A state official has briefed city leaders in advance of a referendum on the question of whether alcoholic beverages may be sold in Eupora. Rusty Hanna, Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control's chief of enforcement, met with the Eupora Board of Aldermen on Aug. 3 in the Community Center of the City Hall complex. Two ABC enforcement agents accompanied him, including District III Agent-in-Charge Jason Counts of Starkville. ABC is responsible for purchasing and distribution of wines and spirits in Mississippi, and is the enforcer of the state’s liquor laws. It is a division of the Department of Revenue. Senate Bill 2253, which Gov. Tate Reeves signed July 8, grants Eupora resort status. This gives the city the opportunity to vote to be a qualified resort area — therefore allowing restaurants and convenience stores here to sell beer and other alcoholic beverages. Hanna first cleared up any misunderstandings about another law that will allow the possession of alcohol in every county in the state effective Jan. 1. It officially makes Mississippi a “wet” state for possession only, meaning that all citizens can have beer, light spirits and line wine, no matter the county they live in. However, the bill would still require a vote to make new counties such as Webster (now dry) wet to the sale of alcohol. City Board’s Role Hanna explained that the term “alcoholic beverages” includes beer and light wine. He said the city board would have much authority over the sale of beer and light wine but “very little on liquor.” He then gave an overview of aldermen's role in establishing laws regarding alcohol sales here, including: • designating which facilities can sell alcohol; • specifying the hours of operation of facilitates that offer alcoholic beverages for sale; • specifying the percentage of revenue that facilities which sell alcohol must derive from food sales; • designating the areas in which facilities that sell alcohol may be located. They must be at least 100 feet from churches and schools; and • whether or not to allow package stores to locate in the city. "If you don't do anything, there will be none," Hanna said. When Mayor Lamar Dumas asked what revenue the city would gain from having resort status, Hanna mentioned permit fees and additional sales tax. Recommending that the board have a set of ordinances ready to go before election day, Hanna said, “Once we get certified election results, we’ll start issuing permits (to sell alcohol if the referendum passes).” This normally takes four to six weeks after an application is received, he said. Special Meeting City Attorney Jacqueline Meek said Circuit Clerk Sherry Henderson told her logistics would not allow the referendum to be held in conjunction with Webster County’s general election in November. The board did not set an election date that night but tentatively plans to have it in October. The city must give 30 days notice. Aldermen set a special meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, to consider proposed ordinances concerning alcohol sales. They agreed to study those from other cities in the meantime.
