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McKenzie City Council

Liquor Store Owners Want to Limit Number of Stores

Posted
The McKenzie City Board took action on several items in a short session Thursday night, August 11. The Board unanimously approved to hire Jim Pillow as the “condemnation” consultant. His fee will be based on what he does for each property. He will work with the city’s Condemnation Committee and the process would include obtaining a property warrant to search such properties and a title search to determine the owner. Pillow recently retired from working for the City of Milan in a similar role.
 
Ordinance #548 was unanimously approved changing wording of “public officer” to be “ designated person or persons.” The board also passed a measure allowing members of the Condemnation Committee to be the designated person or persons.
 
David Barksdale and Barry Dillahunty, owners of the two liquor stores in McKenzie, made a presentation requesting the board to allow no more liquor stores in McKenzie. They named several local towns where there were stores that closed for lack of business. They advised Tennessee has no ownership limitation rules but many cities  impose limits.  
McKenzie once had three stores, but now two. Huntingdon had three stores, but now just two. 
 
Council members discussed the matter from a ‘free market’ standpoint as well as other opinions. No action was taken on the matter. Mayor Jill Holland recommended scheduling a workshop to review the existing ordnance and invited Barksdale and Dillahunty to attend when it is scheduled. Holland indicated she would have the city’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service representative and the City Attorney present at the meeting.
 
During department reports, the Police Department reported making 1,017 runs during the previous month while the Fire Department had 29 calls.