The Springfield City Council discussed the possibility of a referendum for voters to decide if there will be liquor by the drink sales in the city limits Tuesday.
Kelley’s Tavern had made a request to change its serving hours and begin pouring liquor but withdrew it from the agenda.
Police Chief Paul Wynn told the council, as he understood a referendum could be brought to the voters by the council voting to place the referendum in the general election, or by 50 percent of the registered voters signing a petition to put the referendum on the ballot.
“So if citizens wanted to do it, they would have to have 50 percent,” Councilman Dennis Webb asked Wynn.
Mayor Barton Alderman said the council would not make the decision to approve liquor sales — the council would make the decision if a referendum would be forwarded to the election superintendent to be placed on a ballot.
City Attorney Charles Barrow said he thought there are four times a year a referendum can be brought to the voters.
Kieffer asked if a referendum could be placed on the November ballot.
“I’d have to look at the schedule closely on that,” Barrow said.
Wynn said he would look into the process for the council if that’s the direction they wish to go. Alderman said he thinks it is an issue the voters should decide, not the council.
“All you decide is whether to send it to the vote,” Barrow said.
“My feeling is that we have a preliminary ordinance in place. We can’t vote on the ordinance,” Alderman said. “I think we owe it to the voters that if someone wants to see what we have in mind, on something like this, that we have a copy of the proposed ordinance on file.”
Webb asked Barrow to look at the city charter and see if there is anything that needs to be addressed because the sale of liquor is addressed in the city charter. Webb referred to a section of the charter that dealt with liquor sales in case prohibition was ever repealed.
The 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol in the U.S., was ratified in 1919. It was repealed when the 21st Amendment was ratified in 1933.
Alderman said he thought the charter said the council could grant a pouring permit with payment of $10,000.
“That’s not going to take precedence over state law,” Barrow said.
“No,” Webb replied, “but it’s still part of our charter.”
