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Parks director recommends allowing alcohol at county‑sponsored events; board asks insurance and policy questions
Summary
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Matt Barber recommended allowing alcohol at county‑sponsored or county‑partnered events via a change to facility‑use policy; board members asked staff to confirm insurance and liability implications and to require permit holders to carry ABC licenses.
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Matt Barber recommended updating the county’s facility‑use policy so that alcohol may be present at county‑sponsored events or events where the county is a partner, as long as a nonprofit or vendor secures the necessary ABC off‑site permit.
Barber said the policy change would allow vendors who already seek off‑site ABC authorization to operate at county events — for example wine vendors at the Daffodil Festival — and that the county would not itself be the ABC permit holder. "Any changes... would allow vendors such as ZOLL to vend," he said, adding that the county would require a copy of the vendor’s ABC documentation with facility‑use requests.
Supervisors raised insurance questions. One supervisor asked whether allowing alcohol on county property would increase liability or insurance costs; Barber and county counsel agreed to consult the county’s insurer and attorney. "I don't think we've specifically checked with our insurer," County Attorney Mr. Wilmot said; he recommended that staff confirm with the insurer whether the proposed approach affects coverage.
Board members indicated they were comfortable with staff continuing to draft the administrative policy update but said they wanted insurer confirmation before formal adoption. Barber said the change could be in place for the upcoming Daffodil Festival pending administrative updates and receipt of required permits.
