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Hutchinson County commissioners decline to extend liquor hours for Camp Meredithville after safety concerns
Summary
Camp Meredithville owner Brent Campbell asked the court for a TABC late‑hours certificate to sell mixed beverages until 2 a.m.; commissioners raised public‑safety and precedent concerns and the request was not approved.
Brent Campbell, owner of Camp Meredithville, asked the Hutchinson County commissioners court for permission to sell mixed drinks between midnight and 2 a.m., arguing the extra hours would keep local drivers from traveling to bars farther away. “It'd be safer for them to be open till 2,” Campbell said, describing the business as a largely peaceful, non‑smoking venue that has not experienced violence since it opened.
Campbell told the court that state rules set default closing times — midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on Saturdays — unless a business obtains a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission late‑hours certificate, which he said costs about $1,100 every two years. He said customers from a nearby community often drove to other towns after his bar closed and that keeping patrons on site until 2 a.m. could reduce late‑night driving.
The court discussed public‑safety tradeoffs and local precedent. A county attorney present confirmed the commissioners court has authority to grant local permission for longer hours. Several members warned the midnight‑to‑2 a.m. period commonly sees more alcohol‑related calls and arrests. One county official said, “Nothing good happens after 12:50,” and cited a continuing county problem with driving while intoxicated.
No motion to approve Campbell’s request passed. During the discussion a participant asked whether someone should move to decline; the court later noted that without a formal approving motion the request effectively did not advance. The applicant was told the court appreciated his application and his efforts to operate responsibly.
Camp Meredithville applied to the court for a local endorsement of a TABC late‑hours certificate; the county attorney confirmed the court can act on such local permission. Commissioners referenced past unsuccessful requests from other rural establishments earlier in the record when evaluating the petition, and emphasized public safety and the county’s history of declining similar extensions.
Campbell said his business employs three TABC‑certified bartenders and uses bouncers; he described the venue as “a different vibe” from bars in the city and said he had not experienced fights there. He also said patrons often drive to other towns after his place closes, increasing road miles driven by people who have been drinking.
The court did not adopt a resolution or a formal approval to extend Camp Meredithville’s hours. Members signaled they may revisit similar requests in the future but indicated concern about public‑safety and consistency with earlier decisions.
Sources: public testimony by Brent Campbell and on‑the‑record discussion by county staff and commissioners at the Hutchinson County Commissioners Court meeting.
