If you want

to have a margarita with your Mexican food in Senoia, call City Hall.

That was the

verdict Monday night after restaurant owner Tom Parker asked the City

Council to put a liquor-by-the-drink referendum on November's ballot.

"I'd like

to build at least a two-star restaurant here," Parker said.

He added that

chain restaurants are not likely to come to the city without the option

of being able to serve liquor.

Parker's request

met with a cool response from Mayor Dianne Cleveland, who instructed him

on the correct pronunciation of Senoia (Sen-OY) and also disputed the

fact the city may eventually annex the property on Chestlehurst Road where

Parker runs Southern Fried Country.

"I just

think you need to let the people make the decision," Parker said.

Councilman

Bill Wood said he had been approached by a lot of people asking about

liquor by the drink. He asked city attorney Drew Whalen what the deadline

would be for getting it on the November ballot.

Whalen said

you needed to advertise it at least 60 days before the vote, so the City

Council would have to decide by September, or wait until the next election

in March.

"If we're

going to do this, I would prefer to have it during a general election

when it wouldn't cost us that much more," said Councilman Robert

Belisle.

Parker said

people were already heading out of town to eat and drink and new restaurants

would be more convenient and add revenue to the city's tax base.

"Three

miles is not an inconvenience," said Councilman Pat Tunnell, referring

to Peachtree City.

Councilman Ro bert

Hannah said you often get more than you bargain for when you bring liquor

to town, but said he would have to hear from the public on the issue.

The City Council

took no action on the request and said they would solicit responses from

the public before making a decision.