Parsons city commissioners approved an ordinance Monday evening that will make the sale of alcoholic beverages legal on Sundays.
The commission approved the ordinance on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Tom Shaw dissenting.
The sale of packaged alcoholic beverages has been legal in Kansas since 2005, but individual cities and counties must approve measures to make it legal or voters must approve it at the polls. Neither has happened in Parsons, although the commission has discussed the issue twice over the last several years. Other towns such as Erie and St. Paul have allowed Sunday sales for several years.
Kevin Cruse reintroduced the issue to his fellow commissioners in late January, and they have had a few discussions about it since then. Cruse said on Sundays, some people have driven to other cities to buy beer or liquor, meaning Parsons is losing out on sales and alcohol tax revenue. Additionally, some of those people head out on the highways after they have started drinking but run out of alcohol, creating a danger for themselves and other travelers.
(Read more: Parsons Sun)