By Karen Haave
The addition of a BYOB liquor license in Monee met with some skepticism from village trustees last week. Village Attorney Larry Gryczewski broached the subject during the November 13 board meeting, and trustees immediately had questions and concerns.
BYOB, also known as Bring Your Own Bottle, would allow patrons to bring their own wine and beer to food establishments that do not serve alcoholic beverages. Gryczewski suggested, “for discussion purposes,” drafting an ordinance that would permit BYOB for a limited number of restaurants in town.
“It would be maybe a limit of three, there would be very strict requirements, and it could help a couple of our businesses that are, at this point in time, probably financially struggling,” he said. “It would be drafted from one I’ve seen before that’s been very good, and this other village has probably got about 30-or-40 BYOBs. So, would the board give the authority to draft it and to review it?”
Trustees immediately asked for more details.
Gryczewski explained the new liquor classification would give a customer over the age of 21 to bring wine or beer into “a restaurant, not a gaming facility or a bar” and the bottle “would have to be sealed.”
“They can then pour it at their table, just for their (party) only. It can’t be for other patrons inside the facility. After they’re done, it’s got to be sealed again.”
The restaurant owner would have to complete some required training, go through a background check, and would be required to have costly dram shop liability insurance, he noted, adding, “There’s a lot of liability from the restaurant owner.”
Trustee Heidi Gonzalez asked if the restaurant owner would still be required to “card” patrons to assure they are of legal age, and Gryczewski said they would.
He also said the restaurant owner would have to go before the mayor, who acts as liquor commissioner, and the board would have to approve the issuance of the license.
Gryczewski said there are “maybe two restaurants right now that would qualify” for the license. The board could limit the number of new licenses allowed under BYOB, he noted.
Trustee Chuck Rakis voiced some misgivings about limiting the number of new licenses.
“The only thing that would concern me about this,” he said, “is the ‘He got it, she got it,’ and the next person that comes in – because there was a limit, it will be like the gaming situation.
“I’m for business,” he emphasized, “and I get it. But just to limit the amount…I get that it helps the business. My only other worry would be are there going to be young people bringing in booze and things like that.
“I’m for it, as long as it’s done correctly, just like anything else. I’m just worried it would be something down the line where we’ll have to say ‘No’ to someone, and then we open up that situation.”
Trustee Scott Youdris agreed about not limiting the number of BYOB licenses.
“I don’t see any reason to limit this particular license,” he said. “We’ve got requirements that they need to meet to be able to do it. I don’t see a need to limit the number.”
Douglas Horne joined the discussion, saying, “Well, that’s our job, to control these types of things. So whether we decide on two or five, that’s a discussion for another day. But here’s a question: Who supplies the glasses? Do you bring them in with you or does the establishment supply them?”
Gryczewski replied the establishment usually supplies them.
Whether there is a limit on the number of new licenses or not, Trustee Gonzalez said, “All in all, I think it’s worth a draft (ordinance) and further explanation of it.”
Trustee John Henson agreed: “I think we definitely need to dive into this a little further.”
But Trustee Michael Wilson raised the issue of “regulation or enforcing” and “overworked staff who are tied up with getting orders…and now they’re responsible for who brought what and how many?
“So it sounds good,” Wilson said, “in favor of the business that may want this type of permit. “But to me, it still sounds like we’re skating around the liquor license. It’s there, it’s in place for a reason because a lot of times when you have alcohol or you have overindulgence, you have issues, you have problems. Nobody ever thinks about, only the positive – it’s going to bring in customers and everybody’s going to be responsible. And it doesn’t always happen,” Wilson continued. “So it’s good until it goes bad. I’m not feeling this right now. So, we got to look into this a little bit more.”
The village attorney reiterated the process to acquire the BYOB license is extensive and costly, “so there’s a financial commitment from them. If somebody does do it, they’re going to really want to do it and really pay for doing it.”
Asked if any businesses in town had expressed an interest, Gryczewski said there appears to be only one, and it is “financially hurting.”
Ultimately, the board consensus was to have the attorney draft an ordinance for additional discussion.