After months of discussions, the Columbia Board of Aldermen is poised to vote on a beer/wine ordinance that would combine several old ordinances into one and allow for Sunday sales in the city and events at the Columbia Expo Center to serve beer and wine with the proper permitting and fees.
Aldermen are expected to discuss and vote on the issue Tuesday during the board’s regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. at City Hall, and Mayor Justin McKenzie encouraged anyone with questions to attend.
Alderman-at-Large Edward Hough asked if any of the aldermen had been contacted with any objections. Ward 2 Alderman Jason Stringer and Ward 4 Alderman Mike Smith said they had been approached by a few people. Ward 1 Aldermen Wendell Hammond said several people had spoken with him but had told him, “People are going to drink if they want to.”
“They’re going to get it, whether it is from right here or wherever,” Hammond said. “We can preach, but we can’t make everyone do something.”
Mayor Justin McKenzie said several people had spoken with him before a recent board meeting about the ordinance.
“It was a group of three people, and they acted like they had full intentions of reaching out to several people or everyone,” he said. “They were in objection to the Sunday sales. Sales of alcohol at the Expo Center for certain events was not ever a problem with them. The only thing they objected to was the Sunday sales.”
McKenzie said several people had told him that “Times have changed,” and that “They’re going to go elsewhere to do it.” He said he had people who were for it and against it speak with him over the past few weeks.
Stringer said he had reservations from the beginning.
“Since our meeting a few weeks ago, when we talked about it at length and in earnest and started putting rubber to the road, I have been convicted personally and I am against it,” he said. “It’s not because anybody has talked to me. It is strictly between me and the Lord. I am perfectly fine if everyone disagrees with me on it. But I’ve got to be true to God and true to myself. That’s what I’m going to do. People say, ‘Man, we’re so far behind the times in our town and we need to catch up with the rest of the world.’ There’s one thing I really love about this town is that we haven’t in some areas caught up with the rest of the world. I’m OK with that. It’s one thing that gives this town some of the charm that it has. That’s where I stand on it. I can’t with a clear conscience vote for that on the Sabbath day … on Sunday. I can’t do that. I’m not going to compromise my religious beliefs.”
Hough asked about specifics that included things that businesses cannot do with sales of beer. Among them were pool tables and even consideration for the state’s new lottery because it’s a “game of chance.”
City Attorney Lawrence Hahn told the board they could strike out any specific parts of the ordinance or change the language.
He said the board could delay the ordinance going into effect for 30 or 60 days after passage to give time for public input.
“I guess what worries me is that we’ve had very little to no input into this new ordinance from anybody that might be thinking about using it or doing it,” he said. “It might give us an opportunity for us to make an amendment if we need to before it becomes effective. That’s probably overly cautious, but you can make that call. It’s not uncommon to do 30 days, but you might want to do 60.”
McKenzie urged the board to study the ordinance and make sure items they wanted in it were included and anything they didn’t want in it was excluded.
“Let’s make sure this is what we want for the next five years,” he said. “I’m favorable of the changes and consolidation of the ordinances.”
Ward 3’s Anna Evans asked about a ballot referendum for the citizens to vote. Hahn said it is the board’s call.
“I also want to encourage people to come to the meeting,” he said. “It’s all open meetings that it’s been discussed in. Nothing has been done behind closed doors, and it won’t be.”
