COVINGTON, Ga. – The city of Covington has gotten one step closer in passing an ordinance that will allow patrons in the downtown historic district to carry open containers of alcoholic beverages.

On Jan. 16, council members approved the first reading for an open container policy that will allow patrons to consume alcohol in an open container setting throughout the downtown Square and surrounding areas.

Back in April, the city approved a 90-day trial period that allowed patrons to carry open containers from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Thursday - Saturday barring the following conditions. 

Patrons would need a special city of Covington cup as well as a wristband to prove they are of legal drinking age. Exit signs also are in place to signify where the open container ordinance is not in effect.

The temporary trial period was then extended in July and extended again in October. The trial run was set to expire on Feb. 3.

After several trial runs, downtown coordinator Allen Martin and his team wanted to move forward with making this permanent.

“We felt it necessary to go ahead and put the permanent ordinance in place,” Martin said.

Martin said that there were regular check-ins with downtown merchants as well as the police department to get their feedback on the trial period. 

A public safety review was also conducted by the Covington Police Department (CPD) to review the impact of the open container policy – to which there were “no obvious impacts” from the ordinance.

Martin provided an anecdote from his time on the CPD, stating that he never had any issues from any of the trial periods.

“I can say from my previous employment with the city of Covington police department – I worked nights, I was a lieutenant over the night shift – and I cannot remember any incident where one of my officers had to go out because somebody was out drinking in public, and they were showing out,” Martin said. “Basically, there’s no incidents that have taken place.”

Data obtained from the merchant survey had 17 responses from downtown merchants, with four restaurants that served alcohol responding. 

According to Martin’s presentation, “a large majority [of businesses]” said they had a positive increase with only a small portion with a “slightly negative change.”

Multiple surveys showed that the community was in overwhelming favor of supporting the ordinance, with one survey having a 100 percent ‘yes’ rate when asked if the city should permanently amend the open container ordinance. 

Staff’s recommendation was to make the ordinance permanent for all seven days of the week, as well as keeping all current regulations in place with the exception of the wristband rule.

East Ward Post 3 representative Jared Rutberg questioned what would stop patrons from bringing their own alcohol instead of purchasing from the businesses.

“How are we supposed to know they don’t hand that cup off to somebody else?” Rutberg said. “And then it’s avoiding the whole purpose of fostering that business on the square. What’s gonna stop me from putting a cooler in my vehicle? I got the cup, I didn’t need the wristband.”

Martin said that nothing would really stop that from happening, calling that “the nature of the beast.”

West Ward, Post 3 representative Anthony Henderson said that he was not in favor of the seven-day ordinance, stating that a balance is needed on Sundays.

“What happened to having a balance?” Henderson said. “I don’t feel we should have it on Sundays. It should at least be a break.”

But East Ward Post 2 representative Travis Moore had a different tone, stating that he was in favor of the open container ordinance lasting all seven days of the week.

“I think it needs to go Monday - Sunday because I attend the merchant’s meetings,” Moore said. “Every one of those merchants at that meeting said, this is what they want. It has helped their sales tremendously.”

In agreement, mayor pro-tem Susie Keck stated that the data spoke for itself.

“I’m in favor of it based on what the data has proven,” Keck said. “We asked y’all to research it, we’ve extended it three times [and] we’ve had no problems. If we’re gonna have a problem, it’s not gonna happen on Sunday.”

Henderson said that while he was the youngest member on the council at 27, that a balance was still needed for the youth in the community. West Ward, Post 2 representative Charika Davis agreed with Henderson.

“I definitely agree with Anthony [Henderson] on that. I mean, I see a lot of families on the Square on Sunday – and drinking alcohol on Sunday with open containers – I just don’t think it really sets up a good example,” Davis said. “And I do know that it starts in the home, but that’s just my belief and I’m standing by it.”

Mayor Fleeta Baggett said that she agreed with Henderson and Davis.

“I’m gonna side at this time with Anthony [Henderson] and Charika [Davis],” Baggett said. “I don’t have a vote, but I think we ought to give it a break on Sunday.”

Baggett did mention, however, that it may be worth taking a look at the ordinance after some time has passed to allow it on Sundays if it is necessary.

After a lengthy deliberation period, Keck made the motion to allow the open container ordinance to become permanent for all seven days – with people living in the Lofts on the Square excluded – and to be able purchase city of Covington designated cups. The motion got a second through Moore, but failed 4-2.

A substitute motion was made by Rutberg with the same conditions that Keck outlined, with the exception that the ordinance runs Monday-Saturday instead of all seven days. The motion passed unanimously.

The second reading for the open container ordinance will take place at the next council meeting on Monday, Feb. 5.

Other Business

While temperatures were below freezing on Jan. 16, that did not stop the council from conducting a substantial amount of business. 

Many items were approved 6-0 and they are as follows:

• Approval of minutes for Jan. 2 meeting.
• An approval for a first reading for a city ordinance
  
• A bid awardance for sole bidder Valve Maintenance Skid System from E.H. Wachs – a division of ITW amounting to $107,775.00.

• An addition of two positions to the community development department: A special events coordinator and a facilities & permit specialist.

• The continuation of the use of four part-time firefighters at the Covington Fire Department.

• A bid awardment to HI Tech Utility in the amount of $75,295.35 to construct and build a fiber network that will provide internet service throughout the Downtown Square and surrounding business areas. 

• An approval of various on-call consulting services for the engineering department: Ardurra, Carter & Sloope, Garver, Georgia Water & Environmental Services (GWES), Keck & Wood, and Thomas & Hutton.

• An approval of ongoing consulting services from GWES.

• An approval of the GDOT Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) application for FY 2024 amounting to $205,055.92 with a local City match (SPLOST) of 30 percent ($61,516.77) for the Usher Street and Reynolds Street Project. This is an estimated combined total of $319,193.62.

• A resolution regarding the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant.

• A resolution from the discussion of MCT Signatories/Incumbency.

• An ex post facto for assistance of the FAA reimbursement grant that will be used to upgrade the airport weather reporting equipment.