Greeley City Council passed an ordinance revising the city code on Tuesday so that the city can save more than $500 on liquor licensing expenses that city staff found were ineffective.
State regulations require that once a business submits an application for a liquor license, a notice must be placed on the proposed premises. A notice must also be published in the newspaper with all the necessary information, such as license type and application date, to fully inform the community.
The city had gone a step further, also mailing a courtesy notice to all property owners within 500 feet of the proposed site for the liquor license. City staff believed this would increase awareness for those who would be most directly impacted by the development.
Throughout 2024, the city held 18 public hearings regarding liquor licensing and sent out 763 letters of notification. The city, however, hadn’t received any public comments, and 242 letters were returned unopened.
The city spent $526.47 on postage to send these courtesy letters in 2024. This estimate does not include the cost of materials or staff time, which the city estimates totaled 41 to 82 hours over the year and an additional hour for every letter returned.
Many community members spoke out against the ordinance, stating that the issue lies in how the notice is received rather than with the notice itself. Residents cited the city’s recent move off of YouTube to live-stream city council sessions as an example of the city not providing proper notice to the people.
“I had no idea where to find this meeting until a friend showed me,” resident Nikki Eaton said. “We need a more modern communication system.”
Councilman Tommy Butler echoed the people’s sentiment, asking if it was possible that people were receiving the notice but not speaking up at the meetings.
Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Middleton clarified that when the city receives public comment at liquor license hearings, speakers must identify where they heard about the information. Since 2023, the city has received only six public comments, none of which came from the courtesy notices.
Despite the data, Butler still believed that passing this ordinance would be a step in the wrong direction regarding transparency in local government.
“I think it’s a good thing we do, and I think it’s the bare minimum we can do,” Butler said. “The cost is negligible, and it’s just basic transparency.”
The remaining members of the council disagreed. They believed this was a way to cut costs and streamline efficiency within the city government.
Ultimately, the ordinance passed by a 5-1 vote, with Butler being the only one against it. It went into effect immediately.
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