Anna City Council member resigns

A member of the Anna City Council submitted his resignation last week.

Brandon Bierstedt resigned at a regular meeting of the city council. The meeting was held Tuesday evening, Nov. 20, at Anna City Hall.

Bierstedt submitted a short letter of resignation at last week’s meeting. Bierstedt is resigning because he is moving outside of the Anna city limits. His resignation was effective Nov. 20.

The council member stated in his letter that it was with “great sadness” that he was resigning.

“My association with the council and all employees here at City Hall along with the City Garage, and Police & Fire Department has been a pleasant one,” Bierstedt wrote. 

“I will miss being a part of it,” he continued. The letter closed with a “thank you.”

Bierstedt said after the meeting that as a council member, he enjoyed having an opportunity to work with the public. “I will miss doing this,” he said.

Bierstedt was serving in his first term of office on the city council. Other council members are David Isom, Al Kamp and Martha Ann Webb. Steve Hartline is the mayor of Anna.

No formal action was taken at last week’s council meeting on filling the vacancy created by Bierstedt’s resignation. 

Mayor Hartline noted that there is a short time until Anna has a municipal election, which is scheduled in April 2019. With that in mind, the post could be left vacant and filled in the election.

City administrator Steve Guined praised the work Bierstedt has done as a council member. Guined’s comments were echoed by the mayor and other council members.

“You have based your decisions on what is best for the city,” Mayor Hartline told Bierstedt.

In other business at last week’s meeting, the city council was asked to consider allowing voters to have their say regarding the sale of beer and alcohol at a park in the Union County community.

A proposal to have a non-binding referendum on the matter was presented to the city council at last week’s meeting.

The proposal was made by community member Earl Miller.

“This would give us an idea of what voters are thinking,” Miller said.

Miller has taken out a nominating petition to run for mayor in Anna’s 2019 municipal election. Filing for the election is set for Dec. 10-17.

During discussion about the matter, Miller said that he was representing voters who said that they would like to see the sale of beer and wine allowed at the park.

A city ordinance prohibits the sale of alcohol at the park. A change in the ordinance would be needed in order to allow such sales. Such action would be taken by the city council.

Several proposals to allow the sale of beer and wine at the Union County Fair have been made to the city in recent years. The proposals have not moved forward.

“As of right now, there is no liquor at the park,” Mayor Steve Hartline stated. Hartline also serves as the city’s liquor commissioner. 

As discussion continued, a suggestion was made that members of the community be surveyed about their thoughts on the matter. The question could be included on monthly utility bills.

“I think that a referendum would be better” than a survey, Miller said. 

The council took action last week which will allow The Davie School Inn in Anna to offer beer and alcohol with the granting of a general retail liquor license.

Owner Lyle Woodrum said the license will give the bed and breakfast business an opportunity to offer wine for special packages, local wine testings and beer and wine for events such as weddings and concerts. He said that not having such a license has left the business at a competitive disadvantage.

The council voted 5-0 to approve the request for the license.

The council approved the resignation of long-time Anna Police Officer Shawn Knupp. The resignation is effective Dec. 1. Knupp is battling health issues.

The council approved allocations of $500 to the Union County Economic Development Corporation and $500 to Anna’s holiday season Shop with a Cop/Firefighter program.

Interim city administrator Guined reported that Anna’s new website, which debuted June 1, had recorded more than 21,000 views. He praised the hard work which has been done by city employees on the website.