The Maysville City Council unanimously denied a proposed beer and wine ordinance Monday night with more than 100 citizens packed into the fire station. Council members Stephan Lewis, Clay Dorsey and Lynn Villyard and Mayor Jerry Baker voted against the sale of beer and wine in the town. Council member Rebecca McNeely was not present for the meeting.
The sale of beer and wine has been a topic of debate in town for the past several months. The proposed ordinance would have allowed beer and wine to be sold at restaurants in the town and sold at retail stores. The council considered the ordinance because a restaurant owner requested it earlier this year. Another resident of the town is reportedly renovating a building to locate sports tavern and wanted to be able to offer beer and wine.
Public hearings were held in all four districts in Maysville with the majority of residents attending the meetings being opposed to the sale of beer and wine in the town.
For more details on Monday night's council meeting, see this week's issue of The Banks County News.
If they don't like how the town feels about the sale of beer and wine they can sell their businesses and move to a place where people are inclined to need and want such an establishment.
It also should make one concerned that this new business is pursuing the license as conditional for it opening. This seemingly would demonstrate that the business anticipates that the beer and wine sales will be their major draw and likely a large portion of their revenue as well.
If either business is not viable without serving beer and wine then it should be clear to all what type of customer it intends to cater to. You'd also have to question if the new business would be able to stand up to the minimum typical (although not mentioned that I could find) license requirement of serving at least 50% food sales to beer and wine sales.
Somehow I doubt this new business would be able to meet that requirement given it's tactics so far. If Ms. Atkins has a similar business or is familiar with one that she is basing her business upon, it should be easy enough to obtain the records to check the percentages.
Gee, there's a surprise!