Sunday sales approved; facing hurdle since it was on a 5-1 vote
Having previously passed an ordinance on a 5-1 vote to ask Escambia County's legislative delegation to pass a local bill to allow alcohol sales on Sunday within the town limits of Flomaton, the council passed a resolution, also on the 5-1 vote Monday. However, Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said without unanimous consent at the council table he didn't think the delegation would push the bill in the Legislature.
At its Aug. 13 meeting the council approved an ordinance to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays beginning at 10 a.m. Currently it is illegal for stores or restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays inside the Flomaton town limits. At that meeting, Mayor Bondurant and council members Buster Crapps, Jim Johnson, Lillian Dean and Charlie Reardon voted yes. Councilman Roger Adkinson voted no.
At Monday night's meeting, Mayor Bondurant told the council he had talked with State Rep. Alan Baker, who told him the council needed to pass a resolution instead of an ordinance. He also said Baker told him without unanimous consent of the council it will be difficult.
“The only way Alan will help us get this done is if it's unanimous,” Mayor Bondurant said.
Escambia County's legislative delegation includes Rep. Baker, Rep. Mike Jones from Andalusia and State Sen. Greg Albrittion.
Following the Aug. 13 vote Rep. Baker said it throws a stumbling block in the process if the council doesn't vote unanimously noting the Legislature doesn't want to get involved in local politics.
“It becomes more difficult if it's not unanimous at the local level,” Baker said after the first vote. “It doesn't mean local legislation can't move forward but without unanimous support from the council it throws out a stumbling block.”
Prior to the vote Monday night, Councilman Adkinson said he would once again vote no on the Sunday sale of alcohol.
“I cannot sit here as a Christian and a deacon and vote to sell alcohol a block from our church,” said Adkinson, who attends Flomaton First Baptist Church.
Adkinson told the mayor and his fellow council members he had a set of values he was not willing to sacrifice.
“I'm not going to vote for it,” Adkinson said.
Councilman Crapps said he had no problem with Adkinson voting the way he felt he should vote but did question why the legislative delegation wouldn't follow the wishes of the majority of the town council.
“I disagree with that,” Crapps said. “We set up a Democracy where the majority rules.”
If he (Baker) said that was the way things worked, there is no reason to have the council members at the table.
“I don't believe you should ignore the majority,” Crapps added.
He noted there have been several times that he voted against items that were passed by the majority of the council and he accepted those decisions.
Bondurant again told the council that Baker told him that all three members of the legislative delegation would not get in between a council.
“I could see it if the council didn't want it,” said Councilwoman Dean. “I don't see this as all or none.”
When Bondurant first proposed the idea in August and again in the resolution passed Monday, he noted that Flomaton businesses were losing money on Sundays with people driving into Century to purchase alcohol and other items. He said he first got the idea from Atmore Mayor Jim Staff. Atmore has already approved Sunday alcohol sales because that city is battling the same problem Flomaton has by sitting on the Alabama-Florida line.
When contacted in August, Staff said all the businesses that sell alcohol in Atmore Monday through Saturday saw their sales go up when the Sunday sales were approved. He said it was especially beneficial to the grocery stores, where instead of traveling across the state line to buy groceries and beer they could buy it all in Atmore.
Following the discussion the resolution did pass on the 5-1 vote with Adkinson casting the lone no vote.
