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Tuesday, Oct. 06, 2009

Stanford residents vote against alcohol sales

The city of Stanford voted against becoming the first city in Lincoln County to allow alcohol sales, Mayor Bill Miracle said Tuesday night.

The vote was a straight up-and-down vote on whether to allow alcohol sales within the city limits. County Clerk George "Sonny" Spoonamore said a petition seeking a special election this year was signed by 25 percent of the previous election's voters.

The city of Lancaster in Garrard County recently voted to allow alcohol sales, and that influenced the petition, said Stanford City Councilman Scottie Ernst. "We have money leaving the city and going to Lancaster 7 miles away," he said.

Miracle said the debate leading up to the vote was "pretty typical" with some religious leaders and private citizens, both in and outside the city limits, lining up vocally against alcohol sales, and those for alcohol sales remaining fairly quiet.

"The 'drys' were just more vocal and strongly organized, and the 'wets' needed a face to make their argument, and they didn't have that," Ernst said. He said the vote was 344 for allowing sales, and 499 against.

The signing of the petition about two months ago coincided with a city council repeal of a 1930s prohibition-era ordinance barring anyone from having alcohol in their homes or giving it as gifts, as well as barring sales. The repeal of the ordinance still stands.