WET or DRY?

    Voters in Pendleton County will be making a choice in November for Donald Trump versus Joe Biden for U. S. President, Mitch McConnell versus a Democrat candidate for U. S. Senate, and if one local magistrate has his way, the choice of whether Pendleton County will be a wet or dry county.
    District 2 Magistrate Josh Plummer had brought up the subject when he was on the campaign trail in 2016,  running for the fiscal court seat against Dennis Gosney.
    “It could spur economic growth and tourism,” said Plummer. He admits that personally he would like to see it happen, too.
    Plummer has consistently pushed for economic growth in Pendleton County, asking for the past two years for a line item in the fiscal court budget to study and promote it.
    “Young, professional couples are choosing to build or buy homes in Campbell County because of the amenities that it offers,” he said.
    In May of 2019, the PCHS Sophomore Leadership students held a county forum to discuss what route the county needs to move towards for a stronger future. A list of 25 ideas were brainstormed and ranked by the audience.
    For the second consecutive year, making the county wet was the number one item.
    On March 17, 2020, Plummer filed a petition for all registered voters to sign so the issue can be on the ballot in November of 2020. That would let the voters decide the issue.
    He is seeking at least 1,200 signatures with printed full name, full address and date of birth.
    The petitions are located at Tim’s Kitchen, The Butler Market and Butler Shell Station on the northern end of the county and in Falmouth at Falmouth Shell Station, The Smoking Pig Tavern (downtown), El Paso Mexican Restaurant and Two Rivers Pizza.
    Like most things in our daily lives, Covid-19 has harmed the ability to collect signatures. With restaurants being closed the past two months, there simply have not been customers to read and consider signing the petition.
    Plummer posted on his Facebook page, “I am looking for volunteers throughout the county that have been boisterious in the county going wet to help e collect signuatures.”
    Individuals interested can contact him via Facebook.
    While the debate whether the county should be wet or not could come later, Plummer does point out that the financial benefits have direct benefit to the county’s financial situation.
    “KRS does not let the taxes from alcohol go straight to the general fund; it does allow it to go to the county sheriff’s office,” he said.
    According to Plummer, there could be $40,000 to $200,000 in tax revenue that would go to Pendleton County Sheriff Eddie Quinn’s office, depending on the tax rate the fiscal court would choose.
    He added that it is approximately $40,000 to add a deputy sheriff ,and the funds could be used to increase the staff and provide more coverage and protection for the county.
    While the businesses of Falmouth have the ability to sell alcohol, businesses in Pendleton County do not. Those directly affected would be Butler Shell, The Butler Market, The Smoking Pig (Butler), and Tim’s Kitchen.
    Pendleton Hills (formerly Pendleton Country Club) has created some confusion. Plummer points out that KRS gives golf courses the ability to sell alcohol because a special election was held many years ago, and voters allowed that venue to sell alcohol.
    He also said, “I don’t want a liquor store on every corner.”
    State law indicates that a county could only have one packaged liquor store per 2,400 residents. With Pendleton County’s estimated population and with three packaged stores already in the county (CVS, Cold Spot and The Spirit House), that leaves only an additional three places that would be allowed to sell packaged liquor in-store.
    Many in support of the issue point out that the sales are already going to bordering stores, especially in southern Campbell County, funds that Plummer points out would now be going to Pendleton County businesses and the alcohol tax revenue to the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office.
    “As we grow, we could see tourism opportunities with a winery, brewery or distillery. We could have a little Augusta with the history in our county,” he added.