Council weighs eliminating or lowering $100 liquor-license investigation fee

City staff presented a historical review of Belton’s liquor-license investigation fee — a $100 one-time fee currently required for new annual liquor licenses that dates to mid-20th-century ordinance language — and council discussed whether the fee remains justified given state background checks and modern databases.

Staff explained the fee covers the Belton Police Department’s local background check for a new managing officer; police staff said local checks can reveal municipal warrants or unresolved citations not always captured in state databases, and that the local lookup takes roughly 10–15 minutes per application. The finance director advised caution about eliminating a revenue line, noting there are nominal subscription and processing costs associated with the checks.

Council members questioned inconsistency (some license types lack a fee) and the low volume of annual investigations (about half a dozen annual new annual licenses). Several members voiced support for eliminating the fee or reducing it to a nominal amount and applying it uniformly if retained. Council directed staff to return with proposed code language and options (repeal, reduce to a lower uniform fee such as $10–$20, or apply a once-per-year aggregated investigation for temporaries) and to assess administrative impacts of any change.

Why it matters: The decision affects small-business applicants and nonprofit or event organizers who pay for temporary or annual licenses. A change could reduce barriers and administrative inconsistency or shift small enforcement costs to the general fund if revenues are waived.

Next steps: Staff will draft code amendments reflecting options discussed and include cost estimates and administrative implications for council review.