Welfare Society in East Rochester warned over refilling bottles; no civil penalty issued

Representatives of the Welfare Society of Santa Nicola de Tolentino told the board they historically refilled bottles after staffing losses following the COVID period but have since trained bartenders and eliminated refilling. Lou Bianco, vice president, explained the group’s reduced membership and that they had retrained staff and stopped refilling.

Counsel explained the matter involved two charges — purchasing from an unauthorized source and a refilling charge — and noted ongoing statutory or regulatory changes that could affect the chain‑of‑distribution standards. Given the procedural posture and recent changes, counsel recommended imposing a penalty for the refilling charge only; commissioners agreed to issue a letter of warning (no civil penalty). Counsel advised the club to stop refilling bottles and to ensure purchases comply with the chain‑of‑distribution rules going forward.