City voters still had a few things to say to the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen Monday night, with many supporters of the recent change in the city beer ordinance attending to show their approval of the statute.
Some dissenters also voiced disagreement with the recent action to allow beer to be sold 24-7 and on-premises permits to be issued to eligible businesses.
The ordinance amendment was adopted  by a 3-2 vote on second and final reading at a special called meeting on Dec. 27.
Mayor Jimmy Poss chose not to veto the changes at that meeting, and while he apparently considered casting a veto at the Monday night meeting, a legal consultant for MTAS, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service,  advised the city that since the amendment had already been adopted by the board and signed by the mayor a veto was no longer possible.
Among those showing up to support the decision was Smithville resident Sherry Bush, who told the aldermen that she approves of some board members’ resolve to do the right thing for the city’s financial future,
"I just want to say as I look at this board, I know all of you,” Bush said. “For the most part, you have grown up here, gone to school here, and made the choice to come back here, raise your children here and start your businesses or your professions here.
“I am filled with pride that DeKalb County and Smithville can produce such high-quality people,” she continued. “I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that I appreciate what you are doing here. Your goals and the hopes that you put in us that we will see our city grow and prosper. I just want to say thank you.”
Several others came forward to voice approval of the action.
"I just want to thank the board for having the courage to make good financial decisions. Thank you so much,” resident Nancy O'Neil told the board.
City property owner Randy Paris told the aldermen that he appreciated their willingness to put business first,
"I want to thank the board too,” Paris said. “It’s great having business people making good decisions. Revenues have been left on the table for a long time. No one has ever sought to go after it. I admire the mayor and board of aldermen. Thanks. I appreciate it," Paris concluded.
Business owner and resident Robin Driver also praised the aldermen who voted for the amendment.
 "I have been here all my life,” Driver said. “My family on both sides have been here since the 1700s or 1800s, and I am very proud to call Smithville my home.
“That's the reason I chose to stay here in my adult life and start my businesses here,” he continued. “I'm very proud to see a commission who is willing to take a stand and do something to move this county and city forward. We have Center Hill Lake, one of the largest resort destinations in this area with 1.8 million people a year who come here. These people bring revenue to our businesses. They bring revenue to our county and they expect certain things when they come here. I would like to say we appreciate you. I have spoken to many, many business owners who are not able to be here tonight but you have the unanimous support of almost every business owner I have spoken to. I want to thank you for doing something progressive and doing something that needed to be done a long time ago. We're the only county of all the counties that join us that haven't done this a long time ago. It will bring business to this community. It will bring business to this city. And it will bring tax dollars,"  Driver opined.
Former alderman Steve White voiced his dissaproval of the vote.
"One of the big things I can't understand is why this board would just disregard the City of Smithville's voters who voted twice in the last six months not to expand the sale of alcohol and not to add alcohol in restaurants," White said. "Gayla (Hendrix), Jason (Murphy), you still have the opportunity to change your vote and to rescind your vote from the special meeting. Until the minutes are passed and approved, you still have the opportunity to change your vote. Mayor, you have the opportunity to veto. You do have that option. This is fact and the facts will stand when all the underlying of greed and evils are gone. I just beg of you to make the right decision on that. I don't think anybody in here has any doubt what the right decision is," White said.
Resident Michael Pinegar reiterated his position that increased hours will not bring a large increase in tax revenue and would only cause local police more problems.
"We're talking about revenue again,” Pinegar said. “I gave you figures last week. The max you'll get is $50,000 and you'll never sell a million beers, I don't think, even with these tourists coming in.
“The main thing is the greed. Another figure that I've looked up is on one keg of beer, which I think these men back here, that's their main thing is their greed and wanting to line their pockets. On a keg of beer, they can get 165 12-ounce cups of beer. Usually in Cookeville, they will bring $2.50 so that means they are making over $2 per beer profit. That is the main reason why they're wanting this.”
After the public was given a chance to vent, the minutes from the last regular meeting on Dec. 17 and the special meeting on Dec. 27  were adopted.