Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill last week that will allow the City of Newton to decide if it will allow the sale of hard liquor at restaurants.
City Attorney Brian Mayo informed the board April 19 that an act passed the Legislature granting Newton the ability to have an election to give Newton resort status. While the city has already legalized the sale of beer and light wine, this would allow for restaurants to be able to serve mixed drinks, such as margaritas.
However, the act does not put Newton in the same status as Decatur, as voters overwhelmingly approved allowing beer, light wine and hard liquor sales with both restaurants and package stores within the city limits.
“You cannot have a package store,” Mayo said during the April 19 meeting. “What this would do is allow a restaurant to have a bar inside the restaurant as long as the vast majority of the sales are from food.”
City Manager Jay Powell said it could also make the city more attractive to hotels that might want to have a bar inside of a restaurant.
Because the act was signed, the board of aldermen will have to call a special election for the alcohol referendum.
The next meeting date is May 3 at 5:30 p.m. meeting date is May 3 at 5:30 p.m.
