Rural retailers would be able to seek permission to sell packaged beer and liquor on Sundays, under a resolution up for approval tonight by Douglas County commissioners.

Mark Davis can’t wait.

“I want to be a part of the community,” said Davis, manager and co-owner of Clinton Cove Mini-Mart, near the entrance to Clinton Lake State Park at the southwestern edge of Lawrence. “Out here we see people drive right past my store, on a Sunday afternoon, to drive into town to buy a six pack of beer.

“That’s right past my store. It drives me nuts.”

Stores such as Davis’ would be able to extend their regular beer sales into Sundays, under the resolution set for review during tonight’s 6:35 meeting at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Mass. The vote would not affect sales in Lawrence, Baldwin, Eudora or Lecompton.

The county has five businesses licensed to sell cereal malt beverages in rural areas of the county. The resolution would allow all of them to sell their beer on Sundays, just as other licensed businesses in Lawrence and Baldwin have been able to do for months.

Commissioners discussed the issue last year when they lifted restrictions on Sunday sales in rural restaurants. At the time, commissioners said they were inclined to allow Sunday sales of packaged beer and liquor, too.

Now they’re poised to turn the sentiment into law.

“This makes no sense: You can sell it in a restaurant but not in a grocery store?” said Bob Johnson, commission chairman. “The county’s position has been: Why deny these few places when it can be done in so many other places?”

The resolution, if approved, would not take effect until after a protest-petition period had expired. Sales could begin 60 days after publication of the approved resolution, unless enough registered voters submitted a valid protest petition to force a public vote on the issue.

Such a petition would need to contain valid signatures from 341 registered voters living in unincorporated areas of the county, said Jamie Shew, county clerk.