Edgar reduces beer, liquor fees

The Edgar Village Board on Monday voted to reduce liquor and beer license fees in an effort to help struggling local businesses get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, the fees are $120 for retail sales of beer and liquor (Edgar IGA, Stark’s Floral, Dolgencorp LLC and GPM Southeast LLC); $170 for establishment sales of beer and liquor (BS’s Bar & Grill, Edgar Lanes, Louie’s Pub and Mullen’s Irish Pub); and between $42 and $85 for civic organization sales of beer (Edgar Area Baseball Association, Edgar Seasoned Players and Edgar Volunteer Fire Department).

The new fees will be $100 for retail sales, $85 for establishment sales and $25 for civic organization sales.

Board member Jon Streit suggested the lower license fees, noting that bars and restaurants have “taken a hit” during the pandemic.

In other village board action:

_ Board members set a public hearing for Royal/Gumaer Street improvements for Wednesday, April 29, 7 p.m. The board said the hearing would happen in one of three places. The first pick was the Oak Street Park shelter with COVID-19 social distancing if the weather is nice, in Jon Streit’s personal home garage if the weather is not nice or, if none of these options work, over Zoom, an internet meeting platform.

Streit, who lives on Royal Ave., abstained from voting on the public hearing.

_ Village administrator Jennifer Lopez said there will be a spring village clean-up to be held Saturday, April 25, 8 a.m. at the village compound on Thomas Hill Rd. She said there will be new charges for disposal of appliances given a drop in the price of scrap metal.

_ Board members tabled action on hiring professional help to update the village’s zoning map.