Unpaid fines flagged for several venues; board asks police to check whether bars continue to sell beer

The Chattanooga Beer Board reviewed hearing officer Rachel Hodges' recommendations and noted that fines for several establishments remained unpaid more than seven days after assessment.

The chair listed unpaid accounts including Cabanas Nightclub & Events Center, Mexivil Mexican Restaurant (103 Cherokee Boulevard, Unit 105 and 809 Market Street), and Chi Chi's Charge Chicken LLC (811 Market Street). Board members asked legal and regulatory staff what enforcement options existed when establishments failed to comply.

Board members pressed police staff to confirm whether any of the listed locations were still selling beer. "If this board is issuing out fines ... they have to pay or there's got to be some type of penalty," one member said, adding that the board could apply pressure before approving future permits.

A distributor addressed the board under oath and said he had checked his records: "I know Mexivil has not ordered beer in over a month, according to our records," the distributor said. Staff noted that citations for unlawful sales would route through city court rather than the beer board, but officers agreed to check the locations and report back to the board if they observed sales or evidence of noncompliance.

Why it matters: unpaid fines and possible continued sales implicate enforcement of local licensing rules and fairness among licensees.

The board closed the item by directing patrol officers to verify whether the sites were operating in violation of permit conditions and to notify the board if they find evidence of unauthorized beer sales. Any citation would be handled by city court.