Council will reconsider late-night alcohol sales

Two weeks after denying bars inside the city limits the right to sell alcohol until 2 a.m., the Sealy city council reversed its stance and now plans to vote Aug. 26 on an ordinance to amend the city code.

Mayor Nick Tirey chose to raise the issue again following confusion among council members during the last meeting.

“Last time after the meeting it was made clear that we weren’t really sure of what we were deciding,” he said. “I want us to understand what we’re doing and the consequences and make an intelligent, informed decision.”

The council voted 4-2 to have an ordinance drawn up for consideration at the next council meeting. Councilmen Rick Fogle and Larry Koy voted against the move, and councilman Harold Hradil was not present at the meeting.

The ordinance would allow bars inside the city limits to apply for a license to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. as opposed to midnight. Currently four bars outside the city limits in Austin County - three of them near Sealy city limits - are able to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. Council will have to vote twice on the ordinance for it to pass.

Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson, who abstained in the previous vote, chose to support it this time around.

“I welcome bringing the entertainment the young man was talking about into our community, and if we are going to do that we are going to have to do this,” she said. “I understand people are going to be irresponsible either way, but I’d much rather see a 25-year-old take chances on coming from down the road than coming all the way from Katy. I want to see businesses coming to town. We may not participate and we have our own beliefs, but we have to think about the whole ball of wax not just what we think.”

Tirey said it was important to consider annexation plans when discussing the issue - speaking specifically of land on the north end of town where Ropers is located.

“I’d like to keep the possibility of annexation in mind. If in our annexation plans we were looking for revenue and we were to go into an area where there is already an established bar or two that served until 2 a.m. and we annexed them, under the present conditions they would not be grandfathered.”

Fogle said he opposed the extended hours because of the potential safety hazards.

“If there is human cost for that extra revenue the price is too high. Sealy’s economy is not going to live or die by this action being considered, but some people might,” he said. “I encourage the council to maintain the position taken and reject any extension of alcohol sale hours.”

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