T'ville wet-dry vote could come April 3
By Jim Cox

The petition requesting a vote on alcohol sales in Thomasville has been presented to city officials and enough signatures verified for a referendum to be called, Mayor Sheldon Day said at Monday's city council meeting.

The petition contains 295 signatures and 251 of those have been certified as legal voters of Thomasville. The petition needed 235 signatures for a referendum to be called.

Even though the petition is in hand, Day said city officials aren't quite ready to set a date. He said April 3 is being looked at as a possible date. A minimum of 60 days is required from the calling of a vote.

Day's comments came as he noted that more changes and tweakings have been made to the proposed alcohol control ordinance. Bans on adult entertainment have been strengthened as well as provisions for oversight of all businesses that would be selling alcohol.

Those against alcohol sales want the ordinance to require a vote of the people for any changes but Day said such a provision may not hold up in court. He said safeguards for any changes by city officials would be to require a public hearing on any proposed changes with notices to be published to inform citizens.

Day said an "official reading" of the ordinance will be held at City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. This will not be an opportunity to debate the issue but the text of the ordinance will be put on a large screen and gone over by an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) representative, the police chief and others.

"I am of the opinion, and I have listened to everybody on this issue…talked to my pastor and several pastors, people who support it and people who are against it. Most want to move forward and put it to rest" with a vote, Day said.

Day said, "We need good, concise debate but it is an issue of conscience for the people of Thomasville. Some people who go to church will vote for it. Some who don't go will vote against it."

Two people were on the agenda related to the alcohol issue. Jack Bishop wanted to know at the beginning of the meeting if the ordinance would be voted on that night and was told no. Ryan Lyles said, "A lot of folks who claim to be Christians are supporting this" and quoted scripture against alcohol. "Everybody that really is a Christian ought to think about this," he said.

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