City Approves Sunday Sales

By the same 3-2 vote that has characterized the process from the outset the Port St. Joe city commission on Tuesday night approved the Sunday sale of alcohol within the city limits.

The amendment to the city's alcohol sales ordinance approved on Tuesday effectively treats Sunday as any other day of the week, allowing the sale of alcohol between the hours of 7 a.m. and midnight.

Proponents of amending the alcohol ordinance cited economics: 14 businesses on property assessed at some $7 million and employing dozens of people could benefit by eliminating the prohibition on Sunday sales. In tough economic times, any assistance government can provide it should, proponents argued from the outset.

Opponents contended that lifting the prohibition stripped the city of some of its character and undermined the thread of faith that has long bonded the community.

Opponents also cited a non-binding referendum held in the last two years in which voters defeated Sunday sales by 52-48 percent.

Commissioners in the majority of every vote as the amended ordinance was pushed through the process insisted the referendum represented little more than an "escape clause" for commissioners to avoid fulfilling their elected charge.

In other business during Tuesday's meeting:

•·           The 60 acres near the Gulf/Franklin Center which is the location for a new county sports complex is already being cleared as surveys go out to residents in the city - in their water bills - and the county pertaining to what sort of amenities folks would like in the sports complex. The city and county are encouraging residents to fill out the surveys and submit them as citizen input will assist in construction of the complex.

•·           GAC Contractors was awarded the bid for installation of water and sewer as well as access road improvements on U.S. 98 for the new Sacred Heart Hospital. GAC was the low bidder by nearly $90,000 with a bid of $450,572, described by Bill Kennedy, vice-president of Preble-Rish as a "very good price." The budget for the work was over $1 million, Kennedy said.

•·           Work is nearly complete on improvements to Williams Avenue in downtown Port St. Joe. Street paving is complete and sidewalks have been installed and the project should be complete by Christmas, said Matt Fleck, executive director of the Port St. Joe Redevelopment Agency.