Riverton City Council shortens proposed extension for Sunday alcohol sales; ordinance passes 3-2 on second reading

(Riverton, WY) – The Riverton City Council voted Tuesday to amend a proposed ordinance extending Sunday hours for local liquor license holders, opting for a more limited expansion than initially considered. 

The amended ordinance, which passed in a 3-2 vote, would allow alcohol sales between 10 a.m. and midnight on Sundays, rather than the 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. timeframe originally proposed.

Currently, liquor license holders are allowed to sell alcohol between noon and 10 p.m. on Sundays, while on every other day of the week they can sell alcohol between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m.

Community feedback

The council passed the amended ordinance on second reading Tuesday after hearing feedback from several local business owners and community members during the meeting.

Local resident and community organizer Nicole Wagon began the conversation during the public comment portion of the meeting, expressing her strong opposition to extending Sunday hours for local liquor license holders. 

“I’m absolutely against it,” Wagon said, referring to alcohol as a “disease” that contributes to violent crime in the community. “(This is) putting other people in danger.”

Another local resident echoed Wagon’s comments, calling the ordinance a “bad idea” in light of Riverton’s “track record” of public problems related to alcohol abuse. 

“We, the people here in Riverton, Wyoming, are thoroughly against extending the hours of alcohol sales,” he said.

Later in the meeting, Councilmember Karen Johnson agreed that the proposed ordinance has generated “a significant amount of negative comments” from community members.

“We need to just simply say ‘no’ and support the community and their wants,” she said. “We need to take a hard line on this.”

Councilmember Karla Borders said she was prepared to vote “no” on the ordinance this week as well, based on feedback from her constituents and her knowledge about “the issues we have in our community.”

“Adding more alcohol to the issue is not the appropriate action to take,” Borders said. “I love our business owners, and I do want them to know that I support them 100 percent, but I think we need to draw a line somewhere.”

Councilmember Rebecca Pierson-Lewis pointed out that local arrest records show no correlation between “alcohol-related incidents” and the operating hours for local liquor license holders – but she also said she would have “no problem voting ‘nay’” on the ordinance, because “what the people want, they should get.”

Pierson-Lewis did suggest, however, that instead of defeating the ordinance, the council could modify the proposal to only allow liquor license holders to open earlier on Sunday mornings to accommodate brunch service and patrons who are football fans, for example.

Later, Borders said she would be willing to vote in favor of the ordinance if it were amended to allow liquor sales from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays, and she made the motion to implement that change.

“I am not good with 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., (but) I’m all for the business owners,” Borders said. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not.”

Borders, Pierson-Lewis, and Mayor Tim Hancock voted in favor of the amendment and the amended ordinance, while Johnson and Councilmember Kyle Larson voted “nay” to both.

Councilmembers Eric Carr and Mike Bailey were not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

The council will consider the ordinance one more time before it is adopted.

For more information, call the City of Riverton at (307) 856-2227.