Eutaw’s Mayor, Latasha Johnson, reported that the “Class Day Out” event organized by Dangerous Divas Social and Saving Club was a success during the day, but encountered issues during the after-party held at the city’s community center.
The event had a $10 admission fee and was promoted as an opportunity to “drink all you want.”
The Eutaw City Council held a Special Called Meeting to discuss this matter, which was attended by various members of the community.
The meeting commenced at noon on Thursday and, after a brief executive session for legal advice, resumed with the council’s return to the chambers.
Among the new business items on the agenda was the “Rental Agreement – Dangerous Divas Social & Saving Club.
This organization had rented out the R.H. Young Community Center on September 16th for their ‘Class Day Out’ event. The council approved a reimbursement of $1,150 to Dangerous Divas.
Furthermore, an item on the agenda suggested that all rental agreements and contracts be handled by the City Clerk and Assistant City Clerk. However, this discussion was postponed until the rental agreement for Dangerous Divas was finalized.
During the meeting, representatives of the Dangerous Divas group expressed their concerns regarding the shutdown of their event and the reimbursement they were owed. The City Attorney, Zane Willingham, acknowledged the situation and assured that efforts would be made to address it.
He emphasized the importance of consistent procedures and adherence to rental agreements to prevent future violations.
Community members voiced their support for Dangerous Divas and questioned the reasons behind the event’s shutdown. The City Attorney responded by emphasizing that alcohol was prohibited according to the rental agreement and the city could not selectively enforce its policies.
A copy of the contract between Dangerous Divas and the city was obtained after the meeting, clearly stating the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, drugs, and firearms/weapons in any park or facility.
The contract also mentioned that a special permit for serving alcohol could be obtained upon request to the City Council. However, in this specific agreement, the box requesting an alcoholic beverage permit was checked as “no.
Mayor Johnson confirmed that Dangerous Divas had not requested a permit for alcohol and disputed claims that it was being sold. She explained that advertising “drink all you want” for a fee constituted selling, requiring an ABC board license.
The after-party was shut down within half an hour due to concerns about the presence of too many minors. Eutaw’s Police Chief, Tommy Johnson, reported that approximately 500 people attended the after-party and that a few officers had received drinks from underage teenagers.