City Returns To Hotel/Motel Lounge Proposal

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

Directly before the City of Trenton Board of Commissioner’s July 14 meeting, the commission met as the city’s alcohol board to discuss one underage sale. During the Trenton Police Department’s May 30 sting operation, only one of nine stores that sell alcohol made a sale to an underage buyer.

The store was Vic’s Wine and Spirits which also made a sale during the August 2024 sting operation. Dylon Floyd (Trenton Police Department captain) reported the employee was issued a citation.

The department also checked The Vapory which also sold to an underage buyer and was issued a citation. The owner has since also closed that business. “I think she got tired of us checking her,” said Floyd.

The owners of Vic’s Wine and Spirits reported that they updated their system after the August 2024 sting so that instead of just checking yes or no, their clerks must scan IDs or manually enter the date of birth.

They said that the clerk involved in this May’s instance has years of experience as a clerk at other stores, four years of experience working for them in particular, and has never been issued a warning before. They trust her and said she simply read the wrong year on the license.

Floyd vouched for them as well, saying the store has been cooperative, the clerk did check the ID, and he believes it was a simple mistake. All of the commissioners agreed that this was an accident, so the store will not face any further punishments.

During the regular meeting, Alex Case (mayor) explained the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing (GICH) Program to the commission. He said that the county approved forming a GICH team and presented a resolution for the city to partner with the county on the program. The commission approved the resolution.

Next, the commission approved moving forward with becoming the issuing authority to approve projects that fall under the “Model Soil Erosion, Sedimentation And Pollution Control Ordinance.” The ordinance is not new, but Case explained that the county had been the issuing authority, but Ted Rumley (previous county executive) was the only one who had the capability to approve projects. He did not say why Don Townsend (county executive) does not have the same capabilities that Rumley had.

Mike Norris (police commissioner) read the police report. In June, the Trenton Police Department answered 164 calls for service, conducted 1,226 business checks, answered four animal complaints, responded to 24 suspicious activity calls, and worked 21 traffic crashes. From 69 traffic stops, 48 citations were issued.

Norris also reported that the police department drafted a list of offenses for those who serve/sell alcohol without a license and/or without wearing a city-issued ID/badge. (See the June 18 Sentinel.) If the commission approves the list at next month’s meeting, the city’s attorney will take it from there.

Tobacco and vape sales fall under state laws, so Norris said the department couldn’t address those in this list.

Terry Powell (parks/animal control commissioner) reported that the city had four animal control work orders in the month of June.

He also reported that in response to last year’s request from seniors for a longer pool season, the city pool will be open for an additional seven days. Originally, it was scheduled to close on Aug. 6, but the city was able to find lifeguards to have the pool open Aug. 7-8 and 11-15 from 10-11:45 a.m. for seniors only.

Lucretia Houts (fire and utility commissioner) reported that the Trenton Fire Department answered 106 calls in June, 13 of which were fire related and 54 of which were canceled en route.

During his report, Case invited Ryan Faircloth (owner of The Groovy Nomad) to give another explanation of the proposed ordinance change that would allow hotels and motels to have a lounge. (See the May 21 Sentinel). Case and Faircloth were frustrated that none of the commissioners reached out, asked questions, or thoroughly discussed the proposal before deciding to table it last month.

Faircloth made his case, highlighting that local restaurants close at 9 p.m. but wedding guests and tourists often look for a place to relax together and get a drink after 9 p.m.

Case reported that a hotel chain is interested in building in Trenton, but the investor also asked about a hospitality/lounge section.

Case seemed in favor of the ordinance change because of the increased revenue for the city (through alcohol sales and hotel/motel tax funds if a new hotel comes to town). He said, “I don’t want taxes to go up on our people, and the best way to do that is sales.”

Norris in particular explained that he is against the idea, citing the existing restaurants that serve alcohol as options for guests, but Faircloth reiterated the early closing hours.

During Citizens Participation, the Sentinel asked if the ordinance would apply for the Days Inn as well. The commission said it would. However, Faircloth followed up on the matter and found that lounges are not part of the typical Days Inn brand.

The Sentinel also asked Norris what circles of people he had talked to about the topic. (Last month, he said that he didn’t think people wanted the change.) He said that most everyone he talked to was concerned that a lounge would turn into a bar, but one person saw the potential benefit of a chain hotel coming to town.

Houts and Powell did not offer any input when asked. Wooten promised to think on the matter and read through Faircloth’s proposal over the next month.

The Sentinel also asked if anyone could enter the lounges or if they’re for guests only. The answer is that anyone could enter, but Faircloth said that his staff would be trained to maintain a classy, peaceful environment.

Next, Case highlighted the puppy mill case and said he holds himself responsible and the city should hold itself responsible. “We’ve got new trigger signs that our law enforcement, building and zones, and animal control will know, and working more diligently with the Department of Agriculture on these issues…There’s an old saying, if you see something, say something, and I want everybody in our city to know they can come to the commissioners, ourselves, our officers, and we’re going to look into [cases] legally as much as we can.”

He asked the commissioners to take time to read the proposed animal ordinance changes.

Case said he’s seen comments online from people who feel that the resources going toward animal care could be better spent helping children and elderly people, so he encouraged those who feel that way to donate to and volunteer with human welfare causes the same way animal lovers are donating to and volunteering with animal welfare causes.

A new report on the monthly agenda is one from Emily Richards about the Trenton-Dade Animal Center, and she also touched on the puppy mill case. “I have worked hoarding cases, I’ve seen animal cruelty, I’ve seen animal neglect…What I have not seen is the police chief working right alongside me and getting his hands dirty and treating animals with compassion and love. I’ve never seen the mayor on his hands and knees in muck with me setting a trap for a dog. It feels great to know that the people in the city are ready to start addressing this problem.”

Richards said that without Luck’s Rescue, we would still be unaware of the truth of what was going on inside that house. She disagreed with Case that the city bears full responsibility for this case because the current ordinances don’t address the issues at play.

She also presented the commissioners with an updated list of animal fees (adoption, reclaiming, vaccination, etc.) to be voted on at an upcoming meeting.

The board entered executive session to discuss an employee matter and a property purchase. After the session, Case announced the hiring of Richards as the permanent animal control director. She had been an interim part-time employee, but she will now hold full-time hours.

As for property, the city was approached by the American Legion Post about the building inside Jenkins Park (known commonly as the Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts building). It’s grown difficult for the legion to keep up maintenance of the building, so the city agreed to purchase it from the legion for $5,000.