Marshall shoots down idea for enclosed drinking space at new Island Nights concert series

MARSHALL - As one of two counties in the state without state-operated Alcoholic Beverage Control stores, Madison County's history as one of the last "dry counties" in the state has made its three townships be intentional about restricting drinking in their public downtown areas.

That intentionality was evident in the Marshall Town Board Feb. 19 meeting, in which the board voted against changing an ordinance to explore the potential that would have allowed drinking in an enclosed, wristband-access area on Blannahassett Island at a new summer concert series in Marshall.

Downtown Marshall Association's Alexandra Arden and Hollie West presented the idea for the series, to be called Island Nights, to the board and Mayor Aaron Haynie.

"We're going to try something new this year — a way to incorporate how we've done on Third Thursdays, with market vendors, local vendors and local food trucks," Arden said.

According to Arden, who serves as Downtown Marshall Association's director, the summer concert series will take place the third Saturday through four months.

"We'll have headliner bands, and we've already hired two, for the July and October dates, and we have some other potential exciting ones coming up, with also openings for local bands to open for those headliners," Arden said.

"Almost all of these bands are local to the region, some bigger than others. But it's going to be really exciting. On the island, utilize the stage, bring your blankets, bring your family."

Arden said the Island Nights series plans to offer music from 6 to 9 p.m.

But the last component of the Island Nights summer concert series was the one that caused concerns for a number of board members.

"We would like to ideally have this beautiful, fenced-in, wristbandy sell beer and wine to create somewhat of a small revenue, so we can continue to do these amazing events, but do everything possible we can, including an extensive police presence, or wristbands, ID checks, 'it's fenced in and you can't get out,' kind of a situation," Arden said.

According to the Downtown Marshall Association director, the enclosed drinking space was proposed for the Blannahassett Island basketball court.

"A lot of adults do like to come and listen to the concert, and some of the adults would like to have a glass or wine or beer," Arden said. "We can incorporate our local merchants, too, and ask them, like MadCo (Brew House), 'Would you potentially want to sell your beer and wine?' But we have offered to everyone. But we're coming to you for permission to potentially do that."

As pointed out by board member Christiaan Ramsey, the town ordinance currently prohibits consuming alcohol on public or town property.

According to Town Administrator Forrest Gilliam, the ordinance supersedes a one-time special event policy.

"So the board would have to hold a public hearing and rescind or modify that option," Gilliam said. "But in addition to that ordinance, the rules of the island, which are much easier than what the ordinance says, the rules of the island also say no alcohol. But the ordinance is the one that's stricter."

Any change to the ordinance would require a public hearing.

Per board member Laura Ponder's questioning about other local towns' policies on drinking at special events on public spaces, Marshall Police Chief Mike Boone said to his knowledge, neither Mars Hill, Weaverville nor Burnsville allow consumption of alcohol on public property.

"Our ordinance is actually written from state law," Boone said. "It just coincides with state law. I know Asheville does it. I don't know how they go around doing it. I'm sure they don't have an ordinance, or their ordinance reads differently, but if you read our ordinance, it is from state law."

Gilliam pointed out that within the last year, the state has adopted the concept of "social districts," which is laid out in section 18B of North Carolina General Statutes, and is defined as an outdoor area in which a person may consume alcoholic beverages sold by a state Alcoholic Beverage Control permittee.

According to Arden and West, the patrons drinking on the island would be required to stay within the enclosed "beer garden" area.

But board member Billie Jean Haynie felt it would be difficult to make sure the drinking patrons would stay in the enclosed space.

"It's a fenced-in area and the same person at the door that's checking IDs is putting a wrist band on them, is at the door to make sure there's no alcohol," Arden said. "It's just like a bouncer at a club."

Board member Aileen Payne said she felt alcohol being permitted in the enclosed space would be "like herding a bunch of turkeys."

"You get that many in a concert, you've got to herd them in one area," Payne said.

Gilliam raised the issue of adequate police presence for such events, and also highlighted the conflicting views on alcohol consumption throughout the county.

"We already have challenges getting officers off-duty to cover events," Gilliam said. "There are rules that apply to something that was much bigger, and you still have the fact that we can't get more than three or four people at a time to be available to enforce it," Gilliam said. "Then, you've got the public parking aspect of it. In general, this is just an opinion thing that everybody has. You've got the playground, and you've got different views of alcohol. People have very different views about it. But it's a public space and you've got plenty of people that don't like it going on in private, but they deal with it, and it's a public space."

According to Arden, the Downtown Marshall Association sought outside off-duty police presence had the board approved exploring making a change to the ordinance.

"We did do some due diligence, too. If we need to hire outside, off-duty as well, to make up for that coverage, if there is alcohol, we're happy to do that," Arden said. "We would be happy to get an ALE agent there to be on site as well, to facilitate that situation."

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But, as board member Christiaan Ramsey said, in order to hold a public hearing to explore the potential of allowing alcohol on the island during the series, the board would first need to approve changing the ordinance.

"The board has to be interested in even pursuing the change," Ramsey said.

When Mayor Haynie asked the board whether there was any board member who wished to pursue modifying the ordinance, board member Thomas Jablonski was the lone board member who said he wished to explore the potential of changing the town ordinance to allow drinking on the island in special events.

"I'd like to pursue the idea of it," Jablonski said. "I'd like to pursue the idea of it. Let's hear from the public."

But Jablonski's motion died after no board member seconded the motion.

"See you with the next update," West said after the vote died.

According to Arden, the Downtown Marshall Association is still planning to hold the concert series.

Johnny Casey has covered Madison County for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel for more than three years. He earned a first-place award in beat news reporting in the 2023 North Carolina Press Association awards. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Marshall nixes idea for drinking space at new Island Nights concerts