County staff to draft rules for alcohol at SUP events: licensed vendors or certified bartenders and law-enforcement presence recommended

Leavenworth County planning staff and legal counsel briefed commissioners on possible regulations for alcohol service at special-use permits (SUPs) and asked whether the board wanted to require certified bartenders, licensed vendors, or law-enforcement coverage for events that include alcohol.

Staff reported Kansas state law does not mandate statewide bartender licensing; rather, certification courses are provided by a range of third-party providers and the state recommends but does not require certification. Planning staff said many third-party courses are offered ("20 to 30" providers identified in staff research) and that typical certification courses take a few hours and certifications commonly expire after about three years, depending on the issuer. Staff also said neighboring Kansas counties (Johnson, Douglas and Miami) do not require bartender certification for SUPs and typically rely on state licensing and temporary CMB/caterer credentials.

County Counselor Misty Brown and planning staff stressed that enforcement options exist even if the county does not condition SUP approval on certification: staff can require events to use licensed vendors, send planning and zoning personnel for unannounced compliance checks, or require certified law-enforcement officers to be present at higher-risk events. Commissioners asked staff to prepare draft policy language that would: (1) permit alcohol only if distributed by a licensed vendor or by a certified bartender at a designated distribution point, and (2) require certified law-enforcement presence for certain TSUPs/SUPs where enforcement is likely to be necessary.

Staff noted practical matters commissioners should consider, including availability of officers from a pool of jurisdictions (not only Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office) and potential insurance or dram-shop liability considerations tied to certification and vendor licensing. Commissioners instructed staff to return with proposed text amendments and enforcement language and indicated they preferred to adopt a policy promptly rather than wait for the annual text-amendment cycle.

Why it matters: upcoming and recurring special events that include alcohol require consistent enforcement to prevent sales or distribution to minors and to reduce public-safety risks. Draft policy language could standardize requirements across all event centers and special events in the county.

Next steps: staff will draft proposed ordinance/text amendments and enforcement protocols for review by the board and legal counsel.