Two years from a failed attempt to legalize alcohol sales in the City of Red Bay, nearly 1,200 residents showed up November 5th to consider the wet-dry referendum once again.
This time, aided by a massive turnout for the Presidential election, Red Bay residents approved alcohol sales with a 623-550 result in favor of the referendum, representing a 53-47 percent vote.
In 2022, Red Bay voters defeated the referendum with 408 voting against alcohol sales and 373 supporting it. That vote was the first consideration of alcohol sales in Red Bay since the measure failed more than 40 years ago.
In 2022 and in 2024, in order to hold a referendum, a petition with at least 30% of voters in the most recent municipal election had to be submitted to the city clerk. With 781 votes cast in the 2022 referendum, that meant supporters of the referendum needed a petition with at least 234 signatures.
The vote was held two years after the previous referendum, the minimum time period for alcohol sales to be placed on another ballot.
Whether intentional or by coincidence, supporters of the measure benefitted from the referendum being held the same day as the general election.
The alcohol sales referendum was a municipal-only vote, so Red Bay residents could vote in two different elections at the polls Tuesday. There was the general election ballot, and separately, a municipal ballot on the alcohol referendum. Of the Red Bay precinct’s 2,459 registered voters (some of whom do not live in the city limits), 1,441 cast ballots, representing a 59% voter turnout.
When the referendum results were posted on the Franklin Free Press Facebook page Tuesday evening, responses ranged from ‘it’s about time’ to ‘today is a dark day for our city.’
For Mayor Charlene Fancher, the Red Bay City Council and city attorney Mitch McKinney, they’ve already started their due diligence by gathering alcohol sales ordinances from other cities in order to review how those towns crafted their local laws.
Mayor Charlene Fancher said she, the council and McKinney will review the ordinances and solicit input from officials in those towns to see what works most effectively for their communities.
Fancher said she hopes to have an ordinance ready for the council to vote on within three to four months.
For the record, Fancher said she and the council did not take a public stance on the referendum. But she was glad to see a large turnout in order to hear a more complete voice from Red Bay citizens.
“We took the position we’d wait to see the vote and what our citizens wanted to do,” Fancher said. “We’ll continue obtaining ordinances from other area cities and reviewing those along with our city attorney. “
Fancher said it’s too early to consider details of the ordinance the council will consider. Factors including whether the ordinance will allow retail sales of alcohol, restaurant service of alcohol and/or criteria for opening a bar or nightclub will eventually have to be considered. And any business wanting to sell or serve alcohol will have to obtain the necessary local license and permit as well as a permit from the State of Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
“That’s part of the process to start putting together an ordinance from different ones we review, but as for what will be allowed or won’t be allowed, we’ve not initiated those discussions yet,” Fancher said.
Fancher realizes the legalization of alcohol sales was a divisive issue in her city, but she asked for the public’s patience and trust that she and the council will put together the right rules for Red Bay.
“This was the people’s choice. Our job is to put the rules and regulation in place to make sure we handle this correctly. We want to take away the fears from the citizens and make sure we keep Red Bay beautiful, safe and not change the city we’re all blessed to share,” Fancher said.
“We ask them to give us a chance to put this ordinance in place and we’ll be working hard toward getting that done. And we hope they’ll trust us to do that,” she added.
