FARMINGTON -- A petition drive to gather signatures to place the question of whether to allow the sale of alcohol in Farmington is about 75 percent complete, according to Larry Bowden, a member of Growth for Farmington, a citizen committee organizing the drive.
Bowden, owner of Briar Rose bakery in Farmington, and six others are on the Growth for Farmington committee. Others are David Holloway, chairman, with Holloway Designs Concierge Jeweler, Tom Dunn with Shorty's Deli & Meat Market, Kaphernia Xiong with Mandalay Asian Cuisine, Brad Brekelbaum with Briar Rose Bakery and Billie Yates, a retired citizen.
The group has hired Blueprint Action to canvass for signatures and run the campaign.
Bowden said canvassers have stood outside businesses to ask people to sign the petitions and are going door to door in the community.
Becky Lewellen, Washington County clerk, said the group will be required to have signatures from 38 percent of registered voters, as of June 1, to meet the criteria for calling a local option election on the question.
As of April 12, Farmington had 4,145 registered voters, according to the county clerk's office, meaning if that number does not change, the petitions must bear the signatures of at least 1,575 qualified voters.
Petitions would be turned into the county clerk's office to be verified. Lewellen said her office has 10 days to verify signatures and if the petitions do not have enough qualified signatures, the committee will be given additional time to gather more signatures.
If the county clerk's office verifies the petitions, the question of whether to allow alcohol sales in Farmington would be on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot.
Bowden said the committee plans to gather signatures above the minimum required to make sure it can meet the requirements to call an election.
Bowden said many people signing the petitions have given positive comments about the issue.
General News on 04/27/2016