Alderman’s absence causes cancelation

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 28, 2009

VIDALIA — Danny’s Lounge co-owner Sandra White said the scheduled meeting with the city Thursday was canceled because one of the aldermen was not going to be present.

She said she received a call from one of the aldermen, who White said told her the meeting would be canceled because he was out of town and could not be there.

The alderman — who White said she did not want to identify — said he was going to contact City Attorney Jack McLemore about rescheduling the meeting and asked her to do the same, White said.

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“I was only told that the meeting wasn’t going to happen because he wasn’t going to be there,” White said.

So she called McLemore and asked him to reschedule the meeting, and when she checked back in with him two hours later — without having heard back from the alderman — they rescheduled the meeting, White said.

“(McLemore) gave me some dates, and I said, ‘Give me that date,’” White said.

“I had no idea we could have had the meeting without him because I was told everyone needed to be there.”

The meeting was rescheduled for 6 p.m. April 7.

McLemore could not be reached for comment Friday.

The bar has been closed for a couple of months, but that is because the owners are remodeling the inside, White said.

“We are revamping Danny’s,” she said. “When we re-open, we don’t want the old Danny’s. We want the new Danny’s.”

The meeting was for city officials and the owners to discuss the possible renewal of the bar’s liquor license, which was denied in December at Mayor Hyram Copeland’s recommendation.

City officials have maintained that the bar is a trouble spot, while the owners have denied that some reports linked to their club happened or even originated there.

Owners have already met with McCoy, aAlderman Vernon Stevens, Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks and Copeland to discuss plans to beef up security at the club.

Thursday’s meeting was to discuss their options with the full board of aldermen.