CALEDONIA — Caledonia aldermen are taking a request for a local restaurant to sell beer on Sundays under advisement.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, board members heard from Leslie Carnathan, owner of Mi Toro Restaurant.
Carnathan said she has enjoyed being in the town the past six months, and the town has a lot of potential.
“I would like to talk about a variance to the city’s ordinance to allow the sale of beer in our restaurant on Sundays. The economy has affected the restaurant business throughout,” she said.
By allowing the restaurant to sell beer on Sundays and throughout the week, Carnathan said her business would be able to compete with other restaurants.
“It would keep people in Caledonia from going to other restaurants,” she said.
The Caledonia beer ordinance was revised in 1983, Board Attorney Jeff Smith pointed out, and only allows sale of beer at retail establishments if "sold hot," and no beer can be consumed on the premises of the establishment.
Additionally, beer cannot be sold within 1,500 feet of a school or church.
Town Clerk Judy Whitcomb said the only business in Caledonia allowed to sell beer is Cal City Grocery.
“It is sold there all week,” she said.
Carnathan noted communities such as Corinth and Tupelo have variances in their ordinances.
On Mayor George Gerhart’s recommendation, Alderman Quinn Parham made a motion to take the matter under advisement.
Other business
In other business the Caledonia board:
Took bids for sidewalk work in town under advisement.
Heard from Alderman Mike Savage about plans to implement a flag football league in Caledonia.
“It is for 16-year-olds, and is a non-contact league. It will be a good thing for our kids,” he said.
Approved allowing Whitcomb to attend a clerk’s conference in Jackson Dec. 16-18.
Whitcomb gave a report on Caledonia Day activities, held Oct. 24. She reported an income of $13,605.30, and expenses of $8,622.57.
“We made a profit of $4,980.72. We made $2,687.70 on t-shirt sales,” she said.
Discussed plans for the upcoming Christmas Parade.
Allen Baswell is a staff reporter for The Dispatch
caledonian | 11/4/2009 11:57:00 AMmark as inappropriate Um, I live in Caledonia and was not aware that Mi Toro was allowed to sell beer at all, much less on a Sunday. I do hope we as Caledonians do not stoop to the level of other towns just to bring in a few little dollars. I personally know of people that take their church groups there on Sundays after church and I don't think they would appreciate the presence of beer especially in front of our children. Caledonia I think we need to think long and hard about this one. Mayor Gerhart think hard and don't let our town down.
mark | 11/4/2009 1:37:00 PMmark as inappropriate Get off your high horse. Most of the Caledonians drive to columbus to eat sunday's and have a cold beer with their food.. I guess you don't mind crapping someone elses backyard, just not your beloved yard. As for the mayor , I believe he showed his good ole boy colors with the Holliman mess. As for your children why shelter them, it will surgar coat the real world around us. Let them make their own minds up and if you teach them well, then they will make the right decisions. I personally know of a Deacon of a local church the partakes of some of our honkey tonks on saturday afternoons, but does that make him a bad person....NO! Welcome to the real world where everyone is a sinner including you sitting in church sunday mornings, remeber that is why Jesus died on the cross for our sins! Have a nice day!
ted | 11/4/2009 2:54:00 PMmark as inappropriate Doesn't Caledonia only have one red light? Who cared about beer sales there? Just drive 3 minutes down the road to a store.
mr c | 11/4/2009 7:55:00 PMmark as inappropriate Let them sell the beer. The town needs the revenue and we need to move forward.
IIS | 11/4/2009 10:00:00 PMmark as inappropriate Drunkeness is a sin regardless of what the deacon does. WE do not have to answer to a mayor or deacon but to God. Anyway isn't Mi tora within 1500 feet from a church. I guess if they pass this beer sale, Mi tora will just have to relocate!!!
mark | 11/5/2009 1:14:00 AMmark as inappropriate Let's pace it off to see if it is 1,501 feet!
Abe | 11/5/2009 3:44:00 AMmark as inappropriate I treat mi toro as my church. I have literally never seen anyone in mi toro drunk. Ever. People go to bars and parties to get lit up. People go to mi toro to eat the best Mexican food in town. And with all do respect to the owners, operators and employees of mi toro it is not the ideal local hot spot to catch your favorite team on Sunday while drinking a couple of bottles of your favorite brewski.....especially in caledonia. I assure you the percentage in rapes and pillaging will be no greater if this ordinance is passed.
Lance | 11/5/2009 9:18:00 AMmark as inappropriate That is why I am pretty sure I want to get away from the southern baptist church and any church with similar beliefs. They wont drink a beer, but they will run your name into the ground if you do. Judging is a sin too. Another thing that gets me is when you have someone that weighs 400 pounds preaching about sin. Gluttony too my friends, gluttony too
caledonian | 11/5/2009 11:52:00 AMmark as inappropriate I can not believe what I just read! Never in a million years would I have thought I would hear such junk coming from this little town. And Mark, you, my friend, you can get off of your high horse. I am pretty sure that the church that is right outside Mi Toro's front door is 1,500 ft or less. IF you were living here when the restaurant was called the Caledonia Roadhouse, you will remember that its owners tried to sell wine and beer and were not allowed to do so beacause of the church being too close. So if you want to drink a beer with your food, go to Columbus. Or better yet YOU can relocate, cause Caledonia doesn't need you!
Lance | 11/5/2009 2:11:00 PMmark as inappropriate Caledonian, you are a perfect example of what drives people away from Christianity. You get too caught up in what your "religion" teaches and don't place enough emphasis on faith. God wants fruits of the spirit, not religious nuts.
mark | 11/5/2009 3:11:00 PMmark as inappropriate Caledonian, I fought for this country so people like you can have freedom of speech,have a nice day! By the way i was living here and that restaurant didnt survive. The people of caledonia could save fuelby not having to drive so far. lol.
IIS | 11/5/2009 3:59:00 PMmark as inappropriate Saying that someone drove you away from Christ isn't going to be a very good excuse on Judgement Day.
Lance | 11/5/2009 4:51:00 PMmark as inappropriate Not leading anyone to God's saving grace because you were too busy judging them will not look good either.
Mark | 11/6/2009 1:21:00 AMmark as inappropriate Caledonian you are right, Caledonia doesn't need me but needs more upstanding people like the ones that have made the headlines from Caledonia for the past year! ie...murders,meth lab owners,old money.
KT | 11/10/2009 1:34:00 PMmark as inappropriate Holy Cow !!! you all would be perfect candidates for our local office!!!!
