CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After originally proposing an ordinance that would restrict the number of liquor stores within city limits to 14, councilperson Wanda Smith presented an amended version of the ordinance during the City Council’s executive session meeting on Thursday, Aug. 29, that would now restrict the number of liquor stores to 16.
Smith serves as the sponsor for the ordinance, and she previously told the council she’s concerned with the number of DUI’s, as well as wrecks and fatalities caused by alcohol consumption in Clarksville-Montgomery County. Smith said she was approached by some citizens of Clarksville to bring the ordinance forward, which included some business owners who actually own liquor stores. “They wish they had never owned a liquor store,” Smith previously told the council.
At the City Council meeting on Thursday, June 27, Smith broke down some statistics that were provided by the Clarksville Police Department, which detailed in 2023 there were 554 DUI’s, 136 alcohol related crashes with property damage and 74 DUI related crashes with injuries. Meanwhile, there were 5 fatal DUI related crashes, according to Smith.
Smith added to her previous comments on Thursday by saying she’s also concerned with alcohol consumption of young people, specifically, those under the age of consumption.
It is important to note, council members Deanna McLaughlin and Karen Reynolds both highlighted some concerns when the amendment was first proposed. McLaughlin previously said she also spoke with one of the liquor store owners previously mentioned. They had asked her to bring an ordinance forward that addressed the same issues.
“Yet, he owns two liquor stores and wasn’t willing to turn in his certificate for somebody else to use,” McLaughlin said. “I told him I would not bring this forward, because it seemed kind of ironic that he was one of the people that wanted the limit lifted before he was able to obtain liquor store licenses. He got his, and he didn’t want anybody else to have theirs.”
Meanwhile, Reynolds previously said she’d have a hard time voting for the amendment because they have a responsibility to not use government overreach, even though she supports the intent of what the sponsor is trying to accomplish.
The City Council will discuss the amended ordinance further at their formal meeting next week on Thursday, Sept. 5.
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