Mayor Mike Wheat took liquor off the agenda before Fayetteville's City Council meeting Tuesday, saying the time is not right to discuss the matter.

“I feel that it ought to be either unanimous or 4-1 before we put [liquor] on the ballot without a petition from the voters,” Wheat said.

He had talked to council members before the meeting, he added, and “it looked like it was just going to be 3-2” in favor of putting a referendum on liquor by the drink on the ballot for the city's Nov. 2 election.

“To take a 3-2 vote on a referendum I didn't think was a very good signal to send to the community,” he added.

Lane Brown, who has been working to get enough signatures on a petition to force a vote on liquor, said he is only 90 signatures short of the 1,740 needed. He asked council to consider notifying the U.S. Justice Department that the question will be on the ballot to give him extra time to get the final signatures.

“I've got 1,650 signatures,” said Lane. “That should give an indication that they do want it on the ballot.”

“We'll think about that,” said Wheat.

Carl Davis, representing the Lakemont Homeowners Association, had attended the council meeting to comment on a zoning matter, but during the liquor discussion stood up and told Lane his neighborhood could supply the 90 additional signatures needed to put liquor on the ballot. Davis and Brown huddled after the meeting.

Brown said he will work with Davis to canvas the neighborhood of more than 300 homes in search of the 90 signatures needed.

Meanwhile, he is asking city attorney David Winkle to notify the Justice Department in advance.

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