St. Mary's County Alcohol Beverage Board staff on Oct. 9 reported September enforcement statistics and outlined prevention and training efforts, while local industry and coalition representatives described outreach plans and proposed changes to RAS training.

An Alcohol and Poisoning coordinator reported 18 DUI arrests in September, including one person under 21 (19 years old). The coordinator said there were 11 citations for public consumption issued at various locations along Great Mills Road and adjacent lots. The coordinator added that a sobriety checkpoint on Sept. 26 screened 128 vehicles; one driver was pulled for additional screening but released after officers determined no clear signs of impairment.

Board Inspector Gordon Thompson said he inspected 13 establishments in September and completed five follow-up inspections. Thompson also said he prepared a keg-book example form to help licensees fill out required records correctly and reported the beverage-board vehicle was replaced with a lower-mileage unit.

David Dett, representing the St. Mary's County Licensed Beverage Association, told the board the association's retail-account-availability subcommittee is working with board staff to increase the number of RAS-trained employees and to standardize consequences for violations. "We are working with Tammy and Jimmy to try to streamline some of the classes that are gonna be more geared specifically to employees," Dett said, describing efforts to shorten one class from four hours to three and to add employee-focused sessions in addition to licensee sessions.

Kendall Heizer, program coordinator for the Community Alcohol Coalition, said the coalition is developing a social-norms media campaign and will attend the county Oyster Festival on Oct. 18 and the Way to Wellness Fair at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center. Heizer confirmed the coalition will continue to award a $25 gift card to employees who turn in confiscated fake IDs and said there are procedures for submitting seized IDs to coalition or law-enforcement staff for the incentive.

Board members said they will meet with licensees along Great Mills Road to discuss responsible service and attempts to reduce public consumption and loitering near licensed premises. The transcript shows those enforcement and outreach items were discussed as part of "other business" and reports to the board; no new regulations or board actions were adopted at the meeting.