Good evening y'all,

My name is Bert Driver and I live at 400 W Main St, Smithville and own The Harvester Event Center .... also on West Main Street.

I am here to request this board reconsider the motion put forth on September 9, 2024 to amend the city beer ordinance and eliminate the 400-foot distance requirement between a church and businesses seeking an on -premise consumption permit for local beer sales, which would only apply to the C-2 Central Business District and none of the other existing regulations in the ordinance.

That motion failed 3-2 but new information has emerged I would like to share. On October 15, 2024 the Dekalb County Budget Committee voted 5-0 to recommend the county commission approve a $55 million 30-year bond resolution for a new school.

It’s contingent on Smithville, Liberty, Alexandria and Dowelltown extending their existing sales tax agreements for the life of the bond. Smithville (will) provide 2/3 of its sales tax revenue for that school.

I have an issue with this council’s decision to shoot down the proposal to allow sales of beer by the drink in downtown; there are two establishments already serving beer and alcohol236 in the district.

Beer is an important source of sales tax. In 2024 alone, roughly $364,000 was collected in Smithville from beer and alcohol sales.

That figure will grow if you do what the people want. You represent all of Smithville, not just those who are opposed to beer sales downtown. At present -- the situation is unfair: businesses on the west side of the square: Walnut, Market and Main cannot sell beer while those on the east side can because of the location of churches.

All the business owners have invested time and money to revitalize downtown but they don’t all enjoy the same opportunity to prosper. Beer sales by the drink will help all businesses and it will even the playing field.

I am a man of faith and fully support our churches in all their efforts. I am also protective of our community and want to see it thrive. Beer is legal and there is a process and procedure to obtain a license.

Most establishments that sell beer are family friendly; In fact, I own two of them.

We are all in business together and we want to see Smithville prosper. A thriving downtown with restaurants that attract people is important to downtown revitalization. Beer sales are one part of that and an important source of sales tax revenue.

So, I urge you to reconsider the ordinance you defeated in September and pass it so the community can move forward with commerce and success.

“When one boat rises, we’ll all rise together.”

Bert Driver