The Kinmundy Board of Alderman approved a liquor license Thursday night for a new restaurant in the former bank building undergoing renovation at Madison and West Third Streets downtown.
Brenda Altadonna of the Madison Street Preservation Group says the goal is to have the Dining Car Food Hall open for breakfast through around six in the evening.
“Madison Street Historic Preservation has been working to get that facility ready. Hopefully, we will be ready by July 15th and they will be moving into that facility. We have room for 4 chefs total, hopefully, we will get two more as we have two now.”
Altadonna says the Food Hall will have seating for 60 and pickup orders are also planned. The liquor license will allow the Dining Car to serve liquor by the drink as well as sell package liquor.
Altadonna says the collapse of the building next to the bank building is being cleared for green space. She reports the building collapsed during a heavy storm earlier this spring. All that remains now are the structural beams on the front of the building. The pile of bricks inside will soon be removed.
The Madison Street Preservation group has set their annual fundraiser event for July 15th with an open house of the Dining Car as well as craft and specialty vendors, games, music, and dancing outside on the street from two to seven pm. The Kinmundy History Museum and Back in the Day-Resale Emporium in the other downtown building being restored will also be open. The board agreed to close Madison Street to traffic for the event.
Mayor Angie Diss reported she has formed a business group to allow business owners in the city to have input. The first project to be undertaken is a welcome packet that will go to new residents when they have their water service turned on.
Diss reported they have narrowed the number of candidates for the police chief to three. They will have initial interviews this week. Recently hired Police Chief Jeff Mount has resigned.
The board approved the rental of a porta-potty near the boat dock at the new city lake for use of those utilizing the lake for fishing and boating. It will be available from April through September.
Kinmundy residents are reminded that city-wide cleanup is from nine to noon this Saturday. Residents can bring no longer wanted items to a dumpster downtown. Only items acceptable for landfill disposal will be accepted.
All but a pile of bricks and the front steel beams remain from a collapsed downtown Kinmundy building next to two other buildings undergoing renovation. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
