Commissioners deny temporary exemption for Kelly Grocery to apply for alcohol license during moratorium

The Upson County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 26 voted to deny a request from the owner/operator of Kelly Grocery (2011 Yatesville Highway) for an exemption from the county’s moratorium on issuance of new alcohol licenses. The moratorium was put in place by a county resolution cited during the meeting. The applicant told the board he had recently renovated the store and that a prospective tenant had sought a provisional license; staff said the applicant could not complete the application because the county moratorium prevents new applications. The applicant asked for an exemption so he could apply, but commissioners voted to deny the request until the county completes its review and revision of alcohol‑licensing procedures; a work session on licensing revisions was scheduled for the coming week. A commissioner noted that denying the exemption does not prohibit the applicant from submitting a complete license application once the county’s moratorium is lifted or revised; the board invited the applicant to return after the county finishes work on the licensing language. The motion to deny passed unanimously.