By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore City Council members approved during their Monday, July 10, meeting the transfer of the alcoholic beverage licenses for the first two local stores sold recently by Atmore-based Diamond Gasoline to Midstates Petroleum of Vernon.
The full council also granted a rezoning request, awarded a bid for improvements to the local airport, approved the application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), appointed a new member to the Zoning Board and approved a three-month, six-race series of remote-control car competitions on city property.
Council members gave the green light to transfers of the ABC licenses held by Chevron Diamond 23 and Diamond Shell 24, both located near Interstate 65, to Atmore Convenience 1.
Those stores were among 20 gas station-convenience stores across Southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida (five in Atmore) sold in June by the Atmore company to Midstates, which now owns the stores but is leasing them to a local group.
There was a brief holdup in the transaction while the particulars of the license transfers were being worked out. Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board officials finally granted an extension, and the business deal was consummated on June 13.
According to Alabama law, “any alcoholic beverage license may be transferred once in any license year from one location to another, within the same governing jurisdiction, upon approval by the ABC Board,” or it can be transferred “from one licensee to another person, corporation or association for that particular location,” once in any license year, also upon approval by the ABC Board.
In other business, the council:
*Passed an ordinance amending the city zoning map by reclassifying Trammell Square from Downtown Business, to General Business. Codes Enforcement Officer Chris Black told the council the proposed amendment had been published in local newspapers and all property owners within 300 feet had been notified. There was no opposition, he said.
*Awarded a bid of $1,429,753 to S.C. Stagner Contracting of Mobile for construction of six new hangars at Atmore Municipal Airport.
*Approved a resolution to apply for a CDBG grant to clear ditches and improve drainage in the city’s northwest sector.
*Approved a request from Atmore RC to hold six races on the Rivercane property located behind Taco Bell and Hardee’s. The events are scheduled for July 15 and 29, August 12 and 26, and September 9 and 23.
*Appointed Charles Johnson to replace Judd Coley on the Atmore Zoning Board.