Monticello / Marion Township to Stay “Dry” – No Signatures Turned In by Liquor Sales Supporters – UPDATED
August 9th, 2012 by Joe Burgess
4:30 Wednesday was the deadline for supporters of the proposed alcohol sales issue to turn in their petition to the Drew County Clerk, in order to get the “wet vote” on the November ballot.
When the deadline passed, no signatures had been received from the group.
Ron Echols, of the group “Vote for Growth,” told MonticelloLive, “We felt like there was not enough support for this issue, to pursue it at this time.” Echols added that the group’s organizers had realize the apparent outcome 2-3 months ago, “Voters aren’t ready to put this on the ballot, at this time.”
County Clerk Lyna Gulledge told MLive that 2,265 verified signatures of registered Marion Township voters were needed for the issue to qualify for the November vote.
Two local pastors, who spoke to MLive, expressed their appreciation for the prayers lifted up over this proposed decision, as well as the public opposition that was voiced by many supporters of the “dry” point of view.
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Please folks, when driving to Pine Hill, please wait to drink until after you get home. We were not opposed to your right to drink. We were just opposed to our children seeing alcohol in Walmart and every convenience store in town!
Selling liquor in walmart and other stores will not change the way your child thinks. We travel a lot and it seems to be in EVERY walmart we stop at and our children do not even think twice about touching it.
I think Monticello should be a wet….get it over with! Maybe no one will be drunk on the way to the hill. They will just get beer while getting groceries and hopefully decide to drink when they get home. Maybe it will limit drinking and driving.
i know that a lot of people don’t do this, but now we can just let people out on our highways to run over our children. They will be driving and drinking and cops hang out by Jose Chapel rode setting up rode blocks but i live on 138 and i have only been through 2 rode blocks the past 8 years living past the new pine hill. I would rather our children see it in the stores then get killed by a person drinking on the highway coming back from getting their alcohol. Just putting more money into John Parkers pocket and none for our town.
I would’ve signed that petition had I known about it or been asked to. And I know many others who would have as well. I’m tired of driving 30 miles and paying a rediculous amount to have a glass of wine. I too have children and they are not traumatized or neglected because their parents have an occasional drink or because they see it in a store. And half of the people that are against it….well….let me just tell you, you’d be surprised the people you run into when you go to the Hill. Yes, we see you try to hide your face and hurry in and out so that nobody recognizes you.
have you ever been to the country club people are known to fall off their bar stools who do you think drives them home what a surprise to know who they are .///
Looks like Monticello will never be able to grow!! Looks like a few people overrule the majority again!
I am very glad this county is dry and I hope it stays like this for a very long time.
May I respectfully ask what pastors have to do with the proposal? It is supposed to be seperation of church and state. My pastor never mentioned it in church.
This is bad news for the community, and especially for our economy. People who want a beer are going to have one, but they’ll go elsewhere to get it. Instead of tax money for Monticello, the fine folks in Pine Bluff or McGehee will get it. Instead of restaurant jobs in Monticello, they’ll go to other towns.
People in this town are nuts.
The wet folks could not find 2,265 to agree with them. They set up by WalMart and trespassed on the shopping center for months to get what few signatures they received. The majority voted with their lack of signatures. It was the wet folks that fell off those country club bar stools. That’s were they were when they got their hair brained idea for the petition.
Reminder: Rooster was on Hwy 425, not 138 when a drunk driver killed him.
Look at the memorial sign next to Wendy’s on Hwy 425 sometime. That is why this wet petition failed. Majority of Drew County are sick of our roads not being safe. We are sick of crime and drugs.
Now if the wet petition folks will take their money and invest in new decent businesses we will support them. I have no issue with an Applebee’s coming to town. Would not fight their liquor permit. But Applebee’s is responsible and will not sell to anyone beyond a legal limit.
So put your investment where your petition efforts were. Open a new Restaurant chain here in Monticello. Invest in the community, not against it. we need good paying jobs created, not more alcoholics.
The majority has spoken. Monticello/Marion Township will remain dry!
Applebee’s or any business like it is not going to come into a town where they have to get a Private Club Liquor License, They make a majority of their money on the bar, and they aren’t coming to our town, as long as it’s Dry.
Yes. A young man was killed by a drunk driver. In a dry township. So that’s working well, I guess.
I woulda signed it, I didn’t know there was anything going around to sign. It shoulda been advertised more.
They can buy it at Wal Mart and throw beer cans/bottles in your yards in town. That can save gas from them going to Pine Hill, and most of them are drinking before they get out of the parking lot.
The kids seeing it in the store is not any different then watching mom/dad drink at home is it?
This is a WET county, I don’t care who says what. A bar in town, a bar at the River, a bar at the Country Club and 2 liquor stores? How can it be “Dry”?
How can anybody say drew county is dry. Wake up people and live in the new days not the old ones.
I am thankful that Drew County will not have an in county liquor store.
It’s simple economics. Monticello has very few good paying job opportunities, of which the majority work for UAM. Something like 10-15% of UAM Grads stay in Monticello or surrounding areas to work. This town can’t even support its own population let alone attract others to come here (growth).
If you made the county wet, that would be the first step to bringing in fine restaurants and bars (everyone likes to eat, many like to drink). With more bars and restaurants, now you have entertainment and dining to attract more kids to either stay close to home and go to UAM, or come to UAM; population growth. Population growth equates to sales opportunities, sales opportunities translate to more money changing hands for goods
& services resulting in job growth and a healthy economy.
When population grows, businesses are willing to invest in a community because of the prospect of sales opportunities. Like it or not, alcohol is a catalyst for growth in our community.
When considering all of this, let me ask you the question: Do you enjoy driving 80-100 miles each way to Little Rock or Monroe just to get a decent meal & drinks and go shopping? I know I’m not a fan of wasting gasoline or time, especially when both are so expensive.
I say we grow our own economy down here in Monticello and quit putting money in the pockets of places far, far away.
The citizens of Monticello and Drew County need to realize how much power we give a few, and how little power citizens have to start something at a grass roots level… 2,265 signatures just to get this issue on the ballot is ridiculous. I am assuming that this is 10% of the total population of the Marion Township. Well, then this is a huge percentage of the adult population that can even sign a petition. 10% of registered voters would be much fairer. Let’s put this in comparison. 10 people just decided we needed to extend our hospital millage (a tax) in a special election….. it’s done. 8 people decided to levy a 3% tax against our hotels- no popular vote involved- it’s done. 8 people decided to extend out City sales tax in an election in August when no one paid attention and less than 400 people voted in the “special” election. I urge everyone to contact your Rep. and ask the Legislature to outlaw special elections that involve taxes and to rethink the number of signatures allowed for an ordinary group of citizens to petition an issue for ballot. At the end of the day, the voters in a general election should get to decide this issue.
Monticello will never catch up with 21 century. It doesn’t matter if the town is wet or dry. People will still make a trip toward pine hill. I’m about to grad next sem and can’t wait to leave this town. No job No growth No Fun
I am sure one very wealthy liquor store owner probably had something to do with it suddenly going away. Just like every year when it comes up for new vote in live oak. It is much safer for people to be able to buy liquor and wine right next door at at local store than it is to drive 30 miles round trip to get a beer or glass of wine. I am sure that the folks at Pine Hill are very happy to see that Monticello will pass on this chance to grow.