Madison County Board of County Commissioners Orders Special Alcohol Sales Election
6-6-12
At the regular meeting of the Madison County Commission held Wednesday, June 6, 2012, commissioners voted unanimously to hold a special election to determine how alcohol is sold in Madison County.
MadisonYES chairman, Ted Ensminger, presented the Commissioners with petitions signed by over 3,000 Madison County registered voters that requested the Commission order the election. Tim Sanders, Madison County Clerk of the Court, presented to the board a certified copy of the petition dated February 16, 2012, the beginning of the petition signing campaign period. Tommy Hardee, Supervisor of Elections for Madison County, confirmed that MadisonYES had acquired the necessary number of petitions to mandate the special election and had successfully acquired the
petitions in the time period prescribed by law.
Commission Chair, Roy Ellis, called for a motion. The motion to accept the petitions and to designate August 28, 2012 as the election date was made by Commissioner Wayne Vickers and seconded by Commissioner Alfred Martin. At that time, Chair Ellis opened the meeting to discussion or comments from the floor. There being none, he called the question. The motion passed unanimously.
“MadisonYES will now begin a hard target campaign of getting the vote out.” Ensminger said. “We are quite pleased with the results of the petition drive, but that was only the first step of the overall campaign. Our goal is to bring much needed jobs and tax revenues to Madison County. We intend to take a giant step forward with this campaign.”
MadisonYES is a registered political action committee located at199 E. Base Street, Madison, FL, 32340. Campaign headquarters is located at the intersection of Range Avenue and US 90, across the street from the Four Freedoms Monument. For more information, or to volunteer, call 850-973-4YES (937). To contribute to the effort via PayPal, please visit www.madisonyes.com.
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Think about all of the better restaurants that could come to this area! they look at the alcohol being sold to determine if they can come to that town!
I am a Christian, but all with in moderation is the key! Having nice restaurants coming to the area produces more jobs and revenue also…think about it !
Rationality has nothing to do with Jesus.. this is about money and improvement. Everyone take it easy the rest of Florida has not been struck down for the alcohlol sales. Rational statement???
@eddie,
Your rational, please!
Don’t care one way or tother.
Good luck….. to the voice after election year vote yes no biased intended
oh and might I ad, FINALLY!!!
He wouldn’t Rube.
@RubeCretin:
He would vote, “Yes” on both ballot options.
I vote YES…
How would Jesus vote on this issue?
We need to get out and vote yes on this special election. Our county needs the extra revenue that these wine & liquor sales would bring in. Now, we support surrounding counties with their tax needs. Voting Yes on this would also bring more jobs to our county. People that drink are gonna drink no matter if they buy it in Madison or travel to Valdosta, Perry, etc. to get it. It seems to me that it would be a lot safer to buy at home than buy in another county and have a longer drive to get back home. I am not saying that people drink and drive but why take the chance when voting yes on this will help our county and not others. Before you vote, think about this.
Thank you Marianne for your comment.
Florida Statute 567.06 specifies that two questions will be on the ballot:
Question Number 1 is to decide whether the sale of intoxicating liquors, wines, or beer containing more than 6.243 percent of alcohol by volume shall be prohibited or plermitted in ___ County, Florida.
Question Number 2 is to decide whether the sale of intoxicating liquors, wines, or beer shall be restricted to sales made in sealed containers, for consumption off the premises where sold, each sales being described as “Sales by the package.”
The results on question 2 shall be effective and binding only in the event a majority of those voting at the election shall cast their votes “For Selling Intoxicating Liquors, Wines, or Beer” containing more than 6.243 percent of alcohol by volume on question number 1.
If you fail to vote on question number 1, your vote on question number 2 will not be counted.
Madison is a “dry” county to the extent that intoxicating liquors, wines, or beer containing more than 6.243 plercent of alcohol by volume can not legally be sold in Madison County
Enforcement of the laws which apply is key. The Madison County Sheriff’s Department was recognized recently by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for enforcement activities.
Whether Madison County is “dry” or “wet” will be decided by voters in the August 28 election.
Voting to sell alcohol other than beer in Madison County means that strict state controls accompany the change. Simplest is retail of bottled products. The Winn Dixie in Lake City retails in a section beside the grocery, offering a separate entrance. Perhaps that is simplest for record keeping that the state requires. Qualifying to sell wines with dinners depends on capacity of the restaurant–no way to step up to a sidewalk window and be served. One sight that will disappear: a weaving walker, clutching the brown bag concealing the bottle that changed walking to stumbling. Perhaps this time the bootleggers and the teetotalers will not unite to quash sale of wines and liquors. Through my many decades here, it has seemed strange to offer unlimited beer sales in a `dry’ county, as if only the more `upscale’ products are a sin. Legalizing sales means all are taxed. Marianne Green