This week, Clarksburg joined other cities throughout the state which have endorsed the “brunch bill” – Senate Bill 298 which amends West Virginia Code allowing restaurants, private clubs, distilleries and wineries to sell and serve alcohol beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Bridgeport may be next.
At Monday’s meeting of Bridgeport City Council, discussion will be held at possible action taken to set a public hearing on serving alcohol at brunch before 1 p.m. Sundays.
Enlightening Council on the potential benefits of the brunch bill will be Scott Duarte of Charles Pointe Hospitality.
“We just wanted to bring to Council’s consideration under our city’s Home Rule so restaurants can have opportunity to have that service on Sundays. Several restaurants in the area have voiced their interest in it and many of our local cities – even bordering states – have already worked through that process and seen results from it,” he said. “The law has been on the books for several years. Is it still something that makes sense in today’s market?”
Duarte, who heads up operations at Bridgeport Conference Center and owns Mia Margherita in Charles Pointe, said those establishments and others serve Sunday brunch not only to locals, but also to Interstate travelers who stop by.
“This is just another resource for us to serve our traveling guests,” he said.
At this year’s spring session, state senators voted 34-0 to pass the legislation.
At the work session which preceded the July 11 City Council meeting, Mayor Bob Greer said Duarte had approached Council with interest in the bill. Greer brought Council up to speed on the legislation.
“They had been going back and forth on it and the ultimate legislative conclusion was it would be allowable in the state, but by county referendum approval,” he said.
Ultimately residents would have the final say by vote.
Greer shared that Clarksburg, Charleston, Lewisburg and Martinsburg were among West Virginia cities which were moving forward with the brunch bill under Home Rule.
“Duarte didn’t want Bridgeport falling behind. He believes they have lost business at the Conference Center and other businesses in the area because they were unable to accommodate alcohol at weddings – day-after champagne brunches, etc,” Greer said.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, Finance Director Monica Musgrave will present General Fund Budget Revision No. 2 for Council’s consideration. That budget revision is the state-required budget revision that appropriates the fiscal year 2015-2016 fund balance, she said.
“The revision appropriates funds to Priority B items which were not included in the original fiscal year 2016-2017 budget document,” Musgrave said. “These include several first-year escrows, as well as various other capital expenditures that were requested by various city departments. Ten percent of the fund balance is appropriated to be transferred to our rainy day fund as well as setting aside funds for a proposed parking lot off of Center Street.”
(Read about that proposed project
HERE.)
Tom Stose of Fairmont State University/Pierpont Community & Technical College will also speak Monday evening, informing Council of various educational programs offered at the facility.
Also a special guest, Superintendent of Harrison County Schools Dr. Mark Manchin will update Council on the status of the new Johnson Elementary School which will be constructed along Johnson Avenue, near the location of the existing school.
Council begins at 7 p.m. at Bridgeport Municipal Building. The public is always invited to attend and stay up to date on City projects and other happenings.
Editor's Note: Pictured from top are Mayor Bob Greer with Council Member Diana Cole Marra; Scott Duarte of CP Hospitality and Bridgeport Finance Director Monica Musgrave.
