Should businesses licensed to sell beer in DeKalb County be permitted to sell on Sunday?
Armando Bolanco, manager of the Midnight Express Gentleman’s Club on the Sparta Highway, believes they should and he briefly addressed the DeKalb County Beer Board concerning this issue Thursday night.
Bolanco said if beer sales were to be allowed on Sunday, not only would he be able to make more money, but he and other establishments that sell beer would be generating more tax money to support local government. ‘With that income that I lose, I also gain by not giving any more sales tax to the county and state. Personally, I think it would be very beneficial for the county if my place of business and the rest of the people in the county who sell beer were able to contribute more taxes by selling on Sundays. The county could use that money, whether its for the sheriff’s department or for the school system,” said Bolanco.
Jim Stagi, a member of the beer board, informed Bolanco that existing laws would first have to be changed and the beer board does not have that authority. “We’re following the recommendations of the county, which adopted the recommendations of the state. So its got to be done (changed) legislatively for us to change our rules. We cannot change the rules for you,” said Stagi.
Bolanco also asked for clarification on the law regarding beer sales after midnight during the week. Bolanco said he was under the impression that his business could not have any customers present after midnight, even though he is not serving alcohol. “We’ve been doing business in the county for coming up on eight years shortly. I don’t believe we have caused the county any troubles. I have run it myself from day one. We cut off people (from buying beer) when they start talking crazy or are wobling a little bit. As a manager, I believe that’s one of my duties. This is my case. I was told we have to clear out the building at 12:15 a.m. A good chunk of our profit on the weekends is made from 12 until 1 or 1:15 a.m. We don’t sell beer past midnight. We let things cool down. But I see that small hour (12 until 1 a.m.) as a time for people to sober up a little bit before they hit the roads,” said Bolanco.
Robert Rowe, beer board member, explained to Bolanco that while the law requires that no beer sales be made after midnight, the customers do not necessarily have to leave at that time. “The law doesn’t say they have to leave. But at 12:15 their beer has to go. They can spend the night with you if they want to. That’s the way I understand it. At 12:15 a.m. they can get the coffee pot out and say okay let’s have some coffee. All we do is enforce the law that they (county) gave us. This is the law they gave us to go by,” said Rowe.
The law states that “No beer or like beverages shall be sold between the hours of 12 midnight and 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. No beer or like beverages shall be sold between the hours of 12 midnight on Saturday and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. No such beverage shall be consumed or opened for consumption on or about any licensed premises in either bottle, glass, or other container after 12:15 a.m.”
Meanwhile, the beer board voted to receive an application for a new on and off premises permit for the VFW Howard Gill POST on the Sparta Highway under the name of the quartermaster. Tom Skelenka appeared before the board on behalf of the VFW.
The board will take final action on the application at the next meeting on Thursday, December 1 at 6:00 p.m. at the courthouse.
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