Robbinsville – After citizens of Graham County’s largest municipality voted in favor of allowing the sale of beer and unfortified wine within town limits, its governing body began the process of learning how alcohol will be legally regulated.
Robbinsville town attorney M. Ellen Davis sat down with the Robbinsville Board of Aldermen in a Nov. 18 work session, to discuss what the town will have to do to legally begin and administrate the sale of alcohol in stores, restaurants and other establishments. Davis estimated the time before citizens and visitors to Robbinsville could purchase alcohol in town at 3-4 months.
She also emphasized that the town would not need an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) board – due to the fact that hard liquor would not be sold – but said that one town official would need to serve as the main point of contact and administrators for business owners trying to set up for alcohol sales.
Davis said the process would begin with a business owner picking up an application from the town.
“For retailers it’s going to be tough because they have a lot to do, but it’s spelled out in the instructions,” Davis said.
The first step for a business would be filling out an ABC retail permit, followed by several further forms and tests, including a walkthrough of the town’s building inspector to determine whether an establishment was safe.
Anyone overseeing the serving of alcohol will also be required to attend a safety course, which will likely be available through Tri-County Community College.
“I think what we need to do is whoever we decide to be the town official, they need to kind of come in her and get this all prepared and not put it off on (Shari Birchfield) and (Sonya Webster),” said alderman Debbie Beasley.
“We can have the applications and all of that ready, and then they’ll be more familiar with it.”
Davis said she believed that it should be the applicant’s responsibility tonsure the forms were completed and stay in contact with the town.
“You want to assist them by having this basic packet together, and then the retailer can make a decision about this subset of documents,” she said.
Davis also discussed some of the regulations, including that establishments located 50 feet or less from a church or public school would not be able to apply for a permit.