LOWELL -- The City Council once again will review a proposal to allow the sale of alcohol at events held in city parks.
A proposal to sell alcohol during the city's Mudtown Days festival held annually in May failed with a tie vote in February. A similar proposal also failed in April.
Meeting
The Lowell City Council will review the alcohol ordinance during its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lowell City Hall, 216 N. Lincoln St.
The newest ordinance, to be considered Tuesday, proposes allowing the City Council to approve the sale of alcohol at events on a case by case basis.
City Council member Dean Bitner said the issue was brought before a recent ordinance committee meeting by a couple of board members.
"They couldn't believe this failed and they wanted to bring it back," Bitner said.
Kendell Stucki is the council member leading the campaign in favor of the ordinance this time, said Bitner, who spearheaded the previous alcohol ordinances. Stucki wasn't available for comment Friday.
Bitner said he has continued having discussions with residents about alcohol sales.
"I was parking cars at Mudtown Days and when people got out of their vehicles I would ask them their thoughts," Bitner said. "Not one single person said they would not come to the event if alcohol was sold."
City Council member Thomas Evers said he plans to vote against the latest ordinance.
"It is basically the same ordinance," Evers said. "I think parks are for kids."
City Attorney Thomas Kieklak said the ordinance will need a majority to pass.
The February ordinance failed on a 4-4 vote with Evers, Lonnie Jones, Eric Schein and Conner Jones voting against it. Keith Williams, Stucki, Bitner and David Adams voted in favor of the ordinance.
Conner Jones and Williams have since resigned from the board after moving out of the city.
Delia Ingle replaced Conner Jones and Linda Vannoy took Williams' position. Ingle and Vannoy both said they haven't had time to review the ordinance and were unable to comment.
Vannoy spoke in favor of the February ordinance, which had a clause to allow it to sunset after 2015. She said at the time that the sunset clause was a good compromise.
Cities in Benton County are newly facing the decision to allow alcohol sales at community events. Benton County voters approved off-premises sale of alcohol in November 2012. Alcohol could only be sold at members-only private clubs prior to that.
Rogers started allowing the sale of alcohol at community events in 2013. Main Street Rogers started the Oktoberfest the same year. The event was created around the idea of selling beer. It attracted 1,000 people the first year and 4,000 its second year, said Dana Mather, the organization's former director, at the time.
Events in Bentonville continue to be alcohol free.
Bitner said Lowell officials are working on a new event to be held in October that will include mud races for ATVs. Details for the event are still in the works, he said. It is possible that alcohol could be sold at the event, if the ordinance is approved.
NW News on 07/18/2015