The Statesboro City Council meeting scheduled for this evening has been canceled due to a lack of agenda items, according to City Manager Shane Haynes.
“(The mayor and council) decided that they were not going to move forward at this time with the proposed changes to the alcohol ordinance and they asked that staff pull that from the scheduled agenda,” Haynes said. “They also asked that since we were so close to the holidays and everybody was very busy — they decided to cancel the meeting.”
In October, Councilman Will Britt proposed major changes to the alcohol ordinance including the elimination of the Alcohol Control Board and the creation of three license categories — restaurants, taverns and bars. At the first meeting in November, these modifications passed a first reading by the city council. In December, changes to the zoning ordinance, which would update the ordinance to accommodate the proposed alcohol laws, also were passed in a first reading. Council also held a public hearing two weeks ago that allowed citizens to express their support or concerns about the sweeping changes.
Haynes said when items are brought to the table by a specific council member; typically that person can determine whether or not that particular item will move forward. In this case, Britt proposed the changes to the ordinance and, in a discussion with Haynes, determined that the items did not need to be addressed at this time.
“We all talked and said, ‘You know what? We can certainly delay this. It's not a pressing issue,’” Britt said. “In the past we have not had a second meeting in December. So it was brought up to me and I said I didn’t mind (it getting pulled from the agenda).”
The council will meet again during its regularly scheduled first Tuesday of the month meeting on Jan. 6.
“(The mayor and council) decided that they were not going to move forward at this time with the proposed changes to the alcohol ordinance and they asked that staff pull that from the scheduled agenda,” Haynes said. “They also asked that since we were so close to the holidays and everybody was very busy — they decided to cancel the meeting.”
In October, Councilman Will Britt proposed major changes to the alcohol ordinance including the elimination of the Alcohol Control Board and the creation of three license categories — restaurants, taverns and bars. At the first meeting in November, these modifications passed a first reading by the city council. In December, changes to the zoning ordinance, which would update the ordinance to accommodate the proposed alcohol laws, also were passed in a first reading. Council also held a public hearing two weeks ago that allowed citizens to express their support or concerns about the sweeping changes.
Haynes said when items are brought to the table by a specific council member; typically that person can determine whether or not that particular item will move forward. In this case, Britt proposed the changes to the ordinance and, in a discussion with Haynes, determined that the items did not need to be addressed at this time.
“We all talked and said, ‘You know what? We can certainly delay this. It's not a pressing issue,’” Britt said. “In the past we have not had a second meeting in December. So it was brought up to me and I said I didn’t mind (it getting pulled from the agenda).”
The council will meet again during its regularly scheduled first Tuesday of the month meeting on Jan. 6.