TUSCUMBIA — The City Council will vote at its next meeting whether to amend an ordinance to allow alcohol at the Tuscumbia Depot museum roundhouse.

Councilwoman Martha Smith denied a motion Monday for the matter to come up for immediate consideration, delaying the vote until the Feb. 4 meeting.

The roundhouse was completed late in 2012. Part of the plans for it include renting the facility to groups for events such as class reunions and wedding receptions.

A committee of Parks and Recreation Director Joel Kendrick and other residents is compiling policies for renting the facility. The group would include policies regarding alcohol if the council agrees to allow it at the roundhouse.

“The main question is whether to allow sale of alcohol,” Kendrick said. “We need to decide on a policy quickly, because we’re getting a lot of requests.”

Smith said she is not comfortable voting on the matter until the committee decides on the policies. Councilman Robert Mitchell, on the other hand, said the committee needs to know whether alcohol is allowed in order to decide on the policies.

Councilman Randall Davis moved to amend the ordinance to allow alcohol, but the motion required unanimous consent from the council for a vote. That died when Smith voted against immediate consideration.

The move automatically places the item on the next council agenda. Immediate consideration is not needed for that to come up for a vote.

It appears the council consensus is to allow beer and wine at events inside the facility at Fifth and Water Street.

The council seems to like the policy of limiting the exemption to the roundhouse, only allowing beer and wine and having the group that is renting the facility be responsible for getting a license for alcohol through the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 256-740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.