According to state officials, governmental units can go ahead and make a resolution opting out of just Sunday morning liquor sales and the state will honor it. Before today's clarification, it appeared as though the state was only giving communities the option of opting out of Sunday liquor sales altogether.
Vince Gonyou owns Freddie's Party Store in Owosso. "That would concern me if we couldn't sell on Sunday at all."
For retailers like Freddie's Party Store and the Wrought Iron Grill in Owosso, the thought of a Catch-22 that would eliminate their Sunday liquor sales altogether was worrisome.
"Michigan wines and Michigan beers are a large part of what we do here," Wrought Iron Grill owner John Lowman said.
Aware of their concerns, the Owosso City Council this week decided to tell the state Liquor Control Commission to put the brakes on any changes to their Sunday liquor rules.
"We want 90 days for them to order no Sunday morning liquor licenses until we can sort out and make a decision," Owosso City Manager Don Crawford said.
What had people so confused was the original wording of a directive from the Liquor Control Commission. It said government units had until December 15 to choose to opt out of the newly-passed Sunday liquor sales law that allows sales from 7 a.m. Sunday to 2 a.m. Monday.
"I think they need to get that addressed soon," Gonyou said.
Today the state assured communities Sunday sales would be prohibited only according to the community's resolution.
"Whatever the local governmental units want to opt out on, they need to tell us. It needs to be in writing, and then the liquor commission will proceed accordingly," said Julie Wendt from the Liquor Control Commission.
In Owosso, they're waiting a bit to see if any legislative language changes - just to make sure.
