The West Point City Council voted unanimously to change the city alcohol ordinance at its meeting Monday night.

The sale of malt beverages and wine will change from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 a.m. to 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The only exception will come on New Year’s Eve when sales will end at 1 a.m.

The change to the ordinance is effective immediately.

City Manager Ed Moon said in a previous work session that the change will also require restaurants in town to close at midnight. Mayor Pro Tem  Steve Tramell said this wouldn’t be a problem.

“It won’t affect any of their business and in fact, I spoke with every one of them, and they’re fine with it,” Tramell said. “They’re ready to be closed by that time of night.”

Tramell said at the previous work session that while the ordinance is changing, the sale won’t have to be that way forever if the situation changes.

“The council can always amend the ordinance,” he said.

Shannon Lawson, Troup County Prevention Coalition project coordinator, said at last week’s work session that she was grateful the council was considering changing the ordinance.

“[The TCPC’s] main focus is to build community collaboration to make our teens safe and reduce access to substance. When I saw that the city council was considering the alcohol sales hours change and the ordinance changing,  I was excited because not only does that bring an extra sense of safety to the community and all the things the council is considering, but also a byproduct of that is when you reduce those hours of sales, you reduce access to alcohol,” Lawson said.

Lawson said the change in the ordinance is especially important because of Point University’s place in downtown.

“Being a college town, you want to make a bigger consideration of students who are not quite at that legal age, but are having later access possibly to that,” she said.