A tavern for parents to sit in and drink hard cider, craft beer, and wine while they watch their children play nearby is the vision Scott DeBuck described to the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting June 17.
DeBuck’s Corn Maze, 50240 Martz Rd., needs the township’s approval as one of the last steps in obtaining a new Tavern License from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission for on-premise alcohol consumption.
The township board voted 4-2 to support the project, with Treasurer Sharry Budd and Trustee Donald Boynton voting no. Trustee Kevin Martin was absent and excused.
The board was told the LCC has issued 14 licenses to the township and six are available.
Scott DeBuck said they will build a new tavern building in the middle of things and use drinks made in Michigan to support state businesses. He said DeBuck’s hires off-duty police officers for security.
“It will be all fenced in, in the middle of the property,” he said. “Parents can have a beer and watch them play.”
He said at $12 for draft beer, they are not going to be drinking to get drunk.
Clerk Leon Wright said alcohol kind of changes the game for a family experience. He asked them if they plan to control the atmosphere.
DeBuck said the farm does team-building with companies who come out for parties. The companies have asked for alcohol, he said. It said it’s going to be well-organized and employees will be trained to head off over-indulgence.
When asked about the timing, Eric DeBuck said they could have the license within six weeks. They plan to use a shipping container for the tavern until spring when the real tavern will be built.
“This is troublesome to me,” said treasurer Budd, adding she is among the families that bring small children to the farm.
“My mom and dad felt the same thing,”
DeBuck said, referring to his father Norman DeBuck seated behind him in the meeting room and his mother Linda. But, he added, many, many farms have alcohol now and craft beers. He named activities with alcohol and said even the Wayne County Fairgrounds has alcohol.
Budd said she didn’t like encouraging alcohol around kids’ activities. And she said the 4-H Fair no longer serves alcohol because of the trouble with kids.
Trustee Boynton said he has seen the effects of alcohol on folks. They start in one frame of mind and that changes with alcohol.
He said he is a former casino employee of 20 years and served at the executive level.
“I agree with your parents,” Boynton said to DeBuck. “Your family-oriented business is doing so well.” He said he has never been to DeBuck’s farm, but he knows about it.
“I think this requires a lot more discussion and a lot more insight on the baseline effects of alcohol,” he said.
Ron Akers, director of municipal services, said the township passed the Agritourism Ordinance for rural parts of the township which allows alcohol.
“We want agritourism,” said supervisor Kevin McNamara. “I want you to be successful… I’d like a winery. Something really nice.
“Times are changing,” said clerk Wright, noting that recently he went to a clerks’ meeting and, “They took us to a winery… You have to stay with the times. You bring in businesses and organizations and they do ‘team building.’”
DeBuck said 60-70% of the people who come to the farm are adults and 30% are children.
After the 4-2 vote that supported the liquor license, DeBuck said, “We will do our best.”
Supervisor McNamara said, “We have a high level of confidence in your family.”
In other business at the 50-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved a resolution of the long-term maintenance of the storm water management system at Crossroads Distribution Center North 11, LLC;
• Approved an agreement with Fishbeck engineers for preliminary site investigation for a Water and Sewer Building on the water tower site. McNamara explained, “We’re growing and we’ve got a lot of very expensive equipment stored outside”;
• Approved an agreement to receive $20,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from Wayne County for salary for senior services;
• Approved the second reading and approval of a zoning ordinance amendment for exterior commercial lighting standards for public safety;
• Approved the second reading and approval of a zoning ordance to reduce the setback requirement for monument signs within residential developments and specify the number allowed based on the number of entrances;
• Approved changes to the community center’s member and guest policy handbook, which includes hours and holiday closings. The changes will take effect after Labor Day. McNamara noted these were updates after a year of operation;
• Heard Michael Vinarcik of Andover Farms ask the board to pass new and/or enforce existing ordinances that will help the homeowners’ association’s anti-blight efforts. He said the things that bring down the appearance of the community and property values include non-working vehicles, trash and weeds, fence in state of collapse, trip hazards on sidewalks, banning overnight parking for snow removal, too many people living in one house, kids playing basketball or hockey in the street, aggressive dog breeds, and more. Although he has been treasurer of Andover Farms HOA for about two decades, he stressed these were personal comments; and
• Heard Forrest Little of Haggerty subdivision say the subcontractors who are putting fiber optic lines are causing a lot of problems. They are jumping fences if the gates are locked, destroying property. He said they dug holes and covered them by putting plywood over the holes. He said gardens have been torn up. Director Akers said the workers have the right to go in the utility easements and he is trying to get names to go up the chain of command to address the residents’ complaints. Little said when they try to talk to the workers, they don’t speak English.
Work Study
The board met in work-study session at 4 p.m., before the 6 p.m. regular meeting on June 17. In the one-hour-and-21-minute study session, the board discussed at length changes to the Van Buren Community Center member and guest policy handbook, VBC facility hours, and VBC holiday closures.
The board also discussed policy updates regarding travel, purchasing, credit cards, policies and procedures. The salaried employee manual discussion was postponed until a later date due to time constraints.
The board also discussed the relocation of the Human Resources office to the current trustee office with an alternative workspace for the trustees.
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