By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
JACKSON – The Township Council has taken action that is aimed at generating revenue for the municipality.
On Sept. 13, council members passed a resolution authorizing the public sale of two new plenary retail consumption licenses in Jackson. The minimum bid for a plenary retail consumption license is $400,000.
A plenary retail consumption license may be held by a bar, restaurant, club or lounge.
The licensee can sell alcoholic beverages for on premises and off premises consumption. Sales for off premises consumption must be made from the public barroom and goods for sale may only be displayed on the perimeter walls, according to www.nj.gov/oag/abc/
And, officials passed a resolution authorizing the sale of one plenary retail distribution license in Jackson. The minimum bid for that license will be $350,000.
With a plenary retail distribution license, the licensee (i.e., a liquor store) can only sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off the licensed premises, according to www.nj.gov/oag/abc/
The resolutions authorize the municipal clerk to publish newspaper notices informing the public the liquor licenses are available and stating the date by which a bid must be received from an individual or entity wishing to purchase a license.
The clerk will review the applications that are submitted and announce the bidders who are qualified to purchase a license no later than five days before the bids are opened.
And, council members voted 5-0 to pass a resolution which followed up on a discussion that took place at a recent meeting.
At that previous meeting, municipal officials discussed how the purchasers of some homes in Jackson are buying homes in the name of a limited liability company (LLC) so as not to reveal the identity of the individuals who are behind the transactions.
Council president Rob Nixon called for action that would require the people behind an LLC to make their identities known.
At the Sept. 13 meeting, Nixon said he met with state Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Burlington) to address the issue.
According to the resolution the council passed that evening, Dancer is sponsoring A-4100, which if passed in the Senate and Assembly and signed into law by the governor “would require an LLC or foreign LLC that is the grantor or grantee of a deed for residential real property containing one to four dwelling units to disclose the individual members of the company when it files a deed for recording.”
The council’s resolution states that the passage of A-4100 “would enable the public to know the names of individuals involved in purchasing property in residential neighborhoods, although the individuals have acted through shell LLCs.”
With their vote, the council members stated their support for the bill Dancer is sponsoring.
“When this bill is referred to a committee (in the Legislature), Jackson residents must reach out and let them know we want this bill, so Democrats understand this is a statewide issue. I need our residents to follow up on this. The people of this town have a right to know who owns the property next door to them,” Nixon said.
A resident who addressed the council during the public comment portion of the meeting thanked officials for taking action to support Dancer’s legislation.