Residents won’t be wining and dining at an Athens restaurant overlooking the Tennessee River any time soon.

A bill that would have allowed Athens to annex Lucy’s Branch Marina in western Limestone County died Friday on the floor of the state Senate, and two local leaders are none too pleased.

Mayor Ronnie Marks said the proposed “island” annexation of seven acres at Lucy’s Branch, including the marina, is a legal annexation that has been done many times in Alabama history.

District 2 City Councilman Harold Wales was angry.

The property owners — Billy Christopher and John Plunk — had requested the annexation. The Athens City Council had unanimously agreed to the annexation. And, the city had worked out agreements, at least verbal ones, with Clements Volunteer Fire Department and the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office to continue fire and police protection in the area once it became city territory.

Christopher and Plunk had planned to bring in a riverfront restaurant. The sale of alcoholic beverages at the Limestone County site would have become legal had it been annexed because the city is “wet,” whereas the county is still “dry.”

While alcohol sales would have increased revenue for the owners and the city (about $600,000 more a year in sales tax for the city), Christopher said that was not the main reason they wanted to annex into Athens. He said the city’s ability and willingness to promote a riverfront was the main reason.

Local leaders did not expect the local legislation to fail Friday, the last day of the state legislative session.

District 2 Councilman Harold Wales was steamed at state Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, and Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence.

“I don’t understand why Holtzclaw and Melson would not support this,” Wales said late Friday afternoon. “The owners of the property wanted it and the City Council voted 5-0 to have it done. What reason would they have that made any dad-gum sense?”

Holtzclaw did not return telephone calls for comment on the proposed annexation bill Monday and Friday.

Melson had told The News Courier Monday they were concerned about fire and law enforcement protection and the fact that the city was proposing to “create and island of alcohol” by annexing unattached land in West Limestone.

Plunk has said if alcohol was the problem then the restaurant and marina does not have to sell alcohol.

“We wanted it because it would give Athens a waterfront property for people to dine at,” Wales said, adding that Holtzclaw and Melson “are not worried at all” about Athens.

“There will come a time when they’ll be coming here for votes and we won’t forget it,” Wales said. “I won’t forget it.”

When asked what reason, or reasons, Holtzclaw and Melson offered, Wales said, “I have not heard any reason.” There is no reason why they wouldn’t support this. I’m sure there is some alternative reason we will never know, but it’s got to be politics. After all, the ‘I’s’ were dotted and the ‘T’s’ were crossed, there is no reason not to support this.”

Wales lauded state Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, for supporting it. “I’m proud of him; he stood up for us,” Wales said.

A Clements firefighter told The News Courier Tuesday that although Athens officials had talked to the fire chief, they had not received an agreement from the Clements VFD board.

“That’s bull crap,” said the usually reserved Wales. “We met with and talked to all the agencies; we had fire and police contracts ready to go.”

He said Holtzclaw and Melson “kept going back and forth wanting letters written and they just didn’t have the guts to stand up and vote for it.”

Mayor weighs in

Mayor Ronnie Marks said he was “disappointed” the local annexation bill failed.

“We had a local bill that passed the local legislative delegation and the entire House — 105 members. It went to the Senate and was read, then it went to the local legislative committee, then to the Senate floor and it was pulled off the floor,” he said. “I’m disappointed that the Legislative body won’t honor our local legislation.”

He said Holtzclaw does not represent Athens, only a small part of eastern Limestone County that is “basically Huntsville.”

“But by law he has as much authority as anybody,” Marks said. “It’s a real precedent when we have representatives who won’t pass local legislation and won’t tell us why they won’d do it. This is a proper, legal way to annex.”

Historically, lawmakers back local legislation that has the unanimous vote of the city or county it affects, particularly when there is no opposition.

“I don’t totally understand it,” Marks said. “It seems strange to me. We’ve got this much local legislative support about how we want to run our city or county and one person in Montgomery determines he doesn’t want it done this way. This is a democracy. The best system in the world. I hope we get another opportunity to make something positive.”