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Coleman’s Tavern license delayed by state processing; county notes 20‑day hardship window
Summary
County staff told commissioners Wednesday that Coleman’s Tavern is waiting on state processing to issue a trader’s license after filing articles of revival, and that Maryland law allows the local board to postpone license expiration for up to 20 days to avoid hardship.
County staff updated commissioners on an ongoing administrative licensing matter for Coleman’s Tavern, whose proprietor has filed articles of revival with the state but remains unable to obtain a trader’s/business license because the statewide system has not been updated.
Inspector Pearsall of Kent Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement told the board that Carolyn Jones filed articles of revival on May 1, 2025, and that the Comptroller’s Office released the hold placed on the establishment the same day. Pearsall said the Department of Assessments and Taxation’s processing — which populates the statewide system used to issue trader’s licenses — had not completed, preventing the clerk from issuing a valid trader’s license.
Pearsall cited Maryland Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Code Annotated §4-705 and told the board the local licensing authority may postpone a license’s expiration to avoid hardship for a short period; “this additional period cannot exceed 20 days,” Pearsall said. County counsel (unnamed) reviewed the code provision and confirmed, “it’s 20 days. It says what it says, unfortunately.”
The board noted it had previously approved issuance of the current-year license subject to the Comptroller’s clearance and a trader’s license; staff said if SDAT approves the articles of revival and the trader’s license is issued before May 20 the clerk can finalize the trader’s license and no further board action will be necessary. If the state does not update the system by May 20, the tavern would lack a valid license going forward.
Commissioners and staff described multiple calls to state offices to expedite processing. Staff reported several other local establishments had similar delays because the Comptroller’s Office had not updated the statewide records, leaving local clerks unable to issue trader’s licenses even after releases had been granted.
