Despite voting to go wet this week, Murray residents still have a long wait until they see expanded alcohol sales at bars and stores. City Alcoholic Beverage Control Coordinator Harla McClure says the first step will begin when the vote is certified, which should happen today. Next comes a 60 day waiting period for the city to approve new alcohol ordinances. McClure says,
“Since their ordinance deals just with one type of license and they would have to amend it greatly to include the other type of license, they repeal the current ordinance and they adopt a whole new ordinance.”
Some of the items covered in the ordinance would be how much a license would cost, what times stores could be open, and on what days they could open. McClure says after that, the complicated licensing process starts. She says,
“…if the state put an ad in the paper on September 18th, you know 30 days for that would make it around October the 18th and then it would probably be at least a two month process after that before the first package store would open up.”
McClure says the ABC will announce next week how many licenses will be issued for new bars and liquor stores. Listen to a full interview with Harla McClure on Front Page Sunday at 9 am.
