MINUTES BEER BOARD MEETING JUNE 3, 2014

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1 MINUTES BEER BOARD MEETING JUNE 3, 2014 The Jackson, Tennessee, Beer Board met at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. Board members present were Charles Pepper Bray, Harvey Buchanan and Charles Rahm. Also present were Attorney Lewis Cobb and Attorney Courtney Reedy, legal counsel for the city of Jackson; Jackson Police Lieutenant Mike Johnson; Ben Smith, commercial building and fire codes inspector for the city of Jackson; Angela Collins-Turner, Business License and Beer Clerk for the city of Jackson; Hilda Little, coordinator for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of Jackson-Madison County; Katie Pace, executive director of the Jackson Downtown Development Corporation; and Anita Brooks, recorder of the minutes. The meeting was called to order. On the motion of Board member Bray, seconded by Board member Buchanan, the minutes of the May 6, 2014, meetings were approved. BEER APPLICATIONS: A request from Randy Hall for a special occasion permit to sell, store and serve beer at an event held at the Jackson Fairgrounds Park on June 13-14, 2014, known as the Tractor and Truck Pull, was presented for consideration. Randy Hall was present. Randy Hall advised he had no issues in the past with the Tractor and Truck Pull event. Randy Hall also advised he personally issues the wrist bands to people himself at the event. Lieutenant Mike Johnson advised that Randy Hall -1-

2 always have enough security for the event. On the motion of Board member Bray, seconded by Board member Buchanan, the request was unanimously approved. A request from Jeremy Denno for a business known as Rock n Dough Pizza and Brew Company, located at 16 Jackson Walk Plaza, for selling, storing and distributing beer (growlers) for consumption off the premises was presented for consideration. Cody Stooksberry, restaurant manager, was present. Cody Stooksberry advised that the beer poured in the growlers was basically craft beer to go and would not be allowed to be opened in the restaurant. Cody Stooksberry further advised that stats on the alcoholic content of each vessel of beer they brew for the growlers would be reported to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Cody Stooksberry advised their process of filling the containers and advised that the containers could be sealed by either a slipover plastic seal method or a cork and tape method. Cody Stooksberry further advised that either method met the requirement of state law for a sealed container. Cody Stooksberry also advised that they had not decided which method of sealing the containers would be best for their servers to be able to do quickly. Attorney Courtney Reedy advised she spoke with Ben Pugh who was a part owner of the Rock n Dough Pizza and Brew Company and he assured her that the alcohol content of the beer they were going to be selling for the growlers was not more than five percent (5%) by weight, which the Jackson Beer Board can regulate. Attorney Reedy further advised that her understanding was that the business already had an on-premises permit to sell beer and advised that she informed Mr. Pugh that he would need an off-premises permit to sell growlers. Attorney Reedy and Attorney Lewis Cobb advised that as long as the business has a -2-

3 permit to sell beer off-premises, meets the requirement for sealing the containers, and the alcohol content of the beverage was not more than five percent (5%) by weight, then the business could sell growlers. In that Board member Buchanan raised a concern regarding the verification of the alcohol content in the beer that the Rock n Dough Pizza and Brew Company would be selling for off-premises consumption, Attorney Reedy advised she would check with Special Agent B. V. Cathey with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission about the alcohol content in the beverages to verify that it would be not more than five percent (5%) by weight. On the motion of Board member Buchanan, seconded by Board member Bray, the request was unanimously approved. OTHER BUSINESS: A memorandum from Angela Collins-Turner regarding a suggestion from Lieutenant Mike Johnson that business owners and their managers go to the UPS Store, located at 319 Vann Drive, to have their backgrounds checks done and to get fingerprinted was discussed. Lieutenant Mike Johnson advised that he obtained information from the UPS Store regarding the cost of background checks and fingerprinting for business owners and their managers who apply for a beer license. Lieutenant Johnson advised that the background checks and fingerprinting done through the UPS Store would be nationwide in the United States and would help the city in getting a more thorough background history on applicants who do not have a Tennessee driver s license. Attorney Courtney Reedy advised that a similar procedure was done by the city of Memphis, although she was not sure at what level, and advised that having the UPS Store do a nationwide background check and -3-

4 fingerprinting for business owners and their managers, especially those who do not have a Tennessee driver s license and may have never lived in Jackson and Madison County, would be helpful to the staff at the city. The Beer Board was in agreement of initiating the procedure of having beer applicants and their managers to go to the UPS Store, located at 319 Vann Drive, to get fingerprinted and to have their background checks done. A memorandum from Angela Collins-Turner regarding a telephone call that she received from David Clagg, sales executive with the DET Distributing Company, concerning the new law that will go into effect on July 1, 2014, that will allow liquor stores to sell beer was discussed. The memorandum stated that Mr. Clagg wanted to know if liquor stores selling beer would be grandfathered in or would they have to get a beer license from the city in order to sell beer. Attorney Lewis Cobb advised that his understanding of the new law, after talking to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, was that liquor stores owners would continue to be policed by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and would not be required to come before the Beer Board for a permit to sell beer, if they have a liquor license. Attorney Cobb advised he would continue to do research on the new law and issue an opinion on the matter. Hilda Little, coordinator for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of Jackson- Madison County, presented a list of convenience stores where underage alcohol operations were conducted by the Metro Narcotics Unit on May 23, 2014, and May 29, 2014, to the Beer Board. Ms. Little advised there was only one store, Hollywood- Phillips 66 station located at 2089 Hollywood Drive, which sold alcohol to a minor on -4-

5 more than one occasion when the underage alcohol operations were conducted at the store. Lieutenant Mike Johnson sought clarification as to whether or not the Old Medina Market had been approved to sell growlers at their business. Attorney Courtney Reedy advised that the owner and store employees of the Old Medina Market were present at the last meeting to discuss the matter of them selling growlers at their store but no action was taken. City Attorney Lewis Cobb advised that his research indicated that the business could sell beer for off-premise consumption but how the growlers would be package for sale was probably not in the city s jurisdiction. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. CHARLES RAHM, CHAIRMAN -5-