Residents who want liquor by the drink in the unincorporated county need

to keep their signing pens handy.

Last Thursday, the Fayette County Commission declined to put the issue

on the ballot in this year's July primary race. Instead, supporters

will have to circulate petitions and gather signatures if they want the

issue voted on this year.

"There's no way in good conscience that I could do this,"

said Commissioner A.G. VanLandingham.

Commissioners Herb Frady and Peter Pfeifer agreed with VanLandingham.

Frady added that he had pledged not to put this issue on the ballot during

his years of public service and there was a process in place to get it

to the voters.

But newly elected Vice-Chairman Linda Wells and Chairman Greg Dunn had

different thoughts about the issue.

"We're here to represent the people. I don't have a problem

putting it on the ballot," said Wells.

Wells, who doesn't drink liquor, said she had researched the issue

that an alcoholic drink is defined as a 12-ounce beer, a four-ounce glass

of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

"They all have the same amount of alcohol, and we already allow

beer and wine in the county," she said.

Dunn was looking at the economic impact of having a petition drive.

"It would take our staff a long time to verify the signatures. If

we just put it on the ballot, there is no cost to the taxpayers,"

he said.

But the other commissioners were not swayed. John Boykin, who owns the

Palmer Course at Starr's Mill, had asked the board to put it on the

ballot to help him increase revenues at his course and also to increase

charitable contributions. Boykin operates the course as a nonprofit entity

and donates proceeds from his course to several county charities.

Late last year in neighboring Coweta County, the county commission and

the Sharpsburg City Council voted to put the issue on the ballot, without

calling for a petition drive.

Voters in Tyrone last fall approved a liquor-by-the-drink referendum

after the town council put the measure on the November ballot without

a signature campaign.