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  • Stearns resident Scottie Morrow turned in a petition with approximately 1,000 signatures last Tuesday morning. Petitioners are seeking a referendum on county-wide alcohol sales. With more than 700 verified signatures from registered voters, the special election should be scheduled in late August or September. Janie Slaven

    Morrow petition
July 3, 2012

Wet-Dry petition verified

1st countywide vote in nearly 30 years

By JANIE SLAVEN News Editor

WHITLEY CITY —   As Somerset voters were opting to go wet by just over 700 votes last Tuesday, a local resident was filing a petition for McCreary County to hold its own referendum on alcohol sales.

    Former judge-executive candidate Scottie Morrow of Stearns turned in a petition of approximately 1,000 signatures to McCreary County Clerk Eric Haynes and Judge-Executive Doug Stephens shortly before 11 a.m. Judge Stephens then returned it to the county clerk for verification that at least 495 of the signatures — 25 percent of the 1,978 who voted in the last general election — belonged to registered McCreary County voters.

    Morrow, who had been circulating the petition since February, said the Somerset vote held no bearing on his decision to file on Tuesday. Rather, he was hoping to file early enough for an August election.

    “I didn’t want it to be too close to the November election,” Morrow explained.

    State law requires a local option election to be scheduled between 60 and 90 days from when the petition is filed. State law also prohibits the matter from being included on the ballot for a regularly scheduled election, such as the General Election set for November 6.

    Morrow, a military retiree, said that his efforts stem from the financial boost cities like Corbin have seen since going “moist.”

    “We need the additional revenue just for the county budget,” he said, adding that going wet could also help school and sheriff’s budgets.

    Morrow contends that state statistics show that wet counties have fewer DUIs than dry counties. Having been all over the county, he said that he has encountered a lot of support.

    “I’ve only had three people say it wasn’t any good,” Morrow said. “Each person is going to have to make their own decision.”

    It does appear that voters will get that chance. By Thursday afternoon, Haynes and his staff had verified that the petition contained 751 verified signatures. At press time, Judge Stephens had yet to issue an executive order but told The Record that the election will most likely occur on Thursday, August 28.

    The question voters will be asked is simple: “Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in McCreary County?”

    However, what that question entails if the majority of voters vote “yes” is considerably more complicated. State law limits the type and number of certain licenses depending upon whether or not a county has incorporated cities of a particular population. In addition to preparing for the special election, county officials must also determine what type of licenses may be available.

    In recent years, the Eagle precinct opted against wine sales in 2005 and 2009.

    The last time voters countywide had a chance to voice their opinion on alcohol sales was February 1, 1983. The measure was defeated by a margin of 4,620 to 1,503.

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