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Tyrone to decide
on liquor by the drink next week
By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com
When Councilman Ray Bogenschutz elected to retire and not run for re-election
this fall, some of the drama left the political scene in Tyrone. Resident
Lyn Redwood will fill his seat starting in January and did not have to
campaign for this election.
There is still plenty of intrigue, though, because Tyrone residents will
have one issue before them next Tuesday: Should Tyrone allow restaurants
to serve liquor by the drink?
People have spoken out passionately on both sides of the issue since it
first came before the town council in July. At that meeting, the people
came out and said that there should not be a referendum at all. Since
members of the council had not heard any resident support the issue it
was decided that there would not be a referendum.
The issue was not dead for long, though. At the Aug. 7 meeting, resident
Connie Bogenschutz came before council with a petition signed by 77 people
from her subdivision stating they would like to discuss the matter and
would like to vote on the issue in November. The council agreed to discuss
the matter once more, this time at their Aug. 21 meeting, but if people
did not come out to support their side of the issue, the matter would
be considered dead for a longer period of time.
The two sides went head to head Aug. 21 and because the council now had
two differing opinions, they decided to let the town vote on the issue
in the November election. The liquor-by-the-drink referendum would not
allow package stores or bars to open in Tyrone.
To serve liquor by the drink, an establishment must receive a minimum
of 55 percent of its income from food sales. Examples of the type of establishment
this would allow is Ruby Tuesday’s, TGI Friday’s or a restaurant
like Paschal’s in Peachtree City. Beer and wine sales are already
allowed by the town of Tyrone.
The vote on this matter will take place at the First Baptist Church of
Tyrone next Tuesday.
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