2017-12-07 Liquor Adjudication Board Minutes

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Fuke: Theoretically, she was off duty at the time the infraction occurred? Tomlinson: She is the MOD and the place was not closed. It was not locked up. Fuke: One final question and I'll turn it over to the other Board Members. Are your employees salaried employees? Or are there any incentives for them to promote additional alcohol sales so that they get a commission? Tomlinson: No. They're hourly employees, and no there is not. I can honestly say this is an isolated incident and it was not for any monetary gain for her or the business. I can say that with 100 percent honesty. Fuke: Board? Giffin: Mr. Chair, I have a question. I heard, in what you've said to us, several actions that you took to try to improve the situation and not have this occur again. One of them was the suspension. Secondly, you had a meeting right after that. The Chairman asked you if there is a clock visible. Those are the three things I heard. Were there any other actions that you would consider taking so that something of this gravity doesn't occur again? Tomlinson: I can say that at the meeting that we had in the ensuing week --I don't hold back. I speak very bluntly and honestly with the staff. It's myself and six employees. There's always things that are on our minds to make sure that the place stays safe and this is an inviting place. Everybody appreciates their job, they don't want to lose their job. Malia is actually my "lead" employee. She was disappointed in the two weeks, but she also understood. It wasn't a token suspension. I wanted it to hurt her. It hurt her financially. And that is the only way in the twenty plus years that I've been doing this, that I've ever known to hurt a bartender. "Hurt" is the wrong word, I'm sorry --to impress on them that these two weeks are being taken away from you and you do not want to lose your job. And, being that she was my lead, the other employees had to also see that there's not going to be favoritism, there's not going to be nepotism, and everybody's on the same ground. Everybody knows that if you mess up, your job is on the line, and that's going to financially hurt you. She's a single mother, and I understand, but business is business. Rules are rules and the more you let slide, the more the little things get out of my grasp to handle. Giffin: I appreciate the fact that you take this very seriously, because we do. Fuke: Just two final questions. What is the size of your establishment in terms of seating capacity? Tomlinson: Seating capacity is 112. Rarely does it fill. Normally on a Saturday night, there would have been two on, but like I said, it was Ironman night. I wished she would've closed at 11:00 P.M. and went down the street and enjoyed herself. And that is what I implored on her. I asked her why she didn't just close up after she called and go. DECEMBER 7, 2017 - LIQUOR ADJUDICATION BOARD MINUTES 6