PARKER — Usually when it concerns a city ordinance, churches are the ones concerned about the proximity of a bar — not the other way around.
Parker City Council will discuss potential options for Liberty Baptist Church, which was established within 500 feet after Sharks’ Sports bar was already in place.
Liberty Baptist pastor Glenn Milner and his landlord, Malissa Swiech, have been asking other churches in town whether they would agree to rescind the ordinance requiring churches to be 500 feet away from bars. Milner and Swiech are asking whether Liberty Baptist could stay at 234 Sudduth Place.
Thus far, Holy Hill Church and Parker United Methodist have responded to the city; they both want to keep the ordinance.
“I prefer to leave the ordinance in place, but if the other churches would agree to allow a one-time exception, I would be OK with making the exception because it was not really Liberty Baptist’s fault, but that of their current landlord,” wrote Gary Stringfellow, pastor of Parker United Methodist.
Potential code enforcement fines would fall to Swiech, who said she was unaware of the ordinance when she rented the building in August. The ordinance was changed this past spring to apply to churches being close to bars, as well as bars close to churches.
“It’s a good positive business,” Swiech said.
Liberty Baptist has a food bank on the first Tuesday of every month to go along with Wednesday Bible Study and service, Sunday school and Sunday service. Milner does not want to move his congregation of about 35 people a second time. They moved from a location on Tyndall Parkway in Callaway when their landlord, a Nazarene Church, decided to sell that building. Regardless, Milner expects to stay through the end of the one-year lease. He said the church can barely afford the $1,600 a month it pays in rent now.
Milner added that he understands why the other churches don’t want to change the ordinance. He gave the example of Holy Hill that has an empty lot across the street.
“I don’t want them to get rid of the ordinance,” Milner said. “I don’t want special treatment.”
Mayor Rich Musgrave said he would not vote to allow Liberty Baptist an exemption. The topic is on the agenda for discussion during Tuesday’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Parker City Hall, 1001 W. Park. St.
So far, Milner said he has not received any complaint from Sharks’.
“They don’t give us any trouble,” Milner said. “It’s kind of like they don’t even exist.”
