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Commission discusses special‑use alcohol permit for fairgrounds rodeo; staff to return with application and updated policy
Summary
Commissioners discussed a request to allow alcohol sales and consumption for a late‑March rodeo at the Eddy County Fairgrounds. County manager said alcohol is prohibited on county property except where a special‑use permit is issued; staff will bring a resolution and the organizer must supply a state application and site map.
County Manager Mike Gallant told the commission that a county resolution passed in January 2000 prohibits alcohol consumption and sales on county property except when the commission issues a special‑use permit. An event organizer is seeking permission for alcohol sales both on county‑owned portions of the Eddy County Fairgrounds and on adjacent private property for a rodeo scheduled the last weekend of March.
Gallant said he had found no county procedures describing how to process a special‑use permit and suggested staff bring a resolution to the commission at the first meeting in February that would authorize a permit for the specific event, provided the organizer completes the state liquor application and submits required attachments including a site map and security plan. He told commissioners the state application requires a local governing body sign‑off and that the producer who holds the liquor license is the one who technically applies.
Commissioners discussed whether a countywide policy should be revised so the same standard would apply to all county properties and events. One commissioner said policy should be “blanketed across everything” so the county does not treat one event differently from another. Another commissioner recalled previous efforts to update the county’s alcohol policy that did not pass, leaving the 2000 resolution in force and providing the commission discretion to authorize permits on a case‑by‑case basis.
No formal permit was issued at the meeting. Commissioners directed staff to prepare a resolution for the next meeting to allow the county to consider a special‑use permit for the specific March rodeo, and directed staff to return to a later meeting with proposed updated policy language for countywide alcohol sales and consumption on county property.
The organizer was advised to compile the state application materials (site map, security plan) and return with the completed packet for local sign‑off and subsequent state approval.
