2017-04-20 Liquor Adjudication Board Minutes

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It was more of a business-to-business availability. That's why we said it was available. We were ignorant on a lot of it. R. Smith: So, you weren't selling it? S. Smith: We weren't selling it. I did know that we couldn't sell. R. Smith: The other question I had was, when the Investigator was there, in his report he talked to Forrest and he asked, "If a person if a person did not make a donation of $5, would they be able to still get a glass of beer or wine?" The answer was no. S. Smith: Right. R. Smith: So you were selling it. If you were giving it for free, then you wouldn't have been selling it, but if you charged them, required a donation, you would be selling it. S. Smith: That's exactly right. I think they were all answering in support of the effort, but that wasn't the right answer. That was me not stressing enough the idea of a donation. It means that we were not too worried about it. If we were worried about it, we would have done the right thing and gotten a license. I think sometimes when folks are on the ground; they start to think that everyone is trying to get something for nothing. That is just the nature of people. But, we don't need it and that is probably our violation right there. R. Smith: I guess my concern too, the day before, you talked to Director Takase about what the rules were and he suggested since you don't have a license, you can ask for a donation, but you can't require a donation. Your signage and staff member that was providing liquor was saying you had to make a donation. Clearly a violation here. S. Smith: Communication is an art form that is being refined. I am refining on a daily basis. Sometimes you think people understand you from a perspective that you mean to speak, but without breaking down these things in elementary format and especially considering we are governed by somebody or something or body, that it's not about us. That is not how we think. It is my responsibility. I realize that I need to understand what the Commission wants from people in this community that handle alcohol and to let my staff know. We attempted to be great at this by asking for the help that was being donated. The Commission/officers did acknowledge we were working with some other of the local bartenders, who all had blue cards and it was because I wanted experience in the room. We're better now and we have events on the books right now. We have a great relationship developing with both the Waimea Brew House and the Kona Brewpub who are really supportive of youth programs and work in this town. We are better poised to take advantage of how to make that happen, especially considering our focus cliental. APRIL 20, 2017—LIQUOR ADJUDICATION BOARD MINUTES 15