Avondale Rushing Sunday Sales

Avondale Estates leaders are in a hurry to legalize Sunday sales of alcohol.

If all goes according to plan, customers will be able to buy beer and wine in Avondale convenience stores this Sunday, Nov. 20, instead of next month, as originally scheduled.

The city commission met Monday night and approved a first reading of an amendment to the alcohol ordinance.

Mayor Ed Rieker then decided to hold special meetings at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, for the sole purpose of the second and third readings of the amendment.

There's nothing else on the agenda for either meeting.

Rieker told the commission he was doing this because he wanted to "get on the list of progressive cities."

On Monday, Avondale City Manager Clai Brown said in an email to Patch . That was because he expected the first reading of the ordinance to take place Monday night and the second and third readings Dec. 12.

Rieker, who was re-elected Nov. 8 in a close election with David Milliron, took a different course Monday.

Nov. 8 was also the day that Avondale voters approved Sunday sales, with 85 percent voting yes.

Avondale will enact Sunday sales finish line before neighboring Decatur, which expects to approve the alcohol ordinance amendment Monday, Nov. 21. It only takes one reading, so Sunday sales could start Nov. 27 in Decatur.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a number of cities, including Roswell and Lawrenceville, were expected to have Sunday sales Nov. 20.