Commissioners meet in special session

Application fees, distance limits set for sale of alcohol

The Angelina County Commissioners Court met in special session on Tuesday November 21 to decide on several agenda items.

The first item dealt with setting the price of an application fee for local businesses to sell beer and wine on their establishments.

The county could legally charge half the price of the permit set at $60.

County Clerk Joann Chastain asked that a processing fee of $23 be added onto the $30 application fee. Chastain clarified that this charge was a normal processing charge for all applications that come through her office and not something specifically tagged on to the alcohol permit applications.

The commissioners added the requested fee onto the application fee and the item was passed.

The second item was in regard to setting distance limits for businesses that wish to sell beer and wine in the county in relation to certain structures such as hospitals, schools and churches.

According to County Judge Joe Berry, “The County cannot legally place a limit of over 300 feet on the businesses that wishes to sell the alcoholic products. These limits were made in regard to the distance of these businesses from public schools, churches and hospitals.”

Precinct Four commissioner Lynn George commented, “I'd like to see 1,000 feet”. Judge Berry promptly responded to George's comment saying, “We don't have that authority.” Each city in Angelina County will also be able to decide on distance limits from which alcohol can be sold from the same specific locations. Berry hoped that all the cities would be consistent with the county in that there would be less confusion regarding the matter. The commissioners voted to set 300 feet as the minimum distance.

Once the cities have also decided upon their own distance limits, it will be clear how these decisions affect local business in Diboll. Based on the county's decision, most Diboll businesses wishing to seek a permit would not be restricted under the distance limit except possibly in the case of Brookshire Brothers which would be set by the city at a date yet undetermined.