Council member wants to limit liquor licenses

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

"We have a town of 8,000 population and 23 places that sell alcohol," councilman Mike Hutchens said before the city council voted to renew all but one of the city's liquor licenses.

The package liquor license for Tim's Convenience Store, 320 N. Osage, was not renewed at the recommendation of city manager Bill McGuire because the city only has seven package liquor licenses available and the renewal of Tim's Convenience Store's license, which was the last package liquor license to be issued, would have exceeded the available licenses.

According to the city code the number of businesses allowed to sell intoxicating liquor in the original package is based on the population of the city, with one license available for each 1,250 people.

"There is a big negative impact associated with alcohol, I've experienced it in my own life," Hutchens said.

A lot of people have been affected by it, he said.

The city also issued three other types of licenses for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages: Intoxicating liquor by the drink, malt liquor in the original package, malt liquor by the drink. Although the city can also issue licenses for the sale of 3.2 percent malt liquor by the drink and 3.2 percent malt liquor in the original package none are currently in use.

Because of state statutes there is very little the city can do limit licenses for liquor by the drink.

City attorney Bill McCaffree told the council that since the state provided an exception for restaurants to sell alcohol it restricts what cities can do to limit the number of drinking establishments.

"If the state issues a liquor license for a restaurant there not much the city can do about it," he said.

McGuire told the council that the state will send a letter to the city asking for their opinion, but it is usually ignored.

"I would like to see if we can restrict the number of licenses," Bill Gillette said.

McCaffree told the council that he would look into the issue, but he said that he would be surprised if the city could add more restrictions on the number of licenses.

"I believe that if the state issues a license, we have to issue a license," McGuire said.