by Greg Lincoln
A proposed ordinance for a ballot proposition for an alcohol local option petition to be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Bethel on October 4, 2022 is on the Bethel City Council’s next agenda.
The ballot proposition states:
Shall the City of Bethel adopt a local option (4.11.491 (a)(A) and(H)), to prohibit the sale of alcohol beverages EXCEPT through a:
•Restaurant or eating place license, which authorizes the restaurant or eating place to sell beer and wine for consumption only on the licensed premises; AND
•Package store license, limited to selling only beer and wine to a person present on the licensed premises.
Yes No
***
Mayor Mark Springer introduced the proposed ordinance during council’s July 26th, 2022 regular meeting. Public hearing for this item was scheduled for the August 9th, 2022 council meeting which was postponed due to absences. The next meeting will be on August 23rd.
“The City of Bethel is currently under Local Option allowing the sales of beer and wine at licensed restaurants. This ballot proposition asks if the voters want to add a new type of license to the permitted sales. The City’s current law allowing for sales of beer and wine at licensed restaurants will not be impacted by this vote,” states the Impartial Summary of the Change in Local Option Being Proposed.
A “yes” vote would mean that you want BOTH licensed restaurants AND packages stores (commonly known as a liquor store) to sell only beer and wine to people present at the time of sale.
A “no” vote means you want to remain under the CURRENT Local Option which allows for the sales of beer and wine ONLY at licensed restaurants and not package stores.
Following review by the City Attorney, the City Clerk’s Office certified the petition application for an alcohol local option question on July 5th, 2022. The petition booklets were issued to the petitioners on July 14th, 2022.
On July 18th, 2022, the petition sponsors submitted to the City Clerk’s Office the petition booklets for certification review. The petition sponsors obtained the minimum 165 qualifying signatures from Bethel registered voters – 35% of the number of votes cast at the City’s last regular election. The clerk certified the petition.
According to the Bethel Municipal Code, an ordinance placing propositions and questions before the voters must be adopted by the council not later than 45 calendar days before a regular or special election.
On October 1st, 2019, Bethel voters voted to adopt local option to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages except through a restaurant or eating place license. The proposition passed with 857 voting yes and 517 voting no.
