Great Bend officials have approved two new ordinances that will streamline the application process for temporary alcohol permits for local public events.
This week the Great Bend City Council approved a “special cereal malt beverage permit” and a “temporary liquor permit” system that will allow both of those to be issued without the item coming before the city council.
The permits will still have to go through the City Clerk’s Office.
City Attorney Bob Suelter told the council that the city has been issuing the permits the hard way. “We have been, over the last several years,” issuing regular beer licenses for a temporary event.
Now state regulations allow for the more simple method, the city attorney explained.
The business, group or individual seeking the temporary permit still has to meet all of the same requirements, just as they did before. They just can be approved by City Clerk Wayne Henneke when those are met.
This also means the city doesn’t have to have any last minute special meetings if an event doesn’t fall within the regular council meeting schedule.
Also approved this week was the temporary liquor permits, which localizes the state issue of a temporary liquor permit. In that case, the permit holder has to meet the state requirements and also get a local permit, it was explained.
Both of those also involve payments to the city, Suelter added.
Also this week, the council approved its annual update of the Uniform Public Offense Code and Standard Traffic Ordinance. Those are adopted so the city will be in line with changes that have been made at the state level, Suelter explained.