Scott City Council changes alcohol ordinances

The Scott City Council voted unanimously Monday night to give businesses that sell alcohol more incentive not to violate city code.

The votes came a little more than a month after the city council decided to put two businesses -- Larry's Store 24 and Rhodes Travel Center -- on extended liquor licenses until Oct. 2 to test their compliance with rules against selling alcohol to minors.

Both stores had been caught selling alcohol to minors on several occasions during police department compliance checks.

Monday night the council passed two ordinances with 8 to 0 votes that changed the city's code that regulates businesses selling alcohol. The ordinances increased the bond paid to obtain a liquor license from $500 to $1,000, repealed a section of the code that allowed only one license per 1,000 residents in the city and changed the fine for selling alcohol to minors from a maximum of $100 to a maximum of $500.

Mayor Tim Porch said increasing the bond was needed to give businesses more reason to stay within regulations.

"It was basically just not enough," Porch said of the previous $500 bond. "I think the businesses are still getting off easy."

The council changed its limit on the number of licenses it can issue in anticipation of future growth and to fix the city's violation of its own code. In 1981 the city code was modified to allow only one liquor license in the city per 1,000 residents.

Today Scott City, with about 5,000 residents, has six businesses with liquor licenses. The oversight happened several years ago when the current Rhodes 101 Stop management changed hands. Previously the store, along with the Rhodes Travel Center on Nash Road, had both been owned by Gene Rhodes and used one license between them.

When Rhodes ended his involvement with the current Rhodes 101 on Main Street, the council issued separate licenses, unaware of the code.

But Porch said the change also was needed so the city wouldn't limit itself in the future if restaurants and hotels applied for the licenses.

In other business:

* The council voted unanimously to accept Adam Gentry as a volunteer fireman.

* The council voted unanimously to start condemnation proceedings on a mobile home at 411 Oak St. and to issue a check for $21,940 for a new police cruiser.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182