Last week while attending the Hartselle City Council meeting, I sat listening to opposing ideas from those in attendance as well as members of the city council. Once again, the discussion about legalizing sales of alcoholic beverages has begun in our city.

The topic came to the forefront early due to language written into the Alabama Communities of Excellence strategic plan. Basically there are seven words written into the plan that say to promote legalizing alcohol sales for future economic growth. Opponents to the alcohol language asked that it be removed from the plan so as not to appear the city government and those who worked on the plan were proponents of legalized sales. Those in favor of leaving the plan as originally written believe that Hartselle will prosper with the additional revenue that could be brought in by legalized sales. The city council passed the plan on a 3-2 vote. However, this does not mean Hartselle will have beer flowing soon.

In order to have the legal sales measure put on a ballot 30 percent of the registered voters from the last municipal election must sign a petition and present it to the city. Once the signatures are validated, the council must pass a resolution to place the measure on the ballot. Only registered voters in the city of Hartselle will determine the outcome.

The time frame between now and the actual vote will be filled with citizens against alcohol “Families for a Safe Hartselle” working hard asking residents to Vote No for legalized sales. Another group (Hartselle Citizens for Economic Development) will be working equally as hard asking residents to Vote Yes for legalized sales. Those in opposition are asking that Hartselle continue as a dry city and that the revenue that would result would not be worth the price paid for liquor being so readily available. Those in favor believe for Hartselle to grow the sales of liquor is needed.

Regardless of how you feel or even how you will vote one thing is certain, whatever the outcome we all will continue to call Hartselle home. Since we live in a democracy and majority rules there will be some who will not be happy with the outcome. But we all are neighbors and in order to grow and prosper Hartselle will need to remain one city united by citizens who truly only want the best for her. Also even though we may not always agree with our neighbors, we can disagree and still love each other.

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.