MEMO:

TO ALL RESTAURANTS WITH CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES ALCOHOL LICENSES

There is apparently still some confusion as to the interpretation of the current resolutions that were passed by the Putnam County Commission and the Eatonton City Council. Below is an excerpt from the resolutions pertinent to this issue:

That, public or private community gatherings of more all than ten (10) people anywhere within Putnam County, Georgia are prohibited for the duration of the declared state of local emergency. A community gathering is defined as any indoor or outdoor event or convening, subject to the exceptions below, that brings together or is likely to bring together ten (10) or more persons at the same time in a single room or other single confined or enclosed space, such as an auditorium, stadium (indoor or outdoor), tent arena or event center, music venue, meeting, hall, conference center, large cafeteria, or any other confined indoor and outdoor space.  A community gathering does not include the following or similar uses, so long as persons attending the community gathering are generally not within six (6) feet of each other for extended periods: (1) office or manufacturing space, child-care facilities, residential buildings or any type of temporary sheltering or housing; (2) grocery stores or pharmacies; and (3) hospital or medical facilities.

Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, the following business-use categories will be regulated as follows: (1) restaurants open to the public shall close except to provide take out, drive-through, or curbside service to include alcoholic beverages in sealed containers which they are otherwise licensed to dispense; (2) all business locations within on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverage licenses which are not also restaurants shall be closed for business; (3) all establishments providing body care services which require close physical contact between the provider and client such as barbering, hair design, cosmetology, esthetics, massage therapy (except for medically licensed physical therapy), tattooing or nail care shall be closed for business; (4) all indoor recreation facilities, to include gyms, health studios, indoor amusement facilities, pool halls and theatres shall be closed for business; and (5) all other retail sales establishments (including grocery stores or pharmacies addressed above) will be permitted to remain open....

I will now respond to the most frequently asked questions:

10 people means 10 people and 6 feet means 6 feet.

You cannot serve meals to patrons on porches, decks, docks, etc. Take out, drive-through, or curbside simply means the customers pick up their orders then leave the premises.

You are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks in cups on the premises and that includes beer.  You cannot serve or sell a mixed drink or beer in a cup with a snap on type top, nor can you walk out and deliver such to a waiting car or boat. You are allowed to sell manufacturer sealed bottles and cans of beer, wine, or some sort of factory sealed mixed drink, but just like food it can only be picked up in person or delivered to the patron at the curb, or window and they will leave with it and consume it elsewhere.

Persons who violate the provisions of these resolutions commit the offense of Disorderly Conduct as defined in the Putnam County and City of Eatonton Codes of Ordinances and are subject to be cited or arrested accordingly.  A violation of these resolutions will also subject you to the potential of having your alcohol license permanently revoked.

I sincerely ask you to abide by the provisions of our county and city governments resolutions.  Our community, state, and nation are in a state of life threatening emergency and we in the law enforcement profession are stretched far too thin during this crisis.

Please govern yourselves accordingly,

Howard R. Sills, Sheriff