Sunday liquor may wait until after holidays

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Retailers should be able to sell all kinds of alcohol beverages on Sunday, the McCook City Council agreed Monday night and approved upon its first reading an ordinance to allow that.

But one councilman voted against it and the ordinance may not even go into effect until after the holidays.

The new ordinance, approved 4 to 1, will allow the sale of all alcohol beverages on Sunday from noon to 1 a.m., as allowed by state law. Currently retailers can sell only beer and wine on Sunday.

Councilman Jim Kenny, who voted against the measure, said expanded sales on Sunday were not necessary.

"People have six days to buy their booze," Kenny reasoned. "We need a day of rest."

Councilmen Aaron Kircher disagreed. To single out beer and wine from other liquor sales was unfair, he contended. "We have seven days for beer and wine and six for the other," he said. "They both do about the same thing."

But unless the council suspends the three-reading rule, the ordinance would go into effect Jan. 2 because of the 15-day waiting period, too late for this years' holiday season.

Councilman Kircher also made the motion to strike unnecessary language in the ordinance that applied to non-profit organizations.

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