Letter causes confusion about liquor permit renewal

LaCROFT - Liverpool Township received a letter from the Ohio Department of Commerce recently regarding liquor permit renewal objections. According to Fiscal Officer Katherine Bosco the township has a process to follow for permit renewal objections.

The letter caused some confusion for board members Monday night because it did not specify which particular businesses were in need of liquor renewal permits.

"When they used to renew permits each individual place would send us a letter, so this is kind of different," Police Chief Charlie Burgess said.

"Yeah, we need to know who (is requesting a permit renewal)," Trustee Karl Kontnier said. Kontnier added that not many places are currently open that sell liquor, however.

"We have a couple of carry-outs and only two are in operation," Burgess said.

The board discussed the matter for a few minutes, after which Kontnier said the township will make a phone call to find out exactly which businesses the Ohio Dept. of Commerce was referring to. Liquor permit renewals must be made by Feb. 1, 2010, Bosco said.

In other business, the township also received a letter from the County Board of Elections certifying that 50 residents voted yes and 38 voted no on the proposed zoning plan that was on the Nov. 3 ballot. Bosco said she filed a copy of the zoning resolution with the county recorder and county planning commission on behalf of the township. The new zoning plan officially went into effect Nov. 24. "The new zoning area is all legal and legitimate," Kontnier said.

Burgess said the gates have been taken down on the LaCroft Elementary school property, but it is still considered a construction site. "I have a great fear that we are going to get some curious people and they need to stay out of there," he warned. "I just want to remind people that it is not open. It is still a construction site even though the gates are not up." No trespassing signs will be placed around the property soon.

The board approved paying bills in the amount of $34,156.38. The next township meeting will take place Dec. 14 in the administration building at 7 p.m.