Turner County Board of Commissioners Approves Long-Delayed Liquor Ordinance After Key Compromise
ASHBURN, GA – After nearly three years of debate, the Turner County Board of Commissioners has finally approved an ordinance regulating the sale of liquor by the drink. The vote, which took place during the board’s latest meeting, came after a key compromise between Chairman James Burgess and Commissioner Dana Whiddon that allowed the board to move forward on a decision that had been stalled for years.
The new ordinance establishes limited hours for liquor sales and requires that liquor sales cannot be the majority or primary business operation of any establishment. This compromise ultimately secured the three votes needed for passage, breaking a deadlock that had persisted for months.
A History of Stalemate
When Turner County voters approved liquor by the drink nearly three years ago, the Board of Commissioners was tasked with creating an ordinance to regulate sales. However, disagreements among commissioners prevented any ordinance from passing.
Commissioners Nick Denham and Dana Whiddon had previously supported requiring businesses to derive a portion of their revenue from food sales, while Commissioner Joe Burgess and former Commissioner Al Weaver opposed any additional restrictions beyond what voters had approved. Vice Chair Brad Calhoun had consistently opposed passing an ordinance altogether, as he personally disagreed with the results of the referendum.
Commissioner Whiddon shared on her Facebook page that she had multiple conversations with Vice Chair Calhoun, urging him to support the will of the people. “I personally had numerous conversations with Commissioner Calhoun that despite our personal feelings we needed to support the will of the people,” she wrote. “He was unwilling to compromise. We unfortunately didn’t have the three votes we needed to put any ordinance in place at that time.”
Breaking the Deadlock
Determined to move forward, Commissioner Whiddon proposed a compromise that balanced public safety concerns with the economic interests of local businesses. The final agreement eliminated a food sales requirement while ensuring that businesses selling liquor could not operate exclusively as bars.
“In an effort to meet our requirement and knowing Commissioner James Burgess was open to other ideas, I proposed a compromise that I felt considered community safety, supported the will of the people, and could get three votes to get the ordinance approved,” Whiddon explained in her post.
After negotiation and discussion, an agreement was reached that satisfied both sides. Chairman Burgess expressed gratitude for the compromise, stating, “I appreciate your willingness to negotiate and find a solution that allowed us to finally move forward with what the voters decided nearly three years ago. It takes real leadership to work through differences and make progress, and I’m grateful for your efforts in helping us #GetShitDone for Turner County.”
With the ordinance now passed, the county attorney is finalizing the legal language before it officially goes into effect.
Moving Forward
The passage of this ordinance will allow businesses to apply for liquor licenses and contribute to local economic growth while maintaining oversight and accountability.
Chairman Burgess has long argued that Turner County should be more competitive than surrounding counties, rather than equally restrictive or more burdensome on businesses.
“Nashville, Tennessee, was nothing 15 years ago. Now it’s booming, full of businesses and thriving nightlife. Meanwhile, Turner County can’t even grow its population,” Burgess said. “If we want businesses to invest here, we have to stop overregulating and start thinking about real economic growth.”
Commissioner Whiddon echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging that while no ordinance is perfect, this was the best possible solution that could pass. “Is it the perfect ordinance? I hope so,” she wrote. “But it was the only ordinance that was agreeable to three commissioners.”
With this long-standing issue now resolved, Turner County’s leadership hopes to shift focus toward fostering economic development, supporting local businesses, and implementing policies that reflect the will of its citizens.
#OneTurnerCounty #Leadership #Progress
ASHBURN, GA – After nearly three years of debate, the Turner County Board of Commissioners has finally approved an ordinance regulating the sale of liquor by the drink in the county. The vote, which took place during the board’s latest meeting, came after a compromise was reached between Chairman James Burgess and Commissioner Dana Whiddon.
The new ordinance establishes limited hours for liquor sales and requires that liquor sales cannot be the majority or primary business operation of any establishment. This resolution comes after months of disagreement among commissioners, with prior discussions failing to reach the necessary three votes for passage.
A History of Stalemate
The road to this ordinance has been anything but smooth. When Turner County voters approved liquor by the drink nearly three years ago, the Board of Commissioners was tasked with creating an ordinance to regulate sales. However, repeated discussions over the past year led to deadlocks, with no agreement on the level of restrictions that should be imposed.
Commissioner Nick Denham and Commissioner Whiddon had previously supported requiring businesses to derive a portion of their revenue from food sales, while Commissioner Joe Burgess and former Commissioner Al Weaver opposed any additional restrictions beyond what voters had approved. Vice Chair Brad Calhoun, meanwhile, had consistently opposed passing an ordinance, as he personally disagreed with the results of the referendum.
Whiddon shared that she had multiple conversations with Vice Chair Calhoun, urging him to support the will of the people, but he remained unwilling to compromise—leaving the board without the three votes needed to pass any ordinance.
Breaking the Deadlock
Recognizing the need for a resolution, Commissioner Whiddon proposed a compromise that balanced public safety concerns with the economic interests of local businesses. The final agreement, which ultimately secured the three votes needed for passage, eliminates a food sales requirement while ensuring that businesses selling liquor do not operate as bars without other primary business functions.
“I appreciate your willingness to negotiate and find a solution that allowed us to finally move forward with what the voters decided nearly three years ago,” Chairman Burgess said in response to Commissioner Whiddon. “It takes real leadership to work through differences and make progress, and I’m grateful for your efforts in helping us #GetShitDone for Turner County.”
With the ordinance now passed, the county attorney is drafting the final legal language before enforcement begins. This milestone marks a significant moment in Turner County’s governance, as elected officials have finally implemented the decision voters made years ago.
Moving Forward
While the ordinance does not include a food sales requirement, the regulation of hours and operational guidelines will ensure accountability among businesses. The passage of this ordinance paves the way for businesses to apply for liquor licenses and contribute to local economic growth.
Chairman Burgess has long argued that Turner County should be more competitive with surrounding areas rather than adding additional restrictions. During the debate, he emphasized that counties like Tift and Crisp are growing because they allow more flexibility, while Turner has struggled to attract new businesses.
“Nashville, Tennessee, was nothing 15 years ago. Now it’s booming, full of businesses and thriving nightlife. Meanwhile, Turner County can’t even grow its population,” Burgess said. “If we want businesses to invest here, we have to stop overregulating and start thinking about real economic growth.”
With the ordinance finally in place, Turner County’s leadership hopes that this long-overdue step will encourage local business investment while maintaining public safety. Residents and business owners will now be able to move forward with confidence in the county’s ability to implement voter-approved measures.
#OneTurnerCounty #Leadership #Progress
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