Business that sell alcohol and tobacco in Sherburne County did well during this year’s compliance checks.
Mark Lees from Health & Human Services said countywide, 93% of businesses passed the alcohol compliance check (62 of 67), and 95% (52 of 55) of businesses passed the tobacco compliance checks.
Typically, a compliance check consists of a member of law enforcement, a representative public health and an underage buyer. The buyer is sent into an establishment with their own ID, (or without an ID if they don't have one) to tries to make a purchase of either tobacco or alcohol.
If a purchase is made, the buyer leaves the store and returns with a member of law enforcement. The officer explains that the establishment has just failed a compliance check and a citation is issued.
This year’s alcohol check took place in July.
The tobacco checks took place in June and August.
Depending on local ordinances, businesses can be fined and have their licenses suspended for selling to minors. Bartenders and clerks who are guilty of selling alcohol or tobacco products to underage people are charged with a gross misdemeanor and can also be fined.
Other Business
In other action the board:
* Approved the donation of two out-of-service patrol rifles to the Big Lake Police Dept. to be used as firearms and in simulation exercises;
* Appointed Nathan Benusa as an assistant county attorney, effective Nov. 13;
* Renewed a 3.2% Liquor License for DelTone/Luth Gun Club contingent on Haven Twp. approval.
* Approved an agreement with Erickson Engineering for construction administration for the Co. Rd. 3 bridge replacement project in the amount of $88,468;
* Approved an agreement with TriMin Systems, Inc. to provide computer programming and technical assistance in the HHS department in 2019 at a cost of $2,400;
* Approved a request by the auditor/treasurer to publish calls for bids for 2019 required publications;
* Approved the purchase of a back-up disc for the sheriff’s department data storage system at a cost not to exceed $65,000;
* Approved the purchase of CivicClerk software to replace Sherpoint as the new system for preparing county board agenda at a cost not to exceed $12,980;
* Approved a contract with Parallel Technologies to update the cellular communications system in the Government Center and the Becker Public Works building at a cost of $289,290;
* Accepted a local public health grant from the MN Dept. of Health in the amount of $182,214 to cover a variety of services.
