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Flomaton Approves Sunday Alcohol Sales As Leaders Discuss Christian Values
August 20, 2019
The Flomaton Town Council voted Monday afternoon to legalize Sunday alcohol sales as council members and the mayor stressed they were still holding to their Christian values.
“We got a mayor that says he’s a Christian; we got a councilman that he said he’s a Christian,” said councilman Buster Crapps, “and that’s good. I want to make it clear that I am too. And I don’t feel like I’m going to hell in a handbasket by voting this in because this is to help the community. We might as well get tax off of it as anybody across the (state) line gets tax.”
Council members said they want to keep tax money from Sunday alcohol sales in Flomaton instead of watching it go to Century or Atmore, all of which have legal Sunday sales.
“If Century is selling, Brewton is selling, all our people is going to do is to go to these places and buy it,” council member Lillian Dean said. “So why not us get the revenue from what the others are already selling. So we are not saying this is bad thing. This is a good thing because it is bringing revenue to this town. And we need the revenue. We absolutely do. If you as a consumer is going to another town to buy it why not just go down the street in the town that you live in and purchase it. And I see that as a good thing,” Dean said.
The council has considered Sunday sales before, with a vote failing in August and September of 2018 to ask the Alabama Legislature to approve a bill to that effect. That effort failed due to no-votes from Councilman Roger Adkinson, a deacon at the First Baptist Church. He said it went against his Christian values.
Mayor Dewey Bondurant noted that he is a Christian but said Flomaton needs tax revenue before pausing for a personal story.
“Probably nobody in this room hates alcohol more than me. I grew up in it; I saw what it can do to families,” Bondurant said. “When we get together for a reunion, which we do once a year, some of the kids I know grew up in it just like I did. And they’ve had a bad time growing up because of alcohol. That’s the reason I hate it so much. I hate smoking the same way.”
“In the meantime, we need more revenue for this town,” Bondurant said with major emphasis. “We need income. We just need income.”
The ordinance approved Monday by the council also bans alcohol consumption in public except on the premises of a licensed retailer. It also places restrictions on alcohol consumption on private property in some instances.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to consume or drink any alcoholic or malt or brewed beverage on private property or premises where the general public has access and which is open and accessible to the use and accommodation by the general public such as parking lots and other private areas which are customarily used by the public,” the ordinance states.
Pictured top: Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant relates a personal story about alcohol during a special meeting of the Flomaton Town Council Monday afternoon. Pictured inset: Council member Lillian Dean. Pictured below: Council member Buster Crapps. Pictures bottom: The Flomaton Town Council votes on a Sunday alcohol sales ordinance. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
66 Responses to “Flomaton Approves Sunday Alcohol Sales As Leaders Discuss Christian Values”
@? The Greek word used for wine, oinos, is never translated as grape juice. That is simply not correct and whoever told you that is misleading you and changing the meaning of a word to suit their own misunderstanding of theology.
Now they have another reason to not go to church…party time! Yes Jesus did turn the water into wine. But….wine in the Greek is interpreted two ways…one being wine… the other being grape juice. Jesus will never contradict Himself.I believe the proper interpretation of the water turning into wine was grape juice. It seems some folks may remember a little of the Bible to speak as if they are scholars.
All the so called Christians saying your not suppose to drink on Sunday, actually your
not supposed to do anything on Sunday it’s a day of rest, but I’m pretty sure you don’t go out for brunch or gas station on Sunday or any shopping, oh and aren’t you being judgmental pretty sure your not sure your not suppose to be judgmental. So make sure your sinning before you say anything about anyone else sinning. By the way I don’t drink so I could careless if they sold alcohol or not
@chris Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34
Why would Jesus say they called Him a drunkard if He was just sipping tea?
Regarding the previous quotes of Jesus, you have to ignore the basic rules of language to conclude that when He said “again” he did not mean that He drank wine.
The Bible never actually says that He cut His hair or beard. Do you believe His hair and beard were down to the ground? According to your own method of interpretation you would have to.
wasn’t Jesus’s first miracle turning water into wine? Only in America do Christians put down alcohol. In the rest of the world only muslins abstain.
I don’t think beer should be sold on sunday,God said keep the seventh day day holy, now is the mayor a real Christian man as they say he is,I don’t think it should have passed God may have turned water into wine,but he sure didn’t turn it into beer and wiskey,if people want alcahol that badly buy it a day before sunday
Okay Chris neither of us were around then so we can’t know what he did or did not drink, there is no definitive proof either way. Argue all you want you will not change my mind and I probably wont change yours.
Truth is this isn’t even about religion you’re just angry that a law is being changed and well change is scary, I get that. It will be okay the sun will come out tomorrow…most likely.
I will agree to disagree with you and if you can’t accept that, well that’s your problem now isn’t it.
@ Elmer: it reads that He will not drink again. Where was the first time?
@ Kane: still waiting, since you seem to have the skinny on the Aramaic, translated to Greek, translated to Hebrew, translated to Latin, translated to King’s English version.
Jesus spoke to the disciples to take and drink, this was His blood. Jesus didn’t say pass the bottle.
@chirs Tell you what how about you show me were in the (highly edited over the ages) bible that he didn’t drink and wine is alcohol so there you have it.
I’m not gonna wait to busy, you can just leave a comment and I’ll read it in my own due time.
@chris Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18
So, if the leaders and lawmakers in Flomaton were Mormon then the chemical stimulant of caffeine could be considered a mind altering substance and against Gods law. How would some of you like it if you weren’t allowed to have a cup of coffee, iced tea or Coke based on someone else’s interpretation of what the Lord wants. This is no different, conduct yourself how you see fit, run your household according to your beliefs, but understand that when you push for laws that are based on your faith, it intrudes into others rights to their beliefs.
I live in Flomaton.
I drink beer.
I buy my beer in Century on Sunday’s.
I will now buy my beer in Flomaton.
This makes so much sense, I don’t understand why people complain about EVERYTHINGGGGGG.
This story is almost getting up to the comment level of the train tracks in Cantonment!
@kane : give me the scripture that states Jesus ever drank alcohol. I’ll wait here while you look it up.
@Good Grief
God doesn’t work that way. It’s about time we as good ol’ Christian folk stop relying on God for every little thing in life. That’s just an excuse for people who don’t want to lift a finger to be lazy and complacent.
Relying on God to provide everything is actually Satan manipulating our minds.!!1
Some say that you cannot legislate morality. Well, EVERY law is someone’s view of morality.
Keep the Government out of our personal lives
The problem with your belief is that you think alcohol is bad even though your savior drank everyday. After all it was Jesus that turned water into wine he certainly didn’t turn wine into water.
So the reason for selling alcohol on Sunday is to increase tax dollars…
I know how we can increase tax dollars even more…
Let’s legalize prostitution, illegal drugs, human trafficking, gambling, and anything else the bible tells us not to do.
Think of all the tax dollars you can generate now.
I’m not a Christian so I’m pretty good with this, although I’m not a drinker either.
If you never take that first drink, it is impossible to become an alcoholic, if you never take that first drink it is impossible to kill someone drunk driving, if you never take that first drink it can never ruin your marriage, if you never take that first drink it will never ruin your health, and finally if you never take that first drink, there is a high probability you children won’t either! And this is the point that God’s word makes about alcohol, Its not about God making water into wine, but a Holy God obeying the voice of his mother, and yes I have seen people say “I have been drinking twenty years and I AN’T HURT NOBODY”, but that one day comes up, and that twenty year run goes away!
(Proverbs 19:20 KJV) Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
I dont like the idea of someone pushing religious values on my lifestyle. Good thing we dont have Islamic council people otherwise they might try to stop us from eating pork
Century has a WISE mayor. He allows beer sales on Sunday. Make that money!
@Ron U. Swanson
I reside in the Lambeth Community on Upper Creek Road, and I also don’t think it’s fair to everyone in our community for Flomaton to have our only fire truck and leave us without fire protection. By the time the truck got here from Flomaton my wood house would be on the ground. People from this community worked countless hours holding fundraisers to pay for that truck, I think it should remain out here at our volunteer fire department.
I am sure the councilman who said Brewton sales alcohol on Sunday is mistaken. I worked at a grocery store in East Brewton and there were no sale of alcohol . Creston has the same law. You need to check your information.
Just a thought. But going up was I completely misinformed in my church. Was water not turned into wine??? WINE=ALCOHOL. Or I the only DA here. Maybe I wasn’t in the right CHURCH. Not naming names.
Religion is a personal conviction . …. you can’t force the masses to follow your way of beliefs. That is why the pilgrims came to this land to believe in God the way they wanted to not by how government tried to force them to. That is why we have separation of church and state.
If you believe that Sunday alcohol sales are bad…..preach to your family and friends and help them to come to Christ. Government should not have a role in this.
food for thought ,if I have to drive to century to buy alcohol ,I might as well buy my ciggerettes there to and if I need gas go ahead and fill up. being as I don’t drink and I don’t smoke it really doesn’t matter to me .
@nonresident : That’s an interesting combination. Alcohol is a depressant and nicotine is a stimulant.
The amount of narrow minded judgmental so called “Christians” is outstanding! Not saying all Christians are but just the majority in this comment section dont force christianity or your beliefs on others dont want to buy alcohol on sundays then dont but dont get butt hurt cause others do cause it goes against your beliefs
Any excuse will do when money is involved,if you’re willing to compromise…….but it will never be alright with God Almighty….payday someday…..and as far as speaking out against this,grow up and realize we all have the right to express our feelings about ungodly things in this world…..Christians must stand up for what is right in the sight of God!!!
I’m just glad that Flomaton is getting some love on this site too. Now I can check in a whole lot more. The alcohol sales things sounds like when one kid gets caught and that kid tells on the others that didn’t get caught – “we’ll he did it too.” And someone tell me why Dewey is still mayor? Do they even have elections in Flomaton anymore or just recycle the same ballots?? No wonder it all stays the same except getting a few more speed bumps when it’s time to claim progress in the town for re-election time.
I heard somebody say, God is great, Beer is good, and welcome to Flomaton…. something like that, right. Don’t drink and drive!
Alcohol and tobacco are both mind altering drugs…..so cigarettes are ok but not beer. How hypocritical. No sin is different than the other, a sin is a sin regardless. Just my 2 pennies.
It is already sold 6 days a week, how is that ok but not to be sold on Sunday. If it was Christian values it wouldn’t be ok anyday.
Has Flomaton City Council even had their mom ask, “if so and so jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge do you think you should”?
Just a thought on clear thinking.
This entire discussion is a slippery slope. As Christians we are called to be the light. If the “Christian” government can allow alcohol sales 6 days of the week, but not Sunday, that makes no sense. Why is it worse on Sunday?
Reckon some folks think that just because it’s Sunday that nobody should have a bit of alcohol if they want to do so. Well, that’s okay for them to think and follow through on.
Seems that other folk may have been tipping one up on Sunday no matter what the laws of the town stated and did the police go knocking down doors and arresting the scofflaws? I think not if they were on their own property.
Guess the extra tax monies will be well spent on things that ALL of the people need and can benefit the entire area. Hope all are responsible with their alcohol .
Y’all who choose to not partake of alcohol just have an extra helping of food from the Sunday Dinner table and try to not think it could be considered “Gluttony”
God Bless Us ALL, we sure need it.
1 Peter 3:17
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
We as a country have gotten so caught up in the worldly way it’s pathetic. The town should be a leader not a follower. This was a great opportunity for the town to take a stand and lead by example. I don’t think Sunday beer sales will generate enough revenue to fix the sewer lagoon, hire first responders or pay off the towns debt so what’s the goal?
LOL. And some of you so called “Christians” are the ones drinking it up in hiding …. such fake people nowadays. I don’t think its never been governments right to limit me buying alcohol at all, Good move Flomaton!
If you don’t want it because of YOUR religious beliefs, don’t buy or otherwise obtain it. But don’t tell me I can’t or I’ll have to show you just how wrong you are.
With all of this “new revenue” from Sunday alcohol sales, I certainly hope the town will be able to fund its Emergency Services. The police department is in need of a more officers, patrol cars that aren’t constantly breaking down, and some other much needed equipment. The fire department is currently using another fire departments only fire engine, leaving that community completely unprotected in the event of a fire because all of their equipment is in the shop and doesn’t function properly. The town has purchased almost all new equipment for the utilities department, they have a new mini-x, skid steer, new John Deere tractor with a batwing mower, several new work trucks and the list goes on. All they ever do in a council meeting is talk about what needs to happen, or what they want to see happen, then they never find a way to make things happen. Both departments have been to the council numerous times about equipment issues and nothing has been done to help solve the problems. Public safety should be a top priority. If you can’t keep the citizens of flomaton safe, why would anyone want to move here or bring in new businesses? It’s high time the council and mayor were replaced by someone who want to help the town and not just hold the title. Just ask around, go check out all the equipment the town does and does not have. Then think to yourself, what would happen if my home were to catch fire or someone were to break into my home and neither department had the right equipment to do their jobs? You would have to wait for the next closest fire department to show up, or a county deputy to show up and that would take upwards of ten minutes. A mobile home is fully involved and totally lost in under eight minutes. Ten minutes will be plenty of time for the home invader to get in, injure your or your family and take what they want.
Every department in the town, utilities, police, and fire do the best job they can with the equipment they have.
If you were “brought up” in a alcoholic family, and you don’t drink, wouldn’t you be more inclined to NOT have alcohol sold on Sunday and it seems he is also saying that Flomaton is full of drunks and is going to make a lot of money for the town from the sale of Sunday beer.
Chalk another one up for common sense.
If you choose not to buy alcohol on Sunday for religious reasons, just don’t buy alcohol on Sunday. It’s not a difficult dilemma to solve.
According to the Gospel of John, Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana. Flomaton is simply putting a tax on it, so render unto Caesar. What’s the big deal?
I despise alcoholic beverages in any shape, form or fashion. Our oldest daughter was killed by a drunk driver when he crossed the median running from the police and hit her head on! Alcohol consumption destroys families. If we go by the idea that we need the tax money, why not open brothels in the church basements, charging taxes for the benefit of the town!!
What if it was a Muslim that was elected to the town council and tried to instill their religious beliefs on our citizens? This can go two ways, think about it.
I agree with Leslie. As Christians, we should be examples. I detect those that don’t want anyone else to get what they could, is Greed(gluttony). Sometimes though Christians have to walk alone.
If a person wants to purchase alcohol from his or her home town they could always get what they need on Saturday. If a person can’t think that for ahead then they need to take that trip across the bridge. My goodness they will be forced to travel an extra 2 tenths of a mile to get a beer.
How much revenue are we talking about here? Would it even make a difference?
Personally if they stopped selling the stuff altogether it wouldn’t hurt my feelings. Actually I would be elated. just think of the lives that would be saved if alcohol were not sold in every convenient store on every corner of every town in the US. No more drunken parties at the creek. A person could actually take their kids swimming without seeing or listening to some fool who is letting the beer do his talking. No more beer cans on the bank of the creek or along the road I live on.
Just think of all the livers that would be saved, or the brain cells that would be saved. Not to mention the lives saved from auto accidents involving alcohol.
Sounds to me like the Flomaton Town Council has too much time on their hands if all they are worried about is buying beer on Sunday.
The old saying ” Americas going to hell in a hand-basket” Should be “going to hell in a twelve pack.”
Wait, Wait, wait, don,t go beating up just yet. If a person wants to drink that is his, or her business, please excuse me for not being gender neutral but don’t expect an apology. My point is some people can’t seem to control their ability to regulate their alcohol consumption, and this causes a burden on society.
Alcohol in moderation is not the problem!
This will hurt Century a lot.
@Leslie – That’s exactly right!
This will not help the community at all. Will it bring money, possibility, but the Bible warns of that…the love of money is the root of all evil. So if you’re doing this for the money….its EVIL!!
I can just hear the Lord saying yeah, I accept you want to sell alcohol for money. There are no exceptions in his book.
If you will remember that Jesus went to that wedding and turned water into wine. It could have well been at a wedding in Flomaton on a Sunday.
So when does this ordinance go into effect? Immediately, or some undisclosed date in the future?
Christian values would be letting people do as they please..
So Jesus taught that “as long as you can make money off of sinful acts” its ok to do it? I don’t remember reading that in my Bible but hey maybe I overlooked that verse.
Until alcohol is declared illegal what difference does it make when it’s sold. People can buy cigarettes whenever they want so might as well let them buy beer too.
Legally, Sunday should be “just another day.” There should be no additional restrictions on alcohol on a Sunday than there is on any other day.
If it’s legal Monday through Saturday, it should be legal on Sunday.
Separation of church and state…don’t see the problem with selling it on Sunday. I mean really, they sell it the other six days of the week, why should one more day matter? Don’t want to buy it on Sunday? Don’t.
good call. people that want alcohol are going to get it. this saves them some gas and trouble and puts the sales back in to the local economy.
So not only are “Christians” leaving their beliefs and morals, but have decided to be paid to do it. Hard to find people that will take a stand no mate the cost.
Why does Christian values have to be forced on eveeyine. If your a Holy roller and dont believe in alcohol on Sunday. Dont buy it. But let those with different beliefs do as they please
The love of money is the root of all evil. I’ve never seen anything good come out of alcohol, lives are destroyed on so many different levels. I, too, was raised around it and marriages, men, women, children, families can be destroyed by alcohol. Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. And again, love of money is the root of all evil. Why would one turn their back on the commandments of the Bible for more money? Let other towns benefit from those Sunday alcohol sales. Where is your faith in God to let Him provide?
Just because everyone else is doing something doesn’t make it right.
way too much discussion over a common sense issue. tax revenue is the life blood of a small town. streets get paved, police are hired, and maybe some of those annoying 4 way stops and speed bumps where there is no traffic, can be removed.
“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves!” James 1:22
Seems to me IF they were christians they would be more inclined to trust the Lord to provide than to go against the Lord and have alcohol sales on HIS day. At least satan is happy!