A big part of Thursday’s Elizabethton City Council meeting was taken up by residents voicing their opinions on a possible ordinance change that would allow for “pub bars” to operate in the city.

The ordinance amendment, which passed on the first vote in September, 5-1, would allow for businesses that would only serve fermented beverages such as beer, wine, and ciders while not serving food prepared by the business. These businesses would not serve liquor.

Local married couple, Michael Howell and Cheri Tinney, recently announced their plans to open up Riverside Taphouse, which would be the first “pub bar” to open in Elizabethton if the ordinance change passes its second reading.

Those for it

The ordinance to allow pub bars in town had its supporters during Thursday’s meeting.

Carter County’s Sandra Garrett said that she has heard some claim that the allowance of pub bars, also called taprooms or taverns, in the city would lead to ‘brawls’ and other unfavorable activities. Garrett, however, pointed to the Station at 19E, a pub bar located in Roan Mountain, and said that she has attended the business and has never witnessed brawls or any other negative effects.

“The other taprooms in the area that I have frequented such as the Atlantic Alehouse, the Johnson City Brewing Company, and others—I  have never seen any brawls,” said Garrett while addressing the council. “They are wonderful places, and the sense of community is very strong there.”

Elizabethton’s Peter Mermilliod, who has degrees in biblical studies and church history from Milligan College, said that he is excited about the direction that the City of Elizabethton is heading in and said that taprooms could be a positive draw to the area. Mermilliod also went on to say that he and his fiancee are Christians who attend church services regularly and that he doesn’t see any conflict in his support of taprooms and his religious views.

“Even Christ himself said in Mark chapter 15 that ‘There is nothing that goes into a person from the outside which can defile them, but what defiles a person and what is sinful within a person comes from inside you,” said Mermilliod. Another supporter of the ordinance change was Scott Bowers, owner of the Elizabethton Escape in downtown.

“Our past business model for downtown is broken,” said Bowers. “We need to have some businesses that are open in the evening. We need to welcome any opportunity for growth. We also need some tax revenue to drop down some of these property taxes a little bit.”

Bowers went on to say that many of his patrons are from outside the area and that some ask about places to eat and things to do in the evening time in downtown.

“I am have seen old photos of downtown when it was thriving,” said Bowers.  “Now we have 11 buildings downtown that are empty with nothing going on and are decaying. Is that the direction we are wanting to continue to go?”

Bowers also added he felt the council shouldn’t get in the way of a young couple wanting to start a business in downtown.

“I am a fiery, red-blooded American, and I believe we live in the greatest country on the planet,” said Bowers. “How dare we think that we have the opportunity to look at this couple and say, ‘You don’t have the right to pursue your dream.’ If we are going to take that path, then we need to stop lying to ourselves . . . and saying that this is the greatest country on the planet and that you can follow your dreams.”

Those against it

While the ordinance change had numerous supporters, it also had many opponents.

One of those was local Pastor Dean Presnell. Presnell said that no matter what you call a taproom or a pub bar that he doesn’t agree with having them in town. He feels that the town and county have changed much throughout the years in regards to allowing alcohol, and he feels that the council should be concerned with keeping “honor” here in Elizabethton.

“You can have that business there for 10 years and there never be a problem,” said Presnell. “But this I know, it takes ten drinks to make somebody drunk. If you have two drink you are two-tenths drunk. Then that person is going to leave then you have to face somebody else who is going to drink. You can say, ‘Well, you can get that down at Applebee’s.’ I understand that . . . But what this is about is trying to have honor here in Elizabethton.

“So much has changed,” continued Presnell. “We have three liquor stores. We used to be a dry county. . . We have it at our grocery stores. It goes on and on.”

Another opponent was Elizabethton’s Nancy Berry who said she is concerned about children who live in homes where alcohol abuse is an issue.

“I ran a daycare for over 20 years, and one of the saddest things was when little children were taken from their parents because of alcohol and drug abuse,” said Berry. “Some of them never got spend a holiday with their parents. . . We would take the kids to the park, and some of the kids would say, ‘Let me see if I can wave at my dad. He is up there in the jail.’ I don’t think we need this in Elizabethton.”

Another opponent of taphouse said that she feels that the businesses would drive people from the downtown instead of bringing them in, contrasting the other side’s argument.

The ordinance change’s second reading will be voted on in a future council meeting.