BENTON – Benton Police Chief Tracy Watwood said that the city’s new alcohol ordinance will try to please both sides of the wet-dry issue.
The City Council will conduct a first reading of the ordinance at a specially-called meeting Monday at 6 p.m. Mayor Rita Dotson will serve as alcoholic beverage control commissioner once the ordinance is finalized and passed at a future meeting, Watwood said.
“I’ve scanned the ordinance and feel that City Attorney Marty Johnson has done a great job to try to satisfy the entire community,” Watwood said.
He added the local option on July 28, with a slim majority voting wet, shows how evenly divided the community remains over the issue.
“It does a good job of protecting the city,” Watwood said.
Watwood said the ordinance will address several issues members of the community have. Business fees and licencing, location – with concerns about proximity to schools, daycare and churches – will be addressed. The ordinance will also mandate an alcohol-selling business’s hours of operation.
The use of fees and taxes collected from alcohol sales is governed by Kentucky Revised Statutes. KRS 243.025, Paragraph 2 says that the fees and taxes collected must go toward the enforcement of the alcoholic beverage ordinance and related state statutes.
“Our workload will increase, but not necessarily because of an increase in alcohol intoxication crimes or DUI’s,” Watwood said. “We’ll be checking businesses and filing paperwork for licenses and providing enforcement of the alcohol ordinance.”
Watwood said he did not know what to expect as far as alcohol-related crime. “We’ll have to answer that question six months after sales begin. It could increase, or it might not.”
With the local option decided so recently, Watwood said much confusion remains in the community that would be addressed in the ordinance.
“Right now, I’m like everyone else and don’t know what will happen. I ask everyone to be patient and not believe every rumor they hear. I’ve heard rumors about bars and liquor stores beside schools or churches. I live here. I’m raising my kids here and I hope they choose to raise their children here. We have the community’s interest in mind, and will do what we can to do what’s best for all citizens.”