An ordinance put in place six months ago to allow the city of Poplar Bluff to revoke business licenses will soon see its first test.
Poplar Bluff City Council agreed by consensus Tuesday to start the process of revoking the licenses of two locations of Jay’s Corner Store and the single location of the Winning Circle.
Police call logs show more than 180 calls out to one location of Jay’s Corner Store in 2022, including at least five overdoses, multiple assaults and brandishing a weapon calls, as well as burglary and other calls, council members reported Monday.
The city has received hundreds of complaints from citizens and numbers from the police department show an uptick in problems in the neighborhoods surrounding the locations, said council member Jerrica Fox, adding she has worked with and spoken with residents about the issues for the past few months.
“I would like to see us direct our city manager and city attorney to use this ordinance to revoke the licenses of Jay’s Corner Store and the Winning Circle,” Fox said.
The issue was raised during the public comment period of Monday’s meeting. Residents Diana Collard and Joshua Bishop spoke on the topic of Jay’s Corner Store.
Collard said more than 100 residents signed a petition asking for the business to be closed at 707 N. Ninth St. The business has a second location at 1040 S. Broadway St.
The Winning Circle is located at 120 N. 10th St.
No officials from the businesses were present at the meeting.
City manager Matt Winters said the council reached a consensus to direct him to begin formal action.
City ordinance requires a public hearing to be held before any revocation of a business license. Businesses must be notified at least 10 days before the hearing and of the reasons the action is being considered. The hearing would be held by the city council. A business license could be revoked with a majority vote of the council.
Licenses can be revoked, according to city ordinance if the business owner or operator is convicted of violating any provisions related to operating the business, including: causing a nuisance; conduct that is hazardous to public health; violating the terms of a special use or conditional permit; illegal issuance of a license; and failure to pay any license fees or sales tax.
Fox said before taking this step the city had worked with the attorney for Jay’s Corner Store on a short-term agreement to limit the hours for the Ninth Street location.
It seemed to help, she said, but the agreement ended and the problems have continued.
Fox said residents and neighboring businesses have also called her about the other Jay’s Corner Store location and The Winning Circle location.
“They did remove the gambling machines and that did help. When they closed at 9 p.m. that was definitely a help, but then they started staying open later,” said resident Diana Collard, who said she has spoken to the council five times previously on this issue. “They still are a nuisance. They attract customers who are a problem, to say the least.”
Residents have accused the business on Ninth Street of illegally selling alcohol, and of selling products that can be used as drug paraphernalia.
No date has been set for the license revocation hearings.
In other business, the council:
• Discussed and voted to place a use tax measure on the April ballot, which would tax certain out-of-state, online purchases at the same sales tax rate brick-and-mortar businesses pay inside the city limits.
• Discussed and voted on an amendment to the city’s stormwater management ordinances.
• Moved to the Feb. 6 voting session approval of the Butler County Hazard Mitigation plan, which is updated every five years. It makes the city eligible for certain federal hazard mitigation grants.
• Approved a time extension from 2022 to March 2023 for completion of a grant-funded project at the new site of True Manufacturing in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park.
• Moved to the Feb. 6 voting session a request by the United Gospel Rescue Mission to vacate a portion of an alley between lots 7, 8, 11 and 12 of Kinzer and Mengel’s Subdivision, the location of the old Strenfel’s Muffler. The mission plans to tear down the old buildings and construct a new building, which will include a warehouse, according to city officials.
• Moved to the Feb. 6 voting session an amendment to the inspection requirements for eating and drinking establishments. The county’s two inspectors are overwhelmed because of the 90-day requirement, said Winters. All businesses expire June 30 of each year. The amendment would extend it to a 12-month requirement for renewals, Winters said, adding that this would not apply to new licenses. Winters added the health department also responds to any complaints.
• Moved to the Feb. 6 voting session a work swap agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation that trades street cleaning services from the city for street striping from the state.