Residents in Barlow have the opportunity to vote in an upcoming local election to lift the town’s ban on alcohol.
A state law, which took effect last month, allows small towns in dry counties with less than 3,000 people to petition for an election authorizing alcohol sales.
Mayor Jo Wilfong says their petition contained more than enough names and recently received approval by the county judge executive. Wilfong says Barlow doesn’t have a gas station, grocery store, bank, or drug store, and she hopes to gain new businesses by lifting the ban on alcohol.
“We will be gaining because we will have licensing fees and other regulatory fees. Plus, it is the trickle down effect of other businesses coming into town. We have more traffic, we have more people stopping in town who then use our businesses,” says Wilfong.
Wilfong says the town is currently covered by the county sheriff’s deputies and lifting the ban on alcohol would enable them to have a city police force. The election is scheduled for October 4th.