By Billy Davis
and John Howell

Responding to a growing allowance of Sunday beer sales, Panola County supervisors are reviewing the Mississippi law and county ordinance that prohibit such sales in Panola.

Board attorney Bill McKenzie passed out copies of the law Monday at supervisors’ First District meeting in Sardis, where no action was taken on the matter.

The county’s discussion comes after Sardis aldermen approved Sunday beer sales by a four to one vote at their Tuesday, January 5 meeting.

“I’m ready to vote on it,” Ward 3 Alderman Mike Wilson said midway during the meeting.

Wilson had placed the item on the January meeting agenda after aldermen in October told proponents of Sunday beer sale hours that they would resolve the question “in a couple of months,” Wilson said.

“The thing about it is that they’re selling it anyway,” Mayor Rusty Dye said.

Ward 1 Alderman Joseph Still said that people in his ward were “about 50/50 on it.”

The Sunday sales proposal was adopted with little further discussion. City Attorney Tommy Shuler told the mayor and aldermen that their vote should authorize an amendment to the current ordinance regulating beer sales in the city. The amendment would permit beer sales from convenience stores and other outlets, not for on-premises consumption, the attorney said.

Sale of package liquor or beer, or alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, are not affected by the Tuesday vote.

Wilson made the motion for Shuler to prepare an amendment permitting the Sunday sales from 1 to 10 p.m. Ward 4 Alderman Rivers McArthur made the second. Alderman-at-Large Roy Scallorn and Ward 2 Alderman Clarence Jones joined Wilson and McArthur with “yea” votes; Alderman Still opposed.

Batesville aldermen, voting last September, approved Sunday beer sales and sales of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in restaurants. With Tuesday’s vote in Sardis, Sunday beer sales are now legal within all Panola municipalities.

Sales of beer from outlets located outside municipal limits remains prohibited and under the regulation of the Panola County Board of Supervisors.

At its Tuesday meeting, the county board spent less than 10 minutes on the topic, with McKenzie reading portions of the statute aloud.

He pointed out that a Board of Supervisors has the authority to regulate retail sales but not on-premises consumption.

 “All we can do is control retail sales,” repeated board president Gary Thompson, apparently for other ears in the room – and in the community – to hear.

Supervisors were handed copies of the Panola County Board of Supervisor minutes from April 10, 1972, which states that beer sales are prohibited “on any Sunday or on any day when an election is being held in that jurisdiction.”  

It was unclear Monday if supervisors, if they amend the 1972 board minutes to allow Sunday sales, would also address beer sales on Election Day.  

McKenzie recommended to supervisors that they query local law enforcement about allowing Sunday sales.

The board attorney also suggested that any amended ordinance passed by the board would be sent to the state attorney general’s office for review.

A convenience store owner, who did not share his name with the board, told supervisors Monday he was attending to see action on Sunday beer sales.

“I wish you would approve it,” he said.

Except for Thompson’s brief comments, supervisors did not share their opinions on the matter.