Following the regular meeting of the Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday afternoon, its members reconvened as the city's Beer Board and approved two beer permits for off-premises consumption, despite opposition to one from members of a nearby church.
The first permit approved, the one to which the church objected, was for a planned convenience market at 1000 W. Andrew Johnson Hwy. That application was made by Jason R. Brandon, Richard R. Brandon and Todd E. Shipley.
The second was for North Main Grocery at 700 N. Main St. The applicants for this permit were Thomas Chandler and Almira Jones, who operate the store.
Composed of all members of the Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the Beer Board generally convenes as such after the city board meetings are adjourned.
Members of the Kingsley Avenue Free Will Baptist Church expressed opposition to the convenience market beer permit, stating that the market would be in front of the church and that an establishment selling beer should not be that close to a house of worship.
Board members responded that, although they understood the church members' concerns, the application met all the requirements of the ordinance and had to be approved.
Mayor G. Thomas Love explained that, if the board did not approve the permit, the applicants could take the matter to court and obtain the permit in that way because all the requirements had been met.
Condemnation For Sewers
During its regular meeting, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen gave final approval to ordinances regarding property condemnation for two different sewer projects.
Approved on second and final reading was an ordinance for blanket condemnation, if necessary, for easements for a sewer line to serve the Greeneville-Greene County Airport, and an ordinance condemning property on North Main Street for a sewer line easement to the Hardin Industrial Complex on Baileyton Road.
Beer Board
The beer permit approval for the proposed convenience market on the Bypass is subject to the completion and inspection of the building.
Greeneville Police Chief Lewis Shipley said that a building inspection is required. The lot in question is now vacant; thus, the permit would have to be subject to the inspection of the building once constructed, he said.
After hearing the report from the police chief, the mayor asked for any public comments about the permit.
Dennis Franklin, a deacon of the Kingsley Avenue Baptist Church, said that he was representing the church in expressing opposition to the permit application. If built, the back of the convenience market would be in front of the church, and would be the fourth place to sell beer in close proximity to the church, Franklin said.
By being so near, he said, the market would be "defacing" the church, and there should be more respect given to the house of God.
Franklin said that he would not have a problem with a convenience market as long as it did not sell alcohol.
Another member of the church expressed similar concerns to the board.
Mayor Love and the board members said that they understood the church members' concerns but that the board has to follow the ordinance.
There is no limitation in the ordinance regarding how far away from churches, schools and other places of public assembly an establishment that sells beer for off-premises consumption must be.
Scott Powers, an attorney speaking on behalf of the applicants, said that there are convenience markets on either side of the proposed market property, and the store would be more than 200 feet away from the church. The front of the market would face the 11E Bypass, he said.
Sewer Matters
The condemnation ordinance regarding the sewer line to the airport and adjacent properties authorizes the Airport Authority to proceed with the blanket condemnation process, if necessary, for easements on two properties.
One tract is owned by John O. and Peggy Hardin, and the other is owned by Ina Hardin and her sons, James N. Hardin II and Tim Hardin.
The approval does not mean that condemnation proceedings will begin, but authorizes legal action to be taken if an agreement is not reached.
Being sought is a 20-foot-wide easement for the sewer line and a temporary construction easement of 10 or 20 feet around the permanent easement. The remaining property owners involved already have agreed to provide the easements.
Before the vote, Aldermen W.T. Daniels and Tim Teague both repeated their disclosures of ties to the project. Daniels has told the board that one of the other pieces of property the sewer line crosses is owned by his wife's family.
Teague has said that his employer, Vaughn & Melton, has been hired to engineer and design the line, but he does not personally gain anything from the project.
The other action related to sewer, the authorization for condemnation proceedings for property on North Main Street, was undertaken to gain clear title for the easement.
Prior to first reading of the ordinance in December, it was explained to the board that the property was owned by the heirs of Frank Manuel.
Although the known heirs agreed to the easement, there may be some unknown heirs because some of Manuel's children also are deceased, City Attorney Ron Woods had explained.
Planners Reappointed
In other business, the board reappointed Pete Hayes, Bill Seneker and Jim Warner to the Greeneville Regional Planning Commission.
Also approved was the appointment of Jeffrey Bryan Caudill to the Greeneville Auxiliary Police Department. Caudill, who lives in Afton, is a certified officer who is now working for Tusculum, said Chief Shipley.
Since Caudill is a certified officer, he can begin work immediately for the Greeneville Auxiliary Police Department, Shipley said. Caudill is filling a vacancy created when Kevin Gass was hired to a full-time position with the police department.
