Continued: East Bethel gets tougher on catered liquor

mbaca@startribune.com

In order to keep a tighter rein on alcohol sales, the East Bethel City Council last week passed an ordinance requiring caterers to seek a permit to serve alcohol at private events.

"When there's liquor involved, it behooves us to make sure our public safety people know," said East Bethel City Administrator Doug Sell. "It's also important for the city to know that the individuals serving alcohol are properly insured. Hopefully there's not an issue but you would hope that they're properly insured."

Usually, caterers serving liquor are licensed by the state and hold liquor licenses in their home municipalities. Usually, they can sell liquor in another city without being subject to the same local liquor ordinances that apply to established bars and liquor stores.

The ordinance did not stem from any one known incident of drunkenness or underage consumption. Rather, Sell said, the city needs a better handle on who's selling liquor where.

The issue came up at a city clerks' training sponsored by Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division in January, said East Bethel Deputy City Clerk Wendy Warren, who then brought it back for the city to consider.

The East Bethel ordinance, passed at last Wednesday's council meeting, requires liquor sales by licensed caterers to be incidental to food service.

"What they're concerned about is that people will come in and put a bowl of Fritos out there and chip dip and use that as the excuse to sell food as a foot in the door to sell booze," said East Bethel City Attorney Jerry Randall. "Cities want to make sure they are legitimate food service operators, not just a pretext to sell booze."

Caterers will be required submit an application and show proof of their valid, state-issued caterer's permit and primary liquor license, their insurance policy and their contract with a local customer. There also will be a nominal fee, which has yet to be set.

The ordinance takes effect Friday. Violations could result in a misdemeanor charge.

The city of Princeton already passed a similar ordinance, and Warren said there's buzz on the city clerks' listserv about other cities' efforts to write similar regulations.

Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409

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