Charleston bars as of Jan. 13 will be able to sell liquor between 11 a.m and 11 p.m. on Sundays because of an ordinance the Charleston City Council passed during winter break.

Besides Sunday liquor sales, the council also considered an ordinance that would extend bar hours until 2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. However, that ordinance failed 4-1 at Tuesday’s council meeting. Regardless, the ordinance allowing Sunday liquor sales passed 3-2.

Both ordinances, which were placed on file for public inspection at the council’s Dec. 18 meeting, were proposed by The Charleston Licensed Beverage Association. Paul Mejdrich, president of the association and manager of E.L. Krackers and Stu’s Surf Side, said the goals behind the proposed ordinances were to “try it out,” and to bring equality to all of the bars.

“Our main objective there was allowing us to compete with neighborhood communities,” Mejdrich said, later elaborating that he meant communities like Mattoon.

Before the Sunday liquor sales ordinance was passed, restaurants could sell alcohol between noon and 11 p.m. if they paid $400 for an additional license. Grocery, drug and liquor stores were able to sell alcohol between noon and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The new ordnance allowing Sunday liquor sales will entice people to stay in town, Mejdrich said. But, he added that he was disappointed at the lack of Eastern students attending the related meetings.

“The timing on this was rather poor and to see no Eastern students there was disheartening,” he said. “Eastern students are registered voters of this community and their voice should be heard.”

Despite the lack of Eastern students, council member Larry Rennels said a large crowd attended the meetings.

“There was a very large crowd,” he said. “The mayor kept very good order. It was standing room only and from where I sat it was a sea of faces.”

Many citizens had written letters and called before the meeting opposing the ordinance, council member Marge Knoop said.

She said many people who were for extending the bars an extra hour on Saturdays and Sundays did not speak up.

The discussions lasted at least an hour, Rennels estimated. During the discussion, those present debated whether or not to have a three-month trial period for the Sunday liquor sales, but the final ordinance passed without the stipulation.

Another facet of the debate was the potential cost of additional police protection, Rennels said.

“The mayor’s data the showed it would cost more for the police protection than the sales tax revenue and the difference would have to be made up somehow either by cutting city services or raising taxes,” said Rennels, who voted against extending bar hours by an extra hour.

However, Knoop feels that the students were here first.

“I just don’t understand their take on this. The students have been here forever,” Knoop said. “We’ve got to move on with other city business. I would love it if residents would come to meetings on a regular basis. They only come on a liquor ordinance. We do more things than regulate liquor.”