CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A referendum for allowing sales of liquor by the drink in county restaurants will be on the Nov. 8 ballot in Montgomery County.
Last November, commissioners approved a resolution for the state Legislature to amend laws to give the county power to authorize liquor and wine by the drink, along with retail sales of wine outside city limits.
Monday night's unanimous approval by the County Commission was the follow-up in these proceedings, though the portion concerning retail wine sales was omitted.
In response to a Clarksville Now inquiry, County Mayor Jim Durrett said that the legalization of wine sales on the county level raised legal concerns and that such matters would need to be handled in Nashville via private act or a statewide change in law.
“Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson and I spoke on this matter several times, along with attorneys for the state and our county attorney. We all decided the best course of action would be to take this to public referendum,” Durrett said.
“We felt the referendum was the best route to go because we were getting requests from establishments wanting to sell liquor by the drink and had not had any requests for retail sales,” said Durrett.
