You would be surprised how often people tell me the My Two Cents anonymous comments on the Opinion page are one of their first reads in the Enterprise-Journal.
It happened again last week, when I told a friend that with only two newspapers a week, it would be impossible to print the entire flood of comments that were coming in. The reply: “My Two Cents is my favorite part of the paper.”
If that’s the case, then last Saturday was a big day. Common sense finally got my attention, and that day’s Opinion page in the print edition was a lollapalooza of commentary — a full, top-to-bottom column of six comments, rather than just one. It was the only way to keep up.
If memory serves, this is just the second time in the last few years I’ve included a whole column of comments at once.
But let’s give the proper credit. The McComb city board came through for me. They stirred the pot big-time at their July 18 meeting. And the people responded.
A week ago, we reported the board’s 4-3 vote on a leisure and recreation district that soon will allow people to walk around a four-block downtown area with open alcohol. Mayor Quordiniah Lockley broke the tie in favor of setting up the district.
Then, at the same meeting, the selectmen unanimously approved an ordinance restricting new business signs to a height of 10 feet and a size of 100 square feet. Existing signs, many of which are on poles that stand much higher than that, and are much larger, will be allowed to stay as is.
Here are my two cents about both the decisions.
I like the idea of an entertainment district downtown, but I do have concerns about open alcohol. That may surprise you, since I grew up in New Orleans, which pretty much wrote the book on loose drinking rules.
Back in the 1980s, when I was in the Quarter regularly with friends, we always snickered at visitors who just couldn’t handle their alcohol.
I have no idea whether that’s changed. If it has not, McComb might be in for some trouble downtown.
Or maybe not. If business owners will police their customers before things get nasty, I am willing to give the open alcohol idea a try. There are definite drawbacks, but I don’t think downtown McComb will develop into a mini-French Quarter any time this century.
Right now, I believe only four businesses in the four-block district serve alcohol: Fox’s Pizza, the Palace Theater and the new daiquiri shop, all on Main Street; and the sports bar on North Broadway. (Apologies if I overlooked any others.)
If I understand the new law correctly, people can only carry their drinks in that four-block area. They can’t drive around town or anything.
But being honest, there’s usually not a lot to do downtown that encourages walking around. Watching a freight train rumble past is only entertaining if you are 4 years old.
Look out for a truly funny sentence in one comment about a changing downtown: “I wonder if someone will restore the McColgan Hotel to its former glory.” Wish I had thought of that one first.
As for the sign ordinance, I am surprised the vote for it was unanimous. Did anyone on the board talk to business owners who have an overhead sign at their place?
People may grumble about the downtown district, but I think it’s the sign ordinance that’s going to stir up a hornet’s nest. Apparently it already has: I am told the selectmen will revisit the issue at their Tuesday, July 29 meeting
Every so often, towns like McComb get the idea that if we were more like Madison, things would be so much better here.
As an immigrant to McComb, this has always bugged me. I have nothing against Madison, but McComb is not Madison. Few towns in Mississippi are like Madison.
I don’t think smaller markets the size of McComb should be too restrictive about how their taxpaying businesses choose to promote themselves.
I give Madison leaders credit for setting up a business design plan and sticking to it. But Madison has a much bigger carrot to dangle in terms of retail spending than most towns in Mississippi.
The sign limitations are a mistake. The city needs to review this decision.
