Clark House To Get A Shot At Liquor License, House Panel Decides In Vote

The Clark House owner is once again trying to get lawmakers to pass special legislation allowing him to have a liquor license.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. June Judd, D-St. Maries, proposes to grant a liquor license to the historic bed and breakfast on Hayden Lake “to better serve the guests.”

The same legislation was sponsored by Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Hayden, last year. Crow’s bill died in the House State Affairs Committee.

The new legislation was approved 12-8 Friday by the same committee.

Current law does not allow liquor licenses outside city limits. It is also illegal for legislators to grant special privileges to one person or place. To get around that law, legislators write bills that appear to apply to any establishment that meets certain descriptions. The description just happens to be narrow enough to fit only one establishment.

“The way the law is written, it forces us to make exceptions,” said Rep. Jeff Alltus, R-Hayden. “I’m in support of this.”

But Rep. Jim Stoicheff, D-Sandpoint said “This is special interests of the worst kind. It’s a rotten bill.”

The bill would grant a liquor license to any facility that has more than five rooms, has been open for 75 years, is within 500 yards of a natural lake that has 32 miles of shoreline and 36,000 acre-feet of water when full, has been on the historic register for 10 years, and is within a county with a population of over 65,000.

Monty Danner, owner of the Clark House insists that the liquor license is absolutely necessary. “Many people cancel reservations because I can’t serve liquor,” said Danner. “I love the Clark House. I’ve put my life into it. Now I need your help to sustain it.”

, DataTimes