WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Residents in Wausau will soon be able to get alcohol in their online grocery pickup orders.
Monday night the Wausau Public Health & Safety Committee discussed the suspension of an ordinance that prohibits drive-up alcohol sales at licensed businesses in the City. Committee Chair Lisa Rasmussen explained to the committee the suspension was a request from local grocers who wanted to be able to let customers get alcohol in their online grocery pickup orders with the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the suspension of the ordinance, there were some provisions for ordering drive-up alcohol purchases that the committee decided on. “We would delegate the approval of the amendment to staff once the criteria have been met. That we will remove the provision that limits the sale hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and includes next day pick up after 2 p.m., that would be out completely.
“We would then delete also the 4 hour waiting period which was item number two, that would be out completely. We’d remove the $15 threshold for the food purchase. We would just require that a food purchase accompany the alcohol sale but not a set dollar amount. We would leave in that the licensed bartender must perform the sale.
“We would leave in that the driver has to be at least of legal age that’s picking the stuff up. And then in number 6, we would remove the reference to payment for the order not occurring until the ID has been verified. We would change that to remove the reference to payment but include the reference to delivery of the product to the vehicle. So that even if someone has bought it that the verification would happen before they actually get the item.”
The ordinance exception for restaurants and grocery stores was passed unanimously by the committee following the provision changes. The exception to the ordinance will expire on June 30th, 2021, when liquor licenses come up for their yearly renewal.
