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Frederick County Liquor Board reports Mexican Rodeo walkthrough, GetGo license surrender and plans forum; Chair reelected
Summary
At its June 8 meeting staff updated the Board on a June 14 Mexican Rodeo site walkthrough, reported that GetGo surrendered a license, announced Comptroller attendance at MALA meetings, proposed a Safe Ride forum for licensees, reviewed budget and training materials, and re-elected Joan Aquilino as Chair effective July 1.
Director Dawn Shugars provided several operational updates to the Frederick County Liquor Board at its June 8 meeting.
Shugars and inspectors reported on a site walkthrough at the fairgrounds for the Mexican Rodeo scheduled for June 14, 2026. They met with the security company, the event promoter and Fair Board staff to review safety precautions and a revised beer garden layout; Shugars said the meeting was "successful" and that all requirements for license issuance were discussed and understood by all parties.
Shugars also told the Board that the company GetGo elected to surrender its license rather than appear before the Board. Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Keefer explained that chain stores cannot directly hold alcoholic beverage licenses under the applicable licensing framework and that the timing of an ownership transfer during the renewal period prevented the company from qualifying for grandfathered status.
Other staff items included a notice that the Comptroller's Office will begin attending Maryland Association of Liquor Administrators (MALA) meetings monthly, and a review of the monthly non-hearing violations report, during which Commissioner Christopher Glass requested clarification about two violations and Shugars provided details.
Shugars briefed the Board on discussions from the Nighttime Economy Task Force (NET), noting Banyan and Lima Soul still require Zoning Board of Appeals approval; Lima Soul is scheduled to appear before the ZBA on June 23. Staff proposed partnering with Safe Ride to host a forum to boost licensee participation and engagement, inviting the Delegation for an open Q&A; potential dates offered were September 28, October 19, or October 26, with a preliminary preference for September 28.
On governance and training, Commissioner Debbie Burrell asked when the Board training manual would be completed. Shugars described planned training materials covering the Public Information Act and social media use, and Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Keefer recommended that Liquor Board members be included in county Boards and Commissions training. Commissioner Christopher Glass nominated Joan Aquilino to serve as Board Chair effective July 1, 2026; the Board voted unanimously to elect Aquilino.
The meeting adjourned at 10:07 a.m.
