Board grants beer permits
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By: Melissa Kinton
Source: The Monroe County Advocate
01-09-2006

The Tellico Plains Board of Mayor and Aldermen met as the town's beer board
on Thursday and voted to give Bistro By The River a beer permit. Mayor Roger
Powers said the business already had a beer permit from the county and when
the town annexed it, he considered its license essentially grandfathered-in.

Someone suggested the board couldn't honor the permit because the "Serenity
Chapel," a gazebo at one end of the Bistro parking lot overlooking the
Tellico River, was a church. Establishments that sell beer can't be located
too close to churches or schools. But it was decided that the "Serenity
Chapel" is not a church because it does not have a charter or members. As
the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the group agreed that it would cost the
town less in the long run to return $12,747 in COPS grant money than to hire
the full-time officer the grant would require.

The grant money would pay half of the officer's salary for one year but the
town would be required to pick up the other half and the full salary for one
year after the grant expires. That could cost up to $36,000. If it did hire
another full-time police officer, the town could save some money by using
less part-time and auxiliary police officers but it was not disclosed how
much money could be saved.

The board also passed the second reading of the state's rules of the road,
something it had to do to continue to hold a local traffic court.

Tellico Plains Chamber of Commerce President Gary Balser submitted a letter
thanking everyone who helped make the town's annual Candlelight Walk a
success. In the letter, the group requested the town put up more holiday
lighting in the downtown area before the event, do something about dogs
running loose in town, and that all town representatives attend public
events. A group of citizens from Ball Play returned to ask for clean water.
Representatives from some 25 or 30 residences located outside the town's
corporate limits said their well water is not fit to drink and again asked
to tap into Tellico Plains' water supply. They were turned away in December
when not enough board members were present to hold the monthly meeting.

So the group went to U.S. Rep. John Duncan Jr. who agreed to help them find
money to finance the water lines. "If y'all can get the grant we'll do the
paperwork," said Powers. "If there's any way possible, we'll help you." The
town's water department agreed to look at the area in question and get an
estimate on how much it would cost to install water lines to the homes. It
could be about four miles of new lines. The board will have a workshop with
its auditor on Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the community center. It is open to
the public. The next Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting will be Thursday,
Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. in the community center.

Melissa Kinton may be reached at mcanews7@... or 337-7101.