Starting in a little more than two months, liquor will be available in Ellsworth for purchase on Sundays.

The Ellsworth City Council, with a no vote from council member Wayne Scritchfield, approved the sale Monday night at its regular meeting.

City administrator Rusty Varnado said he talked with several Ellsworth residents and heard no opposition to the change. City attorney Patrick Hoffman said the state has a standard ordinance that cities must use. It allows sales between noon and 8 p.m., although individual businesses can set their times within those hours.

Most towns have approved the ordinance, the attorney said, thus putting Ellsworth’s restaurants and grocery stores at a disadvantage.

The ordinance must be published twice in the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter — Sept. 17 and Sept. 24 — before it goes into effect after the second publication.

“Everybody has the same rules,” Hoffman said.

Council members also approved an application for a liquor license at the Ellsworth Municipal Golf Course’s 900 Room. Scritchfield was again the only no vote.

The action came after Patrick Hammel and Colby Richard presented their plan for a “social lounge and league experience” at the course.

Hammel said the goal would be to expand services to encourage use of the building year-round.

Richard said Ellsworth has a “great golf course” and “we’re trying to expand on that.”

He predicted an increase in revenue at the course “just by doing little things.” Included would be the sale of beer

Included would be the sale of beer and chicken fingers and other relatively simple menu items. A repurposing of the 900 Room, now used as a community room, also is part of the plan.

Scritchfield questioned the effect of sales on competitive, private businesses; however, the council was mostly supportive.

Council member Steve Magette said it made sense for the golf course to generate more revenue if possible.

Mayor Mark Kennedy suggested Hammel and Richard return to the council with regular reports or alert officials to any issues that might arise.

Also Monday night, the council accepted a retirement letter from long-time city clerk Patti Booher.

“It is with a heavy heart I present to you this letter stating my retirement date as of Dec. 11, 2020. This date has been modified from my original notice of May 9, 2022,” she wrote.

“After much prayer, soul-searching and many, many family discussions it was unanimous I should relocate to Manhattan prior to May of 2022. One of my daughter’s fourth child is due at the end of the next month and another daughter will be marrying in May 2021.”

The council approved Mayor Kennedy’s appointment of Brittany Rohr as deputy city clerk with a salary adjustment of an additional $1.50 an hour because of the additional duties she assumed.

A retirement reception for Booher is planned at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Ellsworth Golf Course 900 Room.

In response to a question from city council member Jessica Kootz, Ellsworth Police Chief Emil Halfhill said there are no plans to cancel Halloween because of COVID-19. Instead, officials hope to stage a trunk and treat; however, the chief said he will talk to the Ellsworth County Health Department about safety precautions before he returns to the council with a final plan.