The city council tonight will hold a public hearing on a request for a liquor license by the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The discount store wants to sell packaged goods at its 1730 East Jackson Street location.

The Macomb City Council turned down a similar request a few years ago when aldermen were besieged by an alliance of tavern and package store owners who felt Wal-Mart’s entry into the competition would drive them out of business and ordinary citizens who objected to the idea of having liquor on display at such a prominent shopping location.

An ordinance creating the package liquor license will be up for first reading later in the council meeting. Normal policy would be to again allow for public discussion at the council’s December 8 committee of the whole meeting, and then to vote on the ordinance at the December 15 city council meeting.

Aldermen will also conduct first reading on an ordinance establishing the 2008 city property tax levy, and a companion ordinance that would abate taxes on a $650,000 water bond issue, a $750,000 sewer bond issue, a $1.35 million bond issue to cover employee early retirement costs, and half of a $1.5 million 1996 building bond issue. It has been the city’s custom to pay that debt service out of general fund revenues rather than collecting the equivalent amount in property taxes.

The council may vote on paying for the upgrade of four in-car computers for the Macomb Police Department, and to purchase a new copier for Macomb City Hall from Digital Copy Systems. Aldermen will also be asked to authorize purchase of a $30 Macomb Chamber of Commerce gift certificate for each city employee as a Christmas gift.

Aldermen are scheduled to vote on a reorganization of city council committees. Several two-person committees would be retired in favor of five committees, each comprised of five aldermen. City Administrator Dean Torreson last week asked council members to try the new format for the remaining five months of the current fiscal year and then take up the issue again in May.

The council will also conduct first reading of four ordinances recommended by the Macomb Planning Commission. Two of them would rezone property on East Jackson Street and grant a special use permit to Spoon River College to operate its new Macomb campus in that location. Another ordinance would rezone property near McDonough District Hospital for use as a 67-unit supportive services apartment facility for senior citizens, Glenhaven Gardens of Macomb. The fourth ordinance would amend the city’s development code to ease restrictions on business signage.

The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on the second floor of Macomb City Hall.