Nov. 19 – The Sevier County Beer Board took a stand on principle and resigned Monday night after the County Commission refused for a second time to amend the county’s Beer Resolution. Commissioners Gary Cole, Fred Atchley and Tim Hurst, along with Secretary Joe Keener, announced their resignations immediately following the 4-20-1 vote failing the new resolution that would have removed language from 1975 that the members contend is illegal and violates Tennessee law. Atchley and Cole had letters drafted while Hurst and Keener turned their official letters in to County Mayor Larry Waters on Tuesday.
In Cole’s letter he hit the heart of the Board’s troubles, “The people of Sevier County are being held to standards that are not provided for in state law. I will not be part of any action governing the citizens of Sevier County that is improper or illegal.” Earlier in the week Cole told the Herald, “You know, I had my hand on the Bible and swore an oath to uphold the laws and Constitution of this state when I took office, I can’t do that with this resolution the way it is right now.”
The other members were just as disappointed in the negative vote by the full commission. “We may not agree with what the TCA says. But all this stuff we have in there. Is it legal? Not from what we’ve been told. We’re a governing body, I don’t see how we can sit here as a Beer Board and lie to people,” said Atchley.
In informing the commission of his decision Hurst said, “This has been an eye opening experience for me. I personally feel I have done the best job that I could do.”
On a motion by Ben Clabo following the mass resignation, the full commission was appointed as the new Beer Board. That solution solved one problem but created two more. Under state law, the county commission becomes the Beer Board automatically if there is no such functioning board. By appointing the commission as the new board, it allowed commissioners who refuse to sit on the Beer Board the opportunity to resign from the new Beer Board without resigning their commission seats as well. Cole, Atchley and Hurst indicated they have already informed Mayor Waters of their resignation from the new beer Board. Tony Proffitt was one of several other commissioners who was most vocal in questioning how they could resign from the new board.
However the new Board of 22 members found itself in a bind. It could not meet Monday night as it must post a notice 10 days prior to any meeting. It is therefore without a Secretary or Chairman, who have several duties requiring immediate attention on a day-to-day basis. Mayor Waters office will be the temporary home for citizens wishing to pick up beer applications, but Waters indicated he didn’t plan on giving out copies of the resolution with the applications.

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