MTA convention mixes work, play
The need to improve the gaming environment in the state and an update on the mandatory server training proposal highlighted reports at the Montana Tavern Association's business meeting Sept. 16 during its convention in Havre.
The group also unanimously selected Lewistown for the site of the 2012 convention. Next year, Red Lodge will hold the convention.
About 60 MTA members gathered in the Duck Inn for the meeting as part of the MTA's annual convention. Committee chairs gave reports from the Legislative and Gambling Committee, Public Relations Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee. Executive Bob Anderson reported as well. Highlights of those reports follow.
Legislative and Gambling Report
Mark Staples, MTA’s government affairs counsel, gave the report on the Legislative and Gambling Committee, which met a day earlier in a curtained-off area in Havre's Ice Dome.
He said the committee's attention was focused for the most part on the decline of gambling revenue.
“People are frustrated,” he said. “What are we going to do, they ask.”
It's a difficult problem, Staples acknowledged, and said the legislative committee discussed very liberally several ideas that could help improve gambling revenues.
Some committee members, he said, wanted to create new excitement to the games to bring in some new players, saying “what do we have to lose?”
He also said that in order to have a chance to approve any gambling change, the MTA would need a sizable majority supporting that change.
“We can't have division,” he said.
In addition to gambling, Staples said the Legislative and Gambling Committee discussed important liquor issues, as well, especially mandatory server training.
He said the issue, which “doesn't have any opponents, politically, from either party,” has been set forth in general, with details to be filled in.
“There was going to be a (costly) database, only paid for by tax increases, and we didn't want that.”
What the proposal says now, he said, is that if you hire somebody, you have to get them trained within a certain period of time, likely 60 days.
“All the training programs that are out there now and that we are using currently should be acceptable,” he said.
Also, he said, the state originally wanted an annual renewal of training, but that has been extended to five years. It's likely, Staples said, “we'll split the difference when the bill enters its final form.”
Staples said the state continues to draft rules regarding a number of statutes, with one of the most important rule changes seeking to alter the penalty structure for serving violations. He said the Liquor Control Division of the Department of Revenue actually eased, at least initially, those penalties by proposing six violations in three years before an operator's license was suspended. Originally, suspension came after was five offenses in three years, which the MTA has always endorsed, Staples said.
However, those proposed rules were heavily criticized as being too lax, he said, so the Department reversed course and the rules – for now – will remain as they have been.
Also on the Department's to-do list is to “clean up some loose definitions of 'premises,'” Staples said, as it pertains to outdoor decks and patios (see related story).
The Department wants to define what constitutes a patio and deck so that “some kid doesn't wander in off the street,” he said.
Staples said the Department promises to take a “common sense approach” and develop a plan by mid-October.
Additionally, the Department is currently working to define “go-cups,” he said, after an issue arose over the “growlers” served by microbreweries.
“We have to stay up on that,” he said, “to see who gets that privilege.”
Staples then took time to advise casino owners to make sure they do not “de-emphasize” alcohol in their establishments.
Alcohol licenses, he reminded those in attendance, are issued on the grounds of public convenience and necessity. And the public convenience and necessity centers on demand for alcohol, not gambling.
“Be very careful about saying there is no need in your place for alcohol,” he said, “and that you're just a gambling joint.”
“There's no such thing as gambling licenses,” Staples said. “There are only alcohol licenses to which the gambling privilege attaches.”
Budget and Finance
Mary Jane Heisler, chairperson of the MTA's Budget and Finance committee, told the general assembly that after meeting with an auditor earlier in the week, some minor book-keeping improvements will be needed, but no major deficiencies were found. She added that the MTA office has “new people on board” to help with bookkeeping.
The organization ended last year (FY2010) with a deficit of $7,600, she said, “which I don't think is too bad considering our membership was down.”
She reported that membership has fallen from 651 to 568.
The budget for this year looks okay, she said, but added that increasing membership and selling the On-the-House*Pitality tickets could really help.
“The convention I think went pretty well,” Heisler added, though registration was down 100 compared to last year.
“I think the economy might be a part of that.”
Public Relations
Bobby Lincoln, chairman of the Public Relations committee, reported that sales were slow for the “no-dinner dinner” raffle tickets, which is one of MTA's main fundraisers. However, he said, sales really improved during the convention. (Names of raffle winners, who receive thousands of dollars in cash prizes, were drawn at the banquet Wednesday night.)
Though he said the tough economy definitely impacted sales efforts, the committee decided to continue the fundraiser next year.
Lincoln also said the committee voted to renew the regular mailings of MTA information for those who don't have email, “as much as we try to get everybody on board. In addition, he said, the committee suggested that the frequency of the “E-News” that is emailed by the MTA office be reduced.
Also, Lincoln said the committee supports the new “On-the-House*Pitality” promotion, though it started a bit late due to “some hang-ups getting (it) approved. The public relations committee, he said, supports creating an incentive next year of “a buck or two” for the bartenders for each $20 ticket they sell.
The promotion is called “On-the-House*Pitality” and centers on a $20 ticket that entitles the ticket buyer to 11 free drink tickets from taverns across Montana.
In addition, the ticket automatically enters the person in the Football Mania sweepstakes, where players participate each of the 17 weeks of the National Football League season with randomly chosen NFL teams. Each week the ticket holder's card lists three teams, and holders of the four highest and two lowest team point totals win cash prizes.
MTA members and associates wishing to participate can contact the MTA office at 442-5040 or by email at mttavern@gmail.com. Details are available on the website, www.montanatavernassociation.com.
Staples reminded MTA members that the “thing of value” in the promotion is the free drinks, and the Football Mania game is an extra bonus. He said bartenders and others selling the tickets should emphasize the free drinks, not the Football Mania portion of the promotion, to keep the tickets legal.
Steve Morris, who brought the promotion to the MTA, said tickets can still be sold through October. Several members asked for tickets to bring back to their places to sell.
Candidate Forums
Staples told the MTA business meeting that he is currently setting up forums or dinners for legislative candidates throughout Montana in anticipation of the general election Nov. 2. The forums are moderated by Staples with the goal of understanding the candidates' views on tavern-related topics.
One forum is already scheduled for Oct. 5 in Billings, and Staples said he was looking to book others in Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula and the Ravalli area.
He added that the MTA “batted one thousand percent” in the primary election, as all the candidates it supported won.
Convention Site
“We would love to have the MTA convention in Lewistown,” said Kris Jupka, who led a small group from the central Montana community campaigning to host the 2012 convention.
“We've never had the MTA convention.”
She then proceeded to dazzle the crowd with a sing-song extolling the benefits of Lewistown.
The group heard her loud and clear, voting unanimously to grant Lewistown the 2012 convention.
Also, Executive Director Bob Anderson said in his report that the Hi-Line Tavern Association in Havre did an excellent job hosting this year's convention.
“We owe the Hi-Line Tavern Association a debt of gratitude for its careful planning and execution of this year's event.”
Anderson said MTA membership is down about 70 members from a year ago. He said the MTA has attempted to generate new membership in two ways: the first is the establishment of a regular electronic newsletter called E-News; the second is the mailing of hundreds of invitations to former members and new tavern owners and managers to join the organization.
“There is more work to be done,” he said in his report.
Officers
The MTA membership attending the business meeting also endorsed the slate of current officers to serve another year. They are:
Bruce Enott, president; Bobby Lincoln, first vice president; Cal McComber, second vice president; Mary Jane Heisler, secretary/treasurer; Ron Morris, sergeant-at-arms; and Steve Morris and Henry Klock, national directors.