Local bar owners will request today the DeKalb City Council’s permission to open at 5 a.m. – an hour earlier – for Saturday’s Homecoming festivities.

For the past three years, Mayor Greg Sparrow, also DeKalb’s liquor commissioner, and the City Council have allowed Class A liquor license holders to serve alcohol with breakfast an hour early on Homecoming Saturday.

“We’ve never had a problem with it and we’ve always let them have it,” Sparrow said.

Sparrow and four City Council members will consider the request at a special meeting at 5 p.m. today.

Sparrow said he thought The Barn, 1215 Blackhawk Road, a Class E license holder, also would request the extra hour.

“In the past, we’ve granted it to just the Class A licenses,” Sparrow said. “But I don’t have a problem with it.”

License holders approached City Clerk Donna Johnson Monday morning and the issue was placed on the agenda for the city council’s Monday night meeting, Sparrow said.

To comply with the Open Meetings Act and give the public 48-hours notice of the meeting, Sparrow called a special session for Thursday night, he said.

At least four City Council members and the mayor must be present. Sparrow said he thought 1st Ward Alderman Karega Harris, 4th Ward Alderman Mike Knowlton, 6th Ward Alderman Dave Baker and 7th Ward Alderman James Barr would attend.