Councilwoman Tindall opposes ’16 days of alcohol’ on 4th St. Sq.

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
A weekly outside beer garden on the city’s Fourth Street Square for the Bayou Grill and the BooVille weekend of alcohol-related events on the square were approved by the Belleville City Council on Monday.
But, the votes were 3-1, with Councilwoman Kim Tindall voting no to what she called 16 days of alcohol on the city square. Councilman Tom Fielder was absent. Voting yes were Mayor Pro Tem Jack Loria, Councilman Tom Smith, and Mayor Kerreen Conley.
The beer garden will run in concert with the Monday car shows on Main Street sponsored by the Bayou Grill. The beer gardens are approved for 5-9 p.m., July 21-Sept. 29.
Brian Copsey of the Bayou said he plans a total of 12 outside alcohol events, 11 for the car show and one for BooVille.
He presented a drawing to the council showing four-foot sections of wrought iron fencing set in concrete footings, 20’x20’, with the bar and tables and chairs inside, all in the center of the square. The opening to the beer garden will face the Bayou, with security at the entry.
Security will check IDs for entry and monitor, with the bartender, for safety and liquor law compliance, Copsey indicated on the drawing. Those entering will get wrist bands.
It will be a walk-up bar with aluminum bottles, Copsey said. He said the fence will be taken down each Monday night and put up the next Monday.
“We all know how I feel about turning Fourth Street Square into a beer garden,” said Councilwoman Tindall, before voting against it.
Then, came Bryan Suliman’s proposal for the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce’s part of the BooVille weekend on the square. He said the tent will go up on the square at noon on Oct. 24 and the Monster Mash Masquerade Ball with a disc jockey will run from 6 to 11 p.m. There will be a mask contest and raffle, and refreshments to be announced later.
“Adult refreshments?” Tindall asked and Suliman replied, “Likely.”
“Another beer garden,” Tindall said.
Bill Wolters, president of the Central Business community, rose to tell about the BooVille events planned for Saturday, Oct. 25, on the square.
He said Karen Mida of CAP5 is interested in putting on the planned pancake breakfast under the tent that morning to earn money for the nonprofit group. That will probably run from 8 a.m. to noon, he said.
There will be a minor farmer’s market from 8-11 a.m. and children’s activities from noon to 4 p.m., with refreshments by A&W.
From 6 to 11 p.m. there will be adult activities, including movies, raffle, and refreshments by the Bayou Grill.
“More adult refreshments,” stated Tindall.
Wolters said they may have several movies to show the kids since he doesn’t know how long their attention spans will be.
“Don’t know how long adult attention span is either, with adult drinks,” Tindall said.
“The city really needs a good fricking chili cook-off,” said Copsey in an aside, adding the CBC is good at organizing events and could organize that.
“Gumbo we’ve got locked in,” Copsey bragged. “With chili you’ll have a chance.”
Claudia Roulette, who started the Belleville Community Chorus and is a part of the group, said the chorus will present events on Sunday, Oct. 26, of BooVille week end.
From 6 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, they plan a “Black Magic Ball” with music by the chorus and Blue Steel Jazz Band from the Community Band. She said they plan music from the 1940s with Egan’s Pub serving refreshments, CBC offering pop and water, and the chorus providing snacks.
“This is by no means against BooVille,” said Tindall in beginning further remarks. She said her problem was with 16 alcoholic events at the Fourth Street Square.
Mayor Kerreen Conley said this was 16 opportunities to bring people downtown.
“It’s 16 times to have to be 21 years old to come,” Tindall said. “I’d like to bring people of all ages downtown.” She said now they will have a beer garden in the city square over once a month.
“I’m not against BooVille,” Tindall repeated, adding she was against 16 days of alcohol programming.
Mike Renaud said from the audience that in visiting other small towns, he has found most of the evening activities for adults include alcohol.
“I don’t like using city property for alcohol-based events,” Tindall stated.
“It’s not alcohol-based, it’s music-based,” Roulette said of the chorus’ plans.
Because some of the plans are a little sketchy now, the council voted, 3-1, only to grant the BooVille events exclusive use of the Fourth Street Square from noon Friday to 11 p.m. Sunday for that week end, with specific times for events due to be presented at the second council meeting in September.
Mayor Pro Tem Loria said by getting specific times they can hold the groups to them.
“We’re trying to get away from what happened at Strawberry Festival,” Loria said.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
• Approved setting a work/study session at 6:30 p.m., July 16, at City Hall to discuss the proposed sign ordinance. Present will be members of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Downtown Development Authority;
• Approved setting a work/study session for 6 p.m. July 21 at City hall for a Healthcare Educational presentation;
• Discussed the specifications to be sent out for bids for refuse/recycling pickup. There are several options for the bidders to consider;
• Forwarded updates to the Special Events Ordinance to a subcommittee made up of Councilmen Fielder and Tom Smith, along with DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson. They were asked to bring a recommendation back to the Sept. 2 council meeting;
• Discussed updates to an Animal Control Ordinance update and set up a subcommittee of Councilwoman Tindall, Mayor Pro Tem Loria, Police Chief Hal Berriman, City Manager Diana Kollmeyer, and Veterinarian Dr. Yvonne Craiger. A recommendation to the council is expected Sept. 15;
• Discussed possible updates to the Snow/Ice Removal Ordinance and Policy and set a subcommittee of Mayor Conley, Councilman Fielder, City Manager Kollmeyer, and anyone else who wants to weigh in. The recommendation to the council is due Sept. 15;
• Heard Democratic candidates for State Representative, Kristy Pagan and Natalie Mosher, introduce themselves and ask everyone to vote for them for the position being vacated by Diane Slavens;
• Heard Brian Blackburn ask questions on fountains, bridge repair, and a dead pine tree at Victoria Commons;
• Heard Renaud say he saw a large crowd in Horizon Park on Saturday with someone barbecuing in the gazebo area. He wondered if barbecuing was allowed there and he was told it isn’t. Tindall added that there are a lot of the decorative ropes down at the park and in two spaces there are no ropes at all;
• Approved the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: Blue Ribbon for pavement replacement, $1,960; Davenport for water repair, $1,350; Hennessey Engineers, for S-2 project $4,573 and for Columbia Center inspections $1,986 and for inspection $5,144.50; and to Valentine Tree Service $1,200 for brush removal at Horizon Park (paid by DDA); and
• Went into closed-door session to discuss the status and strategy of pending union negotiations.