By Stephen Dawkins

Beer is for sale in Jemison.
The only thing that might match the excitement of customers at the Exxon near Interstate 65 Exit 219 is the rush of other business owners to get their share of the pie.
Jemison Exxon sold its first alcoholic beverages about 4 p.m. Monday, store owner Chander Arora said. The customer said she was not a beer drinker, Arora said, but wanted to be the first in the city to buy beer.
Arora said Tuesday morning that more than 10 customers had already been by to buy beer, and he pointed out that no advertising had been done.
The number should increase quickly over the coming days and weeks.
American Stop and Shop was given a license at the same time as the Exxon, store owners are working to be able to sell beer at their store.
The Jemison City Council at its Monday meeting granted another business, Sue’s Mart on Highway 191, a license to sell alcohol.
The city license is one of many hoops a business must jump through before it can sell alcohol in Jemison.
“It costs about $1,000 just to get this process completed,” Arora said.
But Arora said he thinks the process will be worth his trouble, estimating alcohol sales could bring in an extra $15,000-$20,000 a month in revenue.
Of course, the state, county and city all get their share of the tax on alcoholic beverages.
As for Jemison, the city’s ordinance is written so that all money generated from the tax on alcohol will go into a fund separate from the city’s general fund.
The alcohol money will be used at the council’s discretion.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council on Monday granted its first two alcohol licenses.
City residents voted on Jan. 12 to allow alcohol sales, and the council passed an ordinance on Jan. 18.
Jemison Exxon, near Interstate 65 Exit 219, and Stop and Shop, on Highway 31 north of Jemison High School, are the first businesses licensed to sell alcohol in city limits.
“Ya’ll just made history,” Mayor Eddie Reed told the council after its unanimous vote.
Before being granted licenses, businesses are scrutinized by Police Chief Shane Fulmer, who runs background checks on the business owners, and Fire Chief John Dennis and Building Inspector Shannon Welch, who both ensure the business is compliant with local and state fire and building codes.
All three officials were present at the meeting and approved granting licenses to the businesses.
Jemison’s ordinance also allows for public debate before licenses are granted, but no one was present at the regularly scheduled meeting at Jemison City Hall to voice opposition.
“This is a historic moment for the city of Jemison,” Reed said. “It’s gone smoothly because we have the people in place.”
In other business, the council:
•Heard a presentation from Diane Calloway about regulations that could apply to the auditorium in the new city hall that is still under construction.
Calloway previously had volunteered to gather information about rental rates and other usage regulations adopted for Helen Jenkins Chapel in Thorsby and Calera Community Center.
The council thanked Calloway for her help and indicated action could be taken on the matter in a future meeting.
•Heard from Dennis about the Alabama Smoke Alarm Initiative, which Jemison will participate in. The state initiative is a way of ensuring all residents have working smoke alarms.

In my honest opinion, I truly believe alcohol sales will be a major help with Jemison’s economic situation.
The business prospective in Jemison will now receive a major boom.
We really need this because now we can bring in our share of fine restaurants.
We will see Jemison now begin growing and become an improvement for Chilton County.
All of this are views from Jonathan Waldrep, a seven-year resident and proud member of Jemison’s society.
Thank you and thanks to Mayor Reed for your hard work and loyalty to Jemison.
– Jonathan Waldrep, Jemison

By Scott Mims

The sale of alcohol is now legal in Jemison, per an ordinance passed unanimously by the city council Monday night.

The ordinance establishes rules and regulations, license fees, license procedures, and punishment for violations. It follows a special municipal election in which the majority of voters favored the legal sale of alcoholic beverages.

For those who are wondering, it will be two to three months before people can actually purchase alcohol in Jemison.

“The process is going to take at least another two months,” Mayor Eddie Reed said. “This just makes it legal. We do not have our applications ready, and people (anyone who wants to sell alcohol) will have to be screened.”

Reed said the ordinance is based on state recommendations handed down from the State ABC Board to the city.

The ordinance becomes effective immediately.

“It’s a well-written article with many controlled factors therein,” Reed said. “Lawyers have looked at it from many areas.”

Anyone who wishes to view the ordinance may do so at City Hall.

In other business, the council voted to purchase playground equipment from Griffen Recreation of Pelham for $62,885.

The new equipment, to be constructed at Jemison City Park, will be handicap-accessible and will include several modern safety features.

The project is being funded by a $30,000 Land and Water Conservation grant through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The city must match that amount.

“This is something the citizens of our community have been asking us to do,” Reed said.

The timeline of construction will depend upon weather.

By Scott Mims

Now that the city of Jemison will go wet, both city leaders and local business owners are preparing for the coming change.
To recap, the results of Tuesday’s special election were as follows: 466 “yes” votes in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages, and 213 “no” votes.
“The people have spoken. They sent a strong message,” Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed said Wednesday.
Reed said the city would work with its attorney and the ABC Board to complete needed paperwork. The mayor didn’t want to put a timeline on how long that process would take.
“We will not estimate (when alcohol will be sold in Jemison),” Reed said.
Kenny Davis of the State ABC Board said when a municipality goes wet, the council must pass ordinances establishing rules and regulations, and determining what type of licenses will be issued.
In the meantime, business owners will have to decide whether they will sell alcohol in their stores or restaurants. Some say the sale of alcoholic beverages will increase their business.
“I think it’s going to be great for Jemison,” said Sue Bolton, owner of Sue’s Mart on Highway 191.
Bolton indicated that several customers had inquired whether or not the store would apply for a license.
Still, others do not plan to take advantage of the change, such as LaMerle Hamm, owner of Piggly Wiggly on Highway 31.
“I will not sell alcohol in my store. I know what it will do for you. It’s against my Christian beliefs,” Hamm said.
North Chilton County’s other municipality, Thorsby, will hold its own wet/dry referendum during June’s primary election.
The Alabama Legislature passed a bill last year allowing some cities and towns in dry counties to put alcohol sales to a vote of the people.
Under the law, any city or town with at least 1,000 residents can hold a wet/dry referendum. To do so, they must collect enough  signatures on a petition.
The number of signatures needed must be at least 30 percent of the number of voters who cast ballots in the municipality’s last election. The new law excludes Maplesville — its population of 672 is below the required 1,000 residents.