NABCA CHAIRMAN FRED WOOTON
After being appointed commissioner , Wooton was tasked with completing a comprehensive warehouse renovation project that had been in process for more than a decade .
suspension system that includes the replacement of 1,600 sprinkler heads , a process that should be completed within the next two years .
Looking ahead , Wooton plans to continue these improvement efforts by conducting preventive maintenance on the warehouse ’ s fork trucks and pallet jacks , modernizing equipment used to transport product the agency ’ s 2,600 listed products and 2,000 annual special orders throughout the warehouse .
Wooton has also focused on working with the state legislature to enact positive changes to alcohol-related regulations across the state .
In the first major licensing change in West Virginia in more than 50 years , the state ’ s Class A private club licenses were modified in 2017 . This allowed licensees operating resort facilities and other large tourism-related locations to obtain a single private license for alcohol sales and consumption within designated areas across the entire premises — rather than requiring a separate license for different areas of the property .
“ This new policy has had a huge positive impact on West Virginia tourism , and it also gives additional opportunities to new businesses ,” Wooton explains . Over the years , these changes have resulted in new licenses and new opportunities such as private manufacture clubs at breweries , wineries and distilleries , along with private food trucks , golf courses and sports stadiums .
Additional legislation passed during Wooton ’ s tenure as commissioner includes a 2019 bill allowing the retail sale of liquor on Sundays , which had previously been prohibited , and has contributed to the WVAB- CA ’ s steady revenue growth . The additional day of Sunday sales , and the convenience of being able to purchase liquor on all days of the week , have helped increase the agency ’ s bottom line .
In 2020 , the legislature passed a bill allowing the off-premises sale of liquor in every county and municipality across the state . A number of areas had previously been designated as dry counties , and this new law permitted all municipalities to immediately become wet ( although individual municipalities had the right to opt out and remain dry , which only one did ).
During the Covid-19 pandemic , temporary legislation was enacted to support on-premise licensees , including third-party delivery , curbside pickup , a streamlined application process for outdoor dining , floor plan extensions and other temporary permits . Many of these provisions later be-
16 StateWays | www . stateways . com | Summer 2023