Franklin County Alcohol Sales Survey Results Show More Yay’s Than Nay’s

Franklin County citizens appear to be ready to have alcohol sales in the County.

At their work session this week, the Board of Commissioners were shown the results of an alcoholic beverage survey that had been posted on the County’s website.

County Manager Derrick Turner went over the details of the survey results.

“We had 80.6% in favor of countywide alcohol sales, against was 17.9%, no opinion – 1.5%. This survey had 548 participants. 92.9% were full-time residents and 80.7% live in the unincorporated area of  Franklin County,” he said.

Franklin County has been a dry county for decades but local municipalities are able to make their own ordinances regarding the sale of alcohol.

Turner showed the Commissioners a chart of all of the counties in Georgia and which are completely dry and which have some kind of alcohol sale ordinance.

Of the 159 counties in the state, Franklin County is one of the few left that is completely dry.

Turner suggested it might be time for them to look at some kind of alcohol sale ordinance as a way to attract new restaurants and other businesses into Franklin County.

“I would recommend that the Board look at proceeding with further action towards this. Further action would be a vote on a resolution to hold a referendum,” he said. “I think this would be an opportunity for the County…As you have restaurants or other businesses that have a need for an alcohol license, they’re going to bypass Franklin County.”

No action was taken Tuesday evening by the Board.