The Jefferson City Liquor Control Board on Monday upheld its six-day liquor license suspension for Break Time convenience store, 627 Clark St.
Officer Jason Payne of the Jefferson City Police Department testified to the board that the store failed an intentional compliance check by selling alcohol to a minor on March 12. The store is owned by MFA Oil Company, which owns several Break Time locations in Jefferson City. The other Break Times owned by MFA Oil have had three violations, said Debbie Hartley, business license administrator.
The police report said the employee, Summar Lopez, was informed by the officer she sold to a minor. Lopez was released on a municipal summons for supplying alcohol to a minor, and later was terminated from her position in accordance with MFA Oil Company policy, said Curtis Chaney, who testified for MFA.
Chaney also testified the company is working to upgrade its training program to keep this from happening again. Theses changes include rewarding employees for passing compliance checks. The company also prohibits stores that fail these checks from receiving bonuses during the year of the incident, he said.
After the meeting, Chaney declined comment.
The store also had violations in 2004 and 2009, which were met with a three- and six-day suspension respectively, Hartley said.
Because the last suspension the Clark Street store received was for six days, board members indicated they were unwilling to give a suspension that was any shorter. Board members also said they could send a strong message with a suspension because of the number of stores owned by MFA Oil.
The board unanimously approved a six-day suspension of the business' liquor license, despite MFA's appeal at the meeting.
The board gave Chaney the decision of when the suspension would begin. He and a colleague decided to keep the original starting date of April 17.
MFA Oil has appealed all other liquor board decisions affecting their businesses, Hartley said.