The Powell City Council is considering an amendment that will allow the city clerk to approve catering permits and expedite the process. 

Catering permits are used for liquor license holders who wish to serve alcohol at a location other than the one for which they are licensed. For example, if a local bar is hired to serve guests at a wedding, it must apply for a catering permit to be used at the venue where the reception is held. 

Under the current city’s ordinance, a catering permit applicant has to apply in time for the request to be on the agenda for a city meeting, which occurs only twice per month. If the event happens before the council can consider the request at its regularly scheduled meetings (on the first and third Mondays of the month), the applicant must request a special meeting from the council. That can cost the applicant over $700. 

This situation came up for Sage Brews Wine & Spirits in April. The retail license holder applied for a permit to cater a Kentucky Derby event at Yellowstone Motors that was planned at the last minute. Since the council wouldn’t meet prior to the event, Sage was billed for the special meeting. 

If the council approves the change in ordinance — which still must go through a third and final reading — then the city will need to consider a separate resolution, which will define the criteria by which City Clerk Tiffany Brando will approve licenses. 

Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt is advising the city on best practices for the approval process. Eckerdt said this will be done from a prevention perspective, such as how to prevent over service and social normalization around minors. 

These are the items the council currently considers when issuing permits, Eckerdt said, and it won’t change much in the way of what’s required for the applicants. 

“It’ll just speed up the process,” Eckerdt said. 

Venues will still need to apply for a waiver of the city’s open container restrictions when the event is held outdoors.

“We do them separately,” Brando said.

The Powell council is also updating its open container ordinance to be in line with changes to state law, which clarified the definition of “sealed.”

Meanwhile, the City of Cody is making it easier to obtain malt beverage and open container permits at certain city facilities. Under a resolution approved Tuesday evening, Cody’s city administrator (or their designee) will have the authority to issue the permits at all city parks (except City Park itself), the East Sheridan Softball Complex, the Bob Moore Parking Lot and the Cody Auditorium Parking Lot. There are some exceptions to the new policy, including if the event is being held next to a youth sports activity, and council approval is still required if more than 100 people are attending.