Special district allows drinking downtown

Special district allows drinking downtown

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The Mayor and Board of Aldermen voted last week to create a Leisure and Recreation District (LRD) in downtown Philadelphia.

The motion passed on a 4-0 vote during last Tuesday’s regular meeting. Alderman-at-Large James Tatum was not present.

Mayor James Young said the designation allows  patrons of one establishment to be able to take an alcoholic drink in a to-go cup with them if they leave and are walking in the designated downtown area.

State law allows for municipalities to establish LRDs. 

According to the Mississippi Department of Revenue, “Restaurants and bars located within the boundaries of an LRD may serve mixed drinks to their patrons and allow patrons to leave the licensed premises with an open container of alcohol (to-go cup). However, patrons must stay within the boundaries of the LRD. Enforcement of the LRD is performed by local law enforcement personnel.”

The ordinance must be published in the Democrat before it goes into effect.

“I just want the city to have the ability to attract new business and grow,” said Ward 1 Alderman Justin Clearman, one of the proponents of the measure.

The district covers roughly Holland Avenue on the east to Peachtree Avenue on the west and Myrtle Avenue on the north to Walnut Street on the south.

In other matters, aldermen voted to:

• Approve a motion to pay Webster Electric invoice totaling $66,492 for work on the Airport Lighting Project that was accepted by Allen Engineering. 

• Approve a motion to pay Wendell Holmes Sr.’s invoice for $793 for work on the Westside Community Center. 

• Approve a motion to pay Windham Tractor’s invoice totaling $37,471 for a tractor for the Street Department. 

• Approve a motion to accept APAC’s bid on 2023 Paving Project at $968,320, as this was the only bid received. 

• Approve a motion to accept the lowest financing available for $44,474 for the purchase of an excavator through Windham Tractor. 

• Approve a motion to promote Nicholas Walker to Patrolman 2nd Class with the Police Department at $17.06 per hour. 

• Approve a motion for the court clerk to attend summer conference in Biloxi June 26-27 and for the city to pay registration and travel. 

• Approve a motion to accept the resignation of Dusty Warner with the Fire Department.






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