New ordinance cleans up town code

The Thermopolis Town Council has approved the first two readings of an ordinance to make all operating hours and days uniform for all liquor licenses. The ordinance repeals town code sections 3-105 and 3-106.

Section 3-105 reads, “Any club holding a limited retail liquor license shall be subject to the schedule of operating hours provided in Wyoming statutes, except that said club may extend its hours of operation to 12:00 midnight on Sundays.”

Section 3-106 reads, “On all days except Sunday, a licensee may open the dispensing room no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and shall close the dispensing room and cease the sale of alcoholic and malt beverages no later than 2:00 a.m. the following day, and the licensee shall clear the dispensing room of all persons other than employees no later than 2:30 a.m.

“On Sundays, licensees may open the dispensing room no earlier than 10:00 a.m., and shall close the dispensing room and cease the sale of alcoholic and malt beverages no later than 10:00 p.m., and the licensee shall clear the dispensing room of all persons other than employees no later than 10:30 p.m.”

Amended code section 3-106(a) now reads, “Any licensee may open a dispensing room no earlier than 6:00 a.m. and shall close the room and cease sale of alcoholic beverages no later than 2:00 a.m. the next day; and the licensee shall clear the dispensing room and the permitted premises of all persons other than employees no later than 2:30 a.m.”

The new code doesn’t really make any big changes, according to Mayor’s Assistant Fred Crosby. Rather, it establishes uniform hours of 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. the following day; Sundays now fall under the hours as well.

The code doesn’t require businesses holding liquor licenses to open at 6 a.m., though owners can certainly choose to do so. It will also allow businesses that are open 24 hours to dispense earlier on Sundays.

A third reading of the ordinance is expected at the June 5 council meeting.