By Sherri Ellington While the new code governing tattoo parlor operations in Milner passed without a hitch, the same cannot be said of last week’s moratorium on the tattoo parlors, which also placed one on adult entertainment businesses. It turns out there was already a planned tattoo parlor. It is unlicensed but was rented as of Sept. 1 and undergoing conversion to match the state and Milner’s new code. The health department must sign off on it before a business license is issued. However, it is in downtown Milner. As a result, council had to amend the moratorium Oct. 9 to allow Randy Redford to continue renting the building from Sam Alford and run his tattoo parlor. If he should shut down or move, the moratorium would again apply to the building. Redford, who explained how his shop would operate, was amenable to extra restrictions council might give him, including on signs, and payment of an old residential water bill in his name totaling $152. He volunteered to black out the windows. ’I’ve got more than $2,000 in it,’ said Redford. ‘I’m not running a fly-bynight flash shop. I don’t want to lose this over a misunderstanding.’ The actual change in the moratorium made for a testy meeting as tempers frayed among city officials before Redford’s shop was approved on a split vote. ’I didn’t realize Sam was asking permission to hold a spot for the man,’ said city manager Harold Wilson, who brought up the water bill Redford agreed to pay, along with another one for a lumber company he was once affiliated with but for which he was not legally liable. He noted Redford ‘didn’t even darken the doors of city hall. If you had applied (for a business license) we’d have held it until we got a health department okay, just like the restaurant. If council says to issue a business license, I issue it.’ Alford noted that, as landlord, that was his responsibility. He checked with Harold Wilson about rules and regulations governing tattoo parlors and, ‘I was told there was nothing in the bylaws or charter prohibiting a tattoo business.’ Redford paid the first month’s rent and began working with the health department to convert the space into a parlor that would meet new state laws, the ones codified into Milner’s laws the same day. He has already had two inspections. ’I heard a rumor there was a petition to stop my tattoo shop,’ Redford said. ‘I asked Sam, who hadn’t heard of it. I talked to (environmental health engineer) Seth Woodrow and he hadn’t heard anything. Then I talked to Joe Bostwick last Friday night and was told the moratorium had passed. I’m still trying to grasp how I got lumped in with adult entertainment.’ ’It’s nobody’s fault but council’s,’ said councilman Fred Stephens. ‘We didn’t ask Harold to check into this.’ Councilwoman Betty Wilson agreed, asking, ‘What was the hurry with last week’s meeting? You’re thinking to stop this fellow from having a tattoo parlor. I don’t like plans being done under the table.’ Betty Wilson first moved to lift the moratorium but that died for lack of second. She then voted to allow Redford a license. ’We didn’t do the man right,’ said councilman James Bevil. Finally city attorney Scott Mayfield stepped into the fray, suggesting council leave the moratorium in place but allow Redford to get a license with the exception applying only to him. Only Redford can operate the parlor, he cannot sell it and if he moves or goes out of business no more can go into downtown buildings ‘“ provided council passes the zoning change saying so. ’There are sufficient grounds to show he’s done enough work to get him in,’ Mayfield said. The vote passed 4-1 with George Weldon opposing.
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