When the City of Morristown grants a permit to sell or dispense beer the employees of the establishment who actually make the transaction are required to demonstrate completion of an alcohol awareness training course. The City of Morristown has revised Title 8 Chapter 2 of the City Code requiring that servers and sellers obtain a permit from the City and offering the required training at no charge. In order to enhance enforcement of the code the new server/seller permits will display the employee's photograph and must be worn at all times while working. There will be a $25 charge for the permit, which will be valid for a maximum of three years.

The training course offered by the City is the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) course administered by Health Communications, INC. Two versions of the course will be offered; a six-hour on-premise (beer sold in restaurants and clubs by the glass) class and a three-hour off-premise (packaging sales) class. An employee who completes the off-premise class will receive a permit to sell beer only in an establishment with an off-premise permit issued by the City of Morristown. An employee who completes the on-premise class will receive a permit to serve or sell beer at any establishment possessing either an on-premise or off-premise beer permit issued by the City of Morristown. Newly hired employees must immediatly obtain a temporary server/seller permit and must complete required training and obtain the regular permit 60 days of hire.

The TIPS certification is good for three years and the server/seller permit will be issued to expire on the expiration of the training certification. Employees may obtain TIPS training from sources other than the City and may present a valid current TIPS certification in order to receive a server/seller permit. The permit will be issued to expire in three years or on the expiration date of the TIPS certification, whichever is earlier. The cost of permits issued for less than three year period will not be prorated, but if a permit holder obtains a new training certificate before the permit expiration the server/seller permit will be extended to a full three year term at no additional cost. Server/seller permits are transferable in that a permit holder may change employers without obtaining a new permit.

Servers and sellers may obtain alcohol awareness training from generally accepted comparable training program other than TIPS if such program is reviewed by the City and formally accepted as an alternative by City Council.

Jack Kennerly
Assistant City Administrator.