Howard County Alcohol Board approves resident agent and licensee changes for Cattail Creek Country Club

The Howard County Alcohol Board unanimously approved a change of resident agent and two additional licensees for Cattail Creek Country Club’s Class C (country club) beer, wine and liquor seven-day on-sale license at its March 11 hearing.

The board approved naming Brian David Fish, David Scott Gruber and Andrew James Schickner as licensees and confirmed Fish as the resident agent for the license held by Cattail Creek Country Club, Inc., trading as Cattail Creek Country Club. The motion as recorded described the licensed premises as a 21,374-square-foot restaurant/lounge with a terrace on an 80-acre golf course at 3600 Cattail Creek Drive, Glenwood, Maryland 21738. The board recorded a 5–0 roll call in favor: Chair Chen, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Hunt, Miss Johnson and Miss Kim all voted yes.

Applicant counsel Sang Oh introduced the applicants and identified Brian Fish as a long-time Howard County resident and current secretary to the club’s board. Fish was sworn and testified that he lives at 4050 Candlelight Drive in Dayton, Maryland, has been a Howard County resident about 38 years and is a registered voter. Fish told the board he has no prior liquor-license convictions, has completed alcohol management training and expects to be on-site frequently: "I live very close to the club. I'd say I'm typically there 4 to 6 days a week." He later estimated, when asked, that his on-site time would amount to about "30 hours a week, 20 hours a week, depending upon." Fish also confirmed he understood the board would look to the resident agent to ensure compliance with alcoholic beverage laws and that he must continue to reside in Howard County while holding the designation.

Colin Brennan, the club’s general manager, also testified about operations and staffing. Brennan said he has been at the club for four years as food-and-beverage manager and three years as general manager and described a leadership structure that includes three managers, bar managers and shift leaders. He said managers hold alcohol-awareness certification and that management conducts server training: "We have lead servers who also conduct the training with the lower employees, and everyone that serves alcohol is given alcohol awareness training." Brennan said the clubhouse is about 20,000 square feet with a full-service restaurant on the lower floor and banquet/catering space upstairs, and he characterized the club’s record on alcohol compliance as "very solid" during his tenure.

Board members asked questions about management continuity, staff training and alcohol service on the golf course; testimony established that management staff remain in place and that alcohol service on the course is provided, with servers trained by management rather than individually certified. Applicant counsel confirmed all documents on file were incorporated by reference. Counsel and applicants waived their right to appeal as recorded in the hearing.

With no recorded objections from board members, a motion to approve the change of resident agent and licensees carried by unanimous roll call. The board adjourned; staff noted the next hearing would be March 25.