Bethlehem to Allow Sale of Beer, Wine

The mayor of Bethlehem broke a tie Monday night on a vote to allow the sale of packaged beer and wine and drinks by the glass within the town limits.

Mayor Sandy McNab voted in favor of the ordinance, breaking a tie between four town council members — Tommy Parten and Larry Jones voted in favor of the ordinance, while Tommy Buchanan and Wayne Ridgeway were opposed.

Scott Morgan, who holds Post 4 on the council, did not attend Monday’s meeting.

The ordinance gives businesses within the city the opportunity to apply for a license to sell packaged beer and wine, while restaurants can seek a pouring license.

“The way the economy is we need every dollar we can get in Bethlehem,” McNab said. “If we can do the same or close to what Statham does (with its alcohol sales), that will be enough to keep paying everybody’s trash in town where we won’t have to go charging people for their trash, so I’m going to say I’m for the sale of alcohol.”

The ordinance allows packaged sales of beer and wine or by-the-drink sales — a business can’t sell both in the same location.

“This is written so that no bars would be allowed,” town attorney Ron Bennett told the council. “You have to have a 60 percent threshold of food consumption.”

McNab said the ordinance could lead to potential annexations.

“I’m not really seeing anything happening right now, but possibly now we could annex the BP into the town of Bethlehem,” he said, “start getting something out of that store besides all of the traffic.”

Partnership with department of revenue

The town council voted Monday evening to pass a resolution to partner with the Georgia Department of Revenue to ensure the proper collection of sales tax.

The at its meeting last week.

“When people buy a business license I’ll have to take their information, their sales tax number, and send that information to the state so they can make sure they’re getting sales tax from them,” town clerk Kathy Bridges told the council.

Bennett said the state would also share information with the town.

“It’s a voluntary program that became law this last session and is designed, like (Mayor) Sandy (McNab) said, to ensure full collection of sales and use tax by sharing information,” Bennett said. “The hope is that there will be more revenue for cities if they can make sure they’re collecting that tax for them.”

The Bethlehem Town Council will meet again at 7 p.m. April 4 at the .