Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Licensing report: LCB clears backlog, shows early demand for expanded outdoor service
Summary
Licensing staff reported November call-center metrics and that a system exception queue fell from about 4,000 duplicates to roughly 137 pending; staff said the backlog is now zero and described outreach and GIS mapping for the "1515" expanded-outdoor-service program, with 21 local government requests for presentations.
Becky, licensing lead, briefed the executive management team on licensing performance and rollout of the expanded-outdoor-service initiative referred to in the transcript as "1515." She said November saw about 1,100 customer-service calls with a 96% answering rate and that licensing processed about 137 special-occasion licenses that month.
Becky described technical work to address duplicate records after launching the LEADS system: an exception queue initially contained roughly 4,000 files (duplicates) and staff have reduced that to about 137 remaining items that require manual fixes. She reported that investigators and new unit staffing adjustments have eliminated the licensing backlog; "right now, I'm happy to report we have 0 0 backlog," she said.
On the 1515 initiative, Becky showed a GIS map highlighting Seattle’s expanded outdoor service zone and said the map will be publicly available so licensees and the public can see where expanded service has been requested by a local authority. She emphasized that local governments must apply and complete local approval processes before licensees can be pinned on the LCB map; Becky also noted that FIFA-designated fan-zone sites are preselected and not decided by LCB or the governor.
Becky said LCB conducted outreach to local governments on Dec. 3 offering presentations on expanded alcohol service; by the following business day 21 jurisdictions (including Grant County, Centralia, Roy, Milton, Everett, Long Beach and Duvall) had asked for more information or a presentation.
The licensing update included organizational changes: the liquor unit expanded to add supervisors and staff, and Becky thanked Will and Tony for support during the transition. The board did not take immediate action but acknowledged the staffing and process improvements.
