By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



Kimberly residents could possibly have their own bingo hall in as few as 30 days, following a lengthy pitch during Tuesday’s town council meeting.

Council members will vote on it Tuesday.

Scott Rogers, director of Community Network Association, Inc., and Robert Taylor were the major proponents of the bingo hall, which would be located at T.P. Miller’s Bar and Grill off of U.S. Hwy. 31.

Rogers and Taylor were asking Kimberly Town Council members to adopt a resolution that would allow for the bingo hall to open and operate in the town.

Community Network Association, which operates bingo halls in Fultondale and Center Point, would operate the business. It is unclear who would be the owner, but town officials said the business license, if approved, would be issued to Community Network Association.

The business would provide a guaranteed $25,000 each month to the cash-strapped town, which in June had to cut all employees’ work hours or pay by 20 percent due to a lack of funds to make full payroll.

According to the resolution, which Community Network Association provided and the council has not yet adopted, the organization would pay fees of $100 per month for each electronic bingo machine.

With 250 machines planned, the total is $25,000 per month to the town.

“It’s a lot of money for the Town of Kimberly, which is broke,” said councilman Brad Stark.

The resolution also states that all net proceeds of bingo would be designated for charitable or educational purposes, with at least 15 percent of those proceeds to go to Kimberly-based organizations.

“All the profits go to charity,” Rogers told the council. “… My business is raising money for charitable purposes.”

He said his organization’s bingo halls in Center Point and Fultondale have given more than $80,000 this year to charities.

Rogers said that the town’s police department does not count as a charitable organization, but he would help the town create licensed charities such as Public Safety Boosters or Community Development Boosters that could receive bingo proceeds to benefit city departments.

“Within 60 days we can have several 501(c)3’s established in Kimberly,” Rogers said.

In response to various questions from town council members, Rogers and Taylor said the Community Network Association bingo halls in Fultondale and Center Point have been inspected by the sheriff, but never raided; that there would not be large or prominent signs for the business in Kimberly; no one under age 19 would be allowed to play bingo; there would be armed security guards at all times; and there would be no alcohol allowed in the bingo hall.

Rogers added that if the Alabama Supreme Court rules that bingo is illegal in the state, the business would simply shut down.

Council members were also concerned about other bingo halls opening up in Kimberly and U.S. Hwy. 31 someday resembling U.S. Hwy. 78 in Walker County, which has numerous bingo halls with prominent signs.

Rogers said the town council could limit multiple bingo halls popping up by writing zoning or licensing regulations into the resolution.

The resolution Rogers presented to the council does include some restrictions.

It states in Section 12: “No bingo licenses shall be issued to any nonprofit organization, unless such organization shall have been in existence for at least 24 months immediately prior to the issuance of the license” and “Bingo games shall be operated only on the premises own[ed] or leased by the nonprofit organization operating the bingo game.”

Taylor told the council that the business could open in as few as 30 days after the town council approves bingo in Kimberly.

Patty Miller, who owns T.P. Millers Bar and Grill along with her husband Tom, said the bar has two rooms. She said she was willing to lease the larger of the two rooms for bingo for several reasons.

“I can’t sell alcohol on their side. The only benefit it would be to me is that more people would know we’re here,” she said. “But the greater benefit is that the town would get some money. They are in great need.”

During the meeting, councilwoman Donna Cude said she would like to hear from Kimberly residents regarding bingo in Kimberly.

“I think this is a major change in the town. I would like to hear from the citizens,” she said.

However, other council members said no public hearing is required because the facility would not have to be rezoned for the bingo business.

The council did not vote Tuesday because none of the members had read the resolution provided by Rogers.

They scheduled a special council meeting for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to either adopt or deny the resolution.