Carroll County Board of License Commissioners Meeting – October 14, 2026

The Carroll County Board of License Commissioners met at 10:00 a.m. on October 14, 2026, in the Reagan Room of the Carroll County Office Building in Westminster, Maryland. The Board heard no corrections to the September 9, 2026 minutes, approved a one-day event license, conducted three contested hearings, and discussed rule changes and administrative updates. All motions passed by voice vote with no opposition.

Opening & Administrative Business

• No corrections or additions were made to the September 9, 2026 minutes.
• Commissioner Barnard said he has learned to produce transcripts of Board hearings and offered to share copies with board members or add them to the minutes; no action was recorded.

Public Comments & Testimony

• In the Mt. Airy Liquors transfer case, character witnesses Steve Slaughter, Pragnes Patel, and Arunkumar Patel testified that Jayendra Patel is hardworking, customer-focused, and careful about checking IDs. Arunkumar Patel cited her refusal to hire his 17-year-old son as an example of her age-awareness.
• In the Tequila y Mezcal MX case, server Mazzy DiCarlantonio, former co-worker Yaritza Sanchez Vera, and Kathleen Kreimer (owner of Esquire Liquors in Union Bridge) supported Joel Castillo as fit and proper, with Kreimer describing him as cautious and particular.

One-Day License – ABATE of Maryland Motorcycle Show

• ABATE of Maryland, through Rick Dixon and Ken Eaton, requested a one-day license for a motorcycle show and flea market at the Carroll County Ag Center in Westminster on December 12–13, 2026. Eaton estimated roughly 100 attendees per day and said the event would include a beer garden inside Shipley Arena with beer, wine, and limited mixed drinks.
• Board members questioned security, ID checks, wristbands, and the risk of adults passing alcohol to minors. The applicant agreed to use different colored wristbands for under-21 and 21-and-over patrons and to keep alcohol within the event space.
• The Board approved the license with conditions, including separate age wristbands, no alcohol outside the building, and no liquor sales before noon on Sunday. A Board inspector will be present.

Case No. 6629 – Violation: Piper’s Wine & Spirit Barn

• Inspector William Ledley testified that on June 26, 2026, at about 8:45 p.m., an underage volunteer purchased a four-pack of Seagram’s Calypso Colada from Piper’s Wine & Spirit Barn in Manchester after the clerk asked for and reviewed the ID but served the volunteer anyway.
• Licensee Rick Estes accepted responsibility, described employee training and signs prohibiting vertical IDs, and said the clerk misread the birth date. The clerk was not TIPS/TAMS certified at the time and has since completed a diversion program.
• Commissioners noted a prior underage-sale violation in 2020 but credited Inspector Ledley’s assessment that Estes runs a tight ship and characterized the server as a rogue employee.
• The Board assessed a $300 fine. The motion recited the license as Class B, while the agenda identified it as Class A; this discrepancy was not addressed on the record.

Case No. 6640 – Transfer: Mt. Airy Liquors

• Attorney Abraham Hurdle sought approval to transfer the Class A beer, wine, and liquor license for Mt. Airy Liquors at 321 E. Ridgeville Boulevard, Mt. Airy, from Benjamin Golueke/Pineapple, Inc. to Jayendra Patel/Mt. Airy Liquors, Inc.
• Hurdle disclosed that Patel is currently named on a Howard County license where a July 2024 underage-sale violation led to a $1,000 fine and a weekend suspension in October 2025. Paperwork to remove her from that license had not yet been filed but was expected before the Carroll County transfer closed. The purchase price was stated as $2.55 million.
• Missing items included the SDAT certificate of good standing, workers’ compensation certificate, bulk transfer application, lease assignment, and resolution of 12 permit violations. Current owner Ben Golueke said most violations were resolved and the fire extinguisher issue was being addressed.
• The Board approved the transfer with stipulations that all missing documents, permits, and inspections be completed before issuance.

Case No. 6634 – New Class B License: Tequila y Mezcal MX

• Joel Castillo requested a new Class B beer, wine, and liquor license for Tequila y Mezcal MX at 9 North Main Street, Union Bridge, in the former Buttersburg Inn. The full-service restaurant had been open about 40–45 days and planned to serve only tequila, beer, and wine, mainly for margaritas.
• Castillo testified to almost 30 years in the food industry, prior restaurants in Washington, D.C., and Rockville, a 2016 Montgomery County underage-sale violation that resulted in a $2,500 fine, and a DUI about six years ago following personal difficulties. He said he and his staff were not yet TIPS/TAMS certified but would complete training, and he would card everyone and not accept vertical IDs.
• The Board approved the license conditionally on submission of the LLC operating agreement, a readable lease, TIPS/TAMS certification, and all required inspections and approvals before issuance.

Discussion Items: Rule Changes and Administrative Updates

• Rule 6: The Board voted to accept proposed wording that adds LLC language mirroring existing corporate requirements. The amendment will be advertised for public comment before final adoption.
• Rule 67 and rule-review schedule: Commissioners discussed TIPS/TAMS requirements, noting state law currently requires certified personnel for Class B and D licenses. They agreed to review the full rule book in November, take public comment in December, and vote on proposed changes in January.
• Spargo’s: Staff reported the licensee had not been heard from since September 30, 2026, and the landlord was evicting the business; the premises would close as presently operated.
• Website and forms: The Board discussed outdated website forms, including a growler/crowler application citing former Article 2B, and directed staff to remove outdated forms. A revised food/alcohol sales report form, without the notary seal and with a perjury statement, will be used for 2027 reports; the Board will revisit percentage thresholds and possible new classifications after a year of data.
• Pending approvals: Staff updated the Board on previously approved but unissued licenses, noting expected opening dates, outstanding health department or fire marshal inspections, and Comptroller holds. Some licenses were expected in November 2026; one build-out was not expected until early 2027.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the ABATE of Maryland one-day license for December 12–13, 2026, with conditions.
• Fined Rick Estes/Piper’s Wine & Spirit Barn $300 for the June 26, 2026 underage sale.
• Approved the Mt. Airy Liquors transfer to Jayendra Patel with conditions.
• Approved the new Class B license for Tequila y Mezcal MX with conditions.
• Endorsed the Rule 6 amendment for public comment and scheduled the rule-book review and public hearing timeline.
• Directed staff to remove outdated forms from the website and use the revised food/alcohol sales report form for 2027 reporting.