At Monday night’s Indianola Board of Aldermen meeting, Alderman Sam Brock told the city lawmakers that it’s time to consider revisions to the ordinance concerning neighborhood stores and their hours of operation. He first asked, “Do we have any kind of an ordinance that permits those stores to be open all night?”
He alluded to the late hours being the crux of some issues and asserted that enforcing a closing time would curtail violence and neighborhood disturbances. “We’re having a lot of stuff going on in the communities, in the neighborhoods and the police department doesn’t have enough officers to take care of all of this stuff going on.”
City Attorney Gary Austin stated that the current ordinance does not regulate the closing times for those businesses, it only restricts the hours that beer can be sold, which is currently until 2 a.m., he said.
Brock said a specific closing time should be added. “I want the aldermen to make some changes, because most of these stores that are coming in are trying to build these drive up windows,” he said.
Brock said the city leaders needed to think about the citizens who live in those neighborhoods and not so much about the people who are running the stores and just making money.
“Because we’re not getting three or four million dollars out of the store.”
Brock referenced stores on the corner of Garrard Avenue and Curtis Street and also on Bates Avenue.
He mentioned a specific situation regarding the Bates Avenue store where the owner is attempting to install a drive-up window.
“But you don’t have enough space between the store and the house and if a car goes through there and they’re playing loud music, well, the people next door, they can’t sleep,” Brock said.
Brock did not suggest a time, but was emphatic that something needed to be done. “Even if it has to be a battle, then we’ll just have to fight this battle. Because you bring all of these people in here, and they build all of these stores, but they don’t go over into the other parts of the neighborhood and build stores, they track them up on us and don’t nobody want to say anything, so now it’s time for us to address these situations,” he said.
Brock also stated that he would like to see a cutoff time for the sale of beer at the neighborhood stores and suggested 10 p.m.
City Inspector Elvis Pernell said the existing law could possibly be altered, but offered that if it is changed the current businesses would likely be “grandfathered in” and the change would have no effect on those existing stores. Austin concurred.
Brock asked Austin to research the existing ordinance and bring back recommendations; Austin suggested that Brock supply him with his proposed time constraints. After a brief exchange, they agreed to collaborate.
Alderman Gary Fratesi said he agreed regarding the disturbances and suggested that they also address the loud music situation at the car washes that are in town and Austin reminded them that a citizen can fill out an affidavit with city court anytime they see someone in violation of a city ordinance.
In his concluding remarks, Brock said, “It’s our job to take care of these folks and I suggest that we do that.”
