High Springs businesses will be able to sell alcohol during extended hours on Sundays, and incumbent Tristan Grunder will continue serving in Seat 3 on the City Commission after Tuesday’s election.  

Two hours before polls closed at 7 p.m., the city posted on Facebook that voter turnout was estimated at 10%. 

Grunder garnered 587 votes over High Springs Charter Review Board member Julie Ann Tapia-Ruano’s 279 votes to secure another three-year term on the commission. 

“I’m so happy High Springs trusts me to help move us forward,” Grunder told Mainstreet in a text. “I’m proud of how we ran this race and how we won, and High Springs responded!” 

The candidates will be sworn in during the Nov. 13 commission meeting, where the City Commission will also vote on a mayor.  

There were 622 voters who voted in favor of expanding alcohol sales on Sundays past 1 p.m. in the city, eliminating the need for breweries and other alcohol-selling businesses to seek special permits to do so. Only 206 voters opposed the expansion.  

The code amendment to the “Hours of Sale” ordinance allows businesses deriving 51% of their gross revenue from food and nonalcoholic beverages and breweries, defined as businesses that manufacture malt beverages on site, to sell alcohol Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 1 to 10 p.m. 

The vote settles an ongoing debate over what some called an antiquated ordinance targeting High Springs Brewing Company, which resurfaced during a joint meeting with the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in June. 

County Commissioner Ken Cornell originally suggested the City Commission repeal the ordinance itself instead of going through the steps to get it on the ballot. But a motion to do so failed, and the commission decided later that month to put the issue before voters. 

In October, High Springs approved permanent exemptions for businesses to sell alcohol within 500 feet of property owned by a church if the church grants permission.  

Voters also passed all five of the following charter amendments on Tuesday’s ballot: 

1. Updating commission seat information 
   Yes: 615 
   No: 182 
   The names of former commissioners who previously held the seats will be removed from the city charter, which will also designate when the current term ends for each commission seat. 

2. Updating commission salaries 
   Yes: 647 
   No: 172 
   The charter will allow for the salary of commissioners to continue at the same rate for the subsequent fiscal year in the event the commission does not act to change or continue their salaries. 

3. Updating the mayor’s term limits 
   Yes: 576 
   No: 244 
   The mayor’s term will be limited to one year or until a successor is elected. No commissioner will hold the position of mayor for consecutive terms unless by a supermajority vote of the then-sitting commission. 

4. Updating the notice for special-called meetings and the definition of special and emergency meetings 
   Yes: 717 
   No: 101 
   The charter will require no less than three days’ notice for special meetings and will define special meetings and emergency meetings. 

5. Barring a single individual from holding city manager and city clerk roles 
   Yes: 659 
   No: 154 
   The provision allowing a single individual to serve as both the city manager and the city clerk will be deleted from the charter. 
   
   Editor’s note: This article was edited to remove Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth Jr.’s candidacy.

Editor’s note: This story was underwritten by a grant from the Rural Reporting Initiative at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida. To learn more or get involved, click here.