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La Porte County ABC grants one-year renewals to two locations after compliance review
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Summary
The commission approved one-year renewals for a nightclub with an escrowed permit and for El Conterito after a prior compliance violation; El Conterito owners said they paid a $1,250 fine and completed staff retraining.
The La Porte County Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Feb. 5 granted one-year renewals for two licensees after reviewing escrow status and a past compliance violation.
The commission addressed RR 4631469 (Jones Night Lounge), identified in the meeting as J One’s Night, noting the permit is in escrow and the fifth year of escrow ends November 2026. The chair sought a separate one-year renewal for that location to prevent the five-year escrow from lapsing; commissioners approved the one-year renewal after confirming the location had been closed about five years and that the request was intended to preserve the permit while ownership plans proceeded.
The commission then heard RR4638767 (El Conterito). Owners Fernando Romo and Kevin were sworn and discussed an earlier alcohol compliance check in which an employee served a minor and some employees lacked permits. Romo said the employee at issue, “Kierston,” did not have an employee permit at the time and Romo said he had not personally maintained a permit due to prior guidance from a previous owner. Romo stated, “We paid, we paid it,” referring to a $1,250 fine that the prosecutor’s office recorded as paid. Board staff said the prosecutor’s office handled the fine and records suggest a mailing address error contributed to a missed appearance at a prior hearing.
Owners told the commission they operate four separate corporate entities and have since retrained employees, obtained training certificates and secured employee permits. Commissioners concluded roughly one year had passed since the violation and moved to approve a one-year renewal for El Conterito. Commissioner Rodney McCormick made the motion; Tommy Klavick seconded. The motion passed with all in favor and no recorded opposition.
The approvals are limited to the one-year renewal terms recorded at the meeting; commissioners emphasized that licensees are responsible for maintaining employee permits and training records going forward.
