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Commentary

Beer Law One Symptom Of City’s Many Problems

Commentary

By Jack Gurner

“What is the big deal with beer in this town.”

That’s a quote from Amos Harvey, but it could be attributed to a number of people who just don’t seem to get it.

Harvey, a brewer and operations manager at Yalobusha Brewery, appeared before the city board April 7 to comment on the recently “tweaked” city beer ordinance.

Harvey is a native Mississippian who has been around. He traveled the country and parts of the world in his previous career in the music promotion business. Apparently, he hasn’t been to many places where so much effort has been exerted to stifle the sale and consumption of beer, especially in light of the lopsided pro beer vote in 2007.

So, at the meeting, Harvey read his concerns about the ordinance and got into a discussion with city board attorney John Crow. Afterwards, a number of people who witnessed the exchange were upset about the way Crow talked to Harvey. I’m not going to comment on that. You can listen to that segment of the meeting and form your own opinion. Audio of the 24-minute appearance by Harvey is available online at: https://sound-cloud.com/jack-gurner/water-valley-miss-city-board-april-7-2015 or you can view the meeting via local cable television. There will be a clickable link on our website and on Facebook.

What I am going to comment on is the big deal about beer. It’s really very simple, the mayor and board believe that the common folks can’t handle their beer. And, if the common folks are given too much access to brew, there will be big problems. It doesn’t help that there are always people out there to prove them right. But, there is dissension in the ranks. Alderman Larry Bell said he thinks beer should be sold cold. Another alderman privately voiced concerns in the past. I wish he would speak out as well.

The ordinance is overreaching and intended to give the city officials the power to micro-manage the sale and consumption of beer and light wine. That translates to control from that small group of the morally high-minded who believe they know what is best for all of us. They don’t represent the whole city or even a very large segment. The problem with moral crusaders is who is watching their morals while they crusade.

There is also an element of nostalgia about not wanting to see Water Valley change. The truth is, that Water Valley never existed. Those of us who grew up during the 1950s and 60s thought we lived in Mayberry. But, we were the lucky ones. We lived a sheltered existence protected from the evils of the world by our parents and the other adults who watched over us. I suspect they also miss the good old days when a man knew to keep his mouth shut. At one time a citizen could be blocked from even attending a city board meeting.

What bothers me is that the emphasis on beer has overshadowed some of the other problems in Water Valley. For example, last year while the city flexed its clean-up muscle before Watermelon Carnival, you could drive through town and see houses that were and still are disaster areas. Some are right in the entrance ways to the city. We have an ordinance to cover such blight. Why don’t we enforce it?

Public safety is another issue. Alderman at-large Donald Gray alluded to that during the beer discussion when he commented, “Our police chief and our limited police force are certainly not going to go around looking for something like that.” referring to a hypothetical beer enforcement situation.

It is not secret that in recent years the  WVPD is working with limited manpower. A couple of former cops have said that the department is operating with several officers less than optimum level and part-timers are being hired to fill slots.

Perhaps Mayor Larry Hart will address some of the city’s problems during the annual state of the city address Thursday night at the Chamber of Commerce banquet. Maybe he’ll explain to city employees why they won’t be seeing a pay raise anytime soon. Or, why the city spent $300,000-plus in local and federal funds to build an airport hangar when a private citizen wanted to build one. Or why the city depends on grant money to make infrastructure repairs. But, don’t count on it.

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