The city suspended a gas station's liquor license Thursday rather than revoking it as recommended by city staff.
The liquor board suspended Dick Nollet's liquor license for a week and fined him $1,500. His 7-Eleven at the corner of Highway 50 East and Airport Road was cited three times in six months for selling alcohol to underage decoys working with the sheriff's department.
City staff said they recommended revoking the license, in part, because gas station employees hadn't attended a mandated alcohol server class until recently. Nollet told the liquor board he sent employees to the first class available.
A liquor license has not been revoked in the city for at least 14 years.
Nollet, who owns two 7-Eleven gas stations in Carson City, said management has attempted to strictly adhere to rules prohibiting alcohol sales to minors during the 11 years he's been in the business. Employees go through training and warnings to check for identification are attached to the store's cash register, he said.
"I just want you to see that this is nothing that we take lightly."
Deanna Nollet, his wife, said she and her husband go out of their way to be responsible business owners. She said they have a good security system, won't sell drug paraphernalia or pornography and have never faced this kind of problem with the city before.
"This is like lightning striking," she said.
However, Sheriff Kenny Furlong said the gas station was tested three times and failed all three times.
"You are responsible for your store," he said.
Some other liquor board members also scolded the couple, but two of six members who voted against the suspension and fine,
Supervisors Robin Williamson and Shelly Aldean, said the city's ordinance that penalizes the owner of a business for an employee's citation alone isn't fair.
An owner shouldn't be penalized unless the employee is found guilty in court, they said, and the city has to change its ordinance. Aldean also said the impacts of a slow economy make it bad time to hurt someone's business.
Alcohol sales make up 18 percent of the gas station's business, according to Nollet, adding that the store would have to close without those sales.
- Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.