Five local businesses fail alcohol compliance

The Daily Inter Lake

More than half the businesses in the Whitefish and Marion areas tested this month by the Flathead County Alcohol Enforcement Team failed alcohol compliance checks.

Of the nine establishments checked, five failed to determine that customers were under 21 and sold them alcohol, a compliance rate of 44 percent.

The checks were conducted with volunteer underage buyers who, when asked, provided servers with their actual, valid IDs.

Businesses checked included restaurants, casinos, convenience stores and bars - which all have the same liability and face the same penalties for serving alcohol to minors.

The four establishments that passed were Gold Country Casino in Kila, Kelly Rae's convenience store in Kila, Village Market in Whitefish, and the Bierstube in Whitefish.

The five establishments that failed were the Hilltop Bar in Marion, Rail Line Tavern in Marion, McGregor Lake Resort, Cottage Inn in Kila, and Ed and Mully's in Whitefish.

Each business will be fined $250 for a first offense. A second offense carries a $1,000 fine; a third offense carries a $1,500 fine and a 20-day suspension of the establishment's liquor license; a fourth offense can result in a liquor license revocation.

The individual servers will be charged with sale of alcohol to minors and also face fines.

Servers who passed the test will be rewarded with gift cards and a letter of appreciation to the business owner, according to the Alcohol Enforcement Team.

The Alcohol Enforcement Team, which has made 340 arrests since July, cited 159 youths for possession of alcohol and eight adults for providing it in October, November and December.