Protest targets Sunday liquor sales

? A first attempt at a petition drive aimed at forcing the Tonganoxie City Council to reconsider its approval of Sunday liquor sales has fallen a bit short.

But the first failed petitioner — or other potential protests — still could meet a Nov. 24 deadline to file a valid protest.

“I’ve done other petition work when I lived in Illinois, so I knew the process,” said Carol Bradbury, who presented her petition last week at City Hall. “The problem was so many people lived in the country, but they couldn’t sign.”

Another problem was that while Bradbury presented a petition with 42 signatures — the number a city official had told her would be required — a closer look at state law this week revealed that 48 signatures, or 10 percent of the number of people who voted in the last city election, actually would be needed.

Bradbury started gathering signatures after Tonganoxie officials approved Sunday sales in September.

Kathy Bard, assistant city administrator, said a few other people had come to City Hall for information on compiling a petition, but Bradbury was the only person so far to submit a petition.

Bradbury said obtaining signatures wasn’t difficult, but many people who lived outside Tonganoxie wanted to sign. However, only residents within the city limits can be on the petition.

Still, Bradbury found 42 signatures. A review of those found only 40 were valid.

“There was no problem getting signatures on it,” she said.

Others have started petitions, but Bradbury said she happened to submit hers first. Originally, she brought a document to City Hall Oct. 16, but it did not have more than 40 signatures.

Bard said the required amount of signatures had to be on one petition, and petitions couldn’t be combined.

“The more we have signing, the better,” Bradbury said. “I think we want to send a message that we don’t want this. It’s too nice of a town.”

And, she said, legalizing Sunday sales is another mistake for the state.

“I think Kansas has gone a long way down the drain with first liquor by the drink, then the lottery and the casinos and now liquor sales,” she said. “And it’s all in the name of greed.”

If a valid protest petition is submitted, the City Council must decide whether to reverse its decision or schedule a special election on the issue. Leavenworth County Clerk Linda Scheer estimated an election would cost $1,500.