Opposition

to a proposed liquor referendum in Fayetteville

is getting organized.

"Being

parents, we have concerns with drinking and

driving, and with the town changing," said

Sharon Shank, who is organizing the opposition

along with her husband, Gary.

The

couple has formed a group called Fayetteville

Citizens Who Love Fayetteville Without Alcohol.

Local

real estate broker Lane Brown has been working

for years to get enough signatures on a petition

to force a referendum on liquor by the drink, and

has been in a last-minute scramble to finish the

petition in time to get the question on the

ballot for the city's municipal election Nov. 2.

Time

is running out. Even with a promise from the U.S.

Justice Department to move quickly in approving

the referendum, state law requires 29 days

between the call of a special election and the

actual vote, so Oct. 4 is the latest that the

referendum could be called.

And

if the election is called before the signatures

are verified, the city's absentee ballots could

be held up while city workers verify the

petition, argues Shank.

City

clerk Judy Stephens said she can't predict

whether there is time at this point to put the

question on the ballot. "I can't make any

decisions until he turns in the petition,"

she said.

Brown

said recently that if he doesn't get the required

signatures in time for the Nov. 2 election, he

will hold onto the petition until the city's

presidential preference primary in March. With

only one question on the ballot, turnout is

always low, and it's easy for those opposed to

gather sufficient numbers to defeat a referendum,

he said.

Shank

said her group will be ready to get the word out

regardless of when the referendum reaches the

ballot.

"There

are many people who drink alcohol who are opposed

to having it in their own towns," said Gary

Shank. "We don't believe this will

pass."

The

couple are members of New Hope Baptist Church,

the largest protestant church in Fayette County,

and said church members and leadership will be

backing their fight.