Alcohol Sales Likely to Be Added to November Ballots in Avondale Estates and City of Decatur

Avondale Estates and Decatur may soon join the growing number of Georgia cities that plan to put Sunday retail alcohol sales up for a vote by citizens in November.

At a City of Avondale Estates commission work session earlier this week, Mayor Ed Rieker and the board agreed to add it to Monday's meeting agenda with a recommendation to pass the item so that locals can vote on the measure this November.  

"This is a great idea and I think that it will help with development," said Mayor Ed Rieker, during the work session. Board members concurred.

While City of Decatur hasn't voted on it in a commission hearing yet either, Mayor Bill Floyd said that it's under consideration.

"We're going to move forward with considering it," Floyd said. "We haven’t made the decision yet, but everybody’s in agreement. There's no reason not to."

The Georgia Legislature passed a bill allowing cities and counties to hold referendums to allow stores to sell alcohol on Sundays in their jurisdictions. Gov. Nathan Deal has said he will sign the measure into law, but has not yet done so.

 and business owners favor the idea because they expect such a measure, if passed, will likely boost sales.