The Neosho City Council will consider Tuesday a proposal to abolish a 30-year-old city ordinance restricting the number of liquor licenses allowed in the city.

Under deliberation for removal is Section 250 of Chapter 600 of the Neosho Code of Ordinances. Adopted in 1978, the ordinance limits certain beverage licenses — namely packaged beer and liquor and beer by the drink — to one license per every 2,500 residents. Eight years ago, the population of Neosho was 10,505 according to the latest census.

Until now, any changes to the “liquor chapter” of Neosho Code had to be approved by voters. That changed last April when city voters narrowly passed, by 36 votes, Proposition 2, which transferred the power to amend the chapter from the voters to the council. Proposition 2 goes into effect on Tuesday, along with all of the other changes to the city charter that were also OK’d in April’s election under Proposition 1.

Arguments to do away with the ordinance limiting liquor license numbers first appeared last January when the charter recommendations were presented to the council during a public hearing. Dr. Roy Shaver chaired the ad hoc committee that had been charged with examining the charter for revision.

According to Shaver, the idea to repeal Section 250 of Chapter 600 was simply a matter of fairness to businesses wanting to be annexed into the city. He said some businesses, such as convenience stores that sold packaged liquor, might stand to lose their liquor license privilege if one wasn’t available at the time of annexation. At the least he said there could be a legal issue involved and the city could be leaving itself open to lawsuit.

Proposition 2 didn’t address Section 250 directly, but allowed the council to make changes at its discretion to the entire Chapter.

Should the bill to repeal the section pass first reading Tuesday, it will still have to be approved on second and third readings at the council’s next meeting on July 15 for it to become final.

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In other business Tuesday, the council will:

• Consider bids submitted by the street department for construction of phase 1 of the Howard Bush Drive extension project. The new road will stretch from where it currently ends at Nelson Avenue to U.S. Highway 60 and should be completed this summer.

• Consider bids submitted by the fire department for a storage building.

• Consider a bill authorizing the city to enter into lease purchase agreement for a rough mower.

• Consider a resolution setting certain fees for the Municipal Auditorium.

• Consider a proposed rental agreement and regulations for the Municipal Auditorium.

• Consider five change orders for additions and renovations to the Municipal Auditorium.

• Consider an electric service agreement with Empire District Electric in install one street light at the intersection of Kodiak Road and Waldo Hatler Drive, just east of George Washington Carver Elementary.

• Consider an agreement for professional services from Olsson & Associates for an internal comparability study.

• Consider approval of Prairie View Estates Subdivision Plat, phase 1, as submitted by Greg Houck through agent attorney Dwight Douglas.

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Anyone who wishes to address the council on any matter during the meeting should contact City Clerk Audrey Covey beforehand at 451-8050.