MILTON — The City Council’s newly elected members likely will decide how to handle Sunday alcohol sales.
City Manager Brian Watkins last week presented city leaders options for addressing the intensely debated issue.
“You can opt to not do anything and leave everything as it is,” Watkins said. “You can opt to set sales of alcohol for retail sales, for restaurant on-premise consumption; you can set different ones for each; same for both.”
During the Nov. 8 general election, Santa Rosa County residents voted in favor of allowing Sunday alcohol sales within Milton city limits. According to the county’s supervisor of elections website, 64 percent voted in favor of Sunday alcohol sales and 35 voted against them.
City Councilman Jimmy Messick motioned to pass the issue to newly elected council members sworn in next month. Councilman Grady Hester seconded the motion.
Messick lost his re-election bid for Ward I to Margaret ‘Peggi’ Smith. Jeff Snow will represent Ward III from seat one. Casey Powell defeated incumbent R.L. Lewis for Ward IV, seat one. Mary Ellen Johnson, representing seat two in Ward II, was the lone council incumbent to win a re-election bid.
The current council is expected to decide on filling the vacancy left by Councilman Lloyd Hinote, who died Nov. 13. The longtime council member represented Ward IV, seat two. A special meeting to vote on Hinote’s replacement is set 5 p.m. Nov. 29 at city hall.
Watkins said city staffers would need the council’s direction to draft a Sunday alcohol sales ordinance and have the ordinance receive two readings before approval.
“In order to get it done as fast as possible, you would have to have a draft ordinance prepared for the December meeting for the new council with a first reading in December and second reading in January,” he said.
The city charter states alcoholic beverages may not be “sold, consumed or served or permitted to be served or consumed in any place holding a license under the state division of alcoholic beverages and tobacco between the hours of midnight Saturday night and 7:00 a.m. the following Monday morning or between the hours of midnight and 7:00 a.m.”
Councilman Alan Lowery suggested the ordinance revision provide the same restrictions on Sunday as any other day of the week.
“There were no restrictions on what the people were asked on that question (for the vote),” he said. “So the restrictions we have in place now from 7 (a.m.) to midnight, should just follow on through to Sunday. It’s just another day as far as alcohol consumption goes, in my opinion.”
By passing the alcohol issue to the new council, Watkins said February would be the earliest the ordinance would be approved and established.
With Councilman Lowery’s nay vote, the item is expected to be voted on again during the executive committee meeting set 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at city hall.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton council's new members to discuss Sunday alcohol sales