Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Hearing and Business Meeting - July 8, 2026
Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Hearing and Business Meeting - July 8, 2026
The Carroll County Board of License Commissioners met July 8, 2026, in Westminster, Maryland, beginning at 10:00 a.m., to conduct violation hearings, act on license transfer applications, and handle routine alcohol-license business. The board found three establishments culpable of underage-sale violations, approved two license transfers, approved several one-day event and beer-garden requests, and voted to raise its minimum underage-sale fine to $500 for future violations.
Consent Calendar
- No formal consent calendar was used; the following items were approved by consensus or without objection:
- Reese Fire Department beer garden for Priest Rock Fest on Aug. 29, 2026, at the carnival grounds.
- Reese Fire Department Big Money Raffle beer garden, a long-standing annual event.
- Westminster Pride Festival one-day liquor license for July 11, 2026, at Westminster City Park, requested by Jason Garber.
- Mount Airy Fire Department beer garden for July 24-25, 2026, at the carnival grounds.
- Recurring participation by Genie Bird, Toast of Italy, and Liquid Library events.
- David Johansson's request to hold his restaurant's liquor license rather than surrender it after the restaurant closed June 27, 2026, while a new buyer's application is pending.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Linda Bowen and other Reese Fire Department representatives testified in support of the Priest Rock Fest beer garden, explaining that volunteer fire companies must raise funds for apparatus, including a $400,000 medic unit, a $1.4 million engine/tanker, and a roughly $947,000 engine, and that carnival revenue has declined by about half.
- Promoter John Jarini, owner of Eagle Star Productions, described his safety plan, including Wolf Security Company, wristbands, ID checks, and a $3 million liability policy. He stated he guarantees Reese Fire Department is paid regardless of ticket sales and that he personally bears the financial risk.
- Character witnesses for Chintan Patel and Antonio Illiano testified that the applicants were fit and proper persons to hold liquor licenses.
- Attorney Kelly Schaefer Miller appeared for Patrick Larson/Cranberry Liquors and argued for mitigation, citing 14 years without a prior violation and the store's post-incident policy changes.
Violation Hearings
Case #6622 - Twin Arch Spirits (Sam Jung Yu)
- Inspector William Ledley testified that on May 13, 2026, at about 6:42 p.m., an 18-year-old volunteer purchased Malibu pink rum after her ID was checked but a vertical Maryland license was misread. Ms. Yu, the owner and only person working at the time, testified that she had been in business about 21 years, had a current TAM certification, and had passed at least six compliance checks since a prior violation in 2019.
- The board found Ms. Yu culpable under AB 6-304 and fined her $300, payable within 30 days of written notice.
Case #6623 - Twin Arch Tavern (John Christopher Beck)
- Inspector Ledley testified that at about 6:50 p.m. on May 13, 2026, an 18-year-old volunteer was served a Fat Tire ale without being asked for identification. The server, Gianna Elaine Goodhart, was employed about three weeks and was immediately fired.
- The board amended the docket to reflect a Class B license; the notice/agenda had listed Class A. John Christopher Beck, licensee since March 2026, testified that this was the first compliance check under his ownership. He described new policies requiring 100% ID checks, no vertical IDs, signed employee acknowledgments, and Carroll CARES training.
- The board found Mr. Beck culpable under AB 6-304 and fined him $300.
Case #6625 - Cranberry Liquors (Patrick Larson)
- Inspector Ledley testified that on June 4, 2026, at about 7:12 p.m., a 20-year-old volunteer purchased a six-pack of Jack Daniel's Southern Peach from Bethany Flatley without being asked for ID.
- Attorney Kelly Schaefer Miller presented mitigation: the current ownership had held the license since July 2012 with no prior underage-sale violations, the employee was placed on probation and attended diversion, and the store updated policies to require carding anyone who looks under 40, refuse vertical IDs, and prohibit phone use at the register.
- The board found Patrick Larson culpable under AB 6-304 and imposed a $300 fine, with $100 suspended if there are no additional violations within five years.
Transfer Applications
Case #6621 - Village Store to Labh Prime LLC (Chintan Patel)
- The board approved transferring the Class A beer, wine, and liquor license from Mary Crushong/Village Store, LLC to Chintan Patel/Labh Prime LLC, trading as The Village Store and Diner, 6694 Middleburg Road, Keymar, in Election District 10.
- The store includes carry-out alcohol, a convenience store, and dine-in food service with no on-premises alcohol consumption. Mr. Patel testified about prior liquor-store work in Jessup and current ownership of a Baltimore 7-Eleven; he said he would keep current staff and add no-vertical-ID and ID-scanning safeguards.
- Approval was subject to meeting all county permits, inspections, and related requirements.
Case #6624 - Illiano's J&P to Illiano's JPW LLC (Antonio Illiano)
- The board approved transferring the Class B beer, wine, and liquor license from Augusto Illiano/Illiano's J&P-Westminster LLC to Antonio Illiano/Illiano's JPW LLC, trading as Illiano's J&P Restaurant, 480 Meadow Creek Road, Westminster, in Election District 7.
- Antonio Illiano and his son Brandon are the LLC members. The lease was not yet finalized, but the landlord had signed the application.
- Approval was conditioned on providing the liability/certificate of insurance to the board.
Discussion Items
- Fines for underage-sale violations: Inspector Ledley reported a licensee had called a $300 fine 'no big deal.' A comparison of surrounding counties showed fines ranging from $100 to $2,500, plus suspensions. The board adopted a motion setting the minimum fine at $500 for violations occurring after Aug. 1, 2026.
- Annual seminar feedback: 47 of 86 participants returned evaluations. Suggestions included more focus on Maryland IDs, shorter presentations, and continued improvements to the training event; the board will use the comments for next year's seminar planning.
- Public communications policy: The chair proposed a written policy for complaints and requests for board action. Board members discussed whether complaints about licensees should be escalated to the board or handled by staff. The item was deferred for legal research on whether the board is subject to the Administrative Procedures Act and for redrafting.
- Meeting minutes: The administrator said she could not produce more detailed minutes due to her workload across seven boards. AI-generated transcripts were discussed as a possible solution, but no final decision was reached.
Key Outcomes
- Approved routine event/beer-garden requests for Reese Priest Rock Fest, Reese Big Money Raffle, Westminster Pride Festival, Mount Airy Fire Department, and recurring special events.
- Granted David Johansson's request to hold his restaurant liquor license while a new application is pending.
- Found Sam Jung Yu, John Christopher Beck, and Patrick Larson culpable of violating AB 6-304 and fined each licensee $300; $100 of Larson's fine was suspended for five years with no additional violations.
- Approved the transfer in Case #6621 to Chintan Patel, subject to county requirements.
- Approved the transfer in Case #6624 to Antonio Illiano, conditioned on submission of the liability insurance certificate.
- Set the minimum underage-sale fine at $500 for violations occurring after Aug. 1, 2026.
- Deferred final action on the public communications policy and minutes production process for further research and redrafting.
- The next regular meeting was set for Aug. 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We'll call this July meeting of the Board of Licensed Commissioners or Carroll County to order. We have a tradition here that we open with the pledge of the flag and observe a moment of silence for those who have gone before us to make our country great what it is. Strictly voluntary. Mr. Barnhart. One nation. Indivisible with the justice for all the seated. First item of business, we have a letter from Miss Linda Bowen, officer of the Reese Fire department requesting permission to have a beer garden priest rock fest on the carnival graphs. This will be our first one we're having on August twenty ninth. Um John beside me, he's the gentleman that is running it. Um he asked if the fire company could do the um alcohol at the event. He said I had to write up a had to show a map where they were going to be coming in where the alcohol was going to be served. And the security company that John's going to be using, that's going to be at the fence from the time it starts till it ends, and they will be in charge of carding everybody wearing wristbands. Linda, state your name and address for the record. Linda Bowen, 602 Elm Street, West Mr. Maryland, 21157. Thank you. So if I understand what you said. It's going to be on the carnival grounds. Yes. Be very similar to the layout as far as the FAR company I'm talking about now. Very similar to the layout as provided for the big money drawing. For that. And Reese is solely going to provide the alcoholic alcoholic beverages. And what are we we will be serving um beer and then like seltzers and like uh hard lemonade? Oh, that's all we're going to be serving. And we get our alcohol from bonds just distributing. There'll be no mixing drinks or anything like that. It'll all be other beer or can. Yeah, the cans. Seltzers and whatever's in at that time. Hard lemonade, ice tea. And his security company is going to be at the entrance and exit the whole entire time. Is the fire company responsible for the security or is it promoter? Security for John. John's responsible for his security. And no alcohol be brought in. No. No coolers, nothing will be brought in. And you have several people who alcohol certified, correct? Yes, sir. Yeah, I attached uh one or two to the permit. Um Keith done quite a few of us down at the firehouse, so the proceeds go to the fire company? Yes. Question, gentlemen. Oh, Miss Linda. Yep. That's the only question I had. Jesse, do you want to say anything before I call on the other gentleman?
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