Demorest residents will have two council seats up for consideration in the November election. The seats currently held by Donnie Bennett and John Popham are at hand. “I am discussing it with my family, but we are leaning as a family toward running, ” said Donnie Bennett when asked by a citizen about his intentions. John Popham stated, “I am going to run again.” Currently, Popham is the senior member of the council by virtue of having been a council member since January of 1975.
Also on the ballot is the question of whether Demorest should allow liquor by the drink in the city limits of Demorest. Currently beer and wine are the only “spirits” eligible for sale in restaurants in Demorest after an ordinance was approved in 2002. Sunday sales were approved in 2014. With the new restaurant, Sweet Breads, slated to open this fall, the City is looking to add new tax revenue. Two citizens, Elizabeth Pyron and Jim Thacker spoke at tonight’s City council meeting in favor of the referendum. “If everyone else in the county is allowing it, we should reap the benefit as well. We need to keep up,” said Thacker. Pyron echoed noting, “we are losing revenue to the surrounding area.”
The election is slated for November 3rd. Qualifying for the two council seats will begin on August 31st and close on September 4th. The fee for qualifying is $35 and those intending to run can qualify at the Habersham County Board of Elections in the former courthouse, now known as the Administration building.
