Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
James Carroll speaks before the Leeds City Council. Photo by Nathan Prewett.
LEEDS, Ala.–The Leeds City Council heard from a prospective bar owner whose liquor license request was denied a vote of the council by Mayor David Miller due to a city ordinance during its regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 5.
The space once belonged to Lynn’s Office Lounge, which had been closed for a number of years until James Carroll purchased it to reopen it as a cocktail lounge.
Carroll said that he had been working with the city “in good faith” in making it a reality and that he had a variance that was accepted.
But recently he received a letter from Miller that declined his request to have the city vote on whether or not to allow him a license due to the space being in a certain proximity to a church and a library.
Carroll said that he had not been told about the policy as he worked with the city. He asked Miller if the council could make an exception to the rule, to which Miller said that that could not be done. Miller went on to say that while Leeds has had a beer hall there has never been a cocktail lounge.
Carroll said that Lynn’s Office had been a cocktail lounge and served hard liquor but Miller said that it had either never served liquor or if it did it was illegal.
Carroll insisted that the former lounge had indeed served liquor and Councilman Eric Turner said that Lynn’s had been allowed to serve it during a past city function. Carroll further insisted that when he first began two years ago he stated that he intended to open it as a cocktail lounge.
The ordinance prohibits serving hard liquor within 500 feet of buildings such as churches and libraries, but this could be changed, Miller said.
“The problem that we’ve got right now that we face is that the ordinance says that you can’t do it,” he stated. “And it says that the council cannot amend that ordinance, so I would say that the only way forward for [Carroll] to have hard liquor there would be if the council rewrites that ordinance.
City Attorney Johnny Brunson confirmed that was a viable option.
Miller stated that the council or city attorneys can draft a new ordinance that limits the restrictions. Turner said that a draft could be written by the next meeting, to which city attorney Scott Barnett said that he would.
Prior to that discussion, resident Shannon Edwards spoke about the American Legion Post 107 in Leeds. She had previously spoken about it at the last meeting and criticized the post, accusing the manager of mistreating veterans and committing illegal activities. Speaking after her then was Donnie Hughes, saying that her accusations were untrue.
At the latest meeting Edwards claimed that the manager of the post was under investigation for money laundering, running slot machines and for their federal tax returns. When she began speaking further Miller interrupted and said that it was “not something that the city will be involved in,” advising her to speak with a lawyer if there is a criminal complaint.
She then asked about an incident that reportedly took place two years ago about slot machines that were seized by police She said that she had heard that an officer involved in the seizure had been dismissed from the force and asked Miller if that was true, to which he said “Not to my knowledge.”
Also speaking during public comments was Jon Bryant, who disputed a code violation notice he was given. After some discussion he was advised to resolve the issue with City Inspector Patrick Smith.
In other business the council:
- Canceled the Sept. 3 meeting due to being close to Labor Day
- Approved the 2025 council meeting calendar,
- Declared municipal property to be surplus and authorized its sale,
- Declared a property on Mountain View Lane to be unsafe,
- Approved an extension of 60 days for repairs on a property on Katherine Street,
- Accepted a $232,000 bid for traffic signals on the I-20 Eastbound ramp,
- Authorized the purchase of public safety software for $16,907, and
- Approved the purchase of IT and cyber security services.
Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of every month at City Hall on 1400 9th Street Northeast. Agenda packets can be seen online at the City of Leeds website.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.
