Mission Statement

The mission of Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) is to provide licensing, wholesale and retail sales of beverage alcohol products, enforcement, and effective education and training programs, while promoting moderation and responsible behavior in all phases of distribution and consumption. The department diligently promotes, enforces, and obeys all laws and regulations governing beverage alcohol while generating revenue for the benefit of Montgomery County's General Fund. The department strives to provide its customers with the added benefits inherent in the oversight provided by Montgomery County Government.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the Alcohol Beverage Services is $81,926,978, an increase of $3,975,363 or 5.10 percent from the FY26 Approved Budget of $77,951,615. Personnel Costs comprise 62.38 percent of the budget for 343 full-time position(s) and 107 part-time position(s), and a total of 419.80 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 37.62 percent of the FY27 budget.

In FY27, Alcohol Beverage Services will make a $10.4 million earnings transfer to the General Fund, a $5.1 million indirect costs transfer, and make $10.5 million in debt service payments on Liquor Control Revenue Bonds for a total contribution of $26.0 million.

The above projections and proposed expenditures form the basis for working capital decisions concerning the ABS Enterprise Fund. The following information is provided to facilitate County Council and public input for final County Executive decisions on the determination of adequate working capital within, and use of resources in, the Liquor Enterprise Fund and net proceeds to be deposited to the General Fund. Consistent with Article 2B, Section 15-207, the County Executive must make resource allocation decisions for the Fund.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires Current Revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following are emphasized:

• A Greener County
• Effective, Sustainable Government
• Safe Neighborhoods
• A Growing Economy

Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY26 estimates reflect funding based on the FY26 approved budget. The FY27 and FY28 figures are performance targets based on the FY27 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY28.

Initiatives

• Create a customer service training program for retail store employees in collaboration with Montgomery College as a way to improve the retail customer service experience and increase customer satisfaction.

• Recognize and award licensed establishments that pass compliance checks to prevent under-21 alcohol consumption.

• Upgrade the current conveyor system to enhance operational efficiencies, including increased productivity and reduced product breakage. This upgrade will also contribute to lowering employee injuries and minimizing overtime, creating a safer and more efficient work environment.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

• Leveraged a dormant 2017 law to allow beer and wine stores to enter an agreement with the department to sell ready-to-drink distilled spirit beverages with less than 8 percent alcohol by volume, giving a needed boost to these businesses' bottom line.
• Expanded the licensee education program to include a partnership with the non-profit organization Safe Bars to provide free bystander intervention and de-escalation training in preventing sexual violence.
• Expanded the Under-21 Alcohol Prevention program by partnering with Excel Beyond the Bell, a public-private partnership offering programs designed to inspire youth to realize their full potential.
• Opened the relocated and rebranded retail stores at Westbard, White Oak, and Wheaton with updated and enhanced shopping environments and tasting rooms for product education.
• Modernized the internal and external facing web applications to align with the latest standards for enhanced scalability, performance, security, and user-centric design.

Program Descriptions

  Warehouse Operations

This program involves management of the County's beverage alcohol warehouse and includes the purchase, receipt, and storage of different stock and special order items....

  Delivery Operations

This program includes the distribution of distilled spirits, wine, and beer to licensed establishments and County retail stores....

  Retail Sales Operations

This program oversees sales of distilled spirits, wine, and beer to retail customers and licensees through the operation of retail stores that are located throughout Montgomery County....

  Administration

The Administration Program provides comprehensive leadership for the department including strategic planning, policy development and implementation, accountability, maintenance of partnerships with non-governmental service providers, and human resource management. This program also provides all accounting, financial, procurement, and information technology services for the department. Finance and accounting staff perform special analyses,...

  Licensure, Regulation and Education

This program includes issuance of alcoholic beverage licenses; inspecting and investigating licensed facilities to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and serving as support staff and providing expert testimony at hearings for issuance, fining, suspension, or revocation of licenses. This program also encompasses community partnerships by defining...