Downtown welcomes sidewalk dining

After a request from a local business owner, sidewalk dining is now allowed on Jackson Avenue after approval by the Russellville City Council.

This will give restaurants on Jackson Avenue the option of allowing sidewalk dining for customers, since restaurants are currently only allowed to have the dining room at 50 percent capacity under the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are just trying to do our part to help out local businesses at this time,” said Russellville Mayor David Grissom.

Grissom said this measure will give customers who are interested in a dine-in experience an option if they are more comfortable not being in an enclosed building.

Grissom said the city council was only approached by one local business with the request, but the resolution will give all businesses on Jackson Avenue the option, if they choose to take advantage.

Restaurants will be allowed to install tables, seating, railing, awnings, umbrellas, containers or similar items on the public sidewalk adjacent to the premises for sidewalk dining for patrons.

No alcoholic beverages are to be served or consumed upon the permitted premises, and there must be at least four feet of unimpaired sidewalk for pedestrian use.

The city council also accepted a grant from the CARES Act for $20,000 to go toward the Russellville Municipal Airport.

The city council also agreed to amend the qualifications listed for laborer. The qualifications originally required someone to have a Class B CDL license. The new qualifications will allow a new employee six months to obtain the license.

Councilman David Palmer said he worried about the way the amendment was written because it did not allow for extensions under extenuating circumstances, but instead listed the employee would be immediately terminated.

“I just know it always happens where if it is written that there are no extensions, there will be a situation where an extension is needed and then you are back to where you started looking for a new employee,” Palmer said.

Palmer said although getting a Class B CDL license in six months is very doable, he would hate to see an employee who gets sick and is unable to receive their license lose their job due to a firm timeline.

After some discussion, the council agreed if a situation came up where the six month timeline was not doable, the requirements could be amended to reflect that.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

Franklin County

RCS holds annual Black History Month program 

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: American Legion Posts 64 and 120 – ‘Veterans Strengthening America’

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss Northwest Shoals

Franklin County

RHS graduate crowned Miss UNA

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: In memoriam – Monuments honor the fallen of Franklin

High School Sports

RHS senior chosen as Bryant-Jordan Region 8 Scholar winner

High School Sports

Russellville High School ladies soccer team members participate in annual Night to Shine

x