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News
February 11, 2022
Sunday liquor sales?

Okmulgee County residents could soon vote on a measure that will allow liquor stores to be open on Sunday, according to the Monday meeting of the Okmulgee County Commissioners.

Okmulgee County residents could soon vote on a measure that will allow liquor stores to be open on Sunday, according to the Monday meeting of the Okmulgee County Commissioners.

Richard Potts, owner of Beeline Liquor, and his daughter, Jennifer, were at Monday’s meeting to inquire about getting a proposition before the voters soon.

The business owners presented several reasons for the request including:

• In an attempt to keep tax dollars in Okmulgee County, we are wanting to not lose business to surrounding counties, such as Tulsa, Creek and Muskogee (who have already had a vote.

• Currently, there are 12 direct competitors, such as Walmart, Walgreens, all Casey’s, etc. being allowed the sale of beer and wine on Sunday, as well as many other direct and indirect competitors located in Morris, Henryetta, Beggs and other surrounding communities.

• We are wanting to capture potential customers traveling a busy highway on Sunday, furthermore, providing tax revenue from out-of-town travelers for Okmulgee County.

• Eventually, major revenue holidays, such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve will fall on a Sunday. Being open for Sunday sales will allow our family-owned business the opportunity to provide more jobs, which is what we all want for our community.”

“Basically, it just makes the playing ground fair for everyone,” Commissioner Ron Ballard said. “It’s just making it fair for everyone.”

The business owners pointed out that surrounding counties (Tulsa, Creek and Muskogee) already allow liquor sales on Sunday, which causes local residents to drive to Glenpool to purchase those items, which takes money out of the county.

There are seven counties in Oklahoma that allow Sunday ‘hard’ liquor sales.

Getting the proposition on the ballot requires approval from the county commissioners.

There are currently three liquor stores in the county.

Election Board Secretary Ashley Carnes joined the meeting to answer questions about when the measure could be on the ballot.

“The county would have to call that election,” Carnes said, by the board approving a resolution. “The expense would be to the county and have to be on a statutory scheduled election.”

Carnes stated the resolution would have to be to the County Election Office by April 13, seventyfive days before the election.

Since it would be ‘piggybacking’ off a regularly scheduled election, the only cost would be for the ballot printing, she added.

“It would be a county-wide proposition,” she said, “so you would need at least 25,000 ballots to accommodate every voter in Okmulgee County. It is the entities responsibility to get the wording and the dates correct.”

The date for the Primary Election is Tuesday, June 28.

By a 2-1 vote, the commissioners approved moving forward with getting the measure on the ballot.

Agenda items approved were:

• Minutes of Jan. 31 meeting

• Officers’ Report: Assessor’s Office, $150 collected during January; Election Board, December 2021, collection of $764.90; Health Department, January, collections of $120.

• Blanket Purchase Orders: General Government to Cookson Hills Publishers for legal publications, $1,500; Health Department, Amazon Capital Services for supplies, $3,000; District 2 to RPI for parts and supplies for $1,000; District 2 to Unifirst Holdings for uniforms as needed, $700; District 2 to AutoZone for parts and supplies for $250; District 2 to O’Reilly Auto Parts for parts and supplies, $250; District 3 to O’Reilly Auto Parts for parts and supplies as needed, $300.

• Employee Forms: District 1, Michael Morrison, full-time effective 2/7.

• District Attorney Reimbursement OSF Form 3 for January for $927.34.

• Election Board Secretary Salary Reimbursement OSF Form 3 for January for $4,032.68.

• Resolution to transfer Okmulgee County Radio System to Okmulgee County Rural Fire Association. A resolution was approved for the transfer.

• Payment of claims missed for lease purchases on Jan. 31: Arvest Bank, $1,729.53 and Welch State Bank, $1,134.54.

The board also approved Bid#14 from Harlan Ford for three vehicles for the County Assessor’s Office. Only one bid was received, which was opened last week.

The commissioners tabled action on the Commercial Property Assessed Energy (C-PACE) proposal. There are still some questions that need answered or clarified, particularly about any county liability in case of default on the loan.

C-PACE is a tool that can finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on commercial property.

Following the regular meeting, a tour of the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority facilities was scheduled to take place.

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