Alcohol board gives conditional approval to transfer Lovell Tavern license after debate over signatures and past incidents

The Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary’s County on Dec. 13 conditionally approved the transfer of a Class B beer, wine and liquor license for Lovell Tavern to Rochelle A. Jackson, voting 3–2 to grant the application with a list of conditions and a 90‑day deadline.

The board’s vote followed prolonged questioning about the residency and signature certifications used on the supporting petition, the tavern’s documented history of incidents, and several outstanding paperwork issues the applicant must resolve before a new license takes effect.

Board administrator Tammy Hildebrand told the board the Jacksons still needed approval from the county fire marshal, a current trader’s license, a workers‑compensation policy number and clarification on a small personal‑property tax account before the transfer could be finalized. "They need to give me their workers comp number," Hildebrand said during the hearing. "There was some confusion with the…