VIDALIA, La. &045; To applause and a chorus of &uot;amens&uot; from a packed house, the Vidalia Board of Aldermen on Tuesday scrapped a proposed amendment that would give them the power to grant a liquor license to public festivals.

Instead, aldermen prefiled an ordinance to prohibit the sale of alcohol at public festivals such as the annual Jim Bowie Festival. A public hearing on that ordinance will be held at the board’s January meeting.

Town attorney Jack McLemore said the board has been discussing the sale of alcohol for some time, particularly after last fall’s festival.

&uot;We’ve had a lot of concern about this ordinance,&uot; McLemore said. &uot;I was asked to draft a new ordinance that prohibits the sale of alcohol.&uot;

The board chose not to call a public hearing on the original ordinance.

&uot;The vast majority of people here are in favor of (prohibiting alcohol sales at festivals),&uot; McLemore said.

&uot;(The ordinance) means a beer truck can’t drive up to the Jim Bowie Festival and sell beer.&uot;

Mayor Hyram Copeland thanked the crowd &045; which filled the seats and stood along the back of the room &045; for coming, although they did not have to speak to express their opinions.

&uot;A lot of time we make decisions without anybody coming,&uot; Copeland said.

Several people in the audience were also on hand, though, to express their opinions about a proposed ordinance to limit the number of dogs a resident can own.

Some in the audience were against the proposal &045; because it does not limit dogs enough. Some residents at the meeting complained that their neighbors’ dogs are a nuisance. And Alderman Vernon Stevens said he thought the number of dogs &045; five &045; was arbitrary.

Aldermen passed the ordinance on a 3-2 vote, with Stevens and Carter Warner voting against.

Aldermen also heard from McLemore that they do not need to pass an ordinance prohibiting motorized scooters on public streets because state law already prevents them.

&uot;In my opinion, they are not safe. They are very dangerous,&uot; McLemore said.

&uot;Children under the age of 10 don’t have good judgment on when to ride and when not to ride.&uot;

Only adults age 17 and over with a valid driver license can operate the scooters on public roads, including sidewalks, according to state law.

McLemore warned parents not to let their children ride scooters in the streets.