BENTON — The Benton City Council Monday night approved a motion to amend the city’s liquor code for Class A taverns allowing the number of tavern licenses to go from seven back to a maximum of 9.

According to the Benton News, the vote was 4 to 1 with Commissioner Ronnie Baumgarte voting no.

The change will allow Charlie Paul to be issued a license. He is taking over the Joker’s Den formerly owned by Jim Bob Hosick.

A motion to expand Sunday liquor sales in Benton failed to be approved at the meeting due to the lack of a second. Mayor Fred Kondritz wanted restaurants to be allowed to sell liquor on Sundays from noon to 10 p.m. Right now, restaurants can only do this from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 12 Sundays a year.

Two Benton restaurants – Joe’s Pizza and La Fiesta – approached the council last month asking for the change stating they were losing money to other communities that don’t limit Sunday liquor sales to just 12 times a year.