Council delays Sunday alcohol vote
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on July 18, 2017 9:10 AM
Aycock
Foster
Ham
The Goldsboro City Council plans to vote on whether to allow Sunday morning alcohol sales during its Aug. 7 meeting, after allowing time for public feedback.
Councilman Gene Aycock said he wasn't prepared to make a decision during the council's Monday night work session.
"I don't feel like we've got enough public feedback yet to really make a decision that will go along with what the majority of citizens of Goldsboro want," Aycock said.
Legislation, signed into law on June 30, allows cities and counties to approve a local ordinance allowing alcohol sales at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon.
Cities across North Carolina have steadily approved local ordinances, allowing the sale of mixed drinks at restaurants and hotels and beer and wine sales at stores.
The council didn't discuss the issue during the meeting but instead decided to move toward crafting a local ordinance that will be approved or denied during the council's Aug. 7 meeting.
Several council members said they're open to approving the earlier sales.
"I don't have a problem with it, simply because we don't have that many places in town that would serve it," said Councilman Bill Broadaway. "It may help some of the people that are in the tourism side, so I don't have a problem with it, personally."
Mayor Chuck Allen has spoken in favor of the Sunday morning sales. Councilman Antonio Williams said he'll decide by the Aug. 7 meeting, and Councilman Mark Stevens said he would rather the earlier sales be restricted to downtown merchants.
"I just want to sort of get a pulse of people in general before I make my decision," said Councilman David Ham. "At this point and time, I'm open, but that's without getting any input. I want to get pros and cons. That's what I'm looking for."
Aycock, who attends church every week, personally favors blue laws, which restrict certain sales and business hours on Sundays. He said his vote will side with the majority of residents.
"I'm personally opposed to it, and I still believe Sundays should be kept holy," Aycock said. "If somebody's drinking on Sunday morning, they've got a problem.
"I don't know how I'll vote. If the majority of people I hear from say they don't see anything wrong with it, I'll vote the way they want me to vote."
During the council's Monday night meeting, one resident spoke against the earlier Sunday morning alcohol sales.
"We, the clean Christian people of Wayne County, do hereby oppose Sunday morning alcoholic beverage sales," said Henry Jinnette.
The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association expects local governments across the state to quickly vote in favor of the Sunday morning hours, with more than two dozen approvals to date, including metro cities and areas know as tourism destinations.
Senate Bill 155, also known as the brunch bill, also allows local government to allow craft distilleries to sell five bottles to customers each year, instead of one, and allows distillers to offer tastings at events, including festivals.