Controversy surrounds liquor store vote in Bolivar
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BOLIVAR, Tenn. — A West Tennessee city board meeting is under scrutiny after some say a Monday vote over bringing liquor stores into town was illegal. The mayor of Bolivar said applications are available for liquor stores to take up shop in town. The applications are the result of a specially called city board meeting Monday, where only half the council attended. Mayor Barrett Stevens said the turnout was disappointing and that such an important vote should have been more of a priority. “Liquor is an unpopular issue, but you need to stand up and be counted,” Stevens said. City Councilman Julian McTizic said bad timing was the reason for the nearly empty seats at the board. “The majority of us are working during the day and don’t have the freedom to be at a meeting at the middle of the day,” McTizic said. The mayor said they should have made time and that their absence forced him to take the place of a councilman’s empty seat. “The mayor is considered a council person,” Stevens said. “There’s nine people on the council. There were five present.” He said with the OK from the city attorney they voted in favor of the liquor stores. McTizic said he has never seen this in the two years he has worked as a councilman. “Before we have a meeting, we have at least five councilmen there,” McTizic said. Resident Trellis McKinnie said what is done is done but that seeing the actions of the board will influence his vote next election. “We should know this, and next time we won’t vote for them,” McKinnie said. The mayor said even though those applications are available now, they will not be reviewed for approval for about a week. It is required they wait 10 days after the ordinance was passed.
