OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Meeting - April 8, 2026

County Commissioners & Boards — Wednesday, April 8, 2026
BodyCarroll County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateWednesday, April 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:03:35

Transcript — Verbatim
0:27

Good morning.

0:28

Ladies and gentlemen, we'll call this meeting of the Board of Carroll County Licensed Commissioners to order.

0:34

We begin our meetings this morning, as we have for many years with the pledge to the flag.

0:46

It is strictly optional.

0:52

Mr.

0:52

Harvey?

0:54

Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republican which it stands.

1:00

One nation under God.

1:02

Indivisible.

2:00

First item on our agenda is the approval of the minutes from March 11th, which you all should have received.

2:10

No.

2:11

Hearing none, they will be filed for future reference.

2:14

Approved.

2:16

Mr.

2:17

Gray is from the Kuhn Club.

2:19

Yes, sir.

2:21

What did you like to present to us?

2:24

What do you plan to do at the Coon Club?

2:29

We would like to be able to sell spirited beverages in cans and other spirited beverages.

2:36

The reason for that is our beer sales are down, our wine sales are down.

2:42

Younger people aren't coming to the club because we don't offer what they would like to drink.

3:17

Not at this time.

3:18

We're not set up for that.

3:20

Right now we could sell canned beverages or little little bottled beverages to serve at the bar, pop them open, pour them over ice into a cup.

3:28

But we don't have uh the the spray systems and you know uh rails of of liquor.

3:36

It's we're gonna grow into this little by little.

3:39

So you're looking to sell uh mixed drinks, right?

3:42

Mixed drinks, yes.

3:45

What type of events would you want to sell mixed drinks?

3:49

We have uh Saturday night dances, about twenty of those a year.

3:54

Um we have crab feasts, bowling oyster roasts.

3:58

Uh we have uh a really good bluegrass uh buffet dinner uh in January.

4:03

Um that's where we're headed towards doing more special events like that.

4:10

Um we've been there for a hundred and three years, so we try to keep things as close to the same as possible as we can.

4:21

These events are open to the public.

4:23

Events are open to the public, yes.

4:26

Being nonprofit, just about everything we do is open to the public.

4:32

Is the is it a club where we have to join a membership?

4:36

Yes, we have it's a membership of a hundred members.

4:39

Um we have these events, we have doormen.

4:43

Uh, we've been doing this for they sign in a book, we check IDs.

4:47

We're real strict on that.

4:49

We have signs everywhere.

4:51

Um we know we can control this.

4:56

You check IDs at the door.

4:58

At the door.

4:58

Did you they get a wristband or something like that?

5:01

They get a hand stamp, wristband, and the bartenders are instructed to also card at the bar.

5:07

Okay, great.

5:07

They're the final step.

5:11

Do drinks ever go outside the building?

5:14

Yes, they do.

5:15

Tell us about that.

5:16

Uh when we have special events or we have outside concerts, uh, we've been before your board before and we've gotten permission to uh let them take their beverages outside.

5:28

Um we showed maps at one of our last hearings here where you have to cross the bridge in order to get into the clubhouse area, and the hillsides coming down create a perfect barrier.

5:43

And so unless you're a Billy Goat, you're not getting into that club unless you come across that bridge.

5:48

Okay.

5:49

Check IDs there, we do wristbands there, it's hand stamps.

5:53

And again, the most important thing, our bartenders, uh, we have about twenty or thirty members of the club that have taken the course, uh taken uh Mr.

6:03

Benford's course, and uh their plaques are on the wall.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Alcohol Regulation████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Liquor Licensing████████████████████████████████32%
Business Transactions██████6%
Immigration██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Community Engagement███3%
Public Safety██2%
Public Works█1%
Cannabis Regulation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Meeting - April 8, 2026

The meeting convened at 10:00 a.m. on April 8, 2026 in the Reagan Room of the Carroll County Office Building. The board addressed multiple license upgrades, extensions, routine approvals, a contested transfer hearing, and administrative matters.

License Upgrade for Coon Club

  • The Coon Club (represented by Mr. Gray) requested approval to upgrade their club license from beer/wine to beer/wine/liquor, citing declining sales in beer and wine and demand from younger patrons. They described security measures including ID checks at the door, wristbands, and bartender training. The board unanimously approved the upgrade.

Extension for Westminster Tap House

  • Jesse Johnson and Rogeta from Westminster Tap House requested a 90-day extension to their license approval deadline due to electrical and fire safety renovations. They anticipate a soft opening in late April 2026. The board granted the extension without objection.

Routine Approvals

  • Cinco de Mayo Westminster received permission to expand outdoor service on May 5, 2026 for Cinco de Mayo.
  • James McQuery's resignation from an LLC and transfer of his10% share to Thomas Zapelli was accepted.
  • Keith Watson (7556 Main Street, Sykesville) was approved to participate in Sykesville town events.
  • Heather Kaikendal (Carroll County Ag Center) was approved to host a beer garden at the annual tractor pull on April 24-25, 2026.

Case #6606 - License Transfer for Fortune City

  • The board considered an application for transfer of a Class B beer, wine, and liquor license from Eva Wu (Hang Fung, Inc., t/a Forbidden City) to Bob Wang (Fortune City, LLC, t/a Fortune City) at 250 Englar Road, Westminster.
  • Applicant Bob Wang, represented by Abraham Hurdle, testified about five years of restaurant experience, current license in Anne Arundel County with no violations, and plans to retain staff and menu. Missing documents were noted (criminal background check, driving record, alcohol awareness certificate, workers' compensation, citizenship proof, buk transfer permit). Three character witnesses vouched for his character.
  • Current owner Eva Wu confirmed her support for the transfer.
  • The board conditionally approved the transfer, requiring submission of all missing documents within two weeks and quarterly reports on food/alcohol sales ratio for the first year.

Renewal and Administrative Updates

  • Inspector provided updates: River Downs has received a license; Double Barrels expected late summer; Westminster Tap House pending; Vacamu expected in May. Five establishments did not renew. Seventeen renewal packets were late; three were one day late and licenses are withheld until taxes are paid by April 20. Currently169 actve licenses with three pending.
  • The board discussed requiring food sales to constitute41% of combined food and alcohol sales. They agreed to hold a public hearing before making any regulatory change.
  • The board scheduled the annual training seminar for June17,2026 at the Carroll County Fire Training Center (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. with breakfast at8:30). Topics include fake IDs, handling unruly patrons, county issues, and the diversion program for underage sales.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Coon Club license upgrade.
  • Granted90-day extension to Westminster Tap House.
  • Approved Cinco de Mayo expansion, McQuery resignation, Sykesville events, and Ag Center beer garden.
  • Conditionally approved Fortune City license transfer with required documentation.
  • Discussed food/alcohol reporting changes and will hold a public hearing.
  • Scheduled training seminar for June17,2026.
  • Next meeting: May13,2026 at10:00 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll call this meeting of the Board of Carroll County Licensed Commissioners to order. We begin our meetings this morning, as we have for many years with the pledge to the flag. It is strictly optional. Mr. Harvey? Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republican which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible. First item on our agenda is the approval of the minutes from March 11th, which you all should have received. No. Hearing none, they will be filed for future reference. Approved. Mr. Gray is from the Kuhn Club. Yes, sir. What did you like to present to us? What do you plan to do at the Coon Club? We would like to be able to sell spirited beverages in cans and other spirited beverages. The reason for that is our beer sales are down, our wine sales are down. Younger people aren't coming to the club because we don't offer what they would like to drink. Not at this time. We're not set up for that. Right now we could sell canned beverages or little little bottled beverages to serve at the bar, pop them open, pour them over ice into a cup. But we don't have uh the the spray systems and you know uh rails of of liquor. It's we're gonna grow into this little by little. So you're looking to sell uh mixed drinks, right? Mixed drinks, yes. What type of events would you want to sell mixed drinks? We have uh Saturday night dances, about twenty of those a year. Um we have crab feasts, bowling oyster roasts. Uh we have uh a really good bluegrass uh buffet dinner uh in January. Um that's where we're headed towards doing more special events like that. Um we've been there for a hundred and three years, so we try to keep things as close to the same as possible as we can. These events are open to the public. Events are open to the public, yes. Being nonprofit, just about everything we do is open to the public. Is the is it a club where we have to join a membership? Yes, we have it's a membership of a hundred members. Um we have these events, we have doormen. Uh, we've been doing this for they sign in a book, we check IDs. We're real strict on that. We have signs everywhere. Um we know we can control this. You check IDs at the door. At the door. Did you they get a wristband or something like that? They get a hand stamp, wristband, and the bartenders are instructed to also card at the bar. Okay, great. They're the final step.

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