News from Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association

Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Newsletter

(December 26, 2010 - January 1, 2011)

Click Here

for the

With the arrival of the new year; it is a time when many of us begin working with newly elected officials within our cities.

Many of these new members come in not really knowing how our departments work and how valuable we are to our cities.

It is important to provide your new council members and mayor with as much information as possible to help educate them and make them feel welcome and comfortable in their new position.

Many of us provide weekly or monthly reports to council and administration informing them of upcoming events and other tasks we are working on in our departments.

It will make your job much easier if your city council knows what you are doing, have done and your plans for the future within your liquor store.

The MMBA also has information that will aid you in this process. Just contact Paul Kaspszak and he can provide you with an informative disk that will help to explain to your new elected officials the important roll we play with our city.

Many new council members come into office with the misperception that municipal Liquor is not necessary to the city's success and growth. But with all or most of us no longer receiving LGA from the state; it has become even more important that we run successful and revenue generating stores to support our city.

Don't be afraid to get out there and toot your own horn and provide accountability before they come to you and ask.

Nancy Drumsta, MMBA Director

Big Lake Position Opening

The City of Big Lake is now accepting applications for one (1) part-time Lead Liquor Store Clerk.

Starting pay per hour is $14.38 - $15.82 DOQ.

Minimum requirements include:

1) High school diploma or equivalent.

2) Valid driver's license.

3) Three or more years of retail liquor experience, preferrably in a municipal liquor store operation.

4) Experience supervising people and organizing tasks.

5) Excellent liquor, beer, and wine product knowledge.

Application deadline for this position, is January 14, 2011 at 4 p.m.

Application packets are available at Lake Liquors or Big Lake City Hall or on-line at www.biglakemn.org under City Job Positions EEOC.

Vaping is Hot

By Rafer Guzman, Newsday

Hollywood and the tobacco industry used to be close friends, but public pressure has mostly stigmatized onscreen smoking. Now here comes a similar trend: vaping.

Never heard of vaping? It's the preferred term for using an electronic cigarette, a relatively recent invention that produces a steam-like nicotine vapor. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, might or might not be a healthful alternative to regular "analog" cigarettes -- few studies on them exist. Nevertheless, they're becoming the entertainment industry's new habit.

In the thriller "The Tourist," the e-cig makes its most high-profile appearance yet, between the fingers of Johnny Depp. After helpfully explaining the gizmo to his co-star Angelina Jolie, Depp puffs away on a train and even over dinner at a restaurant. These scenes are likely to make today's ostracized smokers green with envy (which might be the point). Depp's character says he's quitting smoking, although many e-cigarette vendors carefully avoid making any cessation claims.

Depp isn't the first celebrity vaper. Leonardo DiCaprio has been spotted puffing an e-cig. Tom Petty told Parade magazine he uses one. And Katherine Heigl essentially proselytized for e-cigs when she vaped away on "The Late Show With David Letterman" earlier this year.

The e-cig industry, like Big Tobacco before it, is proactively pushing its product. Blu, one of the most recognizable e-cig brands, managed to place its packs in this year's Grammy gift bags. Gradually, it seems, the general public is getting a message: Vape 'em if you've got 'em.

Oklahoma Considering Wine in Grocery

OKLAHOMA CITY -- What if you could pick up a bottle of wine at your next trip to the grocery store?

It's currently not possible in Oklahoma, but legislation allowing wine and strong beer to be sold in grocery stores will likely be considered by lawmakers next year.

J.D. Merryweather, one of the owners of Coop Ale Works beer brewery in northwest Oklahoma City, said he'd like to sell his product in grocery stores. He viewed it as a good opportunity for his business and a way to boost the local economy. State law currently allows Merryweather to only sell his high-point beer in liquor stores, bars and restaurants.

"For us it's more exposure, more availability," said Merryweather. "There's probably 40 other states that you can pick up wine and beer in grocery stores right now, so it's not like we're reinventing the wheel."

The state agency that regulates alcohol does not as support the idea of selling wine and strong beer in grocery stores. The Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission wanted citizens to consider the social problems passing such legislation could create.

"We think the more accessible you make alcohol beverages, the less control we as a society, we as government regulators, we as parents and grandparents, and school officials will have over who consumes that beverage," said John Maisch, general counsel for the ABLE Commission.

Maisch said allowing the public more access to wine and strong beers could cause a rise in underage drinking, drunken driving accidents and alcohol-related deaths. Oklahoma currently averages just over 240 drunk driving deaths per year while states that allow strong beer and wine sold in stores, like Texas, average about 1,000 alcohol-related deaths per year.

Maisch said the final decision will be up to lawmakers and the public. Maisch said the ABLE Commission will enforce whatever law is passed.

And most liquor store owners are against the idea of selling wine and strong beer in grocery stores because they say it would hurt their bottom line.