Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alcohol Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stanley council votes 3-2 to establish Alcoholic Beverage Control board after hour-long public hearing
Summary
After about an hour of public testimony that split residents, the Stanley Town Council approved a resolution to create an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board, with supporters citing revenue and opponents raising public-health and moral concerns. The measure passed 3-2.
The Stanley Town Council voted 3-2 on Feb. 10 to adopt a resolution establishing an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board, following an extended public hearing that featured sharply divided testimony from residents.
Mayor Cathy Kirkland opened the hearing and allowed up to one hour of public comment without individual time limits. Supporters said creating an ABC board is a step toward bringing regulated alcohol sales and revenue to town; opponents warned of social harms and questioned the economics.
Several residents urged the council to consider long-term community impacts. Pastor Danny Penny of the Pentecostal Holiness Church opposed establishing a system tied to retail alcohol distribution, arguing it would cause social harm and questioning whether any revenue gains would outweigh community costs. Planning and civic volunteer Carrie Lanning presented data she said showed nearby towns’ ABC stores operating with small profits or losses, including Mount Holly, which Lanning said lost more than $72,000 in the last fiscal year. Andrew Powell, who identified himself as a person in recovery, said a local store could pose relapse risks for people struggling with sobriety.
Supporters noted voters approved ABC sales in 2016 and urged the council to honor that result. Jeff Painter reminded the council of the 2016 vote and said regulated sales had not produced the harms opponents predicted. Council Member Corey Kelly characterized the ABC board as one part of a broader economic strategy, saying Lincoln County ABC was looking at a site on Highway 27 that could serve Stanley and that new revenue could help the town secure matching grants for infrastructure work.
Council members split along familiar lines. Kelly, Brendan Sweeney and Chase Hannifin voted in favor; Mayor Pro-Tem Leigh Anna Helms and Marsha Miskelly voted against. Helms said the town should prioritize attracting a grocery store rather than focusing on alcohol sales; Miskelly cited personal experience with a family member’s struggle with alcoholism in opposing the measure. Sweeney emphasized he did not want to raise taxes and said any revenue plan should avoid increasing the tax burden on residents.
The council closed the public hearing, approved the resolution to establish an ABC Board, and did not specify immediate next steps for board membership or store openings in the meeting record.
