Special to Iredell Free News

The Statesville ABC Board has made its quarterly distributions, giving out a total of $65,690 to the City of Statesville, Mitchell Community College, Iredell-Statesville Schools and Iredell Museums.

The North Carolina ABC system is set up so that, after paying taxes and expenses, local ABC boards share their profits within their local communities, explained Statesville ABC Board General Manager Tip Nicholson.

Nicholson also noted that with the increase in the alcohol education grants, the distributions through the second quarter of fiscal year 2021-2022 are $30,000 higher than at the same time last year.

December marked the first time ever that the Statesville ABC Board had more than $1 million in sales, and for the first half of fiscal year 2022 sales are 6.8 percent higher than a year ago.

For the second quarter of their fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, the Statesville ABC Board made the following distributions: $14,695 to both Mitchell Community College and Iredell-Statesville Schools and $5,877 to the Iredell Museums. The City of Statesville received $6,911 from mixed beverage profits and $23,512 from retail sales. The city received $4,440 for alcohol law enforcement services provided by the Statesville Police Department, plus the required law enforcement distribution of $7,124.

In addition to the quarterly distributions, the Statesville ABC Board also funds alcohol education grants. Recently, the board awarded a record $90,680 in alcohol education grants to local organizations involved in the assessment, intervention, treatment and referral of alcohol and drug-related issues in the community.

“Because of the unique way the North Carolina’s ABC system requires that profits be distributed, we are able to make a big difference in some of our important local community organizations,” Nicholson added.