The Bethel City Council heard hours of passionate testimony Tuesday night urging them to protest anticipated applications to sell liquor. Many in the crowd asked the council to consider the consequences of local sales in a region that suffers disproportionate effects from alcohol abuse and related violence.
More than 40 people spoke for more than 31/2 hours at a public hearing, with many sharing personal stories about how alcohol has destroyed them or their families. All but a small handful urged the council to push back on businesses seeking to sell alcohol.
Eva Malvich, who has worked to organize the Bethel Winter House homeless shelter and has lost family to alcohol, told the council that the community is not prepared.
“If you had a liquor store here, could you imagine the impact it would have on the people here with the services you now offer? It cannot happen. You cannot take care of the problem if it’s going to increase ten-fold,” said Malvich.
A Bethel Native Corporation subsidiary, Bethel Spirits apply for a package liquor store license for a store inside their Kipuskvik facility which was recently. The Alaska Commercial Company also is seeking to sell liquor. Ana Hoffman, President and CEO for BNC asked for the council’s support and made an economic case.
“Bethel Spirits’ ability to acquire a liquor license will provide the city with a mechanism to collect sales tax and facilitate control over legal alcohol sales. We all know the current situation in Bethel only perpetuates the rampant presence of illegal alcohol sales and continuing to ignore that reality helps no one,” said Hoffman.
Hoffman said the proposed store would be located in the back of the upstairs area and take up less than one percent of the overall facility. If it advances, the store could be the first Bethel liquor store in four decades.
