Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Petition drive gathers more than 6,000 signatures

By Joe Phelps

Siftings Herald

Petitioners marched more than 6,100 signatures to the Clark County

Courthouse Friday afternoon to put the issue of going wet on the November

ballot.

That amount of signatures surpassed the 4,140 required to put the question on

the ballot  that is, if enough of the signatures can be certified, said Rhonda

Cole, county clerk, Monday morning. Cole said she and her staff will be

checking the validity of the signatures today. Cole has 10 days to certify the

signatures.

Though Andy Berry, leader of the petition drive, said going wet was a piece

of the puzzle for growth and prosperity, those who prefer the county dry do

not express the same hope.

The petition drive began last year at the Clark County Fair. Since then the

effort has taken a lot of hard work, a lot of people and the affection of the

community, Berry said today. Im glad the community pulled together for

something like this. There was good participation in the past  but this was

incredible. Berry said the petitioners next goal is to talk with the Arkansas

Beverage Control Board to educate ourselves and the public as to what

(going wet) means. We need to know exactly where the city and county can

regulate.

A majority vote from registered county voters is required to make the county

wet. Everybody needs to make a decision on this, Berry said. Let the

county be heard. Berry said studies have been done showing that crime rates

drop when a county switches from dry to wet, and that DWIs and other

alcohol-related crimes decrease. He also said going wet is only one of several

pieces of the puzzle for economic development in the county. Its not the

whole thing  were not going to be a thriving county overnight.

Those sponsoring the petition met their first organized opposition last month

when Larry Page of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council spoke to about 50

dry county supporters. He said that the only benefit of going wet would be so

that John Q. Drinker wont have to drive so far to get his booze ... its not

about the tax revenue. He said the cost of going wet would have a negative

influence on the county as there would be package stores on every corner

with barred windows, derelicts relieving themselves in an alley (and) more

housing for abused women.

The Siftings Herald today was unable to obtain reactions to the collected

signatures from those who oppose going wet.