the local option sales tax by one-half cent with most of the revenue going toward education. A citizens group, Blount Countians for Educational Excellence, has pushed for the referendum.
Based on 2007 sales tax receipts, the group estimates the added tax would raise $7,772,028 annually with 2 percent increases each year. Blount County Schools’ share would be $2.9 million.
Under state law, cities and counties in Tennessee can levy up to a 2.75 percent local option sales tax. The local option in Blount stands at 2.25 percent.
The County Commission will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Room 430 of the Blount County Courthouse.