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City Council Considers Ending Hard Liquor Sales In Bethel

Christine Trudeau
/
KYUK

  

Tuesday at City Hall, Bethel City Council will consider ending hard liquor sales in Bethel, removing requirements to have GPS technology in cabs, and waiving requirements for sales tax collection at Cama-i.

Council member Leif Albertson has put forward an ordinance to stop the sale of hard liquor in the city of Bethel. Albertson's proposed ordinance contends that the move would still be in compliance with the local option vote the city took because hard liquor could still be shipped to Bethel. The ordinance goes on to say that if vendors tracked their sales, state authorities might be able to more easily spot bootleggers. City Council will introduce the ordinance this evening.

 

Albertson's language says that legal alcohol sales in the city have caused so many problems that it is "difficult for the City Council to ignore the significant impacts alcohol has had." There will be a public hearing on the ordinance later this month.

 

The city's Public Safety and Transportation Commission is looking to change GPS tracking requirements for taxi cabs in Bethel. The proposed ordinance says that the code was changed to require the technology, but “the Global Positioning System was never used since put in the Bethel Municipal Code.” The original idea was to be able to track vehicles in an emergency. At their last meeting council members discussed keeping trip sheets, but will further deliberate tonight.

 

Council will also decide on whether to waive sales tax collection for vendors at the Cama-i Dance Festival through a special exemption. The resolution is sponsored by City Manager Peter Williams.

 

The Council will also deal with Naim Shabani’s resignation from the Council and moving members of the now-dissolved Energy Committee to the Public Works Committee.

 

Tune in for KYUK’s live broadcast of the Bethel City Council meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m.