Elaine Blaisdell
OAKLAND — The Garrett County Commission on Wed-nesday voted to ask state legislators to approve a referendum for both on- and off-premise liquor sales and to extend enterprise zone tax credits for Strata Safety Products LLC through the state Department of Business and Economic Development, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator.
The commissioners also agreed to support Garrett Cooperative Ministry’s request for a $99,500 bond to go toward a $1.1 million new facility and a legislative request to modify the county code of ordinances to add a member-at-large to the salary study commission.
The commission also approved the Liquor Control Board’s requests to remove obsolete language in the statutes regarding wineries, a refillable container and a beer festival. Chairman Robert Gatto voted in opposition to all the Liquor Control Board’s legislative requests, according to Pagenhardt.
Numerous establishments have on-premise sales for alcoholic beverages and can sell an alcoholic beverage with a meal on Sunday between 1 and 10 p.m., and the vote would allow other establishments to do the same, according to Debbe Owston, administrator to the Garrett County Liquor Control Board.
“There are several precincts or election districts that can’t do that and they compete with the other establishments that can,” said Owston during a public prelegislative meeting in December. “We have had 0 complaints about Sunday sales in a restaurant with a meal. This is the first time the liquor board has proposed a referendum vote.”
The off-premise sales would allow package stores to sell take-out alcoholic beverages from 1 to 10 p.m.
Several owners of service stations voiced their support of Sunday sales during the prelegislative meeting.
