GBC voters opt for economic high road mapped out by civic leaders, reject religious argument

by David Webb

David Webb is a veteran journalist who has written for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. He is now a freelancer who lives in the Cedar Creek Lake area. He is a regular contributor to cedarcreeklake.com. E-mail story ideas to davidwaynewebb@yahoo.com.

GUN BARREL CITY - Voters overwhelmingly voted down a ballot measure this week that most civic leaders had warned would thwart economic development in the city by prohibiting alcoholic beverage sales until 2 a.m. in restaurants on weekends.

The vote coincided with the completion of a new municipal building that is being touted by city officials as a vehicle to help drive economic growth in the city. The city's Economic Development Corp., which inadvertently spurred the referendum by courting new restaurant development, now occupies prominent office space in the front of the 10,000-square-foot building at Harbor Point Road and Main Street.

In a 477 to 262 vote on Nov. 8 Gun Barrel City voters defeated the referendum backed by Mayor Dennis Wood to overturn a city ordinance approved by the City Council last summer allowing restaurants to serve alcoholic beverages until 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

The ordinance was passed by a majority of the City Council over the objections of the mayor in anticipation of Applebee's opening a new restaurant in Gun Barrel City. Applebee's officials said the restaurant could not be opened in the city unless it was allowed to sell alcoholic beverages until 2 a.m. on weekends.

Economic Development Corp. officials spent three years petitioning Applebee's to open a restaurant in Gun Barrel City.

The mayor, who is widely expected to be limited to one term in office because of his support of the controversial measure, attempted to veto the ordinance, but the City Council overrode him. Afterwards, the mayor and his supporters presented a petition with 200 signatures forcing the referendum.

The mayor and his supporters campaigned against the late-night alcoholic beverages sale ordinance on the basis of moral and safety issues. Wood's Baptist pastor reportedly was influential in promoting the referendum.

Two City Council members who supported late-night alcoholic beverage sales and were members at the same church allegedly were asked not to return for services.

Both sides campaigned vigorously, and the winning side held a rally over the weekend to help get out the vote. The mayor reportedly made phone calls late into the afternoon on Election Day in an attempt to win the referendum.

In an interview prior to the referendum, Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Webster said the opening of a new Applebee's and other restaurants like it would bring new jobs and much-needed sales tax revenue into the city's bank account.

Likewise, the new City Hall would also help promote economic growth because it would reflect the potential for prosperity that exists in Gun Barrel City because of its location on Cedar Creek Lake, Webster said. The old City Hall was a tiny unimpressive building that added little to Gun Barrel City's image, he noted.

"The new building looks prosperous, and Gun Barrel City is prosperous," Webster said. "The old building made it look like the city is poor."

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