There were two split votes during the Tecumseh City Council meeting held Monday, Nov. 7. One of the split votes resulted in a failed motion, while the other still passed. spOKeLAHOMAapplied for a conditional use permit that would allow the sale and consumption of beer on the premises.
The Planning Commission approved the request and the item was placed on the Nov. 7 City Council meeting for public hearing. No attendees spoke against the proposal. Attorney Nick Atwood spoke for spOKeLAHOMA. He said the company would not change the hours of operation, this was strictly for inside the business.
Atwood said, “ spOKeLAHOMA thinks of itself more than a bike shop. It thinks of itself as a gathering place for people to come from the community bikers from either here locally to come from the Shawnee area, or from across the state.”
“There are multiple rides per week that go out of spOKeLAHOMA, at least three that I can think of that I participate in, traditionally, but it’s a growing business,” said Atwood. “Customers that bike want to come and hang out. It’s just not like you’re running into Walmart to get something. . If you go in there you’re gonna spend more than five minutes, probably going to spend 30 minutes and not realize that you’ve been there 30 minutes, because you’re talking, you’re looking, and just having a good time. So through this evolution of their business, one of the things that bike shops across the United States and here in Oklahoma, offer beer to consumers and [this] helps bring in people. These people also spend more money in the community, the conditional use permit is just to sell those beverages during normal business hours.”
The council asked a few questions such as whether the beverage would be served in bottles. The answer was no it would be draft beer. It was also asked if there would be a separate area to serve the alcohol. Again, the answer was no.
Atwood explained that it would be much like in a restaurant where the customer ordered their drink and then could walk around the store while consuming it. It would not be allowed outside.
“We don’t want to have a bar, that’s not our plan,” said owner Craig McIntire. “Okay, so we’re just casual. So if you’ve been in the shop, you’ll know that we have bikes that range in value up to $12,000 to $14,000. So it’s in our own personal interest to make sure that there’s not a bunch of drunks walking around the shop, breaking our stuff. It’s more it’s a very casual thing.”
After a motion was made and seconded and before the vote, Mayor Eddy Parker said, “My concern here is not the alcohol itself. But, I am concerned when it starts consuming because if we open the door up here, then every business down on Broadway Street will be opened up to be able to sell alcoholic beverages.”
“I realize there are other things I have to go through,” said Parker, “but how can we as a council tell them they can’t do it when we let, you know, a bicycle shop do it? I understand we’re all looking for additional revenue. Right now times are tough. You know, give them a Pepsi Cola or an RC or something like that. For me, I just can’t do it because I’m concerned about what it’ll create and what problems it will cause for the community and the citizens, and for the council.”
The motion failed with Council members Linda Farris, John Collier and Mayor Parker voting no.
Farris said she was sure it would be back before the council, but it is not a restaurant and they (spOKeLAHOMA) don’t really have the space to control it, like allowing kids in there. Coller said he agreed with a lot of the reasons stated by Parker.
Sharon Stewart and Don Bradley voted yes. The other split vote was over the contract renewal with Mike Warwick as City Attorney. Bradley and Collier voted no on the motion to approve. Neither were prepared to discuss why at this time, but both said they would in the future. spOKeLAHOMA was also on the agenda for approval to close Broadway while it hosts three different events between December 2022 and June 2023. However, when the agenda item was called, McIntire asked that the board only look at the December event. He said the company would need to reevaluate the February and June events as they required a lot of investment.
The board approved street closure for the December event.
Did you enjoy the City hosted Scarecrow contest? Well get ready for another contest coming up in December.
City Manager Jimmy Stokes reported that the additional half-mile walking trail (at Slick Humphrey Park) is completed and already being used. He also said City Hall will close early on Dec. 8 so employees can get ready for the Christmas Parade.
A resolution was passed for a rebate program for Christmas lighting. It isn’t really a contest this time. But, the first 50 commercial businesses and the first 150 residential customers to apply for the Christmas lighting rebate program will receive a $25 credit on their utility bill. Participants must have the application complete and lights on by December 10.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 5 pm, Monday, Dec. 5 at Tecumseh City Hall.
