Essex County approves beer-and-wine sales at county golf courses

The Essex County Board of County Commissioners voted to allow the sale and service of beer and wine at the county's three golf courses and to authorize concessions contracts that would handle retail sales.

Joshua Zates, presenting for County Parks, said the ordinance would amend rules to permit beer-and-wine sales at Hendrix, Sweet Quake and Frances Burn golf courses and to allow the county to outsource concessions. "Currently, we allow beer and wine for special events through a permit," Zates said. "This would actually allow for the sale of those items" through a concessionaire.

Commissioners asked how the change would be implemented. One commissioner asked whether "bring-your-own" would be allowed; Zates replied, "It'd be strictly be sale through the concessionaire." Another asked about sales-tax liability; Zates said that the concessionaire would be responsible for charging and remitting applicable retail sales tax, similar to the county's Aramark arrangement at the zoo.

President (unnamed in the transcript) called for a motion; the motion was moved by Commissioner Grant and seconded by Commissioner Sebel. A roll-call vote of present commissioners recorded unanimous "Yes" votes and the ordinance was approved.

County staff said the county's direct revenue from the change would be vendor payments to operate the concessions rather than a percentage tied to volume of sales. No revenue projections or effective date were provided in the record.

What happens next: the ordinance will be read into the record as scheduled and implemented according to the county's procurement and permitting processes; staff said concession contracts will be solicited by bid or comparable procurement process.