news
The Mississippi State Tax Commission, which controls strong alcoholic beverages, has final say on the matter. It typically takes about two weeks for that agency to make a decision after getting the request.
If it's approved, Tupelo will become the third Northeast Mississippi city this year to allow Sunday liquor sales after Starkville and Columbus. All three cities also permit beer and wine cooler sales seven days a week.
And though this week's measure passed quietly, it wasn't without controversy. Opponents of Sunday alcohol sales criticized the council for voting without first seeking public comment.
"I hadn't even heard about it until Sunday night, and then two days later there's a vote," said Forrest Sheffield, pastor at Harrisburg Baptist Church and an outspoken teetotaler. "People are upset the council has not given the citizens of the community an opportunity to have the spoken word."
He went on to say it had the impression of "sneaky, hidden back-room politics" and that it was forced upon the public.
West Jackson Street Baptist Church Pastor Bert Harper asked the council to postpone a decision until more residents can comment.
Neither pastor was scheduled to speak, but the council voted to allowed them five minutes each.
Council President Fred Pitts, however, disagreed the measure was sprung upon the public without notice. He told the Daily Journal that the group's earlier decision to permit Sunday beer sales clearly signaled its intention to get liquor sales, too.
The beer vote, he said, was just the first step of a two-step process. Unlike the beer vote, though, the liquor vote doesn't require a public hearing because the municipal ordinance won't change. And, in that case, there was no need to alert the public or seek comments, said city attorney Guy Mitchell.
"This is all by the book," Pitts said. "There's nothing sneaky about it."
Ward 6 Councilman Mike Bryan disagreed. He said no one had mentioned hard liquor when the council debated Sunday sales in September. Had it come up, Bryan said, even residents in favor of Sunday beer would have opposed Sunday liquor.
He also said the council could have held a public hearing on the matter even though it wasn't legally required.
Bryan, who himself didn't know about the measure until Friday, had tried to table it but failed to get enough votes.
Also opposing Sunday liquor sales were Ward 5 Councilman Jonny Davis and Ward 7 Councilman Willie Jennings.
Contact Emily Le Coz at (662) 678-1588 or emily.lecoz@djournal.com.
At a glance
Sunday alcohol sales in other Northeast Mississippi cities:
* Columbus - Beer, wine and liquor from 10 a.m. to midnight
* Oxford - No Sunday alcohol sales except for establishments with resort status
* Starkville - Beer, wine and liquor from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
* Corinth - No Sunday alcohol sales
Vote tally
For Sunday liquor sales
* Ward 1 Councilman Markel Whittington
* Ward 2 Councilman Fred Pitts
* Ward 3 Councilman Jim Newell
* Ward 4 Councilwoman Nettie Davis
Against Sunday liquor sales
* Ward 5 Councilman Jonny Davis
* Ward 6 Councilman Mike Bryan
* Ward 7 Councilman Willie Jennings
Thanks for your post. What I fail to understand about this entire issue is if the selling of hard liquor was the ultimate aim and goal, why didn't the council present the entirety of their plans to the city during the September vote? Why veil it as "just beer and light wine" in the September debate? Why two separate votes, if they knew the entire time that hard liquor would be included? Why not just one vote? Forgive me if I don't respond before Sunday. . .I will be out of town for the weekend.
I am trying to understand why you are so upset about this issue? I read you are not against Sunday sales. (Is this correct?)
The city attorney stated there did not have to be a public hearing on this issue. There are also plenty of issues that public does not know about until the council votes on them. There are a few issues that are released to the public before the council discusses them. The liquor issue was released before the Tuesday’s vote.
As I explained earlier, the vote was not underhanded, backroom politics. The council isn't required to have a public forum. They are not required to tell Dr. Sheffield what they're going to vote on so he can make a speech. They let him speak out of courtesy the other night.
My point about Mike Bryan is simple. He's not smart enough to know what's going on at the council meetings or study agendas or any other meetings for that matter. His vote was going to be negative no matter when it was taken. I don't have anything against you, did not use profane language at you and don't mean to offend, but your failure to see that the council did exactly what they intended to do from the onset, and the fact that they did it legally and by the letter of the law, leaves me suspect as to whether you fully understand the situation.
If you don't believe wikipedia in this regard, do a little research of your own...I think you'll understand how lame your argument it going to be. If you won't to hang your hat on Mike Bryan, have at it. Kennedy-Western University is a diploma mill for people that can't earn a degree from a university. I've known him for 30 years, and I can assure I am absolutely correct. And yes, I do feel like I our elected officials are fighting backwoods, hayseed, unintelligent, unenlightened baptists...as well as feel like I'm arguing with one right now. Your type of thinking is exactly what has us where were are economically and socially, as well as our perception elsewhere. Wake up, this isn't Mayberry and now that we have some leadership on the council and in the mayor's office, things will improve. Finally, your last analogy reeks of someone trying to be sarcastically belittling, but comes off just as it is...just a dumb analogy.
The fact of the matter is that alcohol sales (beer, wine and liquor) is now legal on Sunday in Tupelo and we will never go back to the way it was before our enlightened council passed it. You can bitch and moan all you won't, but it's not going to change. How's that taste?
Also both of the preachers had every right to voice their opinions in opposition of Sunday sales. They believe it is wrong to have Sunday sales, but I have to disagree with them on this issue. I do not see this as a moral issue, but as an economic issue. My pastor has yet to mention Sunday sales during his sermons and I do not plan on him doing that anytime soon.
The citizens of Tupelo elect people to make these decisions and that's what they did. This vote has been a long time coming and we finally have people in office that are willing to make decisions based on what's right for the city and not what will get them re-elected or make them look better to their peers in church. These people did their job...just like the ministers.
Once again, a public hearing is NOT part of the process and is NOT required. Just because you can't don't like the process, does not make it underhanded. As to the September vote, the same people voted affirmatively then as did the other night, so what makes you think the outcome would have been any different? Newsflash - IT WOULDN'T.
Finally, if you didn't realize that liquor sales would be the next step in this process, then you obviously haven't paid attention to what's going on around other parts of the state.
On the other hand, Mike Bryan is an idiot. I can't believe he got re-elected. I'm not at all surprised he didn't know what was going on around him. Anybody that pays attention knew that the vote for liquor sales would come up eventually. I didn't know it would come up so soon, but it's an obvious next step in the process. The councilpersons that voted positively saw no reason to table for further discussion. They had the votes to pass the resolution, there was no requirement for a public hearing, so why table an issue that's settled.
Finally, I stand by my comment that if this were put to a public vote, I feel confident you would be sadly disappointed in the outcome.
If you drink, then you are going to get it where its available. That person is going to be drinking in his city whether it's dry or wet.
Come on, Tupelo and all cities will be the same because people have been drinking on Sundays long before it was legal. Tupelo is not going to turn into some sinister, devil's island.
But, if it spooks you, then dont get out.