The Pittsboro board of aldermen was informed Tuesday night prospects for a package store look good, just prior to Mayor Reda Bullard expressing her frustration with a particular legislator that killed the town’s ability to sell beer.
Reda Bullard
“(Sen.) Joey Fillingane is the reason we can’t get beer here,” Mayor Bullard told the board. “He didn’t want his town to be able to sell beer so he intentionally left it out of the bill.”
Bullard was referring to the legislative bill two years ago that created an exemption for county seats to hold referendums on liquor. Most legislators, according to numerous reports, thought the bill also included beer, but after Pittsboro’s election in favor of legalizing the sale of beer, it was learned beer was not included in the legislation. Bullard said after talks with local legislators, it was confirmed Fillingane was the reason.
She ranted in the meeting about her frustration with “a single legislator holding everything up and blocking the will of the people.”
“I’m sick of it,” she said. “He’s saying the people in his town are too stupid to decide if they want to sell beer or not. That’s just wrong.”
Alderman Jimmy Franklin took issue with the state putting any population limits on what towns could sell alcohol, calling it “discriminatory.”
In a related matter, board attorney Ben Suber said it’s now legal to open a package store in Pittsboro. “You just have to go through the application process with the state.”
Suber said several people have contacted him about what is required to open a store and he directed them to the state application process.
In other news, Fire Chief Gayle Bullard told the board the Department of Insurance has notified him the $70,000 grant from the state is now available for the town if they are interested in pursuing a new fire truck again. “The town needs to decide if they’re going to try again for the new truck or the grant will be given to another town,” Chief Bullard said.
When the town advertised for bids last year, the cheapest fire truck was $202,000. The town would have to finance the remaining $132,000.
The board agreed to look into finance options.