Hildale votes down off-premise beer license
 
By Patrice St. Germain
patrices@thespectrum.com
 
HILDALE - Hildale will remain a dry town after the City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to deny an off-premise beer license for the Border Store located near the Utah-Arizona border on state Route 59.

"I can't allow (the beer license) with a clear conscience before our God," Councilman Dan Jessop said.

Since the city incorporated on Dec. 9, 1963, no off-premise beer licenses have been granted and during that time, only one restaurant, the Mark Twain, was granted a permit to sell wine and beer. It is now, however, closed.

While Don Timpson, the new owner of the Border Store, said that having beer for sale at the gas station/convenience store would help boost sales, the council wasn't convinced, citing concerns ranging from morals, drunkenness and creating an atmosphere of concern in the community.

"Everyone sells beer. It's just like having Twinkies," Timpson said.

Timpson reopened the store after purchasing the business from Blaine Jeffs, the brother of Warren Jeffs, the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Timpson said 50 percent of his traffic comes from off the highway and statistics show that 35 percent of convenience store sales are for beer. Timpson did say he wasn't going to ask for a tobacco permit.

Members of the FLDS religion, which dominates the two border towns of Hildale and Colorado City, abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages.

Councilman Harold Peine said years ago, before the council denied a beer license permit for Blaine Jeffs, he visited with a gentleman who has a great deal of respect in the community - who he would not name, but described as a "special person" - who asked Peine "Why not? Why not let them have it?"

But Peine cited moral reasons why he didn't want to allow beer sales in the community and councilman Lamar Johnson said he had concerns of drunkenness and the fact that he lived only a block from the store.

"I don't want people to comment on the home I live in or problems with my religion," Johnson said.

Timpson explained that the beer license was for off-premise consumption only and asked if the city wanted to see the businesses in the community succeed.

Both Mayor David Zitting and financial director Richard Allred said the city wants to see businesses in the community succeed but Allred asked, "what price and what cost?"
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published November 16, 2005
 
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