The Chattanooga Beer Board has begun stressing the importance of formal training to all applicants for a beer license. TIPS training (Training for Intervention ProceedureS) is aimed at servers and bartenders, and the Responsible Vendors Training is designed for businesses that sell beer for off-premise consumption. The purpose of both is to promote the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol by preventing intoxication, underage drinking and drunk driving.
The board feels that the small cost of training employees more than makes up for the suspension or loss of a companies’ beer license, and could prevent a business from closing.
At the meeting of the board on Thursday morning, five beer licenses were approved, three consumer permits and three carry-out licenses.
Cheddar’s Casual Café, 2014 Gunbarrel Rd. was required to get a new beer permit because of restructuring of the company by acquiring the ownership of various franchises. Josh Curtis, representing the business told the board about the strict alcohol policies and on-line training that is required of all employees. The restaurant was approved unanimously for a new consumer beer license.
El Nortino Tienda Mexicana, Inc., 5842 Brainerd Road will sell pre-packaged food and beer. No food will be prepared at the location. Hours are from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Mapco #3536 located at 8604 N. Hickory Valley Road, was denied a permit at the last beer board meeting because of confusion. The convenience store is in an area that was annexed into Chattanooga two years ago, yet the business was unaware of it and also that a valid beer license issued by the city of Chattanooga, was required because of the annexation. For the previous two years, effectively, beer had been sold without a license. Additionally, a clerk was caught selling beer to a minor, which brought the other violation to light. Because the store had been certified in the Responsible Vendor Program, by state law, the penalty for a first offense was limited to a fine, no suspension of the license was allowed.
When member Andre Harriman proposed the motion to fine Mapco $500, he said he considered it to be light punishment for the two violations, but no second was received. Member Ron Smith proposed a letter of reprimand be put into the file, with no punishment. That motion passed with only Mr. Harriman and Trevor Atchley voting no. In later discussion, various members, rethinking their votes, regretted their decision to give no punishment to the business.