[Amended 2-16-2021]
The purpose of this article is to secure the public peace, health and safety of the residents and property owners of the Township of Blackman, Jackson County, Michigan, a municipal corporation, for the regulation of alcoholic liquor traffic within said Township, through the enforcement of the Michigan Liquor Control Code of the State of Michigan[1] within said Township; to provide penalties for the violation of said article; and to repeal all ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict therewith.
[1]
Editor's Note: See MCLA § 436.1101 et seq.
This ordinance shall be known and cited as the "Blackman Township Liquor Control Ordinance."
All alcoholic liquor traffic, including, among other things, the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, storage for sale, possession and/or transportation thereof within the Township of Blackman, Jackson County, Michigan, shall comply with the provisions of the Michigan Liquor Control Code, being Public Act 58 of 1998, as amended, (MCLA 436.1101 et seq.).
For the purpose of enforcement of said Michigan Liquor Control Code within said Township, the Public Safety Department shall have the full power, authority, and duty to see that the provisions of the Code and the rules and regulations of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, adopted pursuant to the Code, are enforced within the said Township.
The Township Public Safety Department shall inspect not less than yearly all liquor establishments licensed under the Liquor Control Code of the State of Michigan and report the results of all inspections promptly to the Township Board. The Township Public Safety Department shall further promptly investigate all complaints received by it concerning violations of the Michigan Liquor Control Code, or improper operations and practices concerning alcoholic liquor traffic within the Township, and report the same to the Township Board and, where appropriate under the Michigan Liquor Control Code, to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission for appropriate proceedings against the violator.
A. 
All officers shall carry appropriate cards issued by the Township Clerk, clearly identifying them as Township public safety officers and shall present said cards to the owner or manager of every place inspected by them when making an inspection, upon demand for identification by such owner or manager.
B. 
Officers shall have the right to inspect any place in the Township where alcoholic liquor is manufactured, sold, offered for sale, kept for sale, possessed or transported, or where the officer suspects the same is being thus manufactured, sold, offered for sale, kept for sale, possessed, or transported. Whenever possible, all inspection reports shall be made on Liquor Law Enforcement Inspection forms furnished by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission or on similar forms otherwise obtained by the Township Public Safety Department.
A. 
Any person, other than persons required to be licensed under the Michigan Liquor Control Code, who shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
B. 
Any licensee who shall violate any of the provisions of the Michigan Liquor Control Code or any rule or regulation of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission promulgated thereunder, or who shall prohibit or interfere with the authorized inspection of a member of the Township Liquor Control Enforcement Department, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not more than 90 days or by a fine of not more than $500, or both, in the discretion of the court. Each day that a violation continues to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
C. 
It is the intent of the Township Board that the court, in imposing punishment under the provisions of this ordinance, should discriminate between casual or slight violations and habitual sales of alcoholic liquor or attempts to commercialize violations of this ordinance or any of the rules or regulations of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission promulgated under the Michigan Liquor Control Code.