2020-05-21 Liquor Adjudication Board Minutes

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Mukai: Mr. Chair, on this take-out rule for alcoholic beverages, how long do you anticipate it being in effect? Do you see it continuing even after the pandemic is over? Takase: It will continue until everything gets back to normal. That's actually something we will speak with the Commission about. It may be something that will be allowed, but we may need to get more feedback. It wasn't allowed previously, ...would separate bars and retailers. I don't know that we'll see a lot of crossover in the ... the retailers from the bars. As I tell Brandon, I can't anticipate somebody buying that much liquor from a bar at those prices. At some point, they'll just say they'll go to KTA or Longs and buy a twelve -pack rather than try to buy it from a bar. It may be something that we will continue to allow. Hopefully, we will begin to meet with our Licensees about our rule changes. That will be one of the questions we'll be asking, and if there's a lot of protest from the retail side, we probably won't adopt this. Pawasarat: What I've noticed in the area that I live in, is the "to go" alcohol. What's been happening is there's been outside parking areas where, after they go to the restaurant, purchase the beer at the establishment, and sit in their vehicles or in the parking lot with beach chairs and all kinds of stuff. Everybody goes back and forth and gets their alcohol and sits in the parking lot and hangs out, just like it used to be, only outside now. Takase: That might be the new normal for a while; but, places should be open June 1St, so they can start to move back inside. Pawasarat: So, will they not be allowed to have "to go" when it reopens? Takase: We're going to keep the "to go" until they're fully reopened. Pawasarat: Because they're not going to be able to control the "within the premises..." Takase: Yes, as long as they're offering "to go" meals, we will allow them to offer "to go" alcohol. Pawasarat: It would be difficult to monitor people who are drinking inside that walk outside, then come back inside than are patrons of eating in. Takase: I think it'll be more like, if you buy your drinks from inside, then you still have to follow the same rules that we have now. If you buy "to go" liquor with your "to go" food and you leave the premises, we will still allow that for the foreseeable future. Smith: Thank you, Gerald. Andi, is there anything else? Pawasarat: No, thank you. Smith: Gerald, I have a question. When you talked about the Licensees' fees, you mentioned that they're going to be deferred until November, but not waived, right? Takase: Yes. I anticipate collecting from them. I said "deferred" because, when we come up on our renewal period, which July 1St starts our new license year, we require all the MAY 21, 2020 - LIQUOR ADJUDICATION BOARD MINUTES 21