The topic has been quite popular. Just about everyone in town has discussed it once or twice.

Whether residents agree with it or not, the decision to allow wine and beer sales in grocery stores now sits in the hands of the Morton village board.

Morton mayor Norm Durflinger contends that by not allowing such sales in grocery stores, the village is losing money to surrounding communities.

He said people are not just leaving town to buy alcohol, but groceries as well.

“We’re bleeding retail,” Durflinger said. “When people leave town (to buy groceries), that means we’re losing retail tax.”

 That has been the situation for too long, he added.

He has also heard several complaints that Morton does not have an upscale grocery store, causing residents to drive elsewhere for necessities and food.

“That’s the one that most people talk to me about,” he said.

Allowing wine and beer sales would be more attractive to potential grocery stores that might look the other way knowing they cannot sell alcohol, he said.

“I would welcome any retail store,” he added.

Some have expressed to the mayor that they think alcohol abuse will increase in town. Others wonder why the village wants to allow such sales when the access is already available, Durflinger said.

“The community has had time to think about it,” he said. “Over the last year, I think people have realized we’re one of the very few communities that haven’t done it.”

“Easy access can cause abuse,” he said. “But, grocery stores are very much on top of this. They’re very sensitive because of corporate image.”

He also said policing wine and beer sales at grocery stores will not be a problem.

“State police are here all the time,” he said. “Our police officers are very aware of who is young and who is old.”

“There will be some day that some underage drinker will get through the system,” he added.

“Having been a superintendent — many times (underage alcohol consumption) is with the sanction of the parents,” Durflinger said. “Very seldom does an underage person go to purchase liquor.”

Morton police chief Nick Graff sees the addition of wine and beer sales as a “non-issue,” he said.

“The history that (police) have with the two grocery stores in town deals with the sale of cigarettes,” Graff said. “That has never been a problem.”

Grocery stores have been responsible for checking identification in the past, he said, leading him to believe management will not have any problems with alcohol.

“I would assume (grocery stores) would do the same with liquor.”

“I don’t think it is going to be a problem,” Graff said. “We will be able to monitor it.”

“I really see it as a non-issue,” he added. “There’s certainly no shortage of places to buy alcohol in the entire Tri-County area.”

“I don’t see it as a police issue at all.”

Durflinger said he also hopes retail taxes from in-town liquor sales will give the village the revenue it needs to support the addition of new staff and services requested in the comprehensive study.

“Residential growth is expensive for a community,” he said. “We don’t need anymore expenses.”

“Everyone I’ve talked to does not want their taxes to go up,” Durflinger said.

By allowing wine and beer sales in grocery stores, the village has another source of revenue that it did not have before. That, in turn, lessens the need to raise taxes.

A year ago, when Durflinger announced he would look into the possibility of wine and beer sales in grocery stores, he was not sure it would fly, he said.

He bought into the possibility that it might happen through feedback he received from those who spoke with him within the past year, he said.

Local ministers advised against selling alcohol in grocery stores, and that is part of what made his decision difficult, he added.

“I understand some people will say that I’m selling my soul to make a buck,” Durflinger said. “I’ll take the criticism from the community that I am pro-business.”

“I’m not looking for the community to grow as such,” Durflinger said. “I want a more positive atmosphere for business.”

“With that, incidentally, the town will grow.”

When asked if alcohol sales in grocery stores would be pursued if the village was not looking to improve the business climate, he said, “Yes, this would occur no matter what.”

Nathan Domenighini can be reach at 263-2211, ext.236, or by e-mail at ndomenighini@timestoday.com.