Alcohol gets council green light
May 16—Alcohol can be sold on city-owned property within the Crossville city limits following a unanimous vote of the Crossville City Council Tuesday night.
The vote will allow individuals with proper permits and licensing to sell or serve alcohol at city-owned venues. Further changes, including the city's open container law, would have to be addressed by changing city ordinances.
City Manager Greg Wood said there have been multiple requests for alcohol to be available at city venues such as the Crossville Depot and The Amp, including a music festival planned July 2 being organized by local businessman Asa Reece.
"He has a beer and wine permit and a licensed bartender," Wood told the council. "He has asked permission to do that, but we couldn't grant permission."
Crossville Mayor James Mayberry moved to approve alcohol on city-owned property, supported by Councilman Art Gernt.
Wood said, "We need specificity as far as licensed bartender, do they need to have a beer and wine permit from another premises, some guidance like that."
City Attorney Will Ridley suggested the motion include provisions to have a licensed bartender, an event permit and a special-event insurance policy that names the city as an additional insured.
Councilman RJ Crawford asked if city property included sidewalks. Ridley said he believed the motion applied to city-owned buildings. Mayberry said he intended the motion to apply to city property, including The Amp.
"Time is of the essence on that particular one," Mayberry said.
Wood said an area would need to be roped off where alcohol was permitted, with wristband possibly required. Ridley said anyone taking alcohol out of the roped-off area would be subject to arrest or citation for having an open container.
"We don't want that to happen," he said.
Mayberry amended his motion to require a licensed bartender, an event permit, and a valid special-events insurance policy for alcohol sales on city property, seconded by Gernt.
Crawford then questioned if the motion would apply to Meadow Park Lake. Wood said the city's police department does not have jurisdiction at the lake, so law enforcement response would come from the county.
Crawford asked Mayberry to amend the motion to include property within the city's corporate limits, which would remove any issues with Meadow Park Lake, he said. Mayberry and Gernt agreed.
The motion was unanimously approved.
The council, meeting as the Crossville Beer Board, also approved two new on-premises beer permits prior to Tuesday's meeting. Paparitos Southwest Gill at 103 Cumberland Plaza and the Cumberland County Playhouse at 221 Tennessee Ave. were both granted permits.
Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.
