Residents Fight Alcohol Changes

Approximately 300 people attended Thursday night's City Council work session meeting, many of them against proposed changes to the City's alcohol laws.

Twenty local residents stood before the Douglasville City Council one by one and shared their personal stories of how damaging alcohol can be. They are against the extended pouring hours, until Sunday at 2 a.m.; changing the City's food-to-alcohol percentage ratio from 60/40 to 51/49; and/or allowing residents to vote on Sunday sales on the Nov. 6 ballot.

"I'm against anything that means the flow of more alcohol," Stephen Shook said, Douglasville resident. "It's proven that alcohol takes lives. It endangers the lives of citizens and is no good for our community."

"I don't like the possibility of nightclubs and pornography or peepshows," Richard Guest said before the meeting, a Winston resident. "That is usually what goes with it (increased alcohol sales)."

Larry Weaver, a life-long Douglasville resident and owner of a tire shop outside of Douglas County, said he planned to use his first-hand experience to speak to the Council.

"I'm a former drug and alcohol abuser," he said before the meeting. "I know nothing good happens after midnight. I'm also part of the jail ministry here. I know 95 percent of the people in jail are there for an alcohol-related reason.

"It breaks my heart," he said. "It's just going to get worse if they pass these laws."

Owner of , Mike Mitchell, said he's opposed to the law changes because he is concerned and afraid of the businesses that might be attracted to the area because of the changes.

Bob House said he has been a resident of Douglasville and Price Street for 53 years. Price Street is adjacent to downtown restaurants.

"All of the residents on Price Street are opposed to extending pouring hours," he said. "We hear what happens now when they get served too much."

Sgt. David Martin, a member of the told the City Council he was there on behalf of Sheriff Phil Miller.

Martin said there were 534 DUIs in the County last year and that did not count DUIs issued by the . Martin also said there were three DUI fatalities last year.

"The Sheriff is opposed to giving out more time to drink," he said.

Dr. Bill Wininger, pastor of , was also opposed to the new laws.

"We see folks after the juke box shuts off," he said. "We see the broken homes. The decision you (the City Council) make, will go on for years and affects a lot of homes."

Nathan Blevens said in 2003 a drunk driver hit his sister-in-law and in 2008 a drunk driver hit his father head-on at 3:21 in the morning. He nearly came to tears as he shared the story of his father eventually losing his leg and being confined to a wheelchair, probably to never walk again.