Municipal Government
& Alcohol Control in
Wisconsin
Small numbers, high impact
Reduced outside influence
Talking to neighbors & colleagues
No lobbying concerns
4 Basic Issues
1. Licensing: who, where, how
2. Enforcement: Implementation of policy
3. Budgets: Resources to implement policy
4. Ordinances: Supporting change
Alcohol licensing is like housework…..
…………………………because it’s never really done.
Tools to Build A Better
Alcohol Environment
The Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project
web site has:
• Alcohol Licensing Process Chart
• Awarding Alcohol Licenses:
A Checklist for Local Advocates
• Advocates Guide to Alcohol Policy
• Glossary of Frequently Used Terms
Licensing:
You can’t be effective within a system
you don’t understand
1. State application
2. Print notice in newspaper
3. Vote by local governing body
Checklist:
The checklist provides a
series of questions that lets
you gather the documents,
understand the policies
and guides your
observation of the local
alcohol licensing process.
Learn the Local System of Alcohol Licensing
• Is the alcohol licensing process staff driven?
• What is the “official” process vs. the reality of licensing?
• What do the police, fire, EMT and the school resource
officer think are the alcohol misuse problems in your
community? Underage drinking? Over-serving at bars?
• Is there a map of all licensed outlets that sell or serve
alcohol?
• How are alcohol-related issues or problems portrayed in
local information such as newspapers, letters to editor,
school district reports and communications or
neighborhood news?
Every New License Application
Starts with 2 decisions, the first is:
Do we need or want another
licensee?
•
•
•
•
Type of license
Overall density
Clustering
Can law enforcement
respond without negative
impact on community
• Impact on other community
licensees.
The second question:
Do we want this applicant at this location?
This applicant?
• Experience
• Business plan/concept
This location?
• Compatible with area?
• Traffic or individual
concerns.
Licensed Premises
An Important Concept
It is especially important to
understand the term
“licensed premises”
and how it is defined.
Once a license is issued a
community cannot unilaterally
amend the description of the
licensed premises.
Impact your alcohol licensing process
Formalize citizen
participation
Create specific
conditions requiring
conditions.
Can create
guidelines that
reflect community
values.
NO guidelines?
Coalitions can help
police build licensee
files:
letters
photos
calls to police
Enforcement:
Police can only
enforce what
the community
supports.
Budgets:
Funding is a statement of
priorities
Target issues indirectly
Ordinances
First:
Enforce what is on the
books
Then:
Solve problems
Prevent problems
Don’t assume local elected officials
understand the full impact
• Local elected officials are
generalists, outside their
field they rely on municipal
staff.
• Little or no training on
alcohol policy is available
to local elected officials
Focus discussion on the community –
not the problem
How will this benefit/hurt
the community?
Money
Image
Others will have a different
perspective:
Avoid unnecessary regulation
Denial
Don’t anoint locals with the power &
authority of an organization
Locals are local first.
It isn’t the Tavern
League, it’s Joe
from After Hours.
There will be
pushback.
Embrace the
debate.
Extra slide if you wish to add
additional information.