WINONA – Some citizens of the City of Winona are expressing their opposition to the Winona Board of Aldermen’s decision to lift the ban on selling beer and light wine on Sundays, while others have expressed their approval to city leaders for changing the city’s long-standing beer ordinance.
Since the July 6 meeting of the board, several citizens have been collecting names from those in opposition of selling beer on Sundays and met with Mayor Aaron Dees Tuesday afternoon to express those concerns.
According to Brother Jay Anderson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winona, a group of citizens met with Dees to “express our concerns and the concerns of others,” who signed a letter to be presented to the mayor.
“We had a good meeting,” Anderson said. “We met with [Mayor Dees] and voiced our concerns over this change [in the city’s Beer Ordinance]. We presented him our beliefs, our side, and our concerns, and he politely listened.”
Anderson explained that years ago, when the city leadership voted to sell beer and alcohol inside the city limits, they compromised with those in opposition that Sunday would remain dry.
“They said that Sunday would never be touched,” Anderson said. “That was part of the compromise. That obviously has changed, and we are where we are.”
Anderson explained that the letter to the mayor was not an official petition, but it did include the names of around 100 citizens who also expressed their concerns in lifting the ban.
Anderson explained that retired pastor Johnny Walker shared with Dees personal experiences where alcohol has negatively affected homes and children growing up in homes where alcoholism is a problem.
“By opening up the opportunity [to buy alcohol] on Sunday, that is one more opportunity for someone to take that one drink,” he said. “We look at it from that aspect and the negativity affects it brings about. All it takes is one drink, and that is what we hope won’t happen. If that one drink can be avoided, wouldn’t it be worth it?”
Reverend Mark Williamson, pastor of Winona Baptist Church, said he is in complete opposition to the city allowing beer sales on Sunday. He explained that he is looking at the change not just as a pastor but from a retired military service member and a professional in the social service arena.
Williamson retired from the military after 27 years, and he has spent the last four years employed with the Department of Human Services.
“I expressed to the mayor that I believe in the sanctity of the day [Sunday],” Williamson said. “I know people have access to alcohol in other towns, and the argument is that people can go elsewhere on Sunday to buy it. And we are losing [revenue]. But I like to say, all money is good money.”
In his capacity as a member of the social service community, Williamson said alcohol is often a gateway drug, and it has links to domestic violence and other problems in the home. As a member of the clergy, he often sees the aftereffects of alcohol in a home. He explained that at that point, he can only “put a Band-Aid on the problem.” However, the community needs to look at preventative measures as well, and adding another day to legally sell alcohol will not help the problem.
“Alcohol can have devastating effects on you people,” he said. “If I can help present something, I’m, going to do it. I will not be silent on this issue.”
He said while a great number of people in the community are supporting the board’s decision to lift the ban, there will be an equal number of people who oppose it. However, he said he is very opposed to the change in ordinance.
“When you make something readily available on what most people in the South consider the most sacred day, I have a vested interest in opposing this,” he said. “I do not mind being in the minority as long is God is there with me.”
Alderwoman Sylvia Clark said there are many reasons why the city should lift the ban on selling beer and light wine on Sundays.
“Statistics show that drunk driving decreases,” she stated. “People will not be more apt to drink and drive.”
She shared information from the website, Alcohol Problems and Solutions, in which studies of the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, and California show a higher number of deaths due to drunk driving in dry counties than counties that allow the sale of alcohol because people are driving to purchase alcohol.
Clark also said that Winona is losing sales tax revenue, not just from beer sales on Sunday, but from the other items purchased in neighboring communities that could have been purchased in Winona.
“Often when people go to other towns to buy beer, they are buying other items,” she said. “They are buying food, gas, eating at restaurants.”
Clark said with the increase in sales tax revenue, the city will be able to do more things like give city employees much-needed raises, do beautification projects, among others.
“We have to have money to run the city,” she said.
She also said that in recruiting chain restaurants to locate in Winona, lifting the ban on selling beer on Sunday will be necessary.
Clark said she has mainly received positive feedback from her constituents about lifting the ban on selling beer on Sundays.
“I have had people call who are so excited about it,” she said. “For every one person who has said no, there are eight or nine that said yes. This is across color lines and across religious lines.”
Clark said so many different religious and denominations represented in the City of Winona, many of them with varying views. In addition, she said the majority of Winona’s constituency is in favor of the change.
“We have more people for it than against it,” she said. “You want your town to be moral, but if you want your town to grow, you’ve got to have revenue.”
Mayor Aaron Dees said he received 156 phone calls, messages, and text messages in one day from citizens of Winona.
“I’d say 90 percent of [those calling] were for [lifting the ban],” he said. “If you put this on a ballot and have the city vote on it, it would pass.”
Of the calls he received, Dees said their reasons for supporting the change was a combination of things. He said some felt it was unnecessary to drive out of town to purchase alcohol, and others felt that new restaurants and merchants would come to Winona if beer sales were allowed on Sunday. Another pointed to separation of church and state.
“I don’t personally drink, but you can’t run a city based on your personal feelings,” he said.
The board of aldermen is expected to approve the amendment to the city’s Beer Ordinance at the July 20 meeting.
