Ward 4 Alderman Lee Beck said a much needed resolution to the Starkville Beer Ordinance may not see its vote tonight afterall. Originally, Beck planned to reintroduce the resolution to extend restaurant serving hours to 1 a.m after specified Mississippi State University sports events at tonight’s regularly scheduled meeting. Beck’s plans were cut short after an alderman who supports the issue suffered a heart attack this weekend.
Beck originally introduced a similar resolution during the Sept. 4 meeting where it passed with a 5-2 vote. However, the resolution never became a city ordinance after Mayor Mack Rutledge vetoed it Sept. 14.
Extending restaurant hours is something Beck says is not only in the interest of Mississippi State University students, he said it is in the best interest of Starkville as well.
“This could possibly help the economy some because you are going to see extended hours especially for home football games,” Beck said.
Although Beck said extending the restaurant hours will only bring a positive impact to Starkville, he said he has had some opposing points of view.
“I see the point of Starkville residents who oppose it,” Beck said. ” But, I also see the research that supports that this is a good thing.”
Beck said research has shown that limiting the availability of alcohol consumption can sometimes bring a more negative outcome.
“People don’t stop partying at midnight,” Beck said. “If the restaurant hours are extended, it would make law enforcement easier and keep drinkers under a stricter supervision than at a private party.”
“I think it is important and will be positive,” senior Mark Modenbach said. “Anything they (city officials) can do to make Starkville more enjoyable and safer is a good thing.”
Beck said that extending the restaurant hours would make law enforcement easier with extended hours since “most people don’t leave a restaurant or bar at the same time, unless it closes early.”
“I think that this will help cut down on underground drinking (hidden drinking from the law),” Beck said. “It will cut down on parties at apartments and houses. I think that it will really cut down on the mad rush of people leaving the restaurants at midnight. With the resolution, you will have people leaving restaurants more gradually.”
Unlike the first attempt, Beck said this attempt to pass the resolution should be successful.
“To make sure that this time is more successful and not get a mayoral veto, I have been consulting with the mayor to make sure that it is something that he will not veto,” Beck said. “But, that does not mean he supports the resolution, it just means he will not veto a passed resolution.”
Beck’s September resolution asked to extend hours until 2 a.m. on weekend evenings and on evenings of MSU sporting events. This resolution will ask the Starkville Board of Aldermen to extend serving hours of beer and light wine on Friday and Saturday evenings from midnight to 1 a.m.
Beck said he also wants to see restaurants be able to profit on sports spectators. He is also asking that the hours be extended on any “such other times as Mississippi State University has home football games.”
“Although, due to some circumstances this issue might not get taken up at the Board meeting tonight due to the fact that one of the supporters had a heart attack this weekend, please keep informed,” Beck said. “This issue will come up.