FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Florence County Council is leaving the future of Sunday alcohol sales up to the voters. A question regarding whether restaurants should be allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays will appear on the November ballot.
On Thursday night, council voted on a two-part referendum that sought to allow Sunday alcohol sales in restaurants and bars (Part A), and in grocery and convenience stores (Part B). Council members say a large crowd of residents showed up to the monthly meeting and expressed their disapproval of the measure as a whole, but they asked council to either vote against it entirely or strike Part B. Council Chairman Kent Caudle says council agreed to compromise.
“And we listen to people. And the people is what we represent. I can’t tell you how many councilmen had calls, texts, emails, things like that, commenting on it requesting us to vote a certain way,” he said.
Councilman Caudle is one of the 7 council members who voted ‘yes’ on the measure. He says he thinks alcohol sales will be good for local and small businesses.
“We’ve heard from several business operators, particularly on the interstate area, that’s not in the corporate limits of Florence or any other municipality, that says it hurts their business because they cannot sell alcoholic beverages by the drink to patrons when they’re passing through, staying there, having dinner there,” he explained.
News13 also spoke with Councilman Reverend Waymon Mumford who voted no for religious reasons.
“The main reason, and I can agree with them wholeheartedly being a pastor, Sunday has been set aside for the day of rest. It’s the Sabbath Day and should remain holy,” he said.
Chairman Caudle says Part B of the referendum that they scrapped could be up for discussion in the future.
