Totally non-DR...

Jon Yenulonis

Well-known member
Well maybe not "totally non-DR" as several of my Duck Hunting buddies have been known to stop by for a meal and a beer or two.

A couple years ago, my Lovely wife and I became the (very inexperienced) owners of a popular, local Mexican restaurant. The story of how and why shall remain unwritten here at this time however. All I will say about it is- If you told me I was going to own a restaurant on Monday, I would have surely asked- "what are you smoking?", yet by Wednesday, we had an appointment with our attorney to start the ball a rollin'.

Anyways, since day one, due to the local township rules, we have not been allowed to sell or serve any type of alcoholic drinks on Sunday.

Sometime over the summer, we were approached by a business who offered to get the issue on the ballot for around $3,000.00. $3,000.00, yeah right. Not gonna happen for that kind of dough... Well, we got to talking. So I called the county board of elections and talked to a very nice woman who advised me to set up a meeting with her so she could discuss the details. A couple mornings later, I'm sitting in her office, feeling somewhat giggly over the fact that I felt as if I was back in school learning this from my government teacher. (BTW, that would've been close to 40 years ago, hence the giggly part...). I spent about half an hour going over everything that we would need to get this thing on the ballot. I learned that only registered voters in our particular precinct, who voted in the last gubernatorial election were eligible to sign. I learned how each petition sheet contained up to 16 names, and who's signatures on each particular sheet, all had to be witnessed by an individual who may or may not be registered to vote, and who is 18 years or older. She gave me a booklet with all of the rules, and a list of eligible street addresses. She also gave me what she referred to a "walking list" of actual individual names and their addresses.

So, off we went canvassing. We needed to get only 91 "eligible" names. We ended up with a total of 240 names, (as she advised getting at least 2 X what we needed). I submitted the petition sheets before the deadline, then had to wait... (the Carly Simon song- "Anticipation" is running thru my head about now...) After about three weeks, I called to hear- "you are issue #30"! After all of this work- Hot damn!

Election day comes. The issue passed by a comfortable 76%! Again I call because, well, what do we do now?!?! The same helpful lady said that the ballots would be certified on the 28th of November, at which time she will send the proper documentation down to the State Board of Liquor Control, with a copy to us. Soon after that we can apply for the appropriate license to sell on Sundays.

As silly and simple as this all sounds, it really was quite fun and very interesting.

And best of all, besides form a little elbow grease, the total cost for this from us was $10!

$3,000.00, what a scam!

Jon
 
Steve,

Yes we can. When I was a kid, about the only thing legal was Groundhogs, or Woodchucks and other varmints. Then came along waterfowl only, now everything is legal on Sundays.

I have mixed emotions or opinions about it though-

On one hand, without Sunday hunting, I used to like the fact that the season was probably still sixty days long, but it went a week or two longer on the calendar, AND I used to do a lot of Steelhead fishing up in the Erie tributaries on Sundays.

On the other hand, I know some guys can only get out on Sunday, and I've had some great hunts on those day.

All in all though, I suppose if it came up for a vote for either, I'd probably abstain.

Jon
 
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