City OK’s bar’s special events request
A local sports bar will now be able to offer extended hours five times a year.
The Edna City Council voted Thursday night to allow Charlie’s Sports Bar and Grill to serve alcohol until 1 a.m. five times a year. The sports bar, located at 119 E. Main St. in downtown Edna, currently is open Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owner Tiffany Laredo told city council members and Mayor Lance Smiga that she would like to have the ability to stay open until 1 a.m. a few times a year for special events such as the Super Bowl, Halloween, or big UFC fight nights when the main fight doesn’t happen until after 11 p.m.
“Right now, we try to close by midnight,” Laredo said in response to a question from councilman Cippi Palacios. “On a special event type of night, it would be nice to be able to serve a little bit past that. That still allows us time to properly close tabs and not be such a rush trying to get everyone out the door.”
City Attorney Jake Srp advised the council to consider how any changes to the license of one business might set a precedent for similar requests by others in the future, particularly if an establishment sought later hours on a regular basis.
After brief discussion, the council voted to allow Charlie’s Sports Bar and Grill to stay open five times a year to serve alcohol up to 1 a.m.
In addition, Edna Little League President Kris Crenshaw asked the council to consider changes to the city’s annual contract with the Little League that would extend the contract to 10 years at Shelby Park and allow the organization to have control of the park and the concession stand.
A long-term contract opens the door for grant funding for improvements to the park since the foundations offering grant money like to see longer-term commitment and continuity, Crenshaw explained.
“Most grants you’re awarded, you have to maintain for a minimum amount of time, so we’ve run out of a lot of opportunities (being under a oneyear contract),” Crenshaw said. The Little League would like to take over maintenance and just sub-contract with Edna ISD to allow the school to continue playing its high school baseball and softball games there, he said, while taking over year-round maintenance to the fields and facilities.
No action was taken on the request. Instead, Smi- ga said that the city should meet with the Little League and school district officials to come up with a plan for Shelby Park.
In other business, the council: Approved the minutes of the Dec. 5 meeting; Approved the interlocal agreement between Jackson County and the City of Edna regarding the Texas General Land Office Regional Mitigation Program; Approved changing names on the City of Edna bank accounts at Prosperity Bank (to reflect changes of employees); Declared assorted city assets as surplus and authorized the sale through
bid process; Approved an estimated $25,000 worth of repairs needed for the city’s Gradall; Approved payment of current bills; and Heard city staff reports.
