Rockford Council approves financial institution, 4-way stop
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By Christa Jennings
Senior staff writer
During its March meeting, the Rockford Town Council took action on three non-housekeeping agenda items, including deciding on a new financial institution, making a new 4-way stop and taking action on a months-long matter relating to entertainment licenses for the town.
Regarding the financial institution, Mayor Scott White said that the town had to change from Alabama One Credit Union to a bank since the credit union is not FDIC insured.
Shelia Ward, Sylacauga branch manager for First Bank of Alabama, was present for the meeting, with the bank being on the agenda to consider as a new financial institution for the town’s accounts.
During early discussion, White referenced the bank planning on building something in town and asked Ward what they were building. She stated that it was going to be an ATM, and when White asked if it was to be a smart ATM that individuals could use for deposits and withdrawals, she confirmed that it would be.
White asked the council if it had any questions for First Bank of Alabama. Councilmember Lynn Anne Castleberry asked about a timeline regarding the ATM, and Ward said that she was not sure, but that she could find that out and send it to the council.
The bank has had an “ATM coming soon” sign in place for some time near the Rockford Utilities Board facility along U.S. Highway 231.
White said, “Either way, [we] have to choose a bank,” asking if anyone had any suggestions.
Councilmember Robert Smith asked how often they go to the bank, and Town Clerk Lesle Nelson said that it is typically two to three times each week, depending on whether it is a payroll week.
White asked about the location of the closest bank branch, and Ward said it was the Sylacauga branch, meaning the town officials would need to drive to Sylacauga to conduct banking business.
During discussion, White asked, “Who all was in that meeting that day with the bank?”
Castleberry said it was her, Nelson and part-time clerk Susan Rogers.
“Lesle, we kind of left it up to y’all because y’all handle the banking,” White said.
Nelson said that with the things the bank is offering and what it can do for the town that she did not see a problem using First Bank of Alabama.
“We had asked in the meeting about interest-bearing and different types of accounts that we needed, and everything was in line,” Castleberry said. “Once the ATM is open here in town, we’ll be able to do pretty much everything here without having to run to Sylacauga.”
White asked if anyone on the council had any other suggestions on a financial institution. With no other suggestions made, he called for a motion to accept First Bank of Alabama and move all of the town’s accounts over.
With Councilmember Nieshia Whetstone absent from the meeting, the council unanimously approved moving all of the town’s banking “from First Bank of Wadley, AKA Alabama One Credit Union, to First Bank of Alabama.”
As such, the Town of Rockford will now be utilizing First Bank of Alabama, not to be confused with First Community Bank of Central Alabama, which is the bank the county is now using.
In other discussion, White said the possibility of having a 4-way stop at School and Jackson streets was tabled at the previous meeting to talk about during the March meeting and to give the council time to think about it and see if it wanted to move forward on the matter.
Castleberry asked Police Chief George Fanning if he had any changes in what he sees happening at the intersection, such as anything different in traffic patterns. He said he did not.
Castleberry further asked if he still recommends the 4-way stop at that intersection, and he said that he did.
White asked Fanning to be sure that Sheriff Michael Howell recommended the 4-way stop to him, based on discussion at the February meeting, and Fanning confirmed that Howell did.
White said that the intersection is a 2-way stop already on the Jackson Street sides, so the town would be adding two more stop signs and make it a 4-way stop.
Councilmember Shirley Ogle asked if that was what Sheriff Howell suggested. White said that he did.
“The meeting minutes also stated even if we did not do a one-way that he suggested that, according to what’s in the meeting minutes,” White said.
He added, “Maybe it’ll help with some of the speeding down through there to help stop that, as well.”
With no other discussion, White called for a motion to make the intersection at School and Jackson streets a 4-way stop after “all the striping and all that stuff is done.” Smith made such a motion, and the council unanimously approved it.
Town attorney Tom Young Jr. was also on the agenda to provide updates at the meeting. He mentioned the town sidewalks and sending out letters regarding that matter, but primarily spoke on licensing, saying “there’s some request, issue about a lounge license.”
“We’ve looked at a number of those licenses, and of course it’s got a lot of moving parts – public safety, parking, capacity – a number of things that involve a lot of police authority that we’re looking at, as well,” Young said. “One thing the council’s got to determine is whether they want to create that kind of license. Certainly if you want to have a public hearing on it, you can do that, whatever the council recommends.”
In referencing the granting of a license, Young said, “If that’s something you want to do, before we spend a lot more money with legal fees and all of that determining that, I guess I need to know whether that’s something that y’all really are interested in doing.”
Young was referring to the town potentially adding an entertainment license to the list of business licenses on the town’s books. He had most recently began referring to a lounge license, as well.
As reported last year, when Glen Fuller, now former co-manager of Crossroads, initially came before the council seeking to have live bands and events at the restaurant, the council informed him that he would need an entertainment license to have such events.
Fuller then came before the council at its September meeting seeking an entertainment license, as the council had stated he needed. However, at that meeting Young said that there was not an entertainment license on the town’s books.
Following discussion at the September meeting, the council unanimously approved tabling Fuller’s request for an entertainment license so that the town could write up something regarding establishing an entertainment license.
At the town’s October meeting, Fuller asked the council for an update regarding the matter, and at that time Young said that the town was “still working on it.”
The matter was not mentioned at a council meeting again until Fuller came before the council at its February meeting asking for an update four months later.
During Young’s updates at the March meeting, White said that he took some time over the past month and “did a lot of research on it, also.”
He echoed Young’s statement that there are “a lot of moving parts to it” and said that he had looked at some other cities that have entertainment licenses, adding that residential housing plays into it, as well.
“I’ve also spoke with some of the constituents, as well, in the town, and what I gathered is we’ve never had it, and they don’t want it,” White said.
Young spoke up from a legal standpoint suggesting that the town could have a public hearing on the subject.
“You, as elected representatives of this town, have spoken to your constituents, as well, and that input – public safety, we talked about the road out here and the safety issues already there – all these kind of things [have] to be considered,” Young said. “Then you make a determination on whether you want to go forward with one or not. I don’t mind continuing to grind the clock, but I don’t think that’s good for the Town of Rockford, spending money unnecessarily. I don’t want to do that.”
White asked if anyone else on the council had talked with anyone to address the matter. Castleberry said that she “got the repeated sentiment that it’s not wanted,” and Ogle said that she had not talked to anyone who was in favor of it.
“To make it clear, we have never had this licensing here in town,” White said.
Young said, “I’m at your beck and call, so let me know if y’all want me to proceed with trying to develop something. I just think the council needs to vote on whether you’re going to do it or not.”
Councilmember Cordarius Lee asked for clarification about entertainment and how far that went.
“If you just open up entertainment licenses, you’re asking for anything,” White said.
He said that other municipalities have set specifics on what business can do, such as closing at a certain time of night, things the business can and cannot do, or being a certain distance from a residential area.
“It’s a lot,” White said. “It’s a whole list.”
“Mister mayor, I want to be clear,” Young said. “I mean, I see what’s on the agenda, but what’s been mentioned to us before, at least to me, has been the issue of a lounge license. Entertainment districts are a whole different ball of wax. It was an indication to me that some applicant that came in had talked about having something where they could have bands or that kind of venue, so that’s more of a lounge definition. That’s the problem when you look at some of these definitions, and different towns have different descriptions. Every town can develop a license pursuant to whatever their needs are. Here again, I think that you need to determine whether that is something, a privilege, that this town wants to grant to somebody to do within the boundaries of their town limits.”
In mentioning what was on the agenda, Young was referring to “entertainment license,” which was the following agenda item. The agenda did not include anything regarding an entertainment district.
Regarding what White mentioned about municipalities setting specifications for entertainment licenses, Lee asked, “If we come up with an entertainment license, do we put the stipulations on it? Who says what they can and can’t do?”
Young said, “Therein lies the problem – if, in fact, you want one at all, what do you want in it? We need to address the public safety issues, parking issues, capacity issues – all those kind of things – the hours, all those kind of things have to be and need to be addressed in it. So there’s a lot of moving parts. Every town is different.”
White said that Rockford is different as far as having residential housing close by, saying that the town has to consider that.
In discussion, Smith asked if the license was for lounge or entertainment. White addressed Young asking, “Entertainment license, correct?”
“Well, I saw that on the agenda tonight, and my understanding was, maybe it’s just me, but my understanding was the description is something that falls more in line with a lounge license, and not an entertainment district,” Young said. “Entertainment districts… I need to look at [those] definitions, because I’ve been more focused on the bar/lounge type description.”
In ongoing discussion, Young said that he needed direction from the council on how to proceed regarding the licensing.
“What I need is the direction of the council, if that’s something that y’all want me to go forward and start trying to carve out,” he said. “At some point you’re going to have to look at it and see the stuff you want – what you want in it, what you don’t want in it. If that’s something that you want to spend time and energy doing right now let me know, but I think I need direction from the council.”
Lee mentioned looking to the future of the town and the possibility of it needing an entertainment license for some businesses going forward.
“My only thing is, looking forward to the future, if we grow eventually we’re going to have to come up with some type of entertainment license or something – whether it’s entertainment or lounge,” Lee said. “Rockford is slowly growing. So if it keeps growing, and stuff keeps coming, at some point you’re going to have to say…you know?”
“You’re right,” Young said. “I think those kinds of things can be addressed when those times come up.”
In further discussion, Smith mentioned places he has been that have an entertainment district, including Wetumpka.
“Rockford has the street right through the middle of it,” Smith said. “Do we want a lounge or any type of entertainment thing right in the middle of town? We can’t push it over here or push it over here, because there’s nowhere to push it. This is just me thinking out loud. Do we want an entertainment district or a lounge right in the middle of town? I’m not against a man taking a drink. I’m not against a man doing anything he wants to do. But I sit back and look… and I’m just trying to think of the people I know of that would go into a lounge on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night in Rockford. Now I can see people coming from Alex City and Weogufka, wherever, coming to Rockford. But I just don’t understand, if the people in the town are not going to support it, why do we want to bring people from anywhere else in to support it? I just do not believe the people in the Town of Rockford want a lounge or an entertainment district right in the middle of town. That’s just me personally. I haven’t talked to anybody about it. I’m not asking a soul what they think about a lounge or an entertainment district in Rockford; that’s nothing but my opinion only.”
While it was not on the agenda, regarding entertainment districts, for reference Alexander City’s arts and entertainment district encompasses sections of Wheeler, Broad, Calhoun, Bibb, Tallapoosa, and Main streets. It includes the Wellborn Musclecar Museum, Carlos Mexican Grill, Jake’s, JR’s Sports Bar and Grill, Castelluccio Fine Italian Dining, the Alexander City Police Department, Lake Martin Brewery, attorney Derrick Blythe’s office, Carib Kitchen, Taqueria Avita, and more.
Following discussion, White called for a motion to approve attorney Young looking into developing an entertainment license for the town. Lee made a motion for Young to look into developing it.
He went on to say, “You can make it say what you want it to say. I understand what you’re saying, but what’s the difference in when we used to have the band right here by the courthouse? You ain’t got to shut the street off. You can work the back side. I’m just saying, it’s not just for that place, his place, this place here, but if anyone else wants to have some type of entertainment. What if, say, I bought a building, and I wanted to have entertainment on the back side of my building? I can come and ask… we want to get a detour to come through this way, instead of coming straight through town. I’m just saying, for future references and bigger than what’s right now, you don’t know. You might come up, and you might want to do some type of entertainment, but it might not be coming straight through the heart of Rockford. You might knock this building down here, the old building where the cats [were], and make that into something. You never know. I just think for future references, Rockford could grow. It has the potential to grow. If it does, you’re going to run into this same problem again, somebody coming right back in here to talk. If you’ve already got it, we as the council can put the stipulations on it of quiet times at this time, you’ve got to be done and gone by this time. You can make revenue for the city. Small minds…”
Smith said, “I may be wrong, but I don’t think the council does anything that we can’t go back later on and revise, redo, change, because we know things change. That’s inevitable.”
Young said that he was trying to understand the nature of the motion and asked to make sure that Lee was making a motion to develop an entertainment license. Lee said it was to look into the development of one.
Young then asked to clarify that Lee was making a motion to develop an entertainment or lounge license at this time.
“Yes, if we’re even going to go forward with a lounge or entertainment license,” White said.
He said the motion was made by Lee and asked for a second. No second was made, and the motion died for lack of a second.
White then called for a motion to adjourn the meeting, and Young said the town had one other thing on the agenda.
Following Young’s updates, item number seven on the agenda was Glen Fuller about an entertainment license.
“We skipped you, Mr. Fuller; I’m sorry,” White said.
Fuller said, “You didn’t skip me; you just covered it.”
Speaking to Fuller, Ogle said, “You don’t have anything to say? You don’t want to get up and say anything?”
Fuller asked, “Why would I?”
Following that, the meeting was adjourned. The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Rockford Town Council will be held Tuesday, April 16, at 6 p.m.
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Audio from the January and February council meetings are available free for anyone to listen to at our website, www.thecoosacountynews.com. Audio from the March meeting and future meetings will be available to subscribers via the website, as well.
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(For the audio file from this meeting, click here.)
