Troy Council Upholds Series of Liquor‑license Violation Resolutions, Emphasizes Youth‑safety Enforcement

Troy City Council on May 19 approved resolutions to address six continued liquor‑license violation hearings, voting to uphold corrective actions for multiple retailers and restaurants while emphasizing a citywide, proactive approach to preventing underage alcohol access.

Council members framed the actions as part of a broader commitment to protecting minors. The council held separate hearings — continued from prior meetings — on alleged improper sales or procedure lapses at The Melting Pot, Polish Market, Maple Gas Mart (Sunoco), BP/John R Petro Mart, and two 7‑Eleven locations. Each item was opened for public comment, followed by statements from the establishments and deliberation by council.

Councilman John Hodorick urged a return to the pre‑COVID approach to these hearings, saying the process had to “set the tone at the top” for the community and for enforcement. Hodorick said the city needs visible, consistent participation from groups such as the Troy Community Coalition and fuller enforcement attention from the police department to deter repeat offenses.

Representatives of the businesses described steps taken after the incidents. Rachel Orlando, assistant general manager of The Melting Pot, said the restaurant has retrained staff and verified that all servers are TIP‑certified. Darius, representing Polish Market, said he implemented biweekly employee training and posted notice signs in Polish. Mike Barrow, owner of Maple Gas Mart, explained the employee involved was terminated and that his team has reinforced carding procedures. Joseph Shalal said Troy Gas LLC, the buyer of the John R. Petro Mart location, requires 100 percent ID checks and uses ID scanning software; City Attorney advice noted the cited license had been transferred.

Councilmembers praised those steps while stressing enforcement and follow‑up. Councilmember Chanda and others thanked the Troy Police Department for enforcement work and said the city will continue to use hearings and, where patterns of violations appear, may notify the Michigan Liquor Control Commission about renewal decisions.

Each of the six agenda resolutions (items E‑1 through E‑6) was moved and approved on a roll‑call vote; all members present voted in favor. Mayor Peter Baker initiated or seconded motions for several items; Councilmember Hamilton and Mayor Pro Tem Gunn also supported motions as noted in the record. The council’s action was procedural — adopting the recommended resolutions as printed in the agenda packet — and did not, in these minutes, impose additional penalties beyond the corrective measures described in the staff packets.

The council’s discussion repeatedly stressed protecting minors, preserving the city’s family‑friendly reputation and ensuring that establishments maintain consistent carding and training practices. Multiple council members noted their willingness to refer chronic violators to the state Liquor Control Commission at renewal time if violations continue.

Documents in the agenda packet and statements at the hearing noted that enforcement follows city practice and may inform recommendations during state license renewals; no new local ordinance was enacted at the meeting.

The council voted on each item in sequence; each motion carried with all members voting yes. The council closed the set of hearings after taking the recorded votes and encouraged continued training and police follow‑up.