[Imcfest-volunteers] Alcohol at IMCfest 2007...

[Mike Lehman]

I have concerns about the IMC taking out a temporary alcohol license. 
This could set a precedent with the city that we would need such a thing 
any time we choose to allow BYOB in the future. This would considerably 
reduce our flexibility to allow BYOB on a case by case basis.

Also, given the current issues, I've got concerns about managing BYOB 
ourselves for such a big event. While it is some months away, I think it 
will be tough to get our ducks in a row between now and then. It would 
be much better to start off with a series of small events, to practice 
management of BYOB, before depending on doing it at a well-advertsed, 
large event that draws many people over a weekend.

Let me throw out a third possibility -- have a vendor do it. They could 
get the temp license and not set a precedent about the IMC. They would 
likely have a track record that would give confidence to the city and 
organizers that we can have a good time that includes adult beverages 
without causing problems.

Another point to consider is making one day's events "family day" -- or 
even a designated portion of a day -- so that people can be assured that 
we want to include everyone without issues like alcohol getting in the way.

As everyone knows, I'm not anti-fun. I look forward to having a beer or 
two at IMCfest myself. I think Dan's proposal on how to do BYOB is a 
good starting place for when we contemplate BYOB again -- it is going to 
be very difficult to develop our venue to its full potential without 
something like that. But I am leery of being able to put all the pieces 
in place between now and November.
Mike Lehman

dan blah wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> So as it is right now BYOB is not allowed at any event at the IMC unless
> sanctioned by the Steering Group (the oversight committee of the IMC).
> I am hoping to have alcohol at the IMCfest in some fashion.
>
> Our two options (both are going to require approval by the Steering
> Group) are to get a temporary liquor license from the Urbana Liquor
> Commissioner or come up with a good working BYOB proposal.
>
> The City of Urbana offers a two types of Class T licenses; T-1 is
> special event license for existing license holders who want to do an
> event outside of their existing licensed location and a T-2 which is a
> license for bona fide civic, service, charitable, or other not for
> pecuniary profit organizations.
>
> The T-2 license is of course the one we would shoot for and I think we
> would have a fairly decent chance of getting it.  Below is a quick
> summary of the most important license terms:
> 1. License is valid for a maximum of two days
> 2. Application must be completed at least 14 days prior to the event
> 3. We must state our hours of which liquor is, which is subject to the
> same hours of all other licenses
> 4. No more than two licenses can be issued per calender year
>
>
> Really the only thing that is restrictive to our plans is the hours
> allowed.  The main issue isn't that we have to start selling alcohol at
> 2AM it is that we have to clear the premise over everyone for "the owner
> or manager and custodial personnel" within an hour of 2AM.  This would
> of course impede on our tenative plans of having a late night electronic
> after party.
>
> Hours of operation section:
> http://www.ci.urbana.il.us/urbana/city_code/10301003.HTM
>
> Class T licenses section:
> http://www.ci.urbana.il.us/urbana/city_code/10303004.HTM
>
> The other option is to come up with a good BYOB policy.  This policy
> needs to be approved by the Steering group and run by the City to ensure
> they are satisfied. So... I have some ideas to get us started on a BYOB
> policy to tear apart and hopefully end with something to bring to the
> Steering group:
>
> 1) At the door all IDs are checked and people 21+ get wrist bands on
> their right wrist and people under 21 get nice X in permanent marker on
> the top of the right hand.
> 2) All alcohol must be carried in by persons 21+
> 3) No one person may bring in more than a 12 pack of beer, a single
> bottle of wine, or a single bottle of liquor.
> 3) All alcohol is checked in at the door, given to the bar tender, and a
> ticket is given to the person who brought it in.  The ticket will have
> the name of the person who brought in the alcohol (as it is on the ID),
> a description, and amount of the alcohol brought in.  A tag with the
> owners name will be attached to the alcohol.
> 4) A bar tender will distribute the alcohol from the bar to persons 21+
> only.  The bar tender will have a copy of the ticket and tally off when
> distributed to insure only what is brought in is given out.
> 5) Liquor and wine will be be distributed in plastic disposable glasses
> 6) There will be at least 2 people distributing alcohol, at least one
> person checking IDs and creating tickets, at at least 3 people roaming
> making sure only people with wrist bands are drinking.
> 7) All staff handling alcohol must be 21+
>
> This a *very* rough poorly worded description of how I think it should
> be handled.  Please tear it apart.
>
> I was also thinking at the bar we could sell non-alcoholic drinks,
> mixers, and water.
>
> So what do people think?
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Daniel
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