CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Montgomery County residents will get to vote on whether to allow liquor by the drink in restaurants that are outside the city limits, thanks to a resolution unanimously approved by the County Commission Monday night.
The referendum was approved by all county commissioners in attendance. Only Brandon Butts of District 7 was absent.
The resolution is a follow-up to one that commissioners approved in November asking the state Legislature to amend certain laws giving the county power to authorize liquor and wine by the drink, along with retail sales of wine outside city limits.
Monday’s resolution, however, only addresses liquor by the drink, omitting the portion concerning retail wine sales.
In response to an inquiry by Clarksville Now, County Mayor Jim Durrett said that, in working with state lawmakers, legal concerns were raised about the legalization of wine sales on the county level, and that such matters would need to be handled in Nashville via private act or a statewide change in law.
“Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson and I spoke on this matter several times, along with attorneys for the state and our county attorney. We all decided the best course of action would be to take this to public referendum,” Durrett said. “We felt the referendum was the best route to go because we were getting requests from establishments wanting to sell liquor by the drink and had not had any requests for retail sales.”
The referendum for allowing liquor by the drink sales in county restaurants will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.