Coming soon to a Hall County Board of Commissioners meeting: a discussion of Sunday alcohol sales.

Commissioner Ashley Bell told fellow board members Thursday morning he would like to talk about the matter at a future work session.

"I want to get ... some sort of time frame of which the county could issue a referendum (on the matter) and the cost of the election should we deem to have it," he said, directing those comments to County Attorney Bill Blalock and Susan Rector, the county's business license director.

He asked for the matter to be placed on a work session agenda so that "anyone who wants to give comment on the issue can come to the commission meeting and speak on it."

"Are you talking about package sales and (liquor) by the drink?" Rector asked.

"Everything," Bell and Oliver said, almost in unison.

"Just for discussion," Oliver added.

City and county governments statewide have wrestled with the issue since April 28, when Gov. Nathan Deal signed the measure into law in a private ceremony with a handful of state legislators. The law, which gives governments the option of
putting the issue before voters, passed this year after five years of stalling amid pressure from religious groups and a veto threat from former Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Many restaurants and bars in Georgia already sell alcohol on Sunday. The new law would let voters approve the sales by grocery and convenience stores.

Customers can buy alcohol in Hall County restaurants and businesses, such as grocery and convenience stores, every day except Sunday.

The issue also came up at Thursday's Gainesville City Council work session.

City Clerk Denise Jordan handed out to council members a proposed resolution calling for a Nov. 8 referendum on Sunday alcohol sales. The council will consider the resolution at its meeting Tuesday.

At its April 28 work session, council members agreed to put the referendum on the ballot.

If the council OKs the resolution, Jordan will submit the referendum question to the Department of Justice for preclearance, which can take at least two months for completion.

Council members have said they don't necessarily support the idea of Sunday sales, but they want residents to have the ability to vote on it.

Flowery Branch City Council members also have said they support a referendum.

At a May 5 meeting, council members discussed the matter with City Attorney Ron Bennett, including ways to word the referendum and whether to hold a town-hall meeting on the issue.

"I think the council wants to put it on the ballot," Councilman Kris Yardley said at the time.

"It's just a matter of how to put it on the ballot."

Council members ended up deciding to email some thoughts on the matter to city officials and to discuss the matter at a future public meeting.
And in Oakwood, the city council "has asked us to present a resolution for (its) consideration at our next council meeting," City Manager Stan Brown said Thursday.

The next regularly scheduled Oakwood council meeting is June 13.

Staff writer Carolyn Crist contributed to this story.